PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

CAREER INFORMATION

Meet Dorien!

I was born and raised on Maui and attended Seabury Hall High School. I did my undergraduate degree at Boston College. I then attended MCP Hahnemann University in Philadelphia for physician assistant school. I always wanted to return to the islands and serve the community and I feel grateful to be home.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

EDUCATION

CAREERS

What do they do?

Examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician or surgeon
Assist in surgery
Order blood tests, X-rays, and other laboratory procedures
Prescribe and refill medications
Review and take patients' medical histories
Assess and educate patients during consultations

What equipment do
they use?

Suturing materials
Otoscopes
Ear scopes
Syringes
Stethoscopes
Sphygmomanometers
Penlights
Bandages and disinfectants

RESPONSIBILITIES

EDUCATION

Education Guide

To become a primary care doctor, complete a bachelor’s degree and gain health care experience. Then, attend a PA program. Finally, pass a test to attain certification and become state licensed.

STEP 1

Complete a bachelor's degree.

Bachelor's Degree

4 years at a university
Most programs require a GPA of 3.0 at minimum in preferably pre-health related majors including chemistry/organic chemistry, biology/microbiology, physiology, psychology, and statistics

STEP 2

Gain Health Care Experience.

Health Care Experience

3 years of healthcare experience prior to applying for a PA program
Experience includes work as
- Medical assistant
- Emergency medical technician
- Paramedic
- Medic or medical corpsman
- Lab assistant/phlebotomist
- Registered nurse
- Emergency room technician
- Surgical tech
- Certified nursing assistant
PA program requirements from Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), paeaonline.org

STEP 3

Attend a PA Program.

Attend PA Program

3 years of in-class instruction and 2,000+ hours of clinical rotations
May choose to take additional certifications for further specialization

What opportunities are in Hawaiʻi?

University of Hawaii Programs

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MEDEX Northwest Physician Assistant Program Kona Campus

More Info

Offers a Master's of Clinical Health Services degree
Located in Kona, Big Island as part of the University of Washington School of Medicine

STEP 4

Certification

After completing PA program, eligible to take 5-hour test, Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

STEP 5

Become State-Licensed.

Become State Licensed

Obtained by graduating from an ARC-PA accredited school and passing the PANCE
Able to practice under title, Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C)

CAREERS