PA School Scholarships

Physician assistants are qualified medical professionals who compose a critical part of the healthcare workforce. While physician assistants aren't doctors in the literal sense, PAs perform many of the functions traditionally offered by medical doctors, including diagnosing, treating, and examining patients.

In order to become a physician assistant, the first step is to graduate from an accredited PA program and become officially licensed through the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. Physician assistant programs usually range from two to three years in length and are typically more affordable than medical school. However, many prospective physician assistants may still find the cost of attending PA school a significant barrier to progressing in their careers.

PA school scholarships can empower PA students to become successful physician assistants and gain the medical expertise to serve communities in need. Various scholarships are available for prospective PAs, including military scholarships and scholarships sponsored by individuals on Bold.org.

In this article, Bold.org has compiled an overview of the best PA school scholarships. In particular, we've highlighted various PA school scholarships offered by the military and the PA Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting physician assistants and PA students. We've also shined the spotlight on notable PA school scholarships and medical scholarships offered by generous sponsors on Bold.org to make PA programs more accessible for students of diverse backgrounds.

Don't forget to create a Bold.org profile to access these and hundreds of other scholarships for PA students on our scholarship search engine. Also, check out more blog posts on our Bold.org scholarship blog to learn more about medical school scholarships and student loans that can help you pay for PA school.

How Do You Become a Physician Assistant?

The first step to becoming a practicing physician assistant is to fulfill the PA school prerequisites as an undergraduate college student. PA programs require applicants to take courses like physics, biology, statistics, and psychology to prepare for the rigorous medical coursework of PA school. Applicants should also maintain a high GPA to qualify for PA schools with GPA cutoffs.

Unlike many other graduate medical programs, PA schools require applicants to have 1,000 to 2,000 hours of healthcare experience before applying. Admissions officers prefer applicants with previous paid healthcare experience in positions like emergency room technician, EMT, medical technologist, medical assistant, or registered nurse.

Once you've been accepted to an accredited PA program, you'll begin your PA school coursework and clinical rotations. Compared to medical school, PA school is more generalized, so PA students can expect to learn about topics like clinical medicine, human anatomy, and pharmacology in their first couple of years. Thereafter, students will gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations in various hospitals and clinical settings, amounting to over 2,000 hours of clinical experience.

Finally, in order to become a practicing physician assistant, PA school graduates must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam and become licensed in their state. Further training thereafter is gained through on-the-job experience.

PAC Diversity Matters Scholarship

A Bold.org exclusive scholarship, the PAC Diversity Matters Scholarship is generously sponsored by The Physician Assistants of Color, an organization dedicated to supporting PA students of color in actualizing their dream careers in medicine. The PAC recognizes the challenges that BIPOC students face when pursuing a career as a physician assistant, considering that only 12-13% of physician assistants are part of an underrepresented minority.

This scholarship awards $1,000 each to five undergraduate or graduate BIPOC students pursuing a career as a physician assistant. Applicants are asked to describe an aspect of their identity and how this identity will influence their work in healthcare.

The application deadline for the PAC: Diversity Matters Scholarship is April 1, 2023.

Analtha Parr Pell Memorial Scholarship

Another Bold.org exclusive scholarship, the Analtha Parr Pell Memorial Scholarship, was established to honor the memory of Analtha Parr Pell, a beloved mother, and grandmother who worked as a medical transcriptionist for over 60 years.

High school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students  pursuing a career in medicine are eligible to apply. One winner will be awarded $1,000, and applications will close on April 15th, 2023.

Full Ride Scholarships for PA Students

A number of PA school scholarships offered by the United States government cover the full cost of attending PA school, including tuition, fees, and books. Some even offer a living stipend to help prospective PAs pay for living expenses while attending school.

In order to receive full-tuition scholarships for PA school, students must commit to working as professional physician assistants in a designated area after graduation. As a result, these scholarships can be great options that encourage young PA students to participate in service leadership and enable students to graduate completely debt-free.

National Health Service Corps

The National Health Service Corps provides full-tuition scholarships for PA students and a monthly stipend in exchange for two years of service in a medically underserved area following graduation. PA students may work in public or non-profit private medical facilities, geographic areas with a shortage of providers, or specific populations such as low-income communities or migrant populations.

Serving in the National Health Service Corps can be a rewarding opportunity for PA students to learn about primary care and the healthcare system while providing medical services to those in need. Through the two years of service, young physician assistants can gain invaluable work experience and real-life skills that will serve them well in their future careers.

Veterans Affairs Scholarship

The Veterans Affairs Scholarship is another full-tuition scholarship for PA students that covers the full cost of tuition and provides an annual book stipend and a monthly living stipend to scholarship winners.

Those selected to receive this scholarship must commit to working at an underserved Veterans Affairs location for the length of time that they received the scholarship. So, if you receive the scholarship for the full two to three years of PA school, you'll be required to work at a VA for two to three years thereafter.

Military veterans and students in their final one to two years of education are given preference for their scholarships. As a result, you'll be a more competitive PA student applicant for the Veterans Affairs Scholarship if you apply before your final year in PA school.

Air Force and Navy Health Professions Scholarship Programs

The Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program both cover the full cost of tuition, educational fees, and books and supplies. They also provide a monthly living stipend to help you pay for the cost of living during your time in PA school.

In exchange, scholarship recipients commit to serving in active duty for the length of time that they receive the scholarship. While working for the navy or air force, participants in the program will have the opportunity to provide clinical care, perform research, and teach as part of a team of medical providers.

PA Foundation Scholarships

The PA Foundation awards many prestigious scholarships for PA students each year as the philanthropic arm of the American Association of Physician Assistants.

In order to apply for a PA Foundation Scholarship, students must be a member of the American Association of Physician Assistants and attend an ARC-PA accredited program. Additionally, applicants should have successfully completed at least one term of PA studies and be in good academic standing. You must also be enrolled in PA school during the application cycle, which runs from April to June.

The PA Foundation Scholarship

The organization's flagship award awards $1,000 to a handful of PA students each year. Any eligible PA students who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply.

AAPA Rural Caucus Scholarship

PA students who come from a rural area and are planning on working as medical professionals in a rural area after graduating are eligible to apply for the AAPA Rural Caucus Scholarship. Two winners are awarded $2,000 each.

AAPA Past Presidents Scholarship

The AAPA Past Presidents Scholarship provides scholarship awards to PA students who demonstrate service leadership through a community health organization or their PA program. Scholarship award recipients receive $1,000 each for this award.

NCCPA Endowed Scholarship

The NCCPA Endowed Scholarship awards scholarship money to students who are part of an historically marginalized group. Students who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigenous or Native American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, and/or a person with a disability are eligible to apply.

Students who come from economically disadvantaged or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds can also apply for this scholarship. For example, a PA student who comes from a high school with low SAT scores and below-average state test results or a household with an annual income below a low-income threshold is eligible.

Each scholarship recipient is awarded $2,000 for this PA Foundation scholarship.

Ron Pace Memorial Scholarship

The Ron Pace Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of Ron Pace, a navy veteran who served as the president of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants and previously received the AAPA Outstanding PA of the Year Award.

To apply for this scholarship, PA students must be attending a PA program in Florida and are children or dependents of a veteran. Scholarship recipients receive $1,000 for this award.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does PA School Cost?

The cost of PA school can vary greatly depending on the length of your PA program and the type of PA school that you attend. PA programs can cost anywhere between $30,000 to over $120,000.

The most notable difference in cost is between an in-state PA school and an out-of-state PA school; as an in-state student, you can expect to pay much lower tuition compared to if you choose to attend an out-of-state PA program.

Additionally, the amount you pay for PA school will depend on the length of your PA program. Two-year PA school programs are generally more affordable than three-year programs.

What are the Differences Between a PA and a MD?

A PA is a licensed medical professional who works with doctors to diagnose, examine, and treat patients. PAs are able to provide 80-90% of the medical services that are typically provided by doctors.

However, the key difference between MDs and PAs is that doctors attend medical school and receive a medical degree, while PAs attend PA school and receive state licensure after passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam.

Additionally, while doctors do not need to work with PAs, physician assistants are required to work under the supervision of an M.D. PAs may also have a more regular 9-to-5 work schedule, while physicians can work inconsistent and long hours.

Changing specialties is also generally easier for PAs further down their career, as PAs perform more general medical services that are easily transferrable between different healthcare facilities. In contrast, it is much more difficult for practicing MDs who are established in a particular specialty to switch disciplines.

Finally, MDs have a higher average salary compared to PAs. However, becoming a PA can still be a rewarding and lucrative career, as the average salary for a PA is $121,530.

Now that you've learned about the myriad scholarship opportunities available for PA students, you can start applying for scholarships! Don't forget to create a free Bold.org profile to apply for more scholarships like these, and read this blog post to learn about federal student loans.