Physician Assistant Subjects List 2025: Check Semester-wise Subjects & Syllabus

Parul ThapaAssistant Manager
As healthcare members, physician assistants help doctors and other healthcare professionals in their roles. They usually offer primary medical care. A physician assistant consults patients, collaborates on treatment plans and networks with other medical professionals. Students with a background in EMS or medicine want to become Physician Assistants because of decent salaries and various opportunities.
A UG degree in Physician Assistant (BSc) 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 PG 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 syllabus.
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.
|
Physiology |
It includes the working and composition of the body.
|
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.
|
Surgery anesthesiology
|
It includes the concepts of surgical processes and the anaesthetic techniques to be used during surgery.
|
Microbiology |
|
Environmental Science and Community Medicine |
Students learn about humans and their environment, which play a major role in body functioning.
|
Paediatrics and Geriatrics |
It deals with the study of children and elderly people.
|
Detailed Syllabus for Physician Assistant
The syllabus for B.Sc. in Physician Assistants may differ from one college to another 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 the course -
Semester |
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
---|---|---|
1 and 2. |
Anatomy Biochemistry Physiology Microbiology Pathology English |
|
3 and 4 |
Medicine Pharmacology Surgery Anesthesiology Practicals |
|
5 and 6 |
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Neurology Nephrology Gastroenterology |
|
7 and 8 |
Internship- 12 months |
Students have the opportunity to fulfil a PA intern's responsibilities in several medical facilities, including a hospital or clinic. |
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 provide support to physicians. Some of the specialisations in Physician Assistant are:
Specialisation |
Specialisation Subjects |
---|---|
Paediatrics |
Paediatrics |
Oncology |
Cancer Studies |
Mental Health |
Psychiatry |
Pathology |
Pathology |
Surgery |
Surgery and Anaesthesiology |
Emergency Care |
Trauma and ER |
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) |
---|---|---|
Physiology |
Human Physiology |
C.C. Chatterjee |
Anatomy |
Regional and Applied Human Anatomy |
B.D. Chaurasia |
Pathology |
Practical Pathology |
P. Chakraborty Gargi Chakraborty |
Paediatrics |
A Textbook of Paediatrics |
Orient Longman |
Surgery |
A Manual on Clinical Surgery |
Dr S. Das |
Microbiology |
Textbook of Microbiology |
Ananthanarayan & Panicker's |
Physician Assistant Syllabus: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Who is a Physician Assistant?
A. Physician Assistant is a member of the medical community who collaborates with physicians to deliver medical care. It's possible to locate a physician's assistant in practically every primary care and specialised medical sector. The tasks of a PA vary based on the needs of the supervising physician.
Q. How is the exam pattern for the PANCE exam divided?
A. The examination is categorised into two dimensions: • Knowledge of the diseases and disorders physician assistants encounter • Knowledge and skills related to tasks physician assistants perform when treating patients
Q. What are the subjects in B.Sc. in Physician Assistant programs?
A. The subjects in B.Sc. in Physician Assistant programs are: • Anatomy • Physiology • Biochemistry • Pathology • Clinical Microbiology • Clinical Pharmacology • Hospital Management • Medical Ethics • Anaesthesia for Specialty Surgeries • Principles of Anaesthesia • Basics of Surgery • Gastroenterology • Biostatistics • Psychiatry • Nephrology • Medicine and Pharmacology • Pulmonology • Radiology • Paediatrics
Q. Is it possible to take a Physician Assistant course after completing a B.S. in nursing?
A. Students interested in becoming physician assistants should enrol in a bachelor's degree program in biological or chemical science. After completing a B.Sc. in Nursing/B.A. in Nursing, you may also pursue a Physician Assistant degree.
Q. What are the duties of a Physician Assistant?
A. Physician assistants are often responsible for the following: • Review medical histories of patients. • Examine patients. • Arrange and analyse diagnostic tests, such as x-rays and blood tests, if necessary. • Diagnose patients' injuries and illnesses. • Set broken bones and immunise patients as needed.
Q. Is it possible to take this course online?
A. Yes, Vinayaka Mission University offers a distance-learning option for this program. It is a 3-year course. The syllabus is the same as the regular course.
Q. Which is better—B.Sc. Physician Assistant or B.Sc. Nursing?
A. B.Sc. in Nursing is a 4-year undergraduate program for medical aspirants. After completing a B.Sc. in Nursing, students may work or pursue further education. A B.Sc. Physician Assistant is a 3-year plus 1-year medical undergraduate program. Physician Assistants are trained academically and clinically to offer treatment under the supervision of specialists. One cannot claim the better course among the two as it depends on the candidate’s preferences.
Q. Does a Physician Assistant require a NEET?
A. NEET is not required to get admission into B.Sc. PA. A minimum score of fifty per cent on the 10+2 exam or its equivalent is required. They must have completed the university’s entrance test with a primary focus on Physics, Chemistry, or Biology. In some circumstances, applicants are also expected to show up for the admission test that will be given by the educational establishment.
Q. Which type of Physician Assistant is the best?
A. Cardiovascular/cardiothoracic surgery Physician Assistant is the best specialisation with a much wider scope. PAs complete cardiovascular and thoracic surgery practices by handling perioperative care, daily rounds, and invasive procedures.
Q. Is there any entrance exam for a Physician Assistant course?
A. The entrance examinations may be at either the national or the state level. The admissions processes at various educational institutions, such as universities and colleges, are governed by a variety of distinct norms and regulations. The following are examples of some of the most competitive admission exams: • CUCET • CPNET • PANCE DUNET • BHU NET, etc. Some colleges also provide merit-based admission on the basis of 12th board examination results.
Q. Is a licence required to practise as a Physician Assistant in India?
A. The Physician Assistant profession in India does not have an official certification yet.
Q. Do you need Maths for a Physician Assistant?
A. No. The entry criteria for the B.Sc. Physician Assistant course is 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects. Maths is not a requirement.
Q. Is biology compulsory for a B.Sc. in Physician Assistant?
A. Yes, the students must take Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as their subjects on 10+2 boards and have a minimum grade of 55% in their board examination.
Q. What is the B.Sc. Physician Assistant Course Structure?
A. The course is designed for 3 years with 1-year internship. The subjects are divided into 6 semesters. The last two semesters are entirely dedicated to a compulsory internship in which students are given training at hospitals for better understanding. The assessment of the students is done based on annual examinations, workbooks, labs, and their behaviour over the entire session.
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