Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Our full-time program integrates both didactic and clinical instruction in 26 months. It is an intense intellectually and physically challenging curriculum, which requires stamina as well as personal and financial sacrifice.
The coursework begins in mid-summer of each year and is designed to be completed over six and one half consecutive semesters. The first 14 months of rigorous didactic study involve lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and laboratory sessions with significant time commitments.
All students must successfully complete all components of the didactic phase prior to advancing to the clinical instruction phase, which includes a 15-week Family Practice rotation plus other rotations in various medical specialties. Employment while enrolled is strongly discouraged.
Students accepted by the program who have already earned a Bachelor's Degree are required to complete all of the core science requirements. Students applying to the program who do not have a Bachelor's Degree must complete the core sciences as well as the general education pre-requisites. All pre-requisite coursework is available at Rocky Mountain College. Proof of health insurance is required by students while partcipating in the PA Program.
Questions? Please email pa@rocky.edu.
RMC: School of Allied Health The Physician Assistant practices medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. The concept of the mid-level provider developed from the basic premise that many tasks performed by physicians can be carried out with equal competence by other specially trained health professionals.
The Rocky Mountain College Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program holds active accreditation from the ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant). Only graduates from ARC-PA-accredited PA programs are eligible to sit for the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination) and become licensed to practice. The PANCE is the entry-level exam PAs must pass to become nationally certified. The 2007 class had a 100% first time pass rate.
At its March 2007 meeting, the ARC-PA reviewed all application documents submitted by the Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistant program for continuing accreditation. The commission voted to place the Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistant program on Probation until its next comprehensive review in March 2009. (see side note)
