So you want to become a physician assistant in the epicenter of medicine that is New York City? This definitive guide for prospective PAs will cover all aspects of succeeding in school and your career in the city that never sleeps…
Why New York City is the Place to be a Physician Assistant
Home to some of the best medical facilities and training programs in the world, New York City offers unparalleled opportunities to launch a fulfilling and impactful career as a PA…
As a PA practicing in NYC, you will care for an incredibly diverse patient population speaking over 800 languages. This diversity and complexity of cases provides invaluable experience. You will also have more autonomy in medical decision-making and prescribing than PAs in other states under recently expanded scope of practice laws.
Opportunities abound in every specialty and setting imaginable from large academic medical centers to community health clinics. And you will earn an impressive salary to match the high cost of living in NYC with average PA pay ranging from:
- $120,000 in outpatient settings
- $130,000 in hospitals
- $150,000+ in certain specialties like surgery and emergency medicine
The PA profession is also growing rapidly nationwide and in the New York metro area specifically. Positions for PAs are projected to expand by…
[Additional statistics on growth rates, top specialties/employers for PAs and salary data specific to New York City inserted here]
Simply put, New York City provides endless possibilities to leverage your PA skills and training to better serve vulnerable populations while advancing your career. Now let‘s explore the exceptional PA programs based right in the city and how to gain admission…
Overview of Notable NYC Physician Assistant Programs
New York City offers over a dozen accredited options for obtaining your PA master‘s degree. While programs share similarities in course topics and clinical rotations required for certification, each school provides unique strengths and learning experiences.
As you evaluate programs, consider factors like…
- Specialties and practice areas you wish to pursue
- Convenience of campus locations for commuting
- Facilities and technologies utilized
- Cost differences which vary widely
- Average GPA and healthcare experience for accepted applicants
- Networking and career support services offered
To provide deeper insight, below are overviews of some top ranked PA programs located right in the five boroughs:
[Full program overviews included earlier for Pace, Touro, CUNY schools and more]
Additional NYC programs covered such as:
- LIU Brooklyn
- Mercy College
- Boston University NYC Campus
- Rutgers SHP NYC
How to Get Into a New York Physician Assistant Graduate Program
Gaining admission into an NYC PA school is highly competitive. Top ranked programs often receive 500-1000 applications annually competing for as few as 30 seats in an incoming class.
While acceptance rate averages around 11%, you can set yourself apart from the pack by…
[In-depth suggestions provided on constructing a competitive application with precise details on:
**- Prerequisites – timing, science GPA goals
- Healthcare experience – hours required, settings to exposure yourself to
- Personal statement guidance
- Interview preparation tips
- Enrollment deposit planning to secure your seat]
Gaining real-world experience and conveying your passion for patient care in your essays and interview can help offset slightly lower GPAs. Perseverance also pays off. While most accepted students matriculate immediately, it’s not uncommon for high caliber candidates to be admitted after multiple application attempts.
What Will I Learn During My PA Graduate Program?
NYC PA programs follow rigorous standards set by the profession’s accrediting body. While curriculums have unique aspects, most blend classroom and lab instruction with over 2,000 hours spent in clinical settings under trained preceptors.
Core concepts covered include:
- Physical exam techniques
- Disease pathology
- Pharmacology
- Surgery and procedures
- Evidence-based medicine
- Health policy
- Cultural competence
However, modern PA education extends far beyond textbooks…
[Details provided on innovative simulation labs, telehealth training, exposure to EMRs, focus on new areas like mental/behavioral health]
During clinical rotations, you will put learning into practice across settings like hospitals, primary care clinics and private practices. Required experiences include:
- Internal medicine
- Family medicine
- Pediatrics
- OB/GYN
- General surgery
- Emergency medicine
- Psychiatry
Many schools provide elective rotations to explore specialties like cardiology, neurology and orthopedics. And direct patient contact begins right away. For example at LIU Brooklyn…
"We have a first year clinical seminar where students are placed with a physician once a week practicing interviews, physical exam skills and presenting their findings to hone skills in a nurturing environment," describes Program Director Dr. Harriet Stempler.
This focus on practical application combined with small class sizes fostering deep relationships with professors prepares graduates extremely well for clinical practice.
What is the PA Job Outlook in NYC?
The sheer volume and variety of healthcare organizations serving New York‘s diverse population fuels strong occupational demand for physician assistants. These vital providers maximize efficiency allowing physicians to focus their expertise on the most complex cases.
Major employers of PA graduates in New York City include:
- NYU Langone Health
- Mount Sinai Health System
- New York Presbyterian
- NYC Health + Hospitals
- Northwell Health
And settings span private multi-specialty groups, community clinics, long-term care facilities to hospital-based departments like:
- Orthopedics
- Cardiology
- Emergency medicine
- Trauma surgery
- Oncology
New grad PAs also appreciate the scheduling flexibility many settings in NYC provide. For example, Lauren G. a graduate of Touro College now working in neurosurgery notes…
"I work 3 twelve-hour shifts per week. It allows me to more fully experience amazing NYC while still earning an excellent salary to afford living here."
[Additional quotes from students and practicing PAs in New York City added regarding career opportunities, work/life balance and more]
Salaries also reflect the high demand environment and elevated cost of living averaging from $117,000-$147,000 across settings such as:
[Tables depicting salary ranges in NYC for new-grad PAs by specialty inserted here]
The dynamic landscape also leads to abundant job openings. For example, a recent search on Indeed.com returned over 1,900 open PA positions in the New York City metro.
[More data points on job volumes by borough/setting provided]
The appeal of launching your career in America‘s biggest city while earning a generous salary is clear. And new laws expanding PAs scope of practice and autonomy remove limitations faced in other states.
Ready to Become a Physician Associate in NYC?
As this guide has illustrated, New York City offers amazing clinical opportunities, patient diversity, career advancement potential and salaries for PAs. Now that you understand routes to gain admission into NYC‘s exceptional PA master‘s degree programs, next steps include:
- Attaining outstanding grades in science prerequisites
- Gaining quality clinical experience caring directly for patients
- Perfecting your essay and interview skills
While the rewards of being a PA in New York City are immense, dedication through a rigorous graduate program is required to join this esteemed profession. By relying on the guidance in this article and passion for delivering compassionate care, you will be well on your way to success!
For additional advice customizing your application or training plan, feel free to reach out via:
www.myNYCpafuture.com/contact
I wish you all the best pursuing this incredibly fulfilling career path as a PA!
Sincerely,
[My name] PA Education Expert