Can a Medical Laboratory Scientist become a physician assistant?

Can a Medical Laboratory Scientist become a physician assistant?

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CAN A MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST BECOME A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT?

Medical laboratory science is the use of chemical laboratory tests to detect, diagnose, monitor, and treat diseases. Blood, tissue, and body fluids can be chemically analyzed and examined for foreign organisms and abnormalities. A Medical laboratory scientist aims to analyze a variety of biological specimens.

They perform scientific testing on samples and relay results to physicians. They use sophisticated clinical equipment like microscopes, cell counters and other high precision equipment to carry out tests in chemistry, hematology, immunology, transfusion medicine, and microbiology. The decision of a physician regarding a patient’s diagnosis, hospital admission, treatment, and discharge is heavily dependent on a Medical laboratory scientists report.

Medical laboratory scientists work in places such as hospital, clinics, forensic and public health laboratories, Pharmaceutical industries, Biotechnology companies, Vet clinics, and research institutions. Medical laboratory science lasts for 4 years in the university.

A Physician Assistant is a mid-level health care provider. They are medical professionals who work under the delegated authority of a medical practitioner and augment the services traditionally provided by a doctor. PA’s diagnose illnesses, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications in some occasions and may serve as a principal health care provider.

Physician Assistants are required in many places to have a direct agreement with a physician. They offer preventive health care services, carry out physical examinations, they assist in surgeries though they cannot perform surgeries or treat any complex or acute medical case. They provide healthcare without the lengthy and strenuous education required to become a doctor. The training required to become a physician assistant takes 3 years in a University.

Yes a Medical Laboratory Scientist can become a Physician Assistant by applying for Direct entry or Post graduate entry to become a Physician Assistant. The knowledge gained studying Medical Laboratory Science will definitely make becoming a Physician Assistant easier.

The College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, The College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and the University of Ibadan accept students with minimum of a 2nd class upper in relevant courses (Medical Laboratory Science, Biochemistry, Anatomy, etc) for admission to study Physician Assistance, some schools accept 2nd class lower but this reduces the chances of being admitted.

Generally some of the requirements are while each university has unique criterion for admission, you need at least five ‘credit’ passes in English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology in not more than ‘two sittings’ at O’level to study Physician Assistance. It is also advisable to visit your proposed school of admission for enquiries. You can get admission by buy a Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Direct Entry Form (JAMB DE Form).

Olayinka Shyllon

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