Master of Physician Assistant Studies

The University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program began with the matriculation of its first class in January 2013. Those who complete the program will be awarded a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree. The Physician Assistant profession is built on the concept of teamwork, and medicine is rapidly moving in the same direction. The UC PA program reinforces this concept by utilizing a pass/fail grading structure, which facilitates a culture where students strive to elevate their classmates to provide the best care possible for patients, rather than outperform one another.

Instead of courses addressing content separately in clinical medicine, diagnostic skills, and pharmacotherapeutics, the UC PA program has been designed to integrate all of these components into specialty-based modules (e.g., Cardiovascular, Pulmonology, Pediatrics) to enhance learning and retention.

The primary goal of the University of Charleston (UC) School of Health Sciences is to prepare ethical, competent, safe, and compassionate health care professionals. The world of health care is a fast-growing field, and we provide the experience and knowledge you need to excel. UC health sciences programs are fully accredited and offer a range of opportunities that include promoting and teaching healthy living, developing skills to pursue a career in fitness/wellness or strength & conditioning, hands-on care – including nursing, occupational therapy and radiology, and more. All provide a unique balance of technical skills and compassionate caring.

In addition to participation in specialized classroom and clinical instruction appropriate to a particular health science program, each student is required to take specific courses to meet Liberal Learning Outcomes. Courses outside the major are chosen to provide health care practitioners with an awareness of problems in society and foster their development as enlightened person and a contributing member of society.