Master of Physician Assistant Studies

University of the Pacific

Pacific’s MPAS Degree is the gateway to a rewarding PA career.Physician Assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician collaboration. Our program offers a comprehensive curriculum, diverse interprofessional educational experiences, integration of innovative educational modalities, advanced technical skill instruction, and specialty elective tracks. Pacific PA alumni are poised for collaborative practice with physicians and other healthcare team members.The path to become a PA starts by attending and graduating from an ARC-PA accredited Physician Assistant Program. The School of Health Science offers the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) to highly qualified applicants seeking to practice medicine as a Physician Assistant. Graduates from Pacific’s PA program go on to take the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Examination) and obtain state licensure (requirements vary by state). Join our growing alumni network who practice in 21 states nationally. Be sure to see our alumni spotlight to see and hear for yourself what makes University of the Pacific a great place to study medicine.The program’s clinical curriculum includes three elective rotations offering a variety of educational opportunities. Pathway tracks allow students to focus experiences to a single specialty. Remote electives facilitate knowledge of telemedicine and PA practice outside of the clinic. Varied electives strengthen knowledge deficiencies and allow for specialty exploration.Medical SpanishAccording to US Census data (2015), over 25% of Californians speak Spanish and nearly half of the spanish-speaking population speak little to no English. Education in medical spanish meets a need in our communities. Medical Spanish is a required curriculum component integrated into the clinical skills course series. Skill reinforcement occurs through standardized patient interactions and rural clinical rotation placements.High-tech learningHi-fidelity simulation provide ‘real world’ preparationPoint of care ultrasound (POCUS) integration from anatomy through diagnostic imagingHands-on skills trainers develop basic and advanced skills proficiency in low and high stakes environmentsPreparation starts on day oneCurriculum based on the PANCE topic blueprintExam question format and time allotted (1min/question) equates to PANCEPANCE preparatory courses providedNationally standardized assessment usageLicensure process guidanceResume writing and interview skills training

School of Health Sciences