Physician Assistant

The mission of the Physician Assistant Program is to educate and train highly-skilled Physician Assistants who:

• are capable of providing quality health care
• have expertise in the health care needs of the medically underserved
• are prepared to critically evaluate, and become leaders in bringing about improvement in the medical and social systems that affect the health of underserved populations
• will seek and retain employment as primary care Physician Assistants in medically underserved areas of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Program Goal #1

Recruit a class each year with at least 50% of the students being from Pennsylvania and that demonstrates academic excellence in both their overall and science GPAs.

• Matriculated Students being from Pennsylvania:
  • Measure/Benchmark: Percentage of matriculated students from PA per class is ≥ 50% of total number of matriculated students
  • Rationale: Commonwealth University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education whose mission includes providing educational opportunities for Pennsylvania residents and serving the needs of the Commonwealth. Furthermore, the Commonwealth University PA Program’s mission focuses on the education of future PAs who are prepared to critically evaluate and provide high-quality healthcare that addresses the unique needs of medically underserved populations within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since graduates are likely to return to their home communities to serve as healthcare providers, the Program prioritizes recruitment of students from Pennsylvania in alignment with the Program mission.

  • Success of Goal:

    Criteria	Cohort 2024	Cohort 2025	Cohort 2026
    Percent of students from PA	65%	83.3%	68.3%

    • Strength: for 3 consecutive years the Percentage of matriculated students from PA per class is ≥ 65% of total number of matriculated students.
    • Weakness: below the benchmark for a period of 2 consecutive years
• Recruiting Students of Academic Excellence:
  • Measure/Benchmark: Average undergraduate cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.3 for each matriculating cohort
  • Rationale: The Commonwealth University PA Program recognizes that overall and science undergraduate GPAs are strong predictors of success in this academically demanding curriculum.

  • Success of Goal:

    Criteria	Cohort 2024	Cohort 2025	Cohort 2026
    Average undergraduate cumulative GPA	3.63	3.74	3.68

    • Strength: for 3 consecutive years the average undergraduate GPA of matriculated students > 3.5
    • Weakness: below the benchmark for a period of 2 consecutive years
• Recruiting Students of Academic Excellence:
  • Measure/Benchmark: Average undergraduate cumulative science GPA of ≥ 3.3 for each matriculating cohort
  • Rationale: The Commonwealth University PA Program recognizes that overall and science undergraduate GPAs are strong predictors of success in this academically demanding curriculum.

  • Success of Goal:

    Criteria	Cohort 2024	Cohort 2025	Cohort 2026
    Average undergraduate Science GPA	3.54	3.67	3.62

    • Strength: for 3 consecutive years the average undergraduate science GPA of matriculated students > 3.5
    • Weakness: below the benchmark for a period of 2 consecutive years

Program Goal #2

Provide every student with at least one clinical rotation that is in a rural and/or underserved area in preparation for potential future practice in these areas.

• Experienced a clinical rotation in a rural and/or underserved area:
  • Measure/Benchmark: All students experiencing at least one clinical rotation in a rural or underserved area during the clinical year of the program.
  • Rationale: The mission of the Commonwealth University PA Program focuses on the education of future healthcare providers who have expertise in the healthcare needs of medically underserved populations and are equipped to critically evaluate and become leaders who will bring about change in the medical and social systems that impact these populations.  Furthermore, the PA Program seeks to promote the employment of graduates in underserved communities within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The CU PA Program recognizes that clinical rotation experiences in these communities provide students with exposure to the unique needs of underserved populations and provide opportunities for professional development and future employment.

  • Success of Goal:

    Criteria	Cohort 2022	Cohort 2023	Cohort 2024
    Percent of students with ≥ 1 rotation in an underserved or rural area	100%	100%	100%
    Percent of students with ≥ 2 rotations in an underserved or rural area	100%	100%	100%

    • Strength: for 3 consecutive years every student completes ≥ 2 rotations in a rural or underserved area during the clinical year of the program
    • Weakness: below the benchmark for a period of 2 consecutive years

Program Goal #3

Prepare students for the practice of medicine as evidenced by a first-time PANCE pass rate that is equal to or greater than the national average.

• Rationale: The program recognizes graduate success on the PANCE is one marker used to demonstrate students have been provided a rigorous academic experience.
• Measure/Benchmark: Program first-time PANCE pass rate ≥ national average for the corresponding year

• Success of Goal:

  Class	Class Grad Year	Group	Number of Candidates Who Took PANCE	Number of Exam Attempts	Number of Exams Passed	Number of Exam Pass Rate	National Exam Pass Rate for the Class Grad Year	% of Candidates Who Ultimately Passed PANCE
  2019	2019	First Time Takers	66	66	62	94%	93%	98%
  2020	2020	First Time Takers	64	64	64	100%	95%	100%
  2021	2021	First Time Takers	67	67	61	91%	93%	100%
  2022	2022	First Time Takers	67	67	60	90%	92%	99%
  2023	2023	First Time Takers	63	63	58	92%	92%	100%
  2024	2024	First Time Takers	51	51	50	98%	92%	100%

  • Strength: for 3 consecutive years the annual first-time taker PANCE pass rates for the program are ≥ 2% higher than the national average first-time taker PANCE pass rates. We choose this level for strength as it demonstrates greater PANCE performance than the national average; if the national first-time taker PANCE pass rate is ≥ 92%, the program’s strength benchmark will be 94% first-time take PANCE pass rate.
  • Weakness: below the benchmark for a period of 2 consecutive years

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania's Physician Assistant Program Policies are designed to guide students, faculty and staff in order to maximize the student experience and promote academic success within the program.

• Please see the Degree Requirements effective Fall 2023. All enrolled students can also review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion in Degree Works.
• Candidates for the M.H.S. in Physician Assistant Studies must demonstrate technical abilities and skills in five areas outlined in the Technical Standards document.
• Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average throughout the entire PA program, as well as the approval of the PA program faculty, to receive the Master of Health Science degree.
• Employment policies while enrolled in the program:
  • The two-year PA program is concentrated and intense. The program discourages students from employment during either the didactic year or clinical year.
  • Students who choose to be employed during the program must be aware that:
    • Your job must never get in the way of your studies.
    • Employment will never be considered as a valid excuse for those who have trouble coming to class, attending any functions, studying, taking tests or poor academic performance.
    • The program’s lecture schedule and testing schedule can change without advance notification and students must stay flexible for changes.
    • Employment will not be considered a valid excuse for failure to comply with program schedules in these areas.
• One part time graduate assistant is employed by the university at each campus location to assist with the technical needs of speakers in the classroom and to facilitate security of classroom equipment.
• Students are not required to perform clerical or administrative work for the program.
• During clinical experiences students are not to substitute for regular clinical or administrative staff.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Commonwealth University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Commonwealth 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. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2027. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

• Accreditation History
• ARC-PA Accreditation