Our Surgical Post-Graduate Physician Assistant Program
Our Program
Bassett Healthcare Network's Surgical Post-Graduate Physician Assistant Program was developed in 2005 by surgical physician assistants in multiple subspecialties to train physician assistants in surgery to have a well-rounded background in general and specialty areas of surgery.
Bassett Healthcare Network is a regional network of four affiliate hospitals and 28 community health centers serving an eight-county region in Central New York. The Surgical Post-Graduate Physician Assistant Program is run by physician assistants and attending physicians at Bassett Medical Center (BMC) in Cooperstown, NY. Bassett Medical Center is a 180-bed acute care and inpatient teaching facility that offers General Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Transitional Year residency programs. In addition, BMC has a Cardiovascular Fellowship Program.
Currently, over 20 physician assistants practice within Bassett's Department of Surgery, including all of the subspecialties. The Surgical Post-Graduate Physician Assistant Program is 12-months in duration, with didactic and clinical portions ongoing throughout the year.
Physician assistants in surgery will participate in:
- Grand rounds
- Surgeon-in-chief rounds
- Surgical case presentation(s)
- Surgical subspecialty conference(s)
- Morbidity and Mortality conference(s)
- Trauma conference(s)
The physician assistants in surgery:
- Will complete selected readings & be encouraged to be a self-motivated, lifelong learner.
- Will rotate through General Surgery, ICU/Cardiac Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, Gynecology, Otolaryngology, and Rural Surgery.
- Will have the opportunity to select 1 or 2 electives to complete during the last 8 weeks of the program.
- Should plan to work 50-hours a week, plus 1 night of call every other week.
Cooperstown is the home of the beautiful Otsego Lake and Glimmerglass State Park and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The surrounding countryside offers unlimited opportunity for biking, hiking and backpacking, picnics, boating, fishing, swimming, golf, and much more. The community’s Clark Sports Center offers state-of-the-art recreational and fitness facilities.
Two physician assistants are selected each year. Our goal is to accept individuals with specific surgical career goals.
Applications
- Completed applications are to include: 3 reference forms, a CV, a personal statement, official transcripts from college and physician assistant school, copies of BLS and ACLS or other certification.
- A personal interview is required.
- Acceptance is on a rolling basis and is contingent on NYS license and board certification.
Entry requirements
- Applicants must be graduates of an ARC-PA approved program, NCCPA board certified, eligible for NYS license or current license.
Salary
- $74,000 annually
Benefits
- 3 weeks paid vacation, 5 personal days, 4 professional days.
- Physician assistants are eligible to join Beneflex, Bassett’s flexible benefits plan for medical, dental, life, accidental death/dismemberment, long-term disability, pharmacy, eye care and HSA spending.
- Financial support to attend national physician assistant conference(s).
- 6 calendar holidays.
- On-call food allowance.
- Library services.
Housing
- Assistance finding local housing is available.
