MDC has a PA program

[Grindaholic]

At MDC this PA program awards an associates. I always thought a PA must have a masters.

Please shed some light on this program.

Also, how competitive will one be down here in S. Florida if all of the other PA programs in FL award a masters?

Since PA is a designation, is that all employers require, regardless of the degree (associates vs. masters) one used to obtain the designation?

[ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN]

The prerequisites to apply are almost equivalent to a AS degree, more interesting would be to see how transferring the license works out as every other PA program I have looked into was a Masters level degree that also required patient contact in a health care setting.

[Grindaholic]

The prerequisites to apply are almost equivalent to a AS degree, more interesting would be to see how transferring the license works out as every other PA program I have looked into was a Masters level degree that also required patient contact in a health care setting.

EXACTLY! I don't understand how MDC is only offering an Associates. At least they could have tried to make it a Bachelors. It does seem strange.

[ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN]

Maybe it's the start of a new trend in PA education? And the cost is grad level too, for that price I'll take a Masters level program. Most of the PAs I work with in the emergency setting were paramedics or nurses first.