1. The Army
Physician Assistant

2. What is a Physician Assistant ?
A healthcare professional
An integral part of the medical
team
Provides a broad range of medical services traditionally performed by physicians

3. What is a Physician Assistant ?
As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs
provide advanced trauma management
conduct physical exams
diagnose and treat illnesses
order and interpret diagnostic tests
counsel on preventive health care
assist in surgery
write prescriptions

4. What is an Army PA
Military health care professional certified to practice medicine with physician supervision.
The AMEDD’s primary medical provider in battalion and division level TO&E units
Echelon I/II Subject Matter Expert

5. The Army PA
Provides garrison health care to soldiers, family members and
other eligible beneficiaries
Participants in all major conflicts
and deployments including
Operations Urgent Fury, Desert
Storm, Provide Comfort, and
Southern Watch

6. The Army PA Qualifications BA or BS degree NCCPA certification
Graduate of an accredited program
Governed by Army Regulation 40-48

7. Educational Prerequisites
6 hours English Composition
6 hours Humanities and /or Social Sciences
6 hours Chemistry
3 hours Anatomy
3 hours Physiology
3 hours of Algebra
3 hours of Psychology

8. Interservice PA Program (IPAP)
3 classes each year selected from the
Air Force, Navy, AD Army, NG & USAR
60+ students per class
180 students per year

9. Interservice PA Program (IPAP)
Phase I (Didactic)
50 weeks
86 College Credit hours
1815 Contact hours (class room)
A&P, pathology, pharmacology, radiology, psychiatry, OB/GYN/, PM, orthopedics, infectious diseases.

10. Interservice PA Program (IPAP)
Phase II (2890 hours)
20 different clinical sites
52 weeks
Clinical rotations include:
Family Medicine/Primary Care
Internal Medicine
Ophthalmology
Psychiatry
Pediatrics
Dermatology
OB/GYN
Orthopedics
Surgery
Emergency Medicine
ENT/Allergy

11. The Army PA Specialty Training Aviation Med CV Perfusion Emergency Med
Occupational Med
Orthopedics

12. Brief History of the PA
1965-first PA training program at Duke University
1967-first graduate of Duke program
1971-Congress authorized Army to train PAs
1973-first Army PAs graduated at Ft Sam Houston
1980-first specialty training authorized

13. Brief History of the PA 1984-PAs assigned to White House Medical Unit
1992-PAs commissioned as regular line officers (formerly Warrant Officers) in the Medical Specialist Corps
1995-Fort Sam Houston selected as the site for Interservice PA program (IPAP)

14. QUESTIONS ?

15. Application Process DA msg: http://www.goarmy.com/job/amedd/paqual.htm
POC: CPT Bruce McLennan at USA Recruiting Command CML (502) / DSN
Application deadline May
Selection Board late August