Physician Assistant Syllabus & Subjects 2023: Semester-wise List, Top Colleges Syllabus PDF
Parul ThapaSenior Executive Content
As healthcare members, physician assistants assist doctors and other healthcare professionals in their roles. They typically offer primary medical care. A physician assistant consults patients, collaborates on treatment plans, and liaises with other medical professionals. Students with a background in EMS or medicine are flocking to become Physician Assistants due to lucrative salaries and various opportunities.
An undergraduate degree in physician assistant (B.Sc.) requires three years of study. Students learn how to gather patient records, examine them, and aid physicians in making diagnoses to prescribe the right treatments and drugs. They will be well-prepared to support physicians by the time they graduate.
Graduate study in any medical speciality is an option after earning a B.Sc. in Physician Assistant. There are different specialisations where students can do their M.Sc. in their higher studies. The M.Sc. Physician Assistant program is a 2-year postgraduate program that provides training to improve the communication between staff nurses and specialists or super-specialist doctors. Students pick one general speciality (medicine or surgery) and three subspecialties in this curriculum.
- Syllabus: Important Facts about Physician Assistant
- List of Subjects in Physician Assistant
- 2.1 Typical Core Subjects for Physician Assistant
- Detailed Syllabus for Physician Assistant
- Specialisations Offered in Physician Assistant
- Books and Authors Related to Physician Assistants
- Entrance Exams for Physician Assistants
- Syllabus for Distance Program in Physician Assistant
- Top Colleges for Physician Assistant
- Physician Assistant Syllabus: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Syllabus: Important Facts about Physician Assistant
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B.Sc. in Physician Assistant
It is an 8-semester course, with the last two semesters being a compulsory internship of one year. The program aims to teach them how to support the doctor in dealing with many ailments.
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Scope in India
Those with a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant degree have the opportunity to work in various fields. These include dieticians, patient care technicians, drug safety associates, and others.
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General examination pattern
Examinations in a university take place twice throughout an academic year, once in December and once in June. Exams at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester and in-class activities, homework, and smaller projects are the primary criteria used to grade pupils.
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B.Sc. in Physician Assistant course structure
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VI Semesters
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Core Subjects
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Lab Workshops
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Internships (VII and VIII semesters)
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List of Subjects in Physician Assistant
Typical Core Subjects for Physician Assistant
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
---|---|
Anatomy
|
Anatomy is the study of the human body and anatomical regions.
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Physiology |
It includes the working and composition of the body.
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Biochemistry |
It includes studying the body's building blocks and the balance of various elements inside our body.
|
Pathology |
Haematology: Study of blood
Clinical Pathology: Examination of body fluids
|
Medical and Pharmacology |
It includes learning about the medicines and the working of the medicines.
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Surgery anesthesiology
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It includes the concepts of surgical processes and the anaesthetic techniques to be used during surgery.
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Microbiology |
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Environmental Science and Community Medicine |
Students learn about humans and their environment, which play a major role in body functioning.
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Paediatrics and Geriatrics |
It deals with the study of children and elderly people.
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Detailed Syllabus for Physician Assistant
The syllabus for B.Sc. in Physician Assistants may vary from one university to the next, but the subjects are more or less the same. Here is a general overview of the core subjects taught from the first to eighth semesters of B.Sc. Physician Assistants.
Semester |
Core |
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
---|---|---|---|
1 and 2. |
Anatomy Biochemistry Physiology Microbiology Pathology
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Anatomy
Biochemistry
Physiology
Microbiology
Pathology
English
Practicals |
|
3 and 4 |
Medicine Pharmacology Surgery Paediatrics Anaesthesiology
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Medicine
Pharmacology
Surgery
Paediatrics
Anesthesiology
Practicals |
|
5 and 6 |
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Neurology Nephrology Gastroenterology |
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Neurology
Nephrology
Gastroenterology
Practicals |
|
7 and 8 |
Internship |
Internship- 12 months |
Students have the opportunity to fulfil a PA intern's responsibilities in several medical facilities, including a hospital or clinic. Their tasks include evaluating and taking the patient's medical history, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, delivering treatments within the PA scope of practice, and prescribing drugs. |
Specialisations Offered in Physician Assistant
Students in a specialised course serve as house officers to deliver patient care and gain expertise. Students learn diagnostic, curative, and preventative care. As coworkers, they gather patient histories, do clinical exams, request lab tests and x-rays, and provide support to physicians. Some of the specialisations in Physician Assistant are:
Specialisation |
Specialisation Subjects |
Subject Details |
---|---|---|
Paediatrics |
Paediatrics |
One of the Physician Assistant's primary roles is to help with surgeries and document patients' medical records. Histories and physical exams in the paediatric department, handling children as patients. |
Oncology |
Cancer Studies |
It is common for Physician Assistants in the field of oncology to aid in educating cancer patients and their loved ones about their health concerns and treatment choices. |
Mental Health |
Psychiatry |
It provides mental health services under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Their medical knowledge enables them to handle inpatient and outpatient patients. |
Pathology |
Pathology |
Physician Assistants specialise in pathology practice, including tissue sampling, imaging, and postmortem assessments. They help the pathologist diagnose the disease by analysing the specimen. |
Surgery |
Surgery and Anaesthesiology |
Surgical Physician Assistants, often known as PAs, are highly trained clinicians who have acquired classroom instruction and hands-on experience to perform in all facets of the perioperative setting. |
Emergency Care |
Trauma and ER |
A Physician Assistant in Emergency Medicine works alongside the attending physician. Patients are instructed and counselled, physical exams are performed, diagnostic and therapeutic investigations are carried out, and diagnostic laboratory tests are interpreted. |
Books and Authors Related to Physician Assistants
As Physician Assistant is a highly versatile field with many specialisations, students read a wide range of books during their graduation. Listed below are some books that are highly referred to:
Subject |
Book Title |
Author(s) |
Description |
---|---|---|---|
Physiology |
Human Physiology |
C.C. Chatterjee |
This book covers the systems of the body and their physiology. Many considerations of anatomy, clinical notes, and pharmacological notes are included in this work for the various body systems. |
Anatomy |
Regional and Applied Human Anatomy |
B.D. Chaurasia |
The book covers upper limb bones; pectoral, scapular, palm, wrist, articulation, thoracolumbar wall, pleura, endocardium, and the heart. |
Pathology |
Practical Pathology |
P. Chakraborty Gargi Chakraborty |
This book helps pupils learn PA skills. It links fundamental sciences, clinical medicine, and clinicopathologic principles. It features clinical examples, virtual microscope slides, and treatment boxes. |
Paediatrics |
A Textbook of Paediatrics |
Orient Longman |
This 2-volume reference covers constantly evolving diagnostic and treatment methods, new technology, and the vast spectrum of biological, psychological, and social issues children confront today. |
Surgery |
A Manual on Clinical Surgery |
Dr S. Das |
It deals with illnesses and ailments that either need or are susceptible to surgical or manual treatments for treatment. |
Microbiology |
Textbook of Microbiology |
Ananthanarayan & Panicker's |
This book explains how researchers investigate and work with organisms that are usually unicellular and very small. These approaches vary from those employed in the majority of other biological studies and are explained here. |
Entrance Exams for Physician Assistants
Depending on the norms and regulations of the respective institutions, each institution's Physician Assistant admission process may vary. Students who demonstrate exceptional performance on the required qualifying exams may be granted entry into this program at certain educational institutions. The majority of the best institutions in India use entrance examinations as their primary method for selecting students to enrol in their programmes. Below is the list of entrance exams.
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CUCET: A national exam that is governed by a consortium of ten central universities.
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CPNET: A common entrance exam for the Physician Assistant course offered by universities.
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PANCE
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DUET
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IPU-CET
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BITSAT
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BHU PETE
The entrance test syllabus is different for every institute. Hence, students must have a thorough knowledge of their 11th and 12th subjects and NCERTs, good knowledge of solving reading comprehension problems, general knowledge, and basic aptitude and reasoning. The difficulty level of these exams is easy to moderate. The students must have a basic understanding of the concepts.
Almost all of the examinations are conducted in the format of multiple-choice questions. The tests can get you into the best colleges for a B.Sc. in Physician Assistant. You also need to do well in the final exams for your intermediate or 10+2 level of schooling. To be eligible to take the admissions test, you need to have earned at least 55 per cent of the maximum marks.
Syllabus for Distance Program in Physician Assistant
Students who can not afford full-time courses can get their degrees through distance education. Also, students who are unable to meet the eligibility requirements for full-time courses may opt for part-time or distance B.Sc. in Physician Assistant programs. The syllabus of distance education programs is remarkably similar to the regular programs. The evaluation format (30% for internal assessment and 70% for the end of semester examination) is nearly the same as the regular courses. The only difference is that a distance learning course is for 3 years, whereas the regular offline course is for 4 years, and the fees are slightly lower for the distance program.
There is only one college so far that provides distance education in B.Sc. Physician Assistant and that is Vinayaka Mission Institute, Tamil Nadu. Fee for the program costs around INR 25000 per year.
Top Colleges for Physician Assistant
Based on the curriculum, choices of electives offered, and in-house placement opportunities, these are the top colleges for B.Sc. Physician Assistant courses in India.
S. No. |
Institution |
Syllabus URL |
---|---|---|
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Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Kirumampakkam |
To be uploaded soon |
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Adithya Institute of Health Science, Coimbatore |
To be uploaded soon |
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Chengalpattu Medical College, Kanchipuram |
To be uploaded soon |
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West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata |
To be uploaded soon |
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Bharath University |
To be uploaded soon |
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Brainware University, Kolkata |
To be uploaded soon |
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The Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University |
To be uploaded soon |
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Om Sterling Global University, Haryana |
To be uploaded soon |
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KLE University, Belagavi |
To be uploaded soon |
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Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeshwara University, Mysore |
To be uploaded soon |
Physician Assistant Syllabus: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Who is a Physician Assistant?
Q. How is the exam pattern for the PANCE exam divided?
Q. What are the subjects in B.Sc. in Physician Assistant programs?
Q. Is it possible to take a Physician Assistant course after completing a B.S. in nursing?
Q. What are the duties of a Physician Assistant?
Q. Is it possible to take this course online?
Which is better—B.Sc. Physician Assistant or B.Sc. Nursing?
Q. Does a Physician Assistant require a NEET?
Q. Which type of Physician Assistant is the best?
Q. Is there any entrance exam for a Physician Assistant course?
Q. Is a licence required to practise as a Physician Assistant in India?
Q. Do you need Maths for a Physician Assistant?
Q. Is biology compulsory for a B.Sc. in Physician Assistant?
Q. What is the B.Sc. Physician Assistant Course Structure?
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Dec 18, 2024
Student Forum
Answered 2 weeks ago
Here are some colleges offering M.Sc. Physician Assistant programs:
1. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Kochi) - Specializes in Medical Oncology.
2. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Chennai).
3. Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Salem).
4. JSS Academy of Higher Education and
C
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, you can pursue a Master's in Occupational Therapy (MOT) after completing a B.Sc in Physician Assistant, provided you meet the eligibility criteria set by the institutions offering the program.
Some universities may require you to have a background in specific healthcare courses, but many accept
P
Contributor-Level 10
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Can you share the list of colleges that offer M.Sc. Physician Assistant programme?