The Shenandoah University Physician Assistant Program is a graduate entry-level professional course of study enabling individuals who hold baccalaureate degrees to become PAs. The program is designed to prepare graduates for primary-care practice with emphasis on service to medically underserved populations and the team approach to the delivery of health care.

Shenandoah University	PA Programs Nationally
30 Months	27 Months
16 Months Didactic	14 Months Didactic
60 students each class *	48 students each class
Master’s Degree awarded	97% Award Master’s Degrees
Total Cost: $91,145	Total Cost: $93,660

* 42 students at Winchester campus and 18 at Loudoun site

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Shenandoah University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Shenandoah University.  Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.  Our next accreditation review will occur in 2025.

Learn more about the Physician Assistant Studies Accreditation

Employment of Physician Assistants is projected to grow 38% from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increased demand for healthcare services from the growing and aging population and widespread chronic disease, combined with a shortage of physicians, is resulting in an increased demand for Physician Assistants. 

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health-care professionals who practice as part of a team with a physician. PAs exercise autonomy in decision-making and provide a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic services with physician supervision. The role of the PA includes provision of primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practices located in rural, urban or suburban areas. PA practice is patient-care centered but may include education, research and administrative duties.

SUPA allowed Ricky Martin ’11 the opportunity to grow both academically and professionally. “While studying occupied much of my time, I also participated in the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) nationally.  I attended the AAPA national conference two years in a row, and was elected to several positions that showed me the inner workings of our most important professional organization. I was well prepared to join the Air Force when I graduated.”

Alex Bruening ‘06 says Shenandoah Physician Assistant program opened many doors for his career. He is currently employed by the Bone and Joint Specialists of Winchester, where he works in orthopaedic surgery.

After all the hard work, hours of studying, sacrificing time away from family and friends, it was all worth it in the end,” says Sarah DeLuca ‘15. DeLuca is now a physician assistant at Selma Medical Associates in Winchester, Virginia. Being a student-athlete has helped Deluca where she is today. “SU was my first choice and it was the best choice.”

My years at SU were filled with unforgettable people and experiences and I left with lifelong friends that are more like family,” said Alumni Chelsea Reamy ‘ 11. Reamy is a physician assistant at Prince William Dermatology in Gainesville, Virginia where she has the opportunity to practice medicine and medical procedures.

Daniel Regan ‘12 thanks Shenandoah for the endless opportunities to advance in his field. Regan had the chance to travel to Nicaragua ran by Shenandoah’s Physician Assistant Program and worked with individuals with little to no access to medical care. “I have taken great satisfaction in knowing that several patients are alive today because my team.”

The program integrates graduate-level critical thinking and analysis, problem solving, scientific inquiry, self-directed learning and the effective use of modern technology for professional practice that includes elements of research, leadership, education and continued enhancement of the physician assistant profession.

You’ll learn how to:

• obtain medical histories, build patient relationships and perform appropriate physical examinations
• order and interpret diagnostic and therapeutic modalities
• establish diagnoses and develop and implement appropriate, evidence-based treatment plans

Shenandoah’s program is multimodal and case-based, with small-group learning and a primary care focus. Our clinical integration cases develop and enhance the critical thinking skills you’ll need to serve real patients.

Courses are taught by experienced professionals in a collegial, compassionate learning atmosphere, and we offer an interprofessional teaching and learning environment, including courses seminar and location. The program offers clinical rotations in medically underserved communities, and hands-on experience in full-dissection cadaver anatomy. You can further enhance your learning with elective course opportunities in Care of Vulnerable Populations, Chronic Care and Communication (e.g. Medical Spanish).

Curriculum

The curriculum design, offered in didactic and experiential components, is based upon the concepts of adult-centered learning and professional education, which focus on mastery of knowledge, skills and attitudes required by the graduate to practice effectively as a physician assistant. The didactic curriculum offers multiple modalities for learning, which include self-directed study, recitation, lecture, integrated clinical cases and laboratory experiences. These modalities assist students in developing the necessary skills to be self-directed life-long learners and effectively apply what they learn in the clinical setting. The clinical curriculum provides core primary care and other learning experiences where students apply knowledge and skills in patient care settings under the supervision and mentoring by licensed health care providers.

Learn more about the Physician Assistant Studies Curriculum

Learn about the necessary steps and qualifications to be considered for Shenandoah University’s Physician Assistant Studies program.

Physician Assistant Studies Application Information

Due to the volume of applications received each year, we are unable to offer individual appointments or the service of reviewing prerequisite courses for candidates who have yet to apply to the Shenandoah PA Program through CASPA. See the FAQ section on evaluation of transcripts or courses for additional information.

Candidates are STRONGLY encouraged to attend one of the information sessions at Shenandoah University. 

Make reservations for the information sessions online. Please note that reservations must be made 72 hours in advance of the Open House date for you to receive an acknowledgement email. For directions and the agenda view the information sessions agenda information. Register for an Information Session

Application Requirements:

1. Submit all application materials to the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) at https://caspa.liaisoncas.com/
2. Submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing) scores taken with 10 years of application.
3. A bachelor’s degree from a college or university regionally- accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, WES, or another international service selected thru: www.naces.org.
4. A minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) overall cumulative grade point average (GPA)
5. A minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) overall science GPA
6. A minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Shenandoah University Prerequisite GPA
7. Applicants must complete the following prerequisite coursework (documented via official transcripts) with a grade of C or better, though a grade of A or B is competitive:

• Human  Anatomy and Physiology with lab – 2 semesters/8 credits
• General or Introductory Chemistry with lab – 1 semester/4 credits
• Biochemistry – 1 semester/3 credits or organic chemistry with lab – 1 semester/4 credits
• Microbiology with lab – 1 semester/4 credits
• Abnormal Psychology – 1 semester/3 credits
• Developmental Psychology (Child or Life Span) – 1 semester/3 credits
• Mathematics (preferably statistics) – 1 semester/3 credits
• Medical Terminology – 1 semester/1-3 credits.

The Physician Assistant Studies & Master Of Public Health Dual Degree Program offers students an opportunity to earn a Master Of Public Health Degree (MPH) in conjunction with training in the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program.

The purpose of the dual Physician Assistant/Master of Public Health program is to graduate highly qualified health professionals who have obtained competencies necessary to succeed in the rapidly evolving health system. The dual program prepares students to enter a wide range of PA and public health positions that address today’s most challenging population health care issues.

Learn About the Dual Degree