Overview

Overview

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Student with patient in exam room

Pitt's Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program is committed to the development of highly qualified physician assistants who will serve as tomorrow’s leaders in the delivery of health care, patient education and professional service. Our curriculum prepares graduates to work collaboratively with other health care providers to deliver medical, surgical and preventive services, patient education and to coordinate patient care. Because of the PA student’s education in general medicine, our graduates have the unique flexibility to practice in a variety of medical, surgical and clinical settings.

Our PA program has a unique relationship with UPMC, one of the most renowned academic medical centers in the U.S. UPMC, an integrated health care delivery system focused on recruiting and retaining superb physicians and researchers, has developed internationally renowned centers in transplantation, cancer, neurosurgery, psychiatry, rehabilitation, geriatrics and women’s health, among others. UPMC also has invested significantly in information technology to link and integrate electronic medical records across hospitals and health care settings providing our students with a competitive advantage in the job market.

About

The two-year Master of Science degree program in Physician Assistant Studies prepares students to work as licensed health care professionals practicing primary and specialty patient care. Learn more about this career and Pitt's PA Studies Program.

Admission

In addition to completing an undergraduate degree with at least a 3.0 GPA, admission to the program requires applicants to have patient care experience among other criteria. View all admission and application instructions here.

Curriculum

The PAS curriculum consists of one year of didactic courses followed by a year of clinical experience, totaling 82 seminar & lab credits.

Clinical Education

Students complete nine clinical rotations during the second year of the PAS curriculum, including inpatient, outpatient and long-term care, and benefit from clinical precepting by residency trained physicians and PAs/NPs at the highly rated University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Graduate Outcomes

Our graduate outcomes show that our students successfully pursue careers in a wide array of different medical specialties.

Continuing Medical Education

View opportunities to obtain CME credits through the PAS Program.

Program Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation - Continued status to the Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. Read more.

Our PA Educator of the Year

PA faculty member Emily Murphy is this year’s Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants’ Educator of the Year! It’s the second year in a row that a Pitt PA faculty member has received this honor! Interim Program Director David Beck received it last year.
Director Secures HHS Grant

Interim Program Director David Beck and his PA team received a $430,000 award from the Dept. of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The funds will enable PA faculty to implement Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and medication therapy into their curriculum and then study the outcomes.
PA Faculty Receives Top Honors

Assistant Professor Mary Allias has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants for exemplary achievement in service to the profession, the advancement of health care, and in dedication to the community.
University Grants PA Faculty Innovation Award

Assistant Professor Emily Murphy and Pharmacy Assistant Professor Ashley Firm receive a 2018 Innovation in Education Award to revolutionize pharmacology instruction by incorporating personalized learning experiences and routine practical application of course material.
Pitt PA Students Score High

Congratulations to the University of Pittsburgh Physician Assistant Studies Program Class of 2017! They achieved a 97% first-time taker performance rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). Best wishes for bright careers!
PA Faculty Nominated for Leadership Academy

Assistant Professor Jason Hare has been accepted into the University of Pittsburgh’s 2018 Health Sciences Leadership Academy for Early Career Faculty. The year-long academy is designed to cultivate a generation of transformative academic leaders.