Physician with a patient

Pre-Physician Assistant

On Campus On Campus

Physician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine under the direction and supervision of physicians and surgeons. They are formally trained to examine patients, diagnose injuries and illnesses, and provide treatment.

Physician assistants can specialize in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency medicine, orthopedics, surgical procedures, and general and thoracic surgery. Majoring as Pre-Physician Assistant at the University of Nebraska at Kearney will prepare you for higher education in the field.

PROGRAM INFORMATION GUIDE

Responsibilities of a physician assistant:

  • Works under the supervision of a physician or surgeon
  • Reviews patients’ medical histories
  • Does physical exams to check patients’ health
  • Orders and interprets diagnostic tests, such as X rays or blood tests
  • Makes preliminary diagnoses of a patient’s injury or illness
  • Provides treatment, such as setting broken bones and giving immunizations
  • Counsels patients and their families along with answering questions
  • Prescribes medicine
  • Records a patient’s progress
  • Completes insurance paperwork

Median salary for PA: $104,860

37% Projected Employment Growth

from 2016 to 2026 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

PLACEMENT IN CLINICAL PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS

Data based on cumulative placement data for the last 3 years

54% Accepted

54%
Accepted

Michelle Craig
"I graduated from UNK in 2011 and went on to complete my Masters of Physician Assistant Studies at UNMC in 2013. I have been in the same role at Children’s since graduating. I am so thankful for the incredible education I received while at UNK. The Health Science department is top notch and was vital in helping me apply, get into, and complete my Physician Assistant certification. I felt more prepared for the difficult courses in graduate school thanks to the classes I took while fulfilling my Pre-Physician Assistant coursework. UNK was a place that provided abundant opportunities to get involved and fostered my growth as an individual and as a professional."

Michelle Craig

Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.