Department of Physician Assistant Studies

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Overview

Award-winning and internationally recognized faculty and staff prepare you to become a highly qualified physician assistant ready to serve as a future leader in the delivery of health care, patient education and professional service. Pitt’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies is deeply committed to graduating a workforce of diverse and inclusive certified PAs to serve our communities here in our city, across the nation and around the world.

By instilling a lifelong desire for continued learning and scholarly productivity, our alumni contribute to advances and advocacy in the profession long after graduation. Together, our faculty, staff, students and alumni help shape PA professional research that informs the science, delivery and administration of health care reaching patients everywhere.

Programs

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Physician Assistant Studies (MS)
On-campus
Duration:

2 years
(6 terms, including 2 summer terms)

Program Start:

Spring term (January)

Application Opens:

Spring 2027

Application Closes:
  • Summer 2027
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Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid (MS)
Hybrid
Duration:

2 years
(6 terms, including 2 summer terms)

Program Start:

Spring term (January)

Application Opens:

Spring 2027

Application Closes:
  • Summer 2027
DPAS Marketing Photoshoot. Current/first DPAS students as student models.
Physician Assistant Studies, Post-Professional (DMSc)
Online
Duration:

1 year
(3 terms, including 1 summer term)

Flexible plans of study are available.

Program Start:

Spring start (January)
Summer start (May)
Fall start (August)

Application Opens:

Spring 2027: May 1, 2026
Summer 2027: September 1, 2026
Fall 2027: October 1, 2026

Application Closes:
  • Spring 2027 - December 1, 2026
  • Summer 2027 - April 20, 2027
  • Fall 2027 - August 1, 2027

Research

Our students, faculty and staff carry out our mission by contributing and coordinating research about the PA profession and the science, delivery and administration of health care.

Some examples of our recent and ongoing research and scholarly activity efforts include (click to view):

People

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Katelyn Adler

Assistant Professor

kaa385@pitt.edu
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Mary Allias

Director of the Doctor of Medical Science Program, Associate Professor

mary.allias@pitt.edu
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Alexandrea Bartow

Adjunct Assistant Professor

alb618@pitt.edu
Erika Basset

Adjunct Assistant Professor

stoutea@upmc.edu
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Chelsea Batko

Adjunct Assistant Professor

clb242@pitt.edu
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Allyson Batley

Clinical Placement Specialist

alb982@pitt.edu
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David C. Beck

Vice Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Development and Professor

dbeck@pitt.edu
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Isaac Beckler

Adjunct Assistant Professor

isb121@pitt.edu
Erin Bilecki

Adjunct Assistant Professor

erk82@pitt.edu
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Linda Bizzak

Adjunct Assistant Professor

lbizzak@pitt.edu
Carolyn Bland

Adjunct Assistant Professor

cab367@pitt.edu
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Charlie Borowicz

Adjunct Assistant Professor

ceb253@pitt.edu
Natalie Brahm

Assistant Professor

nab307@pitt.edu
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Aileen Brasacchio

Department Administrator for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies

amb001@pitt.edu
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Jeffrey Bright

Adjunct Assistant Professor

jmb437@pitt.edu
Amy Brown

Director of Admissions for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Associate Professor

amb520@pitt.edu
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Joshua Butler

Adjunct Assistant Professor

jnb92@pitt.edu
Raymond Carlson

Adjunct Assistant Professor

rjc136@pitt.edu
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Wei-Neng Chuang

Assistant Professor, Director of the SHRS Anatomy Laboratory

wec12@pitt.edu
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Matthew Cole

Adjunct Assistant Professor

mcc121@pitt.edu
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Jeffrey Cooper

Adjunct Assistant Professor

jcc193@pitt.edu
Allyson Danley

Program Administrator for the Doctor of Medical Science Program

ald363@pitt.edu
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Ryan Mayne Davies

Assistant Professor, Director of Student Success

rmd78@pitt.edu
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Christina Davis

Chair for the Department, Associate Professor

cmd180@pitt.edu
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Angela Dively

Adjunct Assistant Professor

amd265@pitt.edu
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Julia Dubis

Director of Simulation, Associate Professor

jmd239@pitt.edu
Adam Dulak

Adjunct Assistant Professor

aed56@pitt.edu
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Amanda Efinger

Adjunct Assistant Professor

aae40@pitt.edu
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Karman Ellerhorst

Program Administrator for the Physician Assistant Studies Program

kre25@pitt.edu
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Rosa Fannie

Director of Clinical Education, Associate Director for the Physician Assistant Studies (MS) Program and Assistant Professor

raf80@pitt.edu
Deborah Farkas

Program Administrator for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program

farkasdr@pitt.edu
Anthony Firetto

Adjunct Assistant Professor

amf210@pitt.edu
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Ashley Firm

Director of Student and Alumni Engagement, Director of Student Affairs for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program and Associate Professor

alf158@pitt.edu
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Andrew Foster

Adjunct Assistant Professor

aef53@pitt.edu
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Lauren Fusaro

Adjunct Assistant Professor

lnf21@pitt.edu
Melissa Galvin

Adjunct Assistant Professor

mag373@pitt.edu
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Tonya C. George

Adjunct Assistant Professor

tcg26@pitt.edu
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Curvin Gordon

Adjunct Assistant Professor

clg152@pitt.edu
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Susan Graff

Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program, Director of Medical Technology Education and Assistant Professor

sgg16@pitt.edu
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L. Carlos Gutiérrez

Vice Chair for Student Success in the Department, Associate Professor

lcg32@pitt.edu
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Amy L. Haller

Vice Chair for Professional Development and Continuing Education, Associate Professor

alh272@pitt.edu
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Jamie Hammond

Assistant Professor

jlh300@pitt.edu
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Karthik Hariharan

Director of Anatomy, Director of Mentoring for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program and Assistant Professor

kvh4@pitt.edu
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Megan Heron

Adjunct Assistant Professor

mmh200@pitt.edu
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Christopher Holland

Adjunct Assistant Professor

cph23@pitt.edu
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Farrah Holmes-Chatman

Director of Residential Admissions, Assistant Professor

fnh8@pitt.edu
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Martin Johns

Medical Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program, Adjunct Assistant Professor

johnsmg@upmc.edu
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Samantha Kerin

Adjunct Assistant Professor

slk103@pitt.edu
Laurel Kerr

Adjunct Assistant Professor

lsk34@pitt.edu
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Deborah Kortyna

Adjunct Assistant Professor

dek101@pitt.edu
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Alexa Llewellyn

Adjunct Assistant Professor

aml331@pitt.edu
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Hoa Luong

Adjunct Assistant Professor

hol54@pitt.edu
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Maura Lyle

Adjunct Assistant Professor

mcl114@pitt.edu
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Laura Lynch

Assistant Professor

lml114@pitt.edu
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Alyssa Mathews

Assistant Professor

akm93@pitt.edu
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Joan Mavrinac

Adjunct Assistant Professor

jmm504@pitt.edu
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Tara McSwigan

Director of Pre-Admissions for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Assistant Professor

tmm142@pitt.edu
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Danielle Meholic

Adjunct Assistant Professor

pittpa@shrs.pitt.edu
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Nathan Miracle

Associate Program Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Director of Curriculum and Associate Professor

nam318@pitt.edu
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Elaine Molinengo

Clinical Placement Specialist

emm662@pitt.edu
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Hayden Mulligan

Assistant Professor

fhm4@pitt.edu
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Emily Murphy

Associate Director of the Doctor of Medical Science Program, Assistant Professor

emurphy@pitt.edu
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Dipu Patel

Vice Chair for Innovation, Professor

dip59@pitt.edu
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Deborah Patterson

Adjunct Assistant Professor

dbp14@pitt.edu
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Paul Phrampus

Medical Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Professor

phrampuspe@upmc.edu
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Michael Pippi

Adjunct Assistant Professor

map240@pitt.edu
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Eric Pippi

Adjunct Assistant Professor

ejp59@pitt.edu
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Aimee Pirollo

Adjunct Assistant Professor

alp267@pitt.edu
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Rachel Poerschke

Adjunct Assistant Professor

rep88@pitt.edu
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Kathryn Reed

Vice Chair for Community Impact and Associate Professor

kjr34@pitt.edu
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Benjamin Reynolds

Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery

ber152@pitt.edu
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Christine Rodgers

Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Assistant Professor

cer51@pitt.edu
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Celeste Rovito

Adjunct Assistant Professor

cer70@pitt.edu
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Karlyn Rupert

Adjunct Assistant Professor

klr91@pitt.edu
Shannon Schreckengost

Admissions Manager

sas546@pitt.edu
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Maria Sproull

Admissions Administrator

mes948@pitt.edu
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Daniel Tolomeo

Director of Student Assessment and Remediation for the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program, Assistant Professor

dvt11@pitt.edu
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Sarah Turek

Adjunct Assistant Professor

smt118@pitt.edu
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Margaret Wagner

Academic Administrator

wagnerm@pitt.edu
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Nicole Wiles

Clinical Placement Specialist

niw112@pitt.edu
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Antoinette Wilson

Director of Curriculum for Physician Assistant Studies, Assistant Professor

amw280@pitt.edu

Student Groups

SHRS Affinity Groups
Hybrid Physician Assistant Student Society
SHRS Student Advisory Board
Pre-Physician Assistant Association
Physician Assistant Student Society
Pitt Physician Assistant Students Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
It's Possible at Pitt