For information on the visa screening process required for an occupational visa, individuals should contact the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS International.
Licensure is required for medical professionals in the U.S. Each state sets its own requirements for a license as a physician assistant. To obtain a license, an individual, even one educated as a PA or physician in another country, must graduate from an ARC-PA accredited U.S. physician assistant program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certifying of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
From the standpoint of the ARC-PA, individuals educated as physicians outside of the United States are not treated any differently than any other prospective PA student. To practice as a PA in the United States one must graduate from an ARC-PA accredited program and be certified by the NCCPA. If interested in applying to a PA program, such individuals should contact the PAEA for information on specific programs.
Decisions on issues such as advanced standing in a PA program based on prior education are made at the individual PA program level and therefore individuals should contact the specific programs about their policies. For information on PA programs, contact the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA).
To become a PA in the United States, individuals must also attend and graduate from an ARC-PA–accredited entry-level PA program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certifying of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
For information on PA programs, contact the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). Eligibility criteria for taking the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) are available on the NCCPA website.
Additional information on practicing as a PA in the U.S. can be found on the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) website.