10 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Kentucky in 2024

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In this post, you will find every detail about the best physician assistant schools in Kentucky, including the requirements, cost, and how to apply to these schools.

This list was curated from the best MOOC platforms online, so rest assured you are getting the best.

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Physician assistants (PAs) are medical professionals who work alongside their supervising physicians to perform medicine. PAs provide various medical and surgical treatments to populations in urban and rural settings. 

Also, PAs provide physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, offer advice on preventive healthcare, help with surgery, and prescribe drugs as part of their extensive responsibilities.

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 PAs advocate for accessible, high-quality healthcare for all members of society. State-issued licenses and certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) are requirements for physician assistants.

Becoming a physician assistant usually entails a meticulous process, but I can guarantee you that it is also a fulfilling career that will increase your medical expertise.

This article contains all the details you need about this profession. If you reside in Kentucky, it was specifically created for you. The top Kentucky and Pennsylvania schools where you can receive your training are listed in this post.

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So, if you are considering a career as a physician assistant, this article contains all the information you need regarding PA programs in Kentucky.

Read More: 10 Best Physician Assistant Schools in New York

Are there any PA Schools in Kentucky?

Yes, there are a few physician assistant schools in Kentucky. These schools are:

  1. Sullivan University in Louisville
  2. University of Kentucky-Lexington
  3. The University of Kentucky Cumberlands-Northern Kentucky Campus
  4. The University of Cumberlands
  5. University of Kentucky-Morehead
  6. The University of the Cumberlands-Williamsburg
  7. At Kentucky Wesleyan College,
  8. At the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  9. Pace University
  10. Touro College
  11. The University of Nebraska Medical Center
  12. University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley
  13. University of Wisconsin – Madison

Read more-4 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Hawaii | Requirements, Costs, & How to Apply

How Do I Get into Physician Assistant Schools in Kentucky?

You must fulfill the prerequisites listed below to be considered for admission to any of Kentucky’s PA schools.

Obtaining a high school diploma and a solid background in the sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, English, etc., is the first step to becoming a medical assistant.

Completing a bachelor’s degree from an authorized college or university is a requirement for almost all US institutions. One of the requirements for enrollment in an accredited PA program is this degree requirement.

After completing your undergraduate education, you’ll need to earn a master’s degree in a medically relevant field. It might be covered in any of these or other courses in pathology, physiology, human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology.

Some schools ask for your GRE and GPA before allowing you to enroll in their PA master’s programs, while others don’t.

You’ll also need to finish a healthcare program and obtain a license to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

Finally, you must pass the PANCE to become certified as a physician assistant after completing a PA program, and you must then apply for state licensing to start practicing.

How Long are PA Schools in Kentucky?

In-depth medical programs approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants are used to educate physician assistants (ARC-PA). The typical PA program’s curriculum lasts about 26 months. Currently, there are around 130 accredited programs. All PA programs must meet the exact ARC-PA requirements.

Because PAs collaborate closely with doctors, their education follows a medical model to supplement doctor training. Both PA and medical students receive instruction in diagnosing and managing medical issues.

Also Read: 8 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Georgia

Can Physician Assistants Practice Independently in Kentucky?

Giving PAs full prescriptive authority, which is the capacity of a medical practitioner to prescribe patients “scheduled” or “controlled” pharmaceuticals, is one option to address the physician shortage in Kentucky.

Most states updated their legislation to allow this during the past 30 years. As a result, 49 states now let PAs independently prescribe patients with controlled medications.

 Kentucky is the last anomaly. The Bluegrass State is the only surviving state where PAs can solely prescribe non-controlled drugs.

Read more about the 6 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Illinois| Requirements, Cost & How to Apply

What are the Best Physician Assistant Schools in Kentucky?

1. Sullivan University in Louisville

The physician assistant program at Sullivan University aims to prepare aspiring physician assistants to deliver moral, competent, and compassionate healthcare as members of an interprofessional team. Increasing healthcare accessibility nationally and in the Commonwealth of Kentucky is part of this.

A 12-month didactic and a 12-month clinical phase make up the demanding 24-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) Degree program.

The program director, the medical director, the directors of didactic and clinical education, and the academic, clinical, and course coordinators carefully monitor students’ academic and professional development throughout the program. 

Each student has a faculty advisor who can offer advice and support regarding their academic progress. Students who are struggling academically receive counseling and opportunity.

In keeping with Sullivan University’s objectives, the PA Program is committed to offering state-of-the-art educational enrichment opportunities for its students’ intellectual, social, and professional development while instilling the values of cooperation, empathy, excellence, professionalism, integrity, and accountability.

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2. University of Kentucky-Lexington

Physician assistants are medical professionals who work alongside their supervising physicians as a team to practice medicine. 

They are uniquely qualified to fill in any gaps in patient care. 

This program for studying physician assistants will help you develop into a well-rounded practitioner with a wealth of clinical expertise and hands-on patient care experience.

It also helps you.

Perform exams, identify and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, offer advice on preventive health care, assist in surgery, prescribe medications, and more. 

The School’s curriculum is committed to assisting you in being the most competent healthcare professional you can be, as evidenced by the fact that our graduates have some of the best pass rates on state licensure exams.

After completing the 29-month program, the Physician Assistant Studies Program graduates are given a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. 

Graduates may sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, and after passing it, they may apply for state certification or licensing to work as certified physician assistants.

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Read More: 9 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Tennessee

3. The University of Kentucky Cumberlands-Northern Kentucky Campus

Our approved Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies can be finished in as little as 27 months and is designed to provide you with the skills you need to provide medical care to patients. 

Among the 113 credits needed to complete the requirements, 68 must be earned through didactic coursework in conventional classroom and laboratory settings.

 The entire didactic curriculum is taught on campus. During the second year of the program, students complete 10 supervised clinical rotations in the field to earn the remaining 45 hours of the Physician Assistant Studies program. 

These rotations will give students practical experience in family, internal and emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health.

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4. The University of Cumberlands

The University of the Cumberlands created the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program to assist you in starting your medical career. 

The basic, behavioral, and preclinical sciences of medicine are covered in the curriculum. 

With courses ranging from patient assessments, medical procedures, and clinical medicine to pharmacology, you’ll develop the skills you need to succeed as a graduate student in this master’s degree program. 

As part of our graduate-level physician assistant studies program, you will also acquire the fundamental clinical and critical thinking abilities needed for the clinical phase.

The University of Cumberland’s certified Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program, which may be finished in as little as 27 months, is meant to give you the knowledge and abilities you need to treat patients medically. 

113 credit hours must be completed, 68 of which must be completed through didactic training in a conventional classroom and laboratory setting. 

There is on-campus instruction for all didactic courses. To complete the remaining 45 hours of the Physician Assistant Studies program, students must complete 10 supervised clinical rotations during their second year of study.

 These rotations will give them hands-on experience in family, internal and emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health.

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Read More: 8 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Michigan

5. The University of Kentucky-Morehead

The UKPA Program places high importance on leadership, lifelong learning, diversity and inclusion, ethical and professional conduct, the advancement of medical knowledge, and the provision of high-quality, secure healthcare accessible to all. 

To do this, the school uses a holistic admissions approach that considers academic achievement, individual characteristics, and experiences.

 For the spring enrollment, the program chooses 40 students for the Lexington campus and 16 for the Morehead campus. It is not permitted for applicants to apply to more than one campus.

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6. The University of the Cumberlands-Williamsburg

The University of Cumberlands Williamsburg created the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at the University of the Cumberlands to support you in starting your medical career. Preclinical, behavioral, and fundamental medical sciences are covered in the curriculum. 

You will learn the skills you need to succeed in your job while enrolled in this master’s program with coursework that ranges from clinical medicine, pharmacology, and medical procedures to human anatomy, medical physiology, patient evaluations, and more. 

The fundamental clinical and critical thinking abilities needed for our graduate-level physician assistant studies program’s clinical phase will also be taught to you.

The approved Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies offered by the school can be finished in as little as 27 months and is designed to provide you with the skills you need to provide medical care to patients. 

Among the 113 credits needed to complete the requirements, 68 must be earned through didactic coursework in conventional classroom and laboratory settings. 

The entire didactic curriculum is taught on campus. During the second year of the program, students complete 10 supervised clinical rotations in the field to earn the remaining 45 hours of the Physician Assistant Studies program. 

These rotations will give students practical experience in family, internal, and emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health.

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Read More: 10 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Utah

7. At Kentucky Wesleyan College,

Pre-professional training is available at Kentucky Wesleyan College for anyone looking to enroll in a Physician Assistant (PA) program. 

The pre-physician assistant program at KWC consists of a minimum of five semesters, each in biology and chemistry, two in physics, and one in calculus. 

The remaining courses in the curriculum are those that are required to meet KWC or physician assistant school requirements.

In the fall of their fourth year, students often major in chemistry or biology and apply to PA programs.

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8. College of Nebraska

A prestigious university with land grants. A medical school hospital A sizable campus caters to urban residents’ needs. A campus where undergraduate students are the majority. These four unique universities are referred to collectively as the University of Nebraska. Each institution has particular capabilities. Therefore, the University of Nebraska boasts a variety of expertise that is tough to duplicate.

The only public academic health research center in Nebraska is the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Through education, innovative research, and top-notch patient care, UNMC creates a healthy future.

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Read More: 10 Best Physician Assistant Schools in California

9. Touro University

The School of Health Sciences offers courses in psychology, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, IO psychology, clinical mental health counseling, behavior analysis, and speech pathology.

Additionally, you can learn how to support the communities you come from and the clients you will serve by acting as a leader, ally, and advocate. We now offer around a dozen programs at our campuses in Central Islip, Manhattan, and Brooklyn due to our growth since our founding in 1972.

Our courses are designed with the school’s diverse and close-knit student population in mind, which demands flexible program design.

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What are the Easiest Kentucky PA Schools to Get into?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of physician assistants (PA) is anticipated to grow by 37% over the next ten (10) years (BLS). The result will be the emergence of physician assistants (PA), one of the medical specialties with the fastest anticipated development.

At most colleges, admission rates have decreased due to selecting just a few tens or hundreds of candidates from a pool of thousands.

This results from the increase in candidates looking for positions as PA assistants. Most universities severely restrict their GPA criteria to help select the best applicants. There will undoubtedly be a struggle for dominance.

The most accessible Kentucky public schools to enter are:

  1. Sullivan University in Louisville
  2. University of Kentucky-Lexington
  3. The University of Kentucky Cumberlands-Northern Kentucky Campus
  4. The University of Cumberlands
  5. University of Kentucky-Morehead
  6. The University of the Cumberlands-Williamsburg
  7. At Kentucky Wesleyan College,

Also, read- 10 Best Physician Assistant Schools in Florida

How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Kentucky?

As of July, Kentucky’s physician assistant-medical salary average was $106,688, with a standard range of $98,206 to $117,627. 

Salary ranges might vary significantly based on the city and several other crucial aspects, such as schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the length of time you’ve worked in a given field.

What are the Best Physician Assistant Programs in Kentucky?

You have three options when choosing a Kentucky university where you can enroll and complete the best-accredited program on campus to become a medical assistant.

As a result, fewer options exist, but those seeking more opportunities can also look into certified online programs that can be completed while a state resident.

  1. The University of Kentucky Programs in Lexington, PA 
  2. The University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg PA Program 
  3. Sullivan University. Louisville PA Program 

What are the PA Schools in Kentucky that Don’t Require GR?

There are accredited physician assistant programs that demand the GRE to accept applicants. 

As you get ready to apply to PA schools, there may be several reasons why you might want to consider limiting your search to institutions without a GRE requirement, whether it’s because you don’t have the time to study or because standardized testing isn’t where you excel. 

The Physician Assistant Education Association’s (PAEA) database of PA programs states that the following institutions do not request GRE scores:

  1. The University of Cumberlands
  2. Sullivan University

Are there Physician Assistant Master’s Programs in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, there are master’s programs for medical assistants.

To prepare generalist healthcare professionals to take the Manitoba physician assistant licensing exam, the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree was developed. It is a graduate program with a coursework component.

The following is a list of PA colleges that offer the PA Master’s program.

  1. The UK College of Health Sciences
  2. The University of the Cumberlands-Williamsburg
  3. Sullivan University-Louisville

Are there Online Physician Assistant Courses in Kentucky for International Students? 

You can access virtual lectures and tasks conducted by online programs on your computer. Even if you reside in another state, many programs may still be able to connect you with a placement site in your area so that you can complete the clinical requirements in person (make sure your university can do this before enrolling).

The many online programs detailed here can range substantially in flexibility and learning style. A program that necessitates more than a few trips is more of a hybrid than an online program, so keep that in mind if you occasionally need to drive (or fly!) to campus for particular prerequisites.

PA schools that offer online courses are:

  1. At the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  2. Pace University
  3. Touro College
  4. The University of Nebraska Medical Center
  5. University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley
  6. University of Wisconsin – Madison

What are the Cheapest PA Schools in Kentucky?

Physician assistant colleges in the state where the PA program is located often charge between $75,000 and $80,000 in tuition. In the past year, tuition and fees have increased by nearly 9%.

If you don’t live in the state where the school is located, physician assistant training will cost you much more—on average, about $95,000.

Below are the Kentucky PA programs that are most reasonably priced.

  1. Sullivan University in Louisville
  2. University of Kentucky-Lexington
  3. The University of Kentucky Cumberlands-Northern Kentucky Campus
  4. The University of Cumberlands
  5. University of Kentucky-Morehead
  6. The University of the Cumberlands-Williamsburg
  7. At Kentucky Wesleyan College,

What are the Accredited PA Programs in Kentucky?

Setting criteria for PA education and monitoring schools to ensure they adhere to those requirements are the responsibilities of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

The ARC-PA is committed to defending the legal rights of present and upcoming PA students and members of the general public. It is the only organization in the US that accredits graduate programs for physician assistants.

Some accredited PA schools are listed below:

  1. University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg 
  2. Sullivan University, Louisville, Lexington 
  3. University of Kentucky, Lexington

How to Become a Physician Assistant in Kentucky?

The following instructions on how to become a physician assistant in Kentucky are available to current or previous students who are thinking about a career in the field:

Find a Reputable Institution: 

You must locate a University of Kentucky. You must have studied nursing, chemistry, public health, biology, or medicine, assisting in applying for a PA degree.

Take the national certification exam: 

You must pass the national certification exam to apply to PA programs in Kentucky. 90 days before your program’s graduation. You can request that the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure receive your test score.

Apply for the Board of Medical Licensure online: 

The physician assistant application is available online. You must make arrangements with the board and pay a 100-dollar settlement. You must complete the PANCE test. Wait for confirmation after submitting your application with the necessary files and payment.

Maintain a valid Kentucky license: 

Every two years, you must pay $150 to renew your PA license.

Physician Assistant Certification Council of Kentucky?

NetCE is jointly recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) in support of enhancing patient care.

NetCE is permitted to grant Category 1 CME credit to physician assistants who have obtained certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants as a jointly accredited provider (NCCPA).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a PA make in Kentucky?

The typical annual salary for a PA is between $93,080 and $120,922. Choosing to work as a physician assistant is an advantageous career move.

How long does it take to complete a PA program?

The training required to become a certified physician assistant is about 8 years. The eight years are spent acquiring the numerous abilities needed to become a PA.

What does a PA do?

Documenting patient medical histories and physical examinations is a part of what a physician assistant does. This is a generic statement. However, the responsibilities of a physician assistant are outlined based on the specialty they choose to specialize in or the thing of the supervising physician.

Conclusion

Earning a PA degree can be the best option for those looking for a rewarding and challenging career that truly makes a difference in other people’s lives because of the wide range of career prospects in the medical industry. 

So if you’re interested in enrolling in the top Kentucky PA school we’ve identified on our website and pursuing high-level educational opportunities to build a career in this in-demand field, do so today. 

These institutions offer services to assist you in achieving your professional goals.

References

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