Physician Assistant Studies (MS)

At Pitt, the Physician Assistant Studies program prepares the next generation of providers willing to push the envelope and adapt to industry changes.

From day one, faculty are invested in each of the students becoming certified physician assistants or associates. Throughout the two-year program, faculty continually assess areas of improvement for passing the exam and implement curriculum changes as needed. Student support includes tutoring for both didactic and clinical students and adaptations to different learning styles. Additionally, one-on-one dialogues and anonymous surveys offer regular points of feedback between students and faculty to ensure support is available and learn how improvements can be made.

Graduate Performance on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam® (PANCE)

This program prepares students to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) PANCE exam.

5-YEAR PANCE Exam PERFORMANCE SUMMARY REPORT – View PDF

Student Attrition and Graduation Rates

*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class.
**Graduation Rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.

NOTE: Entering class size is the number of students newly enrolled for the admission cycle PLUS number of students who are reentering from a different cohort. Attrition includes students who voluntarily withdraw from the program; are dismissed for academic or professionalism reasons; take a personal or medical leave of absence; or who require additional time to complete the program of study. Regarding the students who attritted from the Class of 2022 cohort, four of the five rejoined a future cohort and graduated within the University of Pittsburgh’s statute of limitations for professional programs awarding the Master of Science degree.

Program Competencies and Learning Outcomes

The PAS curriculum is consistent with the following competencies/program learning outcomes, which were adapted from the Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates established by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). At the completion of the program, graduates have demonstrated:

Patient-Centered Practice Knowledge

• Gather clinical information, formulate differential diagnoses, order and interpret laboratory and imaging, perform necessary core duty procedures, and diagnose, prevent, treat and manage illness among acute, chronic and emerging disease states.
• Integrate into practice appropriate literature to make evidence-based decisions on patient care.

Society and Population Health

• Integrate into practice the cultural norms, needs, influences, and socioeconomic, environmental, physiological and other population-level determinants affecting the health of the individual and community being served.
• Integrate into practice the interventions that diminish health disparities involving race or ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, age, disability, socioeconomic status and geographic location involving the individual patient and the community being served.
• Integrate into practice basic principles of public health including epidemiology, disease prevention, surveillance, reporting and intervention. Provide appropriate referrals involving the public health system to ensure patient advocacy and in the maintenance of population health.

Health Literacy and Communication

• Communicate effectively and respectfully with patients, families and other health care professionals.

Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership

• Coordinate care to optimize the health of patients and populations.

Professional and Legal Aspects of Health Care

• Provide standard-of-care practice while demonstrating respect for the dignity and privacy of patients.
• Incorporate a personal wellness plan to prevent impairment and burnout.
• Demonstrate professional accountability.

Health Care Finance and Systems

• Differentiate the types of health care systems and health insurance coverage, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
• Practice health care informed by an understanding of the financial implications to patients, organizations and society.
• Recognize personal limitations and incorporate a quality improvement process designed to maximize patient safety, prevention of medical errors and incorporation of risk management.

A Career Path That Moves Health Care Forward

Certified physician assistants and associates are in demand, and the need for qualified care team members is expected to grow.

Job openings for physician assistants/associates are projected to grow over 30% by 2029, much faster than the average industry (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021).

Alumni

At Pitt, graduates are prepared to push the edge of what is possible in health care and drive innovation in patient care. PAS alumni have both the experience to act as qualified providers, and the confidence to lead positive change in health care. Some graduates have gone on to work in the following organizations:

• Akron General Hospital
• Allegheny Health Network
• Cleveland Clinic
• Johns Hopkins University Hospital
• Mayo Clinic
• MedExpress
• NY Presbyterian
• University of Texas Health Science Center
• UPMC
• VA Medical Center
• Vanderbilt Medical Center