Physician assistants play a pivotal role in modern healthcare, contributing significantly to team-based patient care. As integral members of healthcare teams, PAs enhance access to high-quality healthcare services for diverse populations and communities. They practice across a broad spectrum of clinical settings and specialties, ensuring comprehensive and personalized care for patients.
Why Get an MS in Physician Assistant Studies From Clarkson?
Studying to be a physician assistant (PA) is a demanding educational experience that leads to an outstanding career. At Clarkson, you'll develop the professionalism, medical knowledge, and clinical skills needed to provide comprehensive care to diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings. The majority of your rotations will be one-on-one clinical experiences in hospitals actively recruiting PAs, with a significant focus on underserved areas.
Our PA program features a small class size, fostering more individualized attention and support which contributes to a low attrition rate. Our faculty members bring diverse clinical backgrounds, complemented by local healthcare providers who serve as rotation sites and guest speakers. Clinical training sites span across St. Lawrence and surrounding counties, as well as distant locations.
Furthermore, our recent graduating classes—2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024—achieved a remarkable 100 percent pass rate on their board exam. Overall, our program maintains a five-year first-time average pass rate for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) of 97 percent, exceeding the national average of 92 percent.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Clarkson University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Clarkson University. The program's accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website, here.
In addition, Clarkson's Class of 2024 received multiple job offers prior to graduation, with many securing positions within months. Starting salaries reached as high as $150,000.
What You'll Learn
The MS in Physician Assistant Studies degree program at Clarkson University spans 82 credit hours over 28 consecutive months, divided into three distinct phases:
• Didactic Phase: This initial phase, spanning 13 months, focuses on preclinical education and foundational coursework.
• Clinical Phase: Following the didactic phase, students embark on 14 months of supervised clinical education and coursework, gaining practical experience in diverse healthcare settings.
• Summative Phase: The program concludes with a one-month summative phase, focusing on evaluation and preparation for the transition into professional practice as a graduated physician assistant.
Throughout the program, students participate in nine clinical field experiences, crucial for developing the skills and socialization necessary for assuming the roles and responsibilities of a physician assistant. Additionally, a dedicated five-week elective provides opportunities for student research.
Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. (Standard A3.03)