Master of Physician Assistant Studies, MPAS
https://www.hsutx.edu/academics/graduate-programs/physician-assistant-program/
Tina M. Butler, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C
Physician Assistant Program Director
The Hardin-Simmons University Physician Assistant (PA) Program is dedicated to academic excellence in medical education. Our mission is to develop and prepare compassionate, professional PA providers who are committed to life-long leadership, learning and community service. Our graduates will work as part of the healthcare team to deliver exceptional healthcare to rural West Texas and under-served communities worldwide.
Physician Assistant Program Goals
Recruit outstanding PA students that will demonstrate a commitment to community service.
Prepare PA students for the practice of medicine as exemplified by achieving a pass rate on the national certifying examination that exceeds the national average and attainment of employment after graduation.
Provide training opportunities for PA students in rural and under-served medical settings.
Accreditation Statement
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Hardin-Simmons University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Hardin-Simmons 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 March 2032. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program's accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-hardin-simmons-university/.
Physician Assistant Program Admission Criteria
Applications are accepted by applying to CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants). A new class begins each fall semester in August. Prerequisites must be successfully completed prior to matriculation.
| Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university |
| GPA minimum |
3.0 |
| Science GPA minimum |
3.0 |
| Health Care Experience |
Recommended |
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| Overview of Prerequisite Requirements |
Hours |
|
Human Anatomy
|
4 |
| |
|
| Biology with lab x 2 |
8 |
| Chemistry with lab |
4 |
| English |
3 |
| Microbiology with lab |
4 |
| Organic Chemistry with lab |
4 |
| Psychology |
3 |
| Human Physiology |
4 |
| Sociology OR an additional Psychology course |
3 |
| Statistics or Biostatistics |
3 |
Physician Assistant Program Curriculum
The Physician Assistant curriculum will be delivered on a full-time, continuous basis for a total of 27 months. Students will matriculate as a cohort (30 students) into a 12-month didactic phase, followed by 13 months of clinical education. In the final semester, the two months prior to graduation are didactic.
Year One: Didactic
Semester: Fall
Hours
| PA 6402 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| PA 6404 | Medical Interview and Physical Exam | 4 |
| PA 6206 | Preventive Medicine & Patient Education | 2 |
| PA 6208 | Intro Health Professions & PA Practice | 2 |
| PA 6310 | Physiology & Pathophysiology I | 3 |
| PA 6112 | Medical Ethics | 1 |
| PA 6214 | Clinical Medicine I | 2 |
Semester: Spring
Hours
Semester: Summer
Hours
Total Credit Hours: 53
Year Two: Clinical
Clinical Rotations include 5 weeks (5 credit hours each) in the following:
Family Medicine PA6540 / Pediatrics PA6542 / Women’s Health PA6544 / Mental Health PA6546 / Internal Medicine PA6548 / General Surgery PA6550 / Emergency Medicine PA6552 / Elective 1 PA6554 / Elective 2 PA6556 / Professional Development PA6458
Semester: Fall
Clinical Rotations 1, 2, & 3 (15 Credits)
Semester: Spring
Clinical Rotations 4, 5, & 6 (15 Credits)
Semester: Summer
Clinical Rotations 7, 8, & 9 (15 Credits)
Semester: Last Fall Prior to Graduation
Clinical Rotation 10 (5 Credits)
Hours
Total Credit Hours: 59
Total Credit Hours: 112