1. Applied Research Project CNS 220 Alyssa Godfrey

2. Physician Assistant O Physician assistants practice medicine under the supervision of a physician or surgeon O Educated to examine patients, diagnose injuries and illnesses, and provide treatments O Are able to order and interpret diagnostic tests as well as prescribe medicine when needed O Physician assistants work in all areas of medicine and largely depends on their specialty

3. Physician Assistant Schooling O Required to be licensed O Must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) O Entry level education is a Master’s degree O Physician assistant education programs are usually completed in two years of full-time study O Physician assistant education programs include classroom, laboratory, and clinical training

4. Top Ten PA Schools O Duke University O University of Iowa O Emory O George Washington University O Oregon Health and Sciences University O Quinnipiac University O University of Colorado O University of Utah O University of Nebraska Medical Center O Wake Forest University

5. Total Cost of PA School The total cost of PA school varies: O North Dakota: $34,287 O Butler: $36,000 O Bridgeport: $46,530 O Stanford: $63,581 O Cornell: $72,500 O Wake Forest: $74,646

6. School Conclusions O Prior to becoming a physician assistant, one must attend a physician assistant education program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination O After receiving a degree from college, many people find work at a job where they can gain more healthcare experience before applying to a graduate program O It is necessary to attend graduate school in order to become a physician assistant

7. Median Annual Wage O On average, entry-level physician assistants can expect wages of $81,000 per year O In 2012, the median wage of a Physician Assistant was $90,930 O In 2014, the median wage of a Physician Assistant was $95,820 O The projected growth is 22% or higher O The projected job openings from 2012-2022 are 48,900

8. New York City, NY

9. PA Median Salary, NY

10. NYC Cost of Living Per Month Annual Median Income$96,800 Rent$2,500 (400 SQ. FT) Utilities$1,150 Groceries$400 Transportation$170 Health InsuranceIncluded in Health Benefits Overall Cost of Living (Pre taxes) $4,220 (per month) $50,640 (per year) State Income Tax6.65%

11. NYC Apartment Tudor City 42 nd and 2 nd

12. San Francisco, CA

13. PA Median Salary, CA

14. SF Cost of Living Per Month Anually Median Income$101,400 Rent$2,910 (600 SQ. FT) Utilities$465 Groceries$400 Transportation$550 Volkswagen Sedan Health InsuranceIncluded in Health Benefits Overall Cost of Living (Pre taxes) $4,325 (per month) $51,900 (per year) State Income Tax9.3%

15. San Francisco Studio NEMA Luxury Apartments Fell St and Market St

16. Location Conclusions O It is necessary to get a graduate degree regardless of final location O The mean salary in NYC and SF varies only slightly, but both cities are more expensive to live in than the national average O As a physicians assistant, the cost of living in New York and San Francisco are relatively equal