The Surgical Physician Assistant Program at UAB is one of only two entry-level surgical specialty program out of 137 physician assistant programs in the nation. Graduates are considered highly trained to work as physician’s assistants in any medical setting when a surgeon is responsible, including pre-operative care, the operating room, recovery room, intensive care unit, and surgeon's office.
U.S. News and World Report has ranked the UAB Surgical Physician Assistant Program among the top Physician Assistant programs in its annual "Best Graduate Schools" edition.
Duties of the surgical physician assistant vary and may include tasks such as:
- assisting in surgery;
- taking patient histories;
- performing physical examinations;
- inserting and removing various catheters and devices; and
- performing wound care.