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Physician Assistant

School of Health Sciences
Physician Assistant Center · (570) 327-4779
Physicians Assistant Program Accredited by Accreditation Review Comission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

The Physician Assistant program at Pennsylvania College of Technology is a 24-month bachelor of science degree program which provides opportunities for both Penn College graduates and transfer students. The Physician Assistant program has been in existence since 1996 and has been accredited by ARC-PA since its inception.

The program is housed within the Physician Assistant Center. This building was built for the program's needs in 1996 and houses dedicated physician assistant facilities. Classroom and laboratory areas are spacious and include state-of-the-art educational technology.

What are Physician Assistants?

Physician Assistants are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Physician Assistants are qualified by graduation from an accredited Physician Assistant program and/or certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Within the Physician/PA relationship, Physician Assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making, and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The clinical role of Physician Assistants includes primary and specialty care in medical, emergency and surgical practice settings.

Physician Assistant practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research and administrative activities. The Physician Assistant national organization is the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). The state organization for Physician Assistants is the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants (PSPA).

Penn College Physician Assistant Program Staff

The Physician Assistant Program has a Program Staff of 18. The faculty have a variety of specialty backgrounds, the average faculty member at Penn College has over ten years of clinical experience. In addition, the program utilizes the expertise of local physicians, physician assistants, pharmacologists and other health care providers throughout the curriculum. The Penn College program currently accepts a class size limited to 30.

Physician Assistant News

December 2007

Penn College nursing, paramedic and physician assistant students volunteered to staff free flu clinics offered throughout Lycoming County last week, during which 466 influenza and 39 pneumonia vaccinations were given to county residents. The three-day initiative is a project of the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition and the State Health Improvement Plan. Clinics were held at fire halls and community centers in Hughesville, Muncy, Montgomery, Williamsport, Hepburnville, Jersey Shore and Waterville.

November 2007

Students enrolled in the School of Health Sciences at Penn College will partner with state and local organizations to administer free flu shots throughout Lycoming County in November. Nursing, paramedic and physician assistant students will administer flu and pneumococcal vaccine and will distribute educational materials regarding the immunizations at seven sites. The students will be supervised by college faculty and a Pennsylvania Department of Health nurse.

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August 2007

When 16 competing baseball teams and thousands of fans congregate for the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, nearly 60 Penn College students will take shifts at the 10-day event to help safeguard their health.

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April 2007

Through community partnerships, Penn College students are offering their skills at health fairs throughout Lycoming County, including ongoing events at county granges and an event at a local pharmacy.

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December 2006

Faculty from physician assistant programs in four states met Dec. 8-10 at Penn College to attend a seminar on "Implementing an Evidence-Based Medicine Curriculum Into Physician Assistant Training."

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