Pre Physician Assistant at Loras

A Physician Assistant works closely with a cooperating Physician in many different fields of Health care.  They are able to write prescriptions and conduct patient exams.  This program is the most difficult to get accepted into for two reasons.  One, the class size at most schools is only 30 or less.  Second, students are required to have over 1000 hours, sometimes 3000 hours of direct patient contact in a hospital or clinic.   This requires that the applicant be employed as a CNA or a phlebotomist during their college years.  Ninety five percent of Loras grads have needed one extra year after college of clinical employment and experience and a second application submission to be accepted into Physician Assistant school.  It is very competitive and a solid GPA of 3.6 or higher is necessary. 

Critical Factors for Admission:

• Extensive experience as a CNA is almost required.  Other Loras people have been accepted only after several years of part time employment during school as phlebotomists.
• Shadowing several PAs in different fields of medicine is very important. 
• Those whoa re interested in attending U. of Iowa’s PS program need to get some research training either at Loras as a Biology Research major or at U. of Iowa or other large university during the summer in a clinical biomedical research lab. 
• Those who do not get in the first time should not be discouraged.  It is a very common occurrence.  The second application needs to show improvement, more and varied clinical, patient-contact experience and a continuous record of commitment toward PA training. 
• More info on PA as a profession can be seen at www.aapa.org

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