TU physician assistant master's alum receives national credential

By Towson University on August 2, 2017

Towson University alumna Margaret S. Miller, PA-C, '12 received a specialty credential called a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

She is employed at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore and has worked as a physician assistant for five years.

Learn more about the physician assistant studies master's program

Miller received the CAQ in emergency medicine, a distinction earned by meeting licensure, education and experience requirements and then passing a national exam in the specialty. 

“Before becoming a PA, I spent time as a paramedic which encouraged me to become a PA in emergency medicine,” she said. “Since working in the emergency room, I have developed many skills and significantly increased my knowledge, so earning my CAQ just seemed like a natural next step.”

“Certified PAs are prepared and proven providers who contribute real value to the healthcare of this nation,” says Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D, PA-C, president and CEO of NCCPA. “They graduate from demanding masters-level programs, pass a rigorous certification exam, and maintain certification at the highest level through continuing medical education programs and retesting throughout their careers. Certified PAs increase access to care for patients in every specialty and clinical setting, including those that are historically underserved.”

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for physician assistants (PAs) in the United States. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. There are more than 115,500 certified PAs in the U.S. today. For more information, visit www.PAsDoThat.net.