Switch to mandatory masters program.

[Blackiephillips]

I have searched online and on this forum but, I can't find any information on when the change is to take place. I may not be searching the correct phrases. Hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction. Also I have read that if a school has a bachelor and masters degree that the bachelor degree will still be available. Thanks for any info.

[IdahoPA]

I'm unaware of a widespread date, but perhaps you could call the specific programs you were interested in and inquire about it. They would at least be able to tell you what degrees they are offering this cycle, so you could assume the switch would/wouldn't be this year. (Their websites might also contain this info.)

[Corpsman2PA]

I thought it was 2020...but maybe that was just rumor mill...

[LESH]

I thought it was 2020...but maybe that was just rumor mill...

You are correct it is 2020.

[Blackiephillips]

Thanks for the replies.

[wisemakl]

Also be careful about where you want to work. In the state of Ohio you CANNOT practice without a Masters. So all of the programs in OH offer a masters. But if you were to go to a school elsewhere and do a certificate or bachelors program, you wouldn't be able to come back and practice. My advice would be if you haven't already started school... do a masters program.

[briepm]

Could someone please sum up the difference between the PA masters degree and the bachelor's degree? I wasn't even aware that you could just have a bachelor's degree and practice as a PA. Besides the licensing issues in some states mentioned above, are there any restrictions in the care/ practice that a bachelor's level PA can perform?

(For transparency, I'm an upcoming master's degree student in Pennsylvania)

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

PA practice is (well, more use to be) competency based. Meaning it did not matter the degree as long as you could pass the same boards.

 

The educational difference is a research and statistics component between the masters and bachelors. They are otherwise almost exactly the same. I don't know the difference between a certificate and bachelor's, but I imagine it's just the amount of courses taken before PA school.

[Joelseff]

I have a cert and a AS (no difference in curriculum) and I'm currently halfway through my MS (NO BACHELORS btw) but I am a practicing PA...

 

oneal is correct in that (at least in my program for those who opted for the MMS) the MS had some extra classes like EBM, medical writing, stats etc...

 

general PA education whether resulting in Cert, AS, BA,or BS, I believe, are very similar in curriculum. Of course this will all change once the MS becomes the entry degree...

 

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[briepm]

Thanks for clearing it up Oneal and Joelseff!