Physician Assistant Studies Program
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Program Mission
The mission of t抖阴app Physician Assistant Studies program is to educate and mentor students to provide evidence-based, collaborative, patient-centered medical care. With an emphasis on rural and medically underserved areas, our graduates will be prepared to provide compassionate medical care to all people and populations.
Program Vision
The Physician Assistant Studies program鈥檚 evidence-based curriculum will promote the development of ethical, clinically knowledgeable practitioners prepared to serve the diverse populations in Mississippi and throughout the country. Our graduates will be prepared to function in primary care and specialty care in both rural and urban settings and will promote and participate in transformation of the healthcare system to a model that provides compassionate and culturally responsive care to all.
Program Goals (Standard A3.12b)
- Goal 1: Recruit, support, and retain highly qualified students.
- Goal 2: Educate and prepare students for clinical practice to provide evidence-based medical care.
- Goal 3: Prepare students to provide compassionate, collaborative healthcare as part of an interprofessional team.
- Goal 4: Foster a learning environment that prepares graduates to provide culturally competent care to serve the needs of various patient populations.
The effectiveness of the USM Physician Assistant Studies program in meeting its Goals will be published promptly after the graduation of the inaugural class in 2029.
ARC-PA Accreditation Status (Standards A3.12a, D1.02a, b, c)
T抖阴app (USM) Physician Assistant Studies Program has
applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on
Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The USM Physician Assistant Studies
Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027, pending achieving
Accreditation - Provisional status at the June 2026 ARC-PA meeting.
Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and
resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has
not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program鈥檚 ability to meet the
ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears
to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for
the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
If the USM Physician Assistant Studies Program does not achieve Accreditation - Provisional
status as planned, students will not matriculate and will receive a refund of any
paid deposits, and any tuition paid.
Policy: Soliciting clinical sites (Standard A3.03)
Students will not be responsible to provide or solicit clinical preceptors or clinical sites. Students may suggest sites or preceptors and provide information to program faculty and staff. Solicitation of clinical sites and preceptors is the sole responsibility of the University and the Physician Assistant Studies Program.
The USM Physician Assistant Studies Program will publish the annual NCCPA PANCE Exam Performance Summary Report Last 5 Years provided by the NCCPA when the first cohort graduates and completes their certification examinations, but no later than April 1, 2030.
The USM Physician Assistant Studies Program will publish its attrition and graduation information when the first cohort graduates in May of 2029.