Nurse Practitioner
Degree: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
License: Provided by the Board of Registered Nursing in the state the nurse practices in. A Nurse practitioner, in addition to holding a license as a Registered Nurse, also holds a separate license issued by the BRN upon completion of a licensing exam, allowing them to practice in the advanced practice role.
Length of programs: 1-2 years
Pre-requisite requirements: Generally, Nurse Practitioner programs require you already hold a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN). However, there are a number of programs which allow you to earn a Masters Degree in Nursing and a Nurse Practitioner license if you hold a bachelor degree in ANY field. These are often called “direct entry” programs.
The following is a list of these direct entry programs I know about in California, however a simple google search for “direct entry masters in nusing” will find the ones in your state.
University of California, San Francisco Masters Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)
Cal State Long Beach Direct Entry program
Western University of Health Sciences Entry Level MSN program
Physician Assistant
Degree: Generally, a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), Health Science (MHS), or Medical Science (MMSc). While there are Bachelors Degree programs and even non-degree programs, these are quickly dying out and are not recommended.
License: Licensing of PAs is regulated by individual state medical boards, in other words the same body that regulates medical doctors. PAs are required to work under the supervision of a medical doctor. PAs must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam before being able to practice as a PA-C, or certified Physician Assistant.
Length of Programs: Generally 4-7 years of post-secondary studies. This is often accomplished by first obtaining a bachelors degree in another field, as well as the PA pre-requisite classes (discussed below), and then applying to a 2-3 year PA Masters Degree program.
Pre-requisite requirements: Pre-requisites vary by school but generally a bachelors degree in any field, along with the following courses:
Human Anatomy with lab
Human Physiology with lab
General Chemistry with lab
Microbiology or bacteriology with lab
Human Physiology with lab
General Chemistry with lab
Microbiology or bacteriology with lab
Algebra, Calculus or Statistics
English Composition
Two courses in Social Sciences (e.g. Psychology, Sociology or Cultural Anthropology)
English Composition
Two courses in Social Sciences (e.g. Psychology, Sociology or Cultural Anthropology)
Biology (this requirement varies by school)
Applying to PA schools is done through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)
Only the UCSF program actually leads to an advanced practice degree. The other programs lead to MSN/CNLs but they don't have the expanded scope of practice of an advanced practice nurse like a nurse practitioner
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteMedical assistants must be equipped with good communication skills. As they are
essentially the connecting link between patients and physicians, it is important
for medical assistants to develop soft skills that make the patients feel welcome
and comfortable in a place they don’t really want to be in. Interacting with patients
and their families, providing them all the information they would need in order to e
ase their apprehensions, displaying empathy and understanding the delicacies of
communication in a dispiriting hospital environment, are skills that practices
are imploring their medical assistants to imbibe and develop.
medical assistant
medical assistant classes
medical assistant certification
medical assistant programs
medical assistant school
medical assistant courses
medical assistant courses online
medical assistant classes online