MHS Physician Assistant

MHS

Physician Assistant

On Campus

On Campus

Our nationally recognized Physician Assistant program will give you both the modern skills to be an indispensable member of a health care team and the cultural awareness necessary to effectively treat diverse populations.

Leaders in every clinical setting

Ranked 15th in the country by U.S. News & World Report and first in Connecticut, our physician assistant program is focused on building a strong scientific foundation as well as leadership, analytical and interpersonal skills through hands-on clinical experience. You'll learn to be a crucial extension of the physician in various practice settings, conduct diagnostic tests and perform routine procedures.

The 27-month program offers a comprehensive blend of courses that examine subjects such as pharmacology, internal medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. You’ll gain extensive practical experience collaborating with health care providers in hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes and extended-care facilities. During your first year, you’ll be paired with a licensed health care provider one-half day a week to begin applying what you’ve learned in the classroom in professional settings with real patients.

Our interprofessional approach presents opportunities to collaborate with students from other medical and health science disciplines where you’ll build essential teamwork and leadership skills. You’ll have access to the most sophisticated equipment and facilities, where you’ll learn to interpret diagnostic imaging and perform procedures such as suturing, injections and wound treatment. There are also rewarding volunteer opportunities, such as the Urban Service Track program, which provides medical services to underserved populations throughout Connecticut.

Program Statistics

96.8% First Time Pass Rate

Our 5-year, first-time pass rate percentage on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.

+31% In Demand

Physician assistants are in high demand, with over a 31% projected increase in employment from 2020 to 2030. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021)

Our Reputation

U.S. News & World Report ranks the Physician Assistant program as No. 1 in Connecticut, and No. 15 in America — which puts the program among the top 10% of ranked programs in the country (2020).

U.S. News & World Report

Top 10 School

Military Friendly

Student Spotlight

Shining as a scholar and leader

Delilah Dominguez, MHS ’20

Just days after Delilah Dominguez, MHS ’20, was selected as the national Student of the Year by the American Academy of Physician Assistants, she was lauded as the catalyst for a Quinnipiac webinar during the spring of 2020 about health care disparity.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who took part in the webinar at the invitation of Dominguez, vowed to keep pushing for equal access to health care in America, including free COVID-19 testing. The senator addressed nearly 300 people during the event.

“I hope this discussion excites and inspires everyone to become more involved in advocacy,” said Dominguez. “We all have more power than we think, especially when we exercise our rights as citizens.”

It was precisely this mindset that helped Dominguez earn national Student of the Year honors from the AAPA, a professional organization that represents nearly 140,000 members.

The award recognized Dominguez for her academic achievement, her professional development as a two-term member of the AAPA’s House of Delegates, and her deep commitment to helping others in need.

“This award is humbling,” Dominguez said. “It represents the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance despite many hardships.”

In the wake of losing her mother and grandmother in 2011 — “my two dearest matriarchs,” as she calls them — Dominguez credits Quinnipiac’s physician assistant program for helping her develop the voice and leadership skills to address the AAPA’s House of Delegates.

In Their Own Words

Photo of Delilah Dominguez wearing a Quinnipiac branded white coat

Delilah Dominguez, MHS ’20

“Now, I have a much better sense of what’s going on in the profession. I spoke on the House floor about increasing diversity in the profession. To be heard on a national stage like that, I had a moment there thinking about my mom and grandmother. They would’ve told everyone about it. They would’ve been so proud.”

Short White Coat Syndrome: A PA Student Podcast

This podcast, developed with current students, debuted in February 2022 under the advisement of Shahana Lee Theriault, clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies. The project's mission is to give insight to prospective and current PA students as well as practicing PAs in the field. Current episodes discuss the journey to PA school with tips on how to "survive" once accepted while upcoming episodes will focus on specific specialties in medicine, underrepresented aspects of healthcare and leadership opportunities for PAs.

Listen to the podcast

Mission, Policies and Certifying Exam Scores

Mission, Vision, Core Values and Goals

Our vision is to create a physician assistant workforce that provides high-quality, affordable health care that is accessible to all people in all settings by fostering teamwork, critical-thinking skills, high ethical and professional standards, and respect for diverse populations.

Download our full Mission, Vision, Core Values and Goals statement (PDF)

Work Policy

Due to the labor and time intensive nature of the Physician Assistant program, students are strongly discouraged from working while enrolled in the program.

Download our full Work Policy (PDF)

Technical Standards

Physician assistant students must be able to meet the requirements and worker attributes of a physician assistant as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Handbook.

Download our Technical Standards (PDF)

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants is the only certifying organization for physician assistants in the United States.

Class graduation year	Number of first-time takers	Program first-time taker pass rate	National first-time taker pass rate for the class graduation year
2021	50	92%	93%
2020	49	96%	95%
2019	49	98%	93%
2018	54	100%	98%
2017	50	98%	97%

Five-year, first-time taker average pass rate for program: 96.8%

Five-year, national first-time taker average: 95%

Download Quinnipiac's PANCE scores (PDF)

Download the ARC-PA Student Attrition (PDF)

Here, you’ll learn by doing

We deliver a set of market-tested learning outcomes specifically focused on preparing our graduates for career success. Practice and theory aren’t just integrated. They’re integral to how we do things differently.

PA students give back to community

Student speaks with patient during a health fair — Physician assistant student Thomas Dominguez performs a blood pressure screening on Audrey Richards of New Haven during an interprofessional health fair sponsored by the Urban Service Track in November 2017 at the East Shore Senior Center in New Haven.

A group of students speak with patients during a health fair — Physician assistant students volunteer during an interprofessional health fair sponsored by the Urban Service Track in November 2017 at the East Shore Senior Center in New Haven.

Professor sits at a table and speaks with a patient at the health fair — Magdalena Lukaszewicz, clinical assistant professor of physician assistant studies at Quinnipiac, speaks with Audrey Richards of New Haven during an interprofessional health fair sponsored by the Urban Service Track in November 2017 at the East Shore Senior Center in New Haven.

Student performs a blood glucose test for patient during a health fair — Physician assistant student Natalie Wolanski performs a blood glucose test for Audrey Richards of New Haven during an interprofessional health fair sponsored by the Urban Service Track in November 2017 at the East Shore Senior Center in New Haven.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Quinnipiac University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at the link below:
arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-quinnipiac-university/

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 September 2023. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.