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Program Outcomes/Goals

  • Program Goals:

    1. PA Program graduates will have a first-time PANCE pass rate at or above national average.
    1. Graduation rates for Master of Physician Assistant Science degree students will be at or above the national average reported by the PA Education Association.
    2. PA Program graduates’ job placement/residency or fellowship placement rates will be 100% one year following graduation.

    Program Outcomes: 

    Upon completion of the Physician Assistant Program the student will be able to:

    1. Perform a complete and accurate history and physical examination; identify abnormal findings and develop an appropriate differential diagnosis.
    2. Develop a plan of evaluation in support of the differential diagnosis, including specialized diagnostic imaging, and pathologic modalities.
    3. Develop a treatment plan consisting of surgical and medical interventions including non-pharmacological modalities such as physical therapy, counseling and patient education through analysis of clinical and laboratory data.
    4. Accurately relate the clinical data to the other members of the health care team, forming a collaborative effort to assure maximal patient benefit through a multiple disciplinary approach.
    5. Show proficiency in performing clinical skills.
    6. Identify characteristics of professional and ethical conduct for the Physician Assistant profession
    7. Synthesize theory and research in order to provide advanced care to patients.

    Goals/Outcomes Assessment

    Program Goals Assessment:

    1. PA Program graduates will have a first-time PANCE pass rate at or above national average.

      The Class of 2022 has a current first-time PANCE pass rate of 91% (National Exam First-time Taker Pass Rate for 2022: 92%)

      The Class of 2021 had a first-time PANCE pass rate of 93% (National Exam First-Time Taker Pass  Rate for 2021: 93%)

      The Class of 2020 had a first-time PANCE pass rate of 100% (National Exam First-Time Taker Pass Rate for 2020: 95%).

    2. Graduation rates for Master of Physician Assistant Science degree students will be at or above the national average reported by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA).


      The graduation rate for the Class of 2019 was 93%; for the Class of 2020 was 98%; for the Class of 2021 was 95%; for the Class of 2022 was 97%. The Physician Assistant Education Association Program Report 35 reported a mean “graduated or expected to graduate, on time” of 93.6% for responding programs for the 2019 cohort.1 There are no PAEA data currently available for the 2020, 2021, or 2022 cohorts.


      1Physician Assistant Education Association, By the Numbers: Program Report 35: Data from the 2019 Program Survey, Washington, DC: PAEA; 2020. doi: 10.17538/PR35.2020

    3. PA Program graduates’ job placement/residency or fellowship placement rates will be 100% one year following graduation.

      Below is a summary of job placement/residency or fellowship placement rates one year following graduation for the Classes of 2018-2021. This is based upon responses to the PA Program’s Graduate Survey which is administered one year following graduation. Rates are based upon responses received on the survey and do not include all graduates for an individual cohort.

      Cohort   Placement Rate One Year Following Graduation
       Class of 2021 100%
       Class of 2020  100%
        Class of 2019  93%
        Class of 2018  100%

    Graduate Survey of Program Outcomes

    Outcome  Class of 2019 Surveyed 1 yr out 2020  Class of 2020 Surveyed 1 yr out 2021 Class of 2021  Surveyed 1 yr out 2022
    Perform a complete and accurate history and physical examination; identify abnormal findings and develop an appropriate differential diagnosis 4.2 4.36 4.5
    Develop a plan of evaluation in support of the differential diagnosis including hematology, chemistry, imaging and pathologic modalities. 4.0 4.04 4.08
    Develop a treatment plan consisting of surgical and medical interventions through analysis of the laboratory data. 4.0 3.86 4.0
    Accurately relate the clinical data to the health care team forming a collaborative effort to assure maximal patient benefit through a multiple disciplinary approach. 4.0 4.04 4.25
    Show proficiency in performing clinical skills. 3.87 3.89 4.17
    Identify characteristics of professional & ethical conduct for the Physician Assistant Profession. 4.4 4.61 4.67
    Synthesize theory & research in order to provide advanced care to patients. 3.8 3.89 3.92
    Overall Program Effectiveness 4.21  4.25 4.3
    # of Surveys Mailed: 52 57 55
    # of Respondents: 15 28 13
    Responses Rate: 29% 49% 24%

    Goals are assessed by graduate student survey 1 year post-graduation using a Likert scale (5=effective, 1=ineffective)