The charter class of the Stephens College Master of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.) program has achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), a standardized exam.
“The board exam is a standardized national exam,” said Program Director Eric Johnson. “It ensures public trust that our students have attained a level of competency set by an external benchmark. Ultimately, the final measurement for what students have learned during their education in the PA program is how they perform on their board exams.
“We are exceedingly proud of this first cohort, the graduating class of 2018, not only for their individual achievement but also for representing the charter class with such excellence.”
Dr. Julia Moffitt, dean of the School of Health Sciences, added: “This achievement demonstrates our faculty’s commitment to educating future health care professionals according to the highest standards, the tireless efforts of our faculty, staff and administrators, and the nearly three years of effort in establishing the PA program at Stephens College.”
About the Stephen College PA program
The Stephens College PA program welcomed its charter class in August 2016; the College opened a state-of-the-art Center for Health Sciences at Sampson Hall the same year to house the program. The program is part of the School of Health Sciences that also includes a Master of Education in Counseling as well as undergraduate programs in health science, biology, pre-professional tracks and equestrian studies. The program is accredited nationally by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) and prepares students to be compassionate, team-based, service-minded caregivers who positively impact the ever-changing and demanding health care environment. Visit the PA program website.