Northeastern University Physician Assistant

Every great school must have a great vision or mission and just by looking at their programs you can see immediately that Northeastern University's (NEU) Physician Assistant Program is a reflection of a great vision:

To stimulate student involvement in the professional community by assuming leadership roles and upholding the mission of all the schools serving the health professions

To create a learning environment that enables each student individuals to become competent physician assistants who has the clinical skills to contribute positively to the dynamic health care needs of society.

Students can lease laptop computers for both the first and second years, an option not available at many other schools. These computers are used for a variety of in-class and clinical assignments and activities, as well as for research, internet services and communication with the program and.

The school offers a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) - a professional degree providing training in the profession of a physician assistant based on the medical school model, to practice medicine under the preceptorship of a physician.

Things are changing in the Physician Assistant profession. While Physician Assistants remain dependent - providing medical services under the supervision of licensed physicians, other, non-physician tasks have been integrated into the role, particularly in the larger clinic and institutional setting. While not always clinical in nature, these tasks are fundamental to the practice of the PA's supervising physician. For example, PAs are involved in the development of patient and public education programs and in the tertiary care setting are often involved in the gathering, organizing, recording and analysis of research data.

Some PAs have found that job advancement is available when they become involved in the administration of their departments' educational and clinical and services.

As the profession grows additional nonclinical positions are developing for PAs. While all these positions may not involve patient care, they certainly depend on a strong clinical knowledge base.

The Northeastern University Physician Assistant curriculum provides PAs with knowledge both wide and deep in administrative and research skills as we'll as in the basic medical sciences and in clinical medicine.

With these expanded skills, our graduates can take advantage of the wide diversity of positions available to PAs.

At the end of the day the educational opportunities available as a result of the PA education are incomparable for those looking to take he next step.