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Fast Facts
TopDegree
Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.M.S.)
General Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- Minimum cumulative and science GPA of 2.75
- GRE General Test scores
- Successful completion of prerequisite courses
Length of Program
27 months, full-time
Class Size
90
Class of 2013 Profile
- Female: 79%
- Male: 21%
- Average Age: 25
- Average Science GPA: 3.47
- Average Overall GPA: 3.56
- Average GRE
- Quantitative 64
- Verbal 67
- Analytical 61
- Analytical Writing 4.4
- Class Size: 90
- Top Home States: Arizona (37%), Colorado, California, Wisconsin
Clinical Rotations
Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine/Primary Care, Internal Medicine, Behavioral Medicine/Psychiatry, Surgery, Pediatrics, Women's Health. Elective, Master's Practicum
National Certifying Exam (PANCE) Pass Rate 5-Year Average (2007-2011)
NCCPA Pass Rate Summary Report ››
Time to Employment
98% of graduates responding to our annual survey report being employed within 20 weeks of graduation
Career Opportunities
Primary care, surgery, medical and surgical specialties, emergency medicine, behavioral medicine, others
US Employment Projections through 2016
18,000+ PAs needed in all medical settings
2010 Average Annual Salary for Physician Assistants
Varies by specialty, practice setting, location, experience
Class of 2010 Average Starting Salary
$80,677
Admission Requirements
TopStudents seeking admission to the PA Program must submit the following documented evidence:
- All applicants must apply through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and meet the published admission criteria.
- Minimum cumulative science and overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
- Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test to the Office of Admissions by December 1st using the Midwestern University institution code for the GRE is 4160. Only test scores earned in the last five years are acceptable. Applicants are expected to achieve a score at or above the 50th percentile in each section. For additional information about the GRE, call 866/473-4373, or visit http://www.ets.org/gre.
- Completion of prerequisite courses as listed below from regionally accredited colleges or universities. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a C or better. Grades of C- are NOT acceptable for any prerequisite course. Life experience credits do not count toward fulfillment of any prerequisite courses. Courses in which "credit" or grades of "pass" are earned will be counted only when applicants can provide verification that the earned grades were equivalent to grades of C or better (grades of C- are not acceptable).
- Completion of prerequisite courses prior to matriculation.
- Applicants must determine which prerequisites are missing and which courses must be taken to fulfill any outstanding prerequisites.
- Completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university before matriculation.
- Motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer, or other life experiences.
- Demonstration of service and leadership through community service or extracurricular activities.
- Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
- Satisfactory Midwestern University criminal background check.
- Commitment to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
- Successful completion of all required immunizations prior to matriculation.
- The applicant must meet the technical standards prior to admissions.
Prerequisite Courses
| Course | Sem Hrs | Qtr Hrs |
| Biology with lab* (must include at least 4 hours of Anatomy) | 8 | 12 |
| General Chemistry with lab* | 8 | 12 |
| Organic Chemistry with lab* | 4 | 6 |
| Math (college algebra or above) | 3 | 4 |
| English Composition | 6 | 9 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc.) | 6 | 9 |
| *Biochemistry (not required but strongly recommended) | 4-8 | 6-12 |
| *All science prerequisites must be courses designed for science majors. No survey courses will count to fulfill science prerequisites. No online labs will be accepted. |
Application Process and Deadlines
The Physician Assistant program uses a rolling admissions process. Students must apply for admission via the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). The application deadline is October 1st each year.
Additional Application Information
Return to TOP
Program Description
TopThe professional curriculum leads to a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.M.S.). This full-time 27-month professional program offers students the opportunity to earn a graduate degree and satisfy the eligibility requirements for the PA national certifying examination. The PA program does not offer an extended course of study beyond the usual length of the program. The maximum allotted time for completion of this program is 40.5 months. The roles and specific clinical duties and responsibilities that graduates can expect to experience will vary depending on their chosen career path. PA Program graduates are expected to have the ability to competently perform patient histories and physicals, gather pertinent patient data, order and interpret diagnostic studies, recognize common diseases and disorders, choose appropriate therapeutic modalities, perform minor surgical procedures, manage emergency life-threatening conditions, promote health through counseling, education, and disease prevention, and demonstrate interpersonal skills consistent with the physician assistant role. The program is a combination of didactic and clinical education with the first 12 months covering a variety of didactic courses.
The didactic coursework includes basic science coursework in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, neuroscience, pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics and microbiology. It also includes clinical preparatory coursework in clinical medicine, pediatrics, behavioral medicine, psychiatry, women's health, and emergency medicine and surgical principles. During the remaining 15 months, students rotate through eight required core clinical rotations and two master's curriculum rotations.
The second-year clinical program is delivered at affiliated clinical sites and facilities. These sites are geographically and demographically diverse, reflecting the broad scope of practice opportunities that exist for PAs in the health care delivery system of this country. Sites include ambulatory practice settings, small and large office-based group practices, community and migrant health centers, in-patient settings involving large and small hospitals, as well as federal and state facilities. These sites are in urban, suburban, and rural communities located throughout Arizona. In addition, the program has established formal affiliations with clinical facilities and practitioners in a number of other states. As part of the clinical education phase of the program, students enrolled in the MWU PA Program will likely be assigned to clinical rotations that reflect this geographic and demographic diversity. Students are required to complete a minimum of one clinical rotation in a rural/medically-underserved community.
The Physician Assistant program recommends that students do not work while attending Midwestern University.
For more information on the specific curriculum browse our online catalog or you can download a quick overview.
Master's Degree Tracks
The master's curriculum augments the PA professional education by providing the student with additional academic training. Students are provided the opportunity to design and complete a portfolio of activities in a chosen specialty field over the course of the clinical year, including medical presentations, continuing education, case reports, and workshops.
Planned Program Improvements
No significant changes in the PA Program admission requirements, academic standards, or curriculum are anticipated for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Mission
The Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program, Glendale, is committed to educate and mentor students in a setting that cultivates excellence and prepares compassionate, competent professionals to serve in a dynamic healthcare environment. The philosophy of the PA Program is based on a dedication to the student-centered approach to teaching and learning. Program goals include a commitment to the following tenets: 1) mentor students and model professionalism, 2) promote interprofessional education and service within the healthcare community, 3) facilitate self-directed learning and critical-thinking skills, 4) foster a commitment to scholarship within the PA community, and 5) enhance the program through a process of continuous self-assessment.
The program meets the goals in a variety of ways. 1) Students in the program are assigned faculty mentors who serve in that capacity throughout the student's tenure in the program. These mentors are aware of student performance on individual assessments and are readily available to discuss academic resources as well as hear candid opinions and suggestions from their mentees. Faculty model professionalism to the students in a variety of ways including service to the profession and scholarly contributions. All of the faculty provide service to the community, university, and/or community. 2) The program promotes interprofessional education and service through a myriad of approaches. Every first-year PA student participates in a university wide interprofessional course that serves to highlight commonalities between the professions. Program faculty and students also participate in several interprofessional community service opportunities that include providing medical care to the medcally underserved communities in the Phoenix area. 3) The program demonstrates success in facilitating self-directed learning and fostering critical thinking skills through the success of the students during their clinical phase of training and on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. The program has also incorporated significant flexibility and variety in the master's tracks, which reinforce independent learning and critical thinking. 4) The program's commitment to scholarship is evident by the number of publications, presentations, and grants that have been completed with our students and faculty. A list of scholarly products is available by clicking here. 5) The program has a continuous process of self-assessment that allows for data collection and subsequent analysis throughout the curriculum. A variety of perspectives are sought in this process including students, faculty, clinical preceptors, and graduates. All of these efforts have allowed the program to achieve success including a 97% first-time PANCE pass rate over the last five graduating classes. Additionally, the mean PANCE score for graduates who have taken the PANCE exam for the first time has risen from 502 for the Class of 2005 to 620 for the Class of 2010.
Definition of a Physician Assistant (approved by the American Academy of Physician Assistants' House of Delegates, 1995)
"Physician Assistants (PAs) are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Physician Assistants are qualified upon graduation from an accredited physician assistant educational program and/or certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Within the physician/PA relationship, Physician Assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The clinical role of Physician Assistants includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice settings in rural and urban areas. Physician Assistant practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research, and administrative activities."
Estimated Cost of Attendance
TopTotal for 27-month program
| Physician Assistant | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
| Tuition | $36,002 | $36,002 | $9,001 |
| Student Services Fee | $512 | $512 | $128 |
| Health Ins | $2,500 | $2,500 | $825 |
| Disability Ins. Fee | $65 | $65 | $20 |
| Books & Supplies | $2,809 | $1,700 | $100 |
| AAPA Membership | $75 | $0 | $0 |
| PANCE | $0 | $0 | $475 |
Accreditation
TopThe Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program was previously accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation and by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The Program was granted continued accreditation by its successor agency, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). This accreditation status enables graduating students to take the national certifying examination administered by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). The Midwestern University PA Program is a member of the Physician Assistant Education Association, the national organization representing PA educational programs.
Midwestern University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413.
Related Links
TopMWU Physician Assistant Studies Program in Downers Grove
American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)/Educational Testing Service
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA)
