Best Physician Assistant Master’s Degree Programs 2021

The physician assistant master's program at the University of Florida comprises 80 credits. During the first year of the two-year program, students complete the academic requirements of the physician assistant degree. They enroll in courses in pharmacotherapeutics, behavioral and community medicine, physical diagnosis, and clinical problem-solving and differential diagnosis. In the second year of the program, students complete 12, four-week rotations and four, one-credit seminars.

Strong applicants have a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and competitive GRE scores. Applicants must also show completion of at least 2,000 hours of patient care experience and prerequisite coursework in human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, and medical terminology. The program does not accept transfer credits or grant advanced placement standing. Degree candidates must complete a capstone project to be eligible for graduation.

UF's physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

The School of Medicine at the University of Washington offers a physician assistant degree through MEDEX Northwest. The program comprises 162 quarter credits (108 semester credits) and takes 27 months to complete.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA for the most recent 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits) of enrollment. They must show satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses in biology, human anatomy and physiology, English, statistics, and chemistry. The program also requires applicants to have at least 2,000 hours of direct patient care.

The program focuses on classroom instruction during the first year of the program (didactic phase). The curriculum includes coursework in pathophysiology, behavioral medicine, patient management, and clinical skills. Most students begin working on their capstone project at this time. The clinical year consists of seven clinical rotations, with a four-month preceptorship in a family medicine setting.

The physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates can sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.

The physician assistant master's program at the University of Wisconsin Madison offers five distinct study tracks including an on-campus, full-time, two-year option and two online tracks. The online tracks serve students within driving distance of the university and enrollees who plan to practice in a medically underserved area.

Students can also pursue an on-campus dual-degree track to earn a master's in physician assistant studies and in public health in 33 months. Finally, the university offers a full-time 24-month track specifically for PAs who plan to practice in northern Wisconsin.

The program comprises at least 96 credits and includes coursework in advanced patient evaluation, clinical pharmacology, diagnostic methods, and emergency medicine. Students enroll in online or on-campus classes during the first year of the program and complete a preceptorship and clinical experiences during the second year.

The physician assistant program at the University of Wisconsin has enjoyed continuous accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. since 1977.

The Department of Allied Health Sciences at the UNC School of Medicine offers a physician assistant degree comprising 103 credits. Applicants must hold an accredited bachelor's degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. The program also requires applicants to submit their latest GRE scores, proof of completion of prerequisite coursework, and have at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care.

During the didactic portion of the program, students enroll in 59 credits of PA coursework in pharmacology and therapeutics, diagnostic methods, patient assessment, and professional practice and the health system, among others.

The clinical phase of the program consists of 44 credits and includes eight required core rotations and two elective clinical placements. Rotations take place in four central hubs within the state — Hanover, Metrolina, Mountain, and Piedmont. Students complete at least one rotation in a medically underserved area.

The physician assistant degree at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York accepts applications from bachelor's degree-holders with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Applicants must also show completion of prerequisite courses and have at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience (lowered to 500 hours for the 2021 admissions cycle).

Students enroll in 74 credits of coursework during the first year of the program. The curriculum includes courses in pathobiology, principles of clinical pharmacology, integrative systems physiology, and diagnostic imaging. The didactic period of the program also familiarizes enrollees with research design and evidence-based medicine, and how to apply this knowledge in a clinical setting.

During the clinical phase, students complete seven, five-week rotations and three, four-week rotations in different medical arenas including geriatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and orthopedics. Many of the clinical rotations take place in medically underserved communities.

Stony Brook's physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

FIU offers a physician assistant master's program through the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. The program requires applicants to have a bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. An applicant's bachelor's program must include prerequisite courses in organic chemistry, microbiology, human anatomy, and statistics. Strong candidates have at least 1,500 hours of direct patient care experience and 500 hours of shadowing experience.

The didactic segment lasts for 15 months. Enrollees take courses in medical microbiology and infectious diseases, clinical medicine, gross anatomy, and pharmacology and disease pathology. The clinical segment of the program includes seven, four-week rotations in predetermined medical areas and two, four-week rotations in a student's preferred areas of practice.

FIU's physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

The physician assistant master's program at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse results from the partnership forged by the university with three other organizations — Gundersen Medical Foundation, Mayo Clinic School of Health and Sciences, and Marshfield Clinic Health System. Classroom instruction during the first year of the program takes place at the Health Science Center at UWL. Clinical rotations during the second year occur within the partner healthcare systems.

The program comprises 108 credits, 58 of which consists of coursework in medical pharmacology, pathology, applied anatomy, and behavioral medicine. The remaining credits are applied toward the clinical rotations. Students complete seven, four-week rotations in core areas of medicine and four supplemental rotations in areas that reflect a student's professional interests.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA and submit their latest GRE scores. The program does not not require applicants to have prior work experience in the field. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has accredited the university's physician assistant program since 1997.

Rutgers University offers three study options to earn the master of science in physician assistant degree. Bachelor's degree-holders can apply directly to the MS program. Students enrolled as a Rutgers undergraduate can pursue the articulated bachelor of arts/master of science 3+3 program. Under the articulation program, after completing three years of undergraduate studies with a 3.2 GPA, students can begin the physician assistant master's program. The third path is a double-degree program that allows enrollees to earn an MS and a master of public health.

The physician assistant master's program comprises 114 credits spread over didactic coursework during the first year and clinical rotations in the second year. Students enroll in classes in medical ethics, health promotion throughout the lifespan, pathophysiology, and macromolecules and cellular components. The clinical experience includes rotations in a variety of medical fields including ambulatory care, surgery, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.

Rutger University's physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

The School of Medicine at CUNY City College offers a postgraduate physician assistant degree that students can complete in 28 months. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and show completion of prerequisite coursework. The program does not require applicants to have professional experience. However, students may submit shadowing and/or volunteer experiences to bolster their application.

Students begin the program with one year of didactic instruction. Coursework includes clinical anatomy, pharmacology, preventive medicine, patient interviewing, and physiology. A 12-month clinical phase begins in the second year of the program. Students complete required and elective clerkships that are each five weeks long. A four-month research phase follows clinical rotations. During this final stage, students carry out research and complete their capstone project. The program qualifies graduates to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has accredited CUNY's physician assistant program until 2024.

The physician assistant degree at the University of Utah comprises 102 credits and is one of the oldest PA programs in the country. It begins in the summer and continues over the course of seven semesters or 27 months. The program only accepts full-time enrollees.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The program accepts applications from degree-holders with an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.7, but prefers applicants with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Applicants need at least 2,000 hours of healthcare experience (reduced to 1,500 hours for the 2021 application cycle only). The program does not require GRE scores.

The didactic curriculum includes courses in applied anatomy, infectious diseases, clinical pharmacology, and medical interviewing. Students complete clinical rotations in emergency medicine, women's health, surgery, and pediatrics, among others. Degree candidates must complete a capstone project to earn the degree.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has accredited the university's physician assistant program since 1971.