Arkansas is home to a handful of on-campus physician assistant (PA) degree programs. In addition to these on-campus offerings, Arkansans can also complete online physician assistant programs from the comfort of home, which are offered by campuses throughout the country. This leaves aspiring physician assistants with a variety of different degree program options. This guide can help you sift through the best PA schools so that you can pick the program that is the best fit for you, your schedule, and your learning style.
Online PA Programs vs On-Campus PA Programs in Arkansas
To start creating a list of physician assistant programs that interest you, it is good to start eliminating options that you couldn’t possibly enroll in due to any scheduling conflicts that you might have. For example, if you have other commitments going on at night, you would not want to enroll in a program that requires you to go to class during the evening. Additionally, you will want to think about how close the nearest campuses are. If commuting time will be too much for you to fit into your schedule, you may want to consider either moving closer to campus or applying to online options that get rid of that commuting time. Variability in your schedule is another factor to consider. If your other obligations change from week to week, you may want a program that allows you to attend class on your own time through asynchronous learning, which is something we will talk about later.
After you take any non-possibilities off of your list, you can start thinking about your learning preferences. Do you learn better in the classroom or at home? If you were to complete an online program, where would you attend class? From your living room or an office or other location? What do you want out of your learning experience? Do you want to have meaningful discussions with professors and peers? Does talking things through help you learn better? Would you be able to focus if you were required to go to class on your own time without being accountable to a professor who can see you over a webcam? Do you meet most of the academic requirements of your school of choice, as PA school programs are usually very competitive? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself as you evaluate the different options.
On-Campus PA Programs in Arkansas
If you are truly prepared to start applying to physician assistant programs, you have a bachelor’s degree under your belt. Likely, you earned your undergraduate degree on campus, so you probably know a thing or two about what the on-campus experience entails. On-campus students report to class to attend lectures and earn credits toward their degrees. They complete assignments and take exams like you would in any program. Additionally, students complete clinical experiences, typically at clinical placement sites around the general area of the school. These clinical experiences are required by any kind of physician assistant program, and allow students to earn in-person experience that they need in order to become certified professionals.
1. Alderson Broaddus University
Alderson Broaddus University has a long history of educating physician assistants. Founded in 1968 by Dr. Hu C. Myers, our alumni are recognized nationwide for their high quality and professionalism. Here you will receive a high-quality education founded on 50 years of success, centered on patient care and the physician-physician-assistant team model. This training may require an evening or weekend commitment on the part of the student due to faculty/instructor resources and availability. Students will receive advanced notifications as scheduled. Evening classes are routine during the didactic phase of the program. Saturdays and Sundays are utilized during the student’s didactic clinical training on a rotating schedule.
2. University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program
The University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program is one of the best PA programs in Arkansas. University of Charleston PA Program strongly values utilizing innovative educational methods, using a variety of approaches beyond the standard lecture, including case-based, problem-based, and team-based instruction. The UC Physician Assistant Program is designed to train outstanding physician assistants, able to handle the challenges of practicing medicine in a complex healthcare system. The university emphasizes a holistic approach – not simply training students in the foundations of medical knowledge and patient care, but also to think critically, solve complex medical problems, utilize evidence to make excellent decisions at the point of care, and communicate effectively with colleagues, other healthcare professions, and patients of different backgrounds.
3. West Liberty University Physician Assistant Program
The West Liberty University PA Program is an excellent PA program in WV. West Liberty University Physician Assistant Program strives to provide high-quality education to PA candidates, who are an integral part of the healthcare team. The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree is a 24-month program that begins in July and is divided into didactic and clinical sections. The didactic portion of the program will include a combination of basic science courses and laboratories as well as classes and laboratories in the applied medical sciences. This portion of their physician assistant course requirements will occur during the first 12 months (year 1) of the program. Year 2 of the program will include nine 5-week clinical rotations with the supervision of licensed clinical preceptors. A critical review of the medical literature is also required.
Online PA Programs
Online physician assistant programs bring the classroom to your living room, office, or wherever else you want to complete class from. One of the obvious benefits of an online program is the elimination of time wasted commuting. The most flexible of online programs may even allow you to go to “class” on your own time through what is called asynchronous learning.
Online programs will still require you to complete clinical placement experiences. These are required in order to become certified as a PA. Ask the online programs you are interested in if they will be able to assist you in securing placement sites local to you.
How Long do Physician Assistant Programs in Arkansas Typically Take to Complete?
PA programs are approximately 27 months, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). Program length can vary from program to program – one may take just two years while another may take four.