Physician Assistantship (Medical)
About this programme
Physician Assistants are trained and expected to provide holistic health care to individuals, deliver effective, promotional, preventive and curative health, mainly at the sub-district and district levels. The training of Physician Assistants, which began in the early 1960s, became necessary due to the shortage and misdistribution of physicians in the country. Further development of the Health Care Delivery System based on the Primary Health Care approach has also emphasized the need to train special type of health workers to deal with common diseases that constitute over 80% of diseases afflicting Ghanaians.
Entry requirements
A) ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS Applicants seeking admission into NARH-BITA College must submit: a) A completed application form for admission b) A non-refundable application fee. c) WASSCE or SSSCE Certificates. d) Evidence of professional qualification. (For mature candidates only) SSSCE/ WASSCE: The candidate must have at least aggregate 24(in SSSCE) or 36(in WASSCE) with passes not lower than Credit (i.e. D or C4, C5 & C6) in three (3) SSSCE or WASSCE core subjects namely: English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science, and Credit or better in three (3) elective subjects in the following science subjects: Elective Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Candidates must have either the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) or West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). A combination of (SSSCE) and WASSCE results will not be accepted. NB: Senior Secondary School applicants will enter the programme in the first year. DIPLOMA APPLICANTS: Diploma holders in Physician Assistantship (Medical) from recognized institutions with a minimum final GPA of 2.50 and with three years of working experience in the relevant field shall be admitted to the third year of the programme (Level 300). All diploma candidates would be admitted after passing an interview. MATURE APPLICANTS: Mature applicants must be Registered Diploma Nurses (RGN/RMN) or holders of Bachelor's degree in Human Biology. In addition, candidates must have five (5) credits in GCE “O” Levels or six passes in SSSCE/ WASSCE subjects including English Language, Mathematics and Science, and must have at least three (3) years relevant working experience in addition to passing an entry examination and interview. Successful candidates would be admitted into level 200. FOREIGN APPLICANTS: International applicants may be admitted into the programme on the basis of qualification from their home country for which the West African Examination Council shall determine equivalence. Other qualifications will be evaluated on individual merit. Evidence of proficiency in English Language will be required in the case of applicants from non-English speaking countries. NB: A pass (i.e. D7 or E8) is NOT accepted for Admission. Have no criminal record. Be medically fit, and certified by a qualified Medical Officer.
Career prospects
The majority of physician associates work in general practice, acute (internal) medicine or emergency medicine. You could be employed in: GP surgeries Hospitals (both NHS and private) - in, for example, A&E departments, inpatient wards, outpatient departments, intensive care, operating theatres and specialist surgery Health centers Psychiatry services Rehabilitation facilities.