The ArmyThe Army

Physician AssistantPhysician Assistant

What is a Physician What is a Physician Assistant ?Assistant ?

A healthcare professional A healthcare professional

An integral part of the medicalAn integral part of the medical teamteam

Provides a broad range of medical Provides a broad range of medical services traditionally performed by services traditionally performed by physiciansphysicians

What is a Physician What is a Physician Assistant ?Assistant ?

– As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs PAs provide advanced trauma managementprovide advanced trauma management conduct physical examsconduct physical exams diagnose and treat illnessesdiagnose and treat illnesses order and interpret diagnostic testsorder and interpret diagnostic tests counsel on preventive health carecounsel on preventive health care assist in surgeryassist in surgery write prescriptionswrite prescriptions

What is an Army PA What is an Army PA

Military health care professional certified Military health care professional certified to practice medicine with physician to practice medicine with physician supervision. supervision.

The AMEDD’s primary medical provider The AMEDD’s primary medical provider

in battalion and division level TO&E in battalion and division level TO&E

unitsunits

Echelon I/II Subject Matter ExpertEchelon I/II Subject Matter Expert

The Army PAThe Army PA

Provides garrison health care to soldiers, Provides garrison health care to soldiers, family members andfamily members and

other eligible beneficiariesother eligible beneficiaries Participants in all major conflictsParticipants in all major conflicts

and deployments including and deployments including

Operations Urgent Fury, Desert Operations Urgent Fury, Desert

Storm, Provide Comfort, and Storm, Provide Comfort, and

Southern WatchSouthern Watch

The Army PAThe Army PA

QualificationsQualifications

– BA or BS degree BA or BS degree

– NCCPA certificationNCCPA certification

– Graduate of an accredited programGraduate of an accredited program

Governed by Army Regulation 40-48Governed by Army Regulation 40-48

Educational PrerequisitesEducational Prerequisites

– 6 hours English Composition6 hours English Composition– 6 hours Humanities and /or Social Sciences6 hours Humanities and /or Social Sciences– 6 hours Chemistry6 hours Chemistry– 3 hours Anatomy3 hours Anatomy– 3 hours Physiology3 hours Physiology– 3 hours of Algebra3 hours of Algebra– 3 hours of Psychology 3 hours of Psychology

Interservice PA Program Interservice PA Program (IPAP)(IPAP)

3 classes each year selected from the 3 classes each year selected from the

Air Force, Navy, AD Army, NG & USARAir Force, Navy, AD Army, NG & USAR

60+ students per class60+ students per class

180 students per year180 students per year

Interservice PA Program Interservice PA Program (IPAP)(IPAP)

Phase I (Didactic) Phase I (Didactic)

– 50 weeks50 weeks

– 86 College Credit hours86 College Credit hours

– 1815 Contact hours (class room) 1815 Contact hours (class room)

A&P, pathology, pharmacology, radiology, A&P, pathology, pharmacology, radiology,

psychiatry, OB/GYN/, PM, orthopedics, psychiatry, OB/GYN/, PM, orthopedics,

infectious diseases. infectious diseases.

Interservice PA Program Interservice PA Program (IPAP)(IPAP)

Phase II (2890 hours)Phase II (2890 hours)– 20 different clinical 20 different clinical

sitessites– 52 weeks52 weeks

Clinical rotations Clinical rotations include:include:– Family Family

Medicine/Primary Medicine/Primary CareCare

– Internal MedicineInternal Medicine

– OphthalmologyOphthalmology– PsychiatryPsychiatry– PediatricsPediatrics– DermatologyDermatology– OB/GYNOB/GYN– OrthopedicsOrthopedics– SurgerySurgery– Emergency Medicine Emergency Medicine – ENT/AllergyENT/Allergy

The Army PAThe Army PA

Specialty TrainingSpecialty Training

– Aviation MedAviation Med

– CV PerfusionCV Perfusion

– Emergency MedEmergency Med

– Occupational MedOccupational Med

– OrthopedicsOrthopedics

Brief History of the PABrief History of the PA

1965-first PA training program at Duke 1965-first PA training program at Duke University University

1967-first graduate of Duke program1967-first graduate of Duke program 1971-Congress authorized Army to train 1971-Congress authorized Army to train

PAs PAs 1973-first Army PAs graduated at Ft 1973-first Army PAs graduated at Ft

Sam Houston Sam Houston 1980-first specialty training authorized1980-first specialty training authorized

Brief History of the PABrief History of the PA

1984-PAs assigned to White House 1984-PAs assigned to White House Medical Unit Medical Unit

1992-PAs commissioned as regular line 1992-PAs commissioned as regular line officers (formerly Warrant officers (formerly Warrant Officers) in the Medical Officers) in the Medical

Specialist Specialist Corps Corps 1995-Fort Sam Houston selected as 1995-Fort Sam Houston selected as

the site for Interservice PA the site for Interservice PA program (IPAP) program (IPAP)

QUESTIONS ?QUESTIONS ?

Application ProcessApplication Process

DA msg: DA msg: http://www.goarmy.com/job/amedd/paqual.htmhttp://www.goarmy.com/job/amedd/paqual.htm

POC: CPT Bruce McLennan at USA POC: CPT Bruce McLennan at USA Recruiting Command CML (502) Recruiting Command CML (502) 626-0386/0360 626-0386/0360 DSN 536-DSN 536-03860386

E-mail: bruce.mclennan@usarec.army.milE-mail: bruce.mclennan@usarec.army.mil Application deadline- 31MayApplication deadline- 31May Selection Board- late AugustSelection Board- late August