‘MTSU On the Record’ highlights April deadline for physician assistant applications

Dr. Marie Patterson, director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program at MTSU, discusses the April 1 application deadline for prospective students in the SoundCloud link, above, for the “MTSU On the Record” radio program that first aired March 15 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org. (MTSU photo of Patterson; medical professional photo by cottonbro from Pexels; WMOT logo also shown)

The rapidly approaching April 1 deadline to apply for one of MTSU’s newest and most dynamic disciplines was the topic of discussion on a recent “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Dr. Marie Patterson, director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program at MTSU, first aired March 15 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org.

Dr. Marie Patterson

Gina K. Logue

Now that the program has been granted accreditation-provisional status by the Accreditation Review Commission for the Physician Assistant, applications are being accepted for the current cycle.

Prospective students can submit applications at the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants’ website until 10:59 p.m. Central, Friday, April 1.

A physician assistant is a licensed medical professional who has passed a nationally certified board exam and is state-licensed to practice medicine in collaboration with a physician.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the average growth rate for the occupation at 31% through 2030.

“The great thing about being a PA is that we’re flexible,” Patterson said. “We’re the only clinicians who don’t have to specialize. The sky’s the limit on what you can go into.”