California Physician Assistant Programs

Six (6) California Physician Assistant Programs provide the classroom instruction and hands-on training required to be a Physician Assistant. Working under the supervision of physicians or surgeons, physician assistants are playing an increasingly important role in the U.S. healthcare delivery system. With demographic and technological trends spurring continued demand growth for healthcare services, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the Physician Assistant profession to be one of the fastest growing occupations from 2014 through 2024 (Data), with more than 28,000 new positions being added.. To practice as a Physician Assistant, professional licensure requirements in all states include entry level training from an accredited physician assistant program.

Classroom studies at California Physician Assistant Programs emphasize pathology, human anatomy, physiology, clinical pharmacology, clinical medicine, geriatric care, disease prevention, and related medical sciences. California Physician Assistant Programs supplement this classroom instruction in medical sciences with supervised training in several clinical areas, including family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, geriatrics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and pediatrics, among others. Most applicants to Physician Assistant Programs in California have a prior bachelor’s degree and some healthcare-related work experience, often times as registered nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or paramedics. Nevertheless, admissions requirements vary from program to program, so interested applicants need to check specific California Physician Assistant Programs for their respective admission requirements.

Learn more about admission requirements, curriculum and career development support at these six (6) Physician Assistant Programs in California:

The UCDavis' Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing:
Master of Health Services - Physician Assistant Studies

Loma Linda University's School of Allied Health Professions:
Master of Physician Assistant

Samuel Merritt University:
Master Physician Assistant Program

The Stanford School of Medicine / Foothill College:
Primary Care Associate Program

Keck School of Medicine of USC:
Primary Care Physician Assistant Program

Western University of Health Sciences:
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies