Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Downers Grove Campus

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
• Successful completion of prerequisite coursework from regionally accredited colleges or universities
• A minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care experience are required at the time of application submission

Full list of requirements*

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Admissions Procedures  
The Physician Assistant (PA) program adheres to a specific admission process, and prospective students are encouraged to become acquainted with our interview and selection procedures.

Advanced Placement  
Midwestern University's PA Program does not permit advanced placement for prior academic, clinical, or life experience. Requests may be made for advanced placement for coursework and will only be considered if a letter grade of "C" or better has been earned and must be deemed equivalent to the Midwestern University course.

Extended Program  
The PA Program does not offer an extended course of study beyond the usual length of the program.

PA Program Student Work Policy  
To optimize success in our program, students are strongly discouraged from pursuing external employment while attending Midwestern University. We maintain a non-negotiable stance on managing workload, whether in the didactic or clinical phase, for those who choose external employment.

View catalog for more information*

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The Physician Assistant program in Downers Grove, IL, has established articulation agreements with select institutions. For detailed information and eligibility criteria, please refer to the full articulation agreements.

• Articulation Agreement with Elmhurst University: Beginning with the class matriculating in Fall 2025, the PA Program agrees to guarantee interviews for all qualified Elmhurst University applicants.
• Articulation Agreement with Aurora University: Beginning with the class matriculating in Fall 2023, Midwestern University’s participating colleges/programs agree to guarantee interviews for qualified Aurora University applicants.
• Articulation Agreement with Greenville University: Qualified students will receive an interview for Midwestern University programs.
• PA IL - CGS Biomedical Sciences Articulation Agreement: Qualified graduates of the Biomedical Sciences programs in the College of Graduate Studies (CGS) are guaranteed an interview for the Physician Assistant program in Downers Grove, IL under our Admissions Agreement.

Note: Students must meet all application deadlines for the professional program of interest. A guaranteed interview does not guarantee admission into the professional program.

The MWU CHS Physician Assistant Program reserves the right to alter its curriculum however and whenever it deems appropriate.

Total Quarter Credits in the Professional Program: 146

View PA Curriculum in the catalog*

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Core Competencies for the Midwestern University – Downers Grove Physician Assistant Program

To ensure students who graduate from the Midwestern University-Downers Grove Physician Assistant (PA) Program are prepared for entry-level PA practice, they receive a didactic and clinical training curriculum that facilitates their achievement of specific core competencies. The Midwestern University-Downers Grove PA Program competencies were developed using existing competency frameworks, such as the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession (revised 2020) and the Physician Assistant Education Association’s Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates. The core competencies adopted by the Midwestern University-Downers Grove PA Program are listed below.

1. Knowledge for Practice

Graduates should be able to recognize normal health states and emerging, acute, and chronic abnormal health states, utilizing current scientific evidence to inform clinical reasoning and medical decision-making, and apply this knowledge to patient care.

1.1: Demonstrate critical thinking in clinical situations

1.2: Access and interpret current and credible sources of medical information

1.3: Discern between acute, chronic, and emergent disease states

1.4: Incorporate principles of basic and clinical sciences to develop a differential diagnosis

1.5: Apply principles of basic and clinical sciences to accurately diagnose disease and formulate an appropriate treatment plan

2. Patient Centered-Practice

Graduates should provide patient-centered care that is evidence-based and focused on safety and health equity.

2.1: Gather accurate and essential information about patients through history-taking, physical examination, and diagnostic testing

2.2: Develop individualized patient management plans

2.3: Demonstrate proficiency in the performance of program-defined core clinical skills needed for entry-level practice

2.4: Refer patients appropriately

2.5: Provide care and education to patients to maintain and/or improve health

3. Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Graduates should demonstrate the ability to engage with patients and a variety of health care professionals in a manner that optimizes safe and effective patient-centered care.

3.1: Communicate effectively with patients

3.2: Demonstrate active listening and appropriate nonverbal communication with patients

3.3: Accurately document medical information in patient records

4. Professionalism

Graduates should demonstrate a commitment to practicing medicine in ethically and legally appropriate ways, emphasizing professional maturity by prioritizing the interest of those being served above one’s own interests, and recognizing personal limitations to ensure the delivery of safe and quality care.

4.1: Demonstrate compassion and respect for others

4.2: Demonstrate responsiveness to patient needs

4.3: Demonstrate provision of ethical care: Informed Consent

5. Practice-based Learning and Improvement/Personal Wellness

Graduates should be able to demonstrate a commitment to continuous self-improvement and patient care by critically assessing new medical information and addressing opportunities for growth in their medical abilities. They should also look for ways to maintain or improve on their overall health.

5.1: Exhibit self-awareness to identify strengths, address deficiencies, and recognize limits in knowledge

5.2: Create improvement goals that address gaps in knowledge, skills, and attitudes

5.3: Identify self-care and personal issues that affect one’s ability to fulfill professional responsibilities
 

Mission

The mission of the Midwestern University Physician Assistant (PA) Program is to develop competent, compassionate and professional physician assistants who will make a positive impact on their patients, community and the PA profession. 

The MWU PA Program values the unique life experiences and perspectives each student contributes to our program. We believe cultural humility improves patient outcomes, and we are committed to ensuring our students are well-equipped to provide patient-centered care to all of the populations they may serve. Health equity and education on health care disparities are integrated into the Program curriculum to prepare students to serve diverse populations and address the health care needs of all patients.

Goals

The goals of the Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program are to:

1. Recruit, matriculate and retain highly qualified students.
2. Provide a comprehensive and evidence-based curriculum that prepares graduates for entry-level practice.
3. Foster a culture of service and provide students and faculty with opportunities to engage with their communities and the medically underserved.

*The MWU IL PA program revised their program goals in February of 2024.  

The Midwestern University PA Program demonstrates achievement of these goals by analyzing the results of student performance in the didactic and clinical year, PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) pass rates, and regular surveys of graduates and preceptors.

Physician Assistant Program Goals 

National Certifying Exam (PANCE) Pass Rate 5-Year Average (2020-2024)

• Five Year First Time Test Taker Average Pass Rate for Program: 96%

PANCE Exam Performance Summary Report (PDF)

For information pertaining to the Program's attrition and graduation rates, please review the ARC-PA Student Attrition Template.

ARC-PA Student Attrition Template (PDF)

The average graduation rate for the program is 96%, which was calculated using the graduation rates for the PA Classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024.

• Female: 81%
• Male: 19%
• Mean Age: 23 years (Range 19-33)
• Mean Overall GPA: 3.84
• Mean Science GPA: 3.83
• Class Size: 86
• Top Home States: Illinois (41; 48%), Arizona (4), Michigan (8), Wisconsin (6)

Type of Policy: Administrative
Effective Date: January 27, 2026
Last Revised: January 27, 2026
Policy Owner: Physician Assistant Program, Midwestern University, Downers Grove
Policy Contact: Leah Pieczynski (lpiecz@midwestern.edu), PA-C, Lauren Trillo, PA-C (ltrill@midwestern.edu)

Purpose

This policy provides transparency regarding clinical rotation expectations and supports compliance with Accreditation Standard for PA Education, 6th Edition, standard A3.14.j by clearly communicating the requirement for distant clinical rotations and available housing options.

This policy is intended to ensure that Physician Assistant students receive a comprehensive and diverse clinical education by participating in clinical rotation experiences across a variety of practice settings and geographic locations.

1. Definitions

• Local Rotation: Any core clinical rotation site within 50 miles of the Downers Grove, IL, Midwestern University campus.
• Distant Rotation: Any core clinical rotation site outside the 50-mile radius of the Downers Grove, IL, Midwestern University campus.

2. Transportation Policy Statement

Students are responsible for arranging and funding their own transportation to all clinical rotations, whether local or distant. Some rotations may require travel between multiple clinical sites during scheduled rotation hours. All transportation expenses, including airfare and travel to and from assigned locations, are the student’s responsibility.

3. Local Rotation Travel Policy Statement

Most core clinical rotation sites are located within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Students assigned to local core rotation sites are expected to secure appropriate housing and transportation necessary to meet all clinical rotation requirements. This designation applies regardless of a student’s actual housing location, temporary or permanent, during the clinical year. The determination of whether a rotation site is considered local is based solely on the distance from the Downers Grove campus and not on commuting time, geographic direction, or individual student residence. 

Requests for alternative placement or reclassification of a site based on personal housing or transportation arrangements will not be considered under this policy.

4. Distant Rotation Travel Policy Statement

Physician Assistant students should expect to be assigned to at least one distant core clinical rotation during the clinical training year. A distant core clinical rotation is defined as a required clinical experience located outside of the local rotation commuting area and may necessitate temporary relocation. 

For designated distant core clinical rotation sites, subsidized housing is available for 175 dollars per rotation. Information regarding housing location, availability, duration, and expectations will be provided to students prior to the start of their rotation. Students who elect to utilize program-arranged housing must comply with all housing policies and agreements.

Students assigned to distant clinical rotations are expected to: 

1. Adhere to all PA program, clinical site, and housing policies.
2. Cover personal expenses, including travel, meals, and incidental costs, unless otherwise specified.

5. Responsibilities

All Clinical Team members, including the Directors of Clinical Education and the Medical Director, will review and update this policy on an annual basis.

6. Enforcement

This policy applies to all students without exception, and acceptance of this policy is a condition of program participation. The Directors of Clinical Education are responsible for monitoring adherence to this policy and enforcing its provisions in a fair, consistent, and transparent manner. 

7. Policy History

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The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued to the Midwestern University-Downers Grove Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Midwestern University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. 

Review the program accreditation history

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.