Help me understand how one Physician's Assistant can have a cert. w/o a degree while another a M.S.?

Question:

A Physician's Assistant is widely accepted as a professional medical provider who works alongside other professional care providers and directly under an accompanying physician's licensure. Granted their scope of practice is narrower than that of a physician's, but they are widely deemed as professionals. With this in mind then, how can one account for the fact that some PA schools require ONLY 2 years of college for entrance while offering a certificate, while other PA schools require a BA/BS for entrance and offer a Master's Degree. I don't understand this disparity in the PA profession. How can one physician assistant have a certificate without a Bachelor's Degree have the same job as another physician assistant with a Master's Degree. I know the PA schooling must be similar, but there should be some distinction between one who has a MS and one who doesn't have a degree, right? ALSO, does it matter if I get a Master's out of the program in terms of salary/job placement? Thanks

Answer:
Hi,
Anymore I know of no non-degreed programs. You either have a B.S. or M.S. with certification as a physician assistant. Either one you are generally looking at about the same amount of time, believe it or not, M.S. programs are generally just a few mionths longer. The profession is quickly changing to a Masters standard, so if you are just getting ready to decide on a PA school I would go ahead and go that route. However, except for using the degree to teach , at this time B.S is really not a liability.

Help me understand how one Physician's Assistant can have a cert. w/o a degree while another a M.S.?

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