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Best family practice physician assistant certifications

Family practice physician assistant certifications allow job seekers to demonstrate their competency as an family practice physician assistant to employers. However, not all family practice physician assistant certifications provide the same value for job seekers.

The best certifications for a family practice physician assistant are Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C), Certification in Pediatric Anesthesiology (PA), and Emergency Medicine.

Below is a list of the best family practice physician assistant certifications. Obtaining an family practice physician assistant certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.

4 best certifications for family practice physician assistants

4 best family practice physician assistant certifications

1. Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C)

A PA is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of the U.S. territories and the uniformed services.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? No
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 6 year(s)

2. Certification in Pediatric Anesthesiology (PA)

The pediatric anesthesiology discipline includes the evaluation, preparation and management of pediatric patients undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in operative and critical care settings. In addition, this discipline also entails the evaluation and treatment of children with acute and chronic painful disorders.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 7 year(s)
Certifying organization
American Board of Anesthesiology

3. Emergency Medicine

The ABPS's emergency medicine board certification exams enable successful candidates to present themselves to the public as qualified medical specialists in emergency medicine. Completing the emergency medicine board certification exams indicates mastery of emergency medicine experience and knowledge, as well as a professional commitment to adhere to the ABPS Medical Code of Ethics.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 8 year(s)
Certifying website
Emergency Medicine
Certifying organization
American Board of Physician...

4. Medical Examiner Certification

The Medical Examiner Certification was developed to certify medical examiners who can determine whether a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) driver meets Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards and guidelines. Candidates must be an advanced practice nurse, doctor of chiropractic, doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, physician assistant, or other medical professional authorized by applicable State laws and regulations to perform physical examinations and must complete training that reviews FMCSA-specific knowledge about CMV drivers and the physical and mental demands of their job. Candidates must pass a written examination.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? No
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 5 year(s)
Certifying organization
Federal Motor Carrier Safety...

What is the best certification for a family practice physician assistant?

The best family practice physician assistant certification is Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C). The Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C) is awarded by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.

Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this family practice physician assistant certification:

  • To become a certified Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C), you need to pass the exam.
  • Lucky you - certification doesn't require more than two years of work experience.
  • Renew certification every 6 year.

What are some of the most in-demand certifications for family practice physician assistants?

The most in-demand family practice physician assistant certification is Emergency Medicine based on all active job postings. Having this family practice physician assistant certification will give you access to more family practice physician assistant jobs with higher salaries.

What certifications can impact a family practice physician assistant career and salary?

The Emergency Medicine certification will help you to secure a clinical physician assistant position, which will increase your pay and career trajectory. A clinical physician assistant's average salary is $164,708 whereas family practice physician assistants make an average salary of $125,500.

Best certifications

The most common combination of family practice physician assistant certifications include: Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C), Certification in Pediatric Anesthesiology (PA), and Emergency Medicine.

Online courses for family practice physician assistants to earn certifications

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1. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

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This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

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This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

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Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

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9. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

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10. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes

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COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...

11. Trauma Emergencies and Care

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Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...

12. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

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Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

13. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

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This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

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In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...

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