Physician Assistant, MSPA
The Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program offers both a five-year accelerated program for students entering Valparaiso University as true, first-semester freshmen and a two-year graduate program for Valpo students enrolled in a Valparaiso University degree or those who have earned a Valpo degree.
About Our Physician Assistant Master’s Program
Physician Assistants are nationally certified and state-licensed medical professionals who practice medicine on healthcare teams. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states. PAs take medical histories, conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, assist in surgery, perform procedures, make rounds in hospitals, and much more. You will find PAs in every field of medicine.
At Valpo, you will develop essential skills in critical thinking, communication, leadership, and patient care. We are committed to educating PAs for practice in a variety of healthcare settings. You will benefit from the College of Nursing and Health Professions’ inter-disciplinary curriculum and opportunities to study, work, and learn abroad. In our five-year BS/MS program, you’ll prepare for a career as a well-rounded, compassionate clinician who promotes health, wellness, and disease prevention worldwide.
Program Vision Statement
The Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program will be acclaimed nationally for preparing physician assistants who are known for their knowledge, compassion, collaboration, integrity, and service.
Program Goals
To accomplish these outcomes, the Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program has established the following Program Goals:
Upon completion of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program, individuals will be able to demonstrate the following:
- An investigative and analytical approach to patient care incorporating core medical knowledge and critical thinking skills. (PA1)
- Interpersonal communication skills to develop therapeutic, culturally sensitive and ethically sound relationships with patients, their families, and other members of the healthcare team. (PA2)
- Patient-centered care that incorporates medical knowledge, procedural skills, team-based care and the active involvement of patients and families in their own healthcare across the lifespan. (PA3)
- Positive values and ideals consistent with an ethical and professional approach to patient care, including the acknowledgement of professional and personal limitations. (PA4)
- Practice and systems-based analysis to ensure patient safety and improve outcomes through continuous quality improvement. (PA5)
- Appropriate responses to the complexities of the dynamic healthcare system by practicing in a cost effective and socially responsible manner while focused on the interest of the individual patient. (PA6)
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Valparaiso University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
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 2032. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website below.
The Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program is a rigorous curriculum where students acquire the general knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors required for the practice of medicine. The program considers it essential for all physician assistant graduates to have the ability to function in a variety of clinical situations and to provide a wide spectrum of patient care.
PANCE Results
The Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) is a computer-based, multiple-choice test comprised of questions that assess general medical and surgical knowledge. Graduates must successfully pass this examination in order to become eligible for licensure.
Student Attrition and Graduation Rates
Degree Requirements
To meet the objectives of the MSPA program, the College holds students in the MSPA degree program to the following requirements in the didactic year of the program:
| Fall Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| PA 500 – Principles of PA Practice I | 16 weeks | 3 |
| PA 505 – History Taking & Physical Examination | 1 week | 2 |
| PA 510 – Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine | 3 weeks | 3 |
| PA 520 – Immunology & Infectious Diseases | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 521 – Dermatology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 522 – Ophthalmology & Otorhinolaryngology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 523 – Hematology & Oncology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 527 – Nephrology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 551 – Diagnostic & Clinical Procedures | 1 week | 1 |
| Total Fall Semester Credits | 19 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| PA 501 – Principles of PA Practice II | 16 weeks | 3 |
| PA 524 – Pulmonology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 525 – Nutrition & Gastroenterology | 3 weeks | 2 |
| PA 526 – Endocrinology | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 528 – Cardiology | 3 weeks | 3 |
| PA 529 – Orthopedics & Rheumatology | 3 weeks | 3 |
| PA 541 – Genitourinary & Reproduction | 2 weeks | 3 |
| Total Spring Semester Credits | 18 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| PA 502 – Principles of PA Practice III | 12 weeks | 3 |
| PA 530 – Neurology | 3 weeks | 2 |
| PA 531 – Psychiatry & Behavioral Health | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 543 – Principles of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 544 – Emergency Medicine | 2 weeks | 2 |
| PA 545 – Surgical Medicine | 1 week | 1 |
| PA 560 – Foundations of the Healthcare System | 6 weeks | 2 |
| PA 570 – Transition to Clinical Year | 1 week | 1 |
| Total Summer Semester Credits | 15 | |
A total of 52 credit hours is required in the didactic phase of the MSPA Program.
To meet the objectives of the MSPA program, the College holds students in the MSPA degree program to the following requirements in the clinical year of the program:
| Fall Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| Rotation 1 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 2 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 3 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 695A – Graduate Project I | 1 | |
| Total Fall Semester Credits | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| Rotation 4 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 5 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 6 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 7 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 695B – Graduate Project II | 1 | |
| Total Spring Semester Credits | 21 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| Course Requirements | Timeframe | Credits |
| Rotation 8 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| Rotation 9 | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 670 – Transition to Clinical Practice | 1 | |
| PA 695C – Graduate Project III | 1 | |
| Total Summer Semester Credits | 12 | |
A total of 49 credit hours is required in the clinical phase of the PA Program. Each student must successfully complete the following clinical rotations, the graduate project, and program summative assessments to complete the clinical phase. Rotations are not sequential; thus, a student may progress in any order through the clinical phase.
| Clinical Rotations | ||
| Course Requirement | Timeframe | Credits |
| PA 601 – Family Medicine Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 602 – Pediatric Medicine Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 603 – Women’s Health Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 604 – Behavioral Health Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 605 – Emergency Medicine Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 606 – Surgery Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 607 – Internal Medicine Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 608 – Elective I Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
| PA 609 – Elective II Rotation | 5 weeks | 5 |
A total of 49 credit hours is required in the clinical phase of the MSPA Program.
Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS)
Students admitted to Valparaiso University will have the opportunity to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, which in three years, prepares students with a foundation of interdisciplinary knowledge that allows a career in a health profession or the pursuit of further graduate study and/or professional degree.
Some students will continue on with their education at Valparaiso University by having been admitted to the graduate portion of the Physician Assistant program directly from the undergraduate BSHS, in which they will achieve a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) in two years.
Dive Deeper
physician Assistant
Meet Our Faculty
Professors. Mentors. Friends. At Valparaiso University, you will work on real-life problems alongside faculty leaders with decades of experience and a true desire to do what’s best for you.
Graduate Studies
Related Programs
