Demand for a Master of Physician Assistant Program

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MARKET EVALUATION SURVEYING DATA ANALYSIS BENCHMARKING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES LITERATURE REVIEW

P202.756.2971 F866.808.6585 www.hanoverresearch.com

Demand for a Master of Physician Assistant

Program

Prepared for XYZ

In this report, Hanover Research analyzes the demand for graduates of a Master of Physician Assistant program in Nevada, the Southwestern region of the United States, and the United States as a whole. Additionally, we profile several physician assistant master’s degree programs in the Southwestern region.

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Introduction

The physician assistant (PA) profession has continued to grow and evolve since Duke University graduated the first class of physician assistants in the mid-1960s. Whereas physician assistants were originally intended to help physicians perform highly technical procedures, such as renal dialysis and hyperbaric chamber therapy, their

value in other areas of health services was soon realized.1_{Today, the size of the}

physician assistant workforce and the diversity of roles individual PAs take on have expanded dramatically since the mid-1960s.

A Changing Profession

As mentioned above, the role of physician assistants has changed over time. Originally, the profession was designed to meet the demands of rural populations underserved by general medical practitioners. This was especially true in the Midwest, and a large proportion of physician assistants in that region continue to serve

underserved rural populations. In the Wisconsin State Journal, columnist David

Wahlberg reports, “Nationally, 15 percent of physician assistants work in rural areas, slightly higher than the percentage of doctors who do. Among graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison’s program, the percentage serving rural

communities is 33 percent, and is expected to grow.”2

Across the nation, the role for physician assistants and registered nurses will likely only increase in the primary care field as more and more doctors specialize and move away from general practice. However, “following the doctors’ lead[s],” many

physician assistants are also choosing to specialize rather than practice primary care.3

In 2008, just 25.9 percent of all physician assistants practiced family and general medicine, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) – the largest associational body of physician assistants in the United States. This 25.9

percent saw approximately 257 million patients in 2008, and prescribed or

recommended almost 332 million medications.4_{However, in spite of a}

raw-numbers increase in the work that physician assistants do – largely because there are

more of them – the number of PAs practicing primary care declined by 13

percent from 1996 to 2005.5

The table below illustrates the distribution of physician assistants across the medical disciplines:

1_{“Physician Assistant Program.” Samuel Merritt University.} http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/physician_assistant/about

2_{Wahlberg, D. “Physician Assistants Provide a Broad Range of Care.”}_{Wisconsin State Journal. March 28, 2010.} http://host.madison.com/wsj/article_2e61e414-86b9-5e28-b8fe-164fe99b85f5.html

3_{Avery, S. “Physician Assistants Drawn to Specialty.”}_{The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC). May 21, 2010.} 4_{“Our Practice Areas.” American Academy of Physician Assistants, 2010.} http://aapa.org/about-pas/our-practice-areas

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Table 1: Practice of Physician Assistants, 2008

Practice type Share of PAs _(percent)

Family and general medicine 25.9

General surgery and surgical subspecialties 25.1

General internal medicine and its subspecialties 15.6

Emergency medicine 10.5

Pediatrics and pediatric subspecialties 4.3

Dermatology 3.6

Occupational medicine 2.3

Obstetrics and gynecology 2.3

Other 10.4

Source: AAPA 2008 Census report6

Expanding Roles, Expanding Opportunities

Under the Obama administration’s latest round of health care reform, physician assistants are set to play an integral role in the delivery of quality, affordable medical

care to all Americans.7 The role of PAs is being expanded legally to allow them

to work in a broader range of settings. The Baucus Bill, also referred to as

America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009,

…fully integrates PAs into new team-based models of care that are designed to promote primary care and the coordination of care for patients with chronic medical conditions. The bill also contains provisions to allow PAs to order skilled nursing facility care and to provide hospice care for Medicare beneficiaries, eliminating two key barriers to care for Medicare patients who primary health care professional is a PA.8

Assistant Surgeon General Adm. Michael R. Milner hopes that PAs will become an important part of preventative care and sees a role for PAs in helping make health care more equitable by bringing cultural sensitivity to bear in their service of diverse

communities.9

Elizabeth Carter, director of the Virginia Department of Health Professions’

Healthcare Workforce Data Center, adds that non-physician professionals like PAs

can help meet tomorrow’s demands borne by “aging baby boomers and

6_Ibid.

7_{“President Obama Acknowledges Value of Physician Assistants in Health Care Reform.”}_{Targeted News Service.} March 12, 2010.

8_{“Baucus Bill Integrates Physician Assistants in Health Care Delivery.” American Academy of Physician Assistants.} September 17, 2009. http://www.aapa.org/news/media-resources/news-releases/1368-baucus-bill-integrates-physician-assistants-in-health-care-delivery

9_{Kruzick, S. “Physician Assistant Students Encouraged.”}_{Hartford Courant (Connecticut). August 9, 2009.} http://articles.courant.com/2009-08-09/news/1milner0809.art_1_health-care-care-system-physician

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retiring physicians, [which suggest] the need for primary-care providers will only grow.”10

Anecdotal and hard data support the notion that employment prospects for aspiring physician assistants will be strong for years to come. We discuss this

data and its implications at greater length in subsequent sections of this report.

Scope and Methodology

Current research casts some doubt on the accuracy of calculating demand for new

degree programs based on projected labor force needs.11_{Nonetheless, it is still useful}

for institutions of higher education to examine the projected needs of the labor force as they attempt to assess academic program offerings.

To determine potential career opportunities for graduates of physician assistant master’s programs (MPA, MSPA, MPAS etc.), we reviewed occupations that graduates of physician assistant master’s programs qualify for upon entering the job market. We selected these occupation categories based on the “Occupation to Training Crosswalks” provided by the National Crosswalk Service Center (NCSC). The NCSC crosswalks match degree programs with occupations in which graduates of those programs typically find work. This is done by matching each degree program’s Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code (assigned by the U.S. Department of Education) with the Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) codes of each related occupation (assigned by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Matching SOC codes represent likely career opportunities for graduates of Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) programs. Pairing the CIP code assigned to physician assistant degree programs (51.0912) with related SOC codes revealed that graduates of a Master of Physician Assistant program are likely to be qualified for the positions outlined in Table 2 below.

Table 2: SOC Codes Related to Physician Assistant Degree Programs CIP

Code CIP Title SOC Code SOC Title

51.0912 Physician _Assistant 25-1071 _29-1071 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary _{Physician Assistants} Source: National Crosswalk Service Center12

Comparing degree completions data for physician assistant master’s programs over the past five years to ten-year employment projections in related occupations

10_{“United States: Health-Care Reform May Expand Roles for Non-Physician Professionals.”}_{TendersInfo. April 26,} 2010.

11_{Robert K. Toutkoushian, “What Can Institutional Research Do to Help Colleges Meet the Workforce Needs of} States and Nations?” Research in Higher Education, December 2005.

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provides an indication of the level of unmet demand in the labor market for graduates of these programs. Degree completions data for the years 2005-2009 were gathered from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and employment projections for 2008-2018 were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) online database. In this report, we analyze these data to infer the level of demand nationally, regionally, and in the state of Nevada for graduates of physician assistant master’s programs.

The crosswalking process does not factor in the fact that graduates with a master’s or doctorate degree in a discipline are likely to be more qualified than a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the same discipline. However, both occupations paired with physician assistant degree programs in the crosswalk typically require at least a master’s degree, which is the degree of interest in this study. According to the BLS, a master’s degree is the “most significant source of postsecondary education or

training” for physician assistants,13_{and a doctoral degree is the most significant}

source for all postsecondary teachers, including health specialties teachers.14

However, when analyzing several physician assistant programs, we found that most faculty members did not hold doctorate degrees, and that most faculty members’ highest level of education was an MPA degree. Since several types of degree programs qualify employees for work as postsecondary health specialties teachers, and national employment projections for the profession are currently unavailable, we focus the bulk of our analysis on the employment outlook for physician assistants. An analysis of the degree completions data for institutions in the state of Nevada suggested that none of the state’s institutions have conferred physician assistant master’s degrees in the past five years. This does not mean that there are no PA degree programs in the state. According to the Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants, Touro University-Nevada offers the only physician assistant master’s

program in Nevada.15_{The Touro Master of Physician Assistant Studies program is}

profiled in the last section of this report. The possible existence of other programs unknown to the Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants that also have not reported data to IPEDS cannot be entirely ruled out. However, an internet search failed to

identify any such programs.

We expanded the scope of our analysis beyond Nevada to include other states comprising the Southwestern United States – namely Arizona, California, and Utah – to provide an indication of the regional demand for graduates of physician assistant master’s programs. National degree completion and employment projection data

13_{“Selected Occupational Projections Data.” Bureau of Labor Statistics.} http://data.bls.gov:8080/oep/servlet/oep.noeted.servlet.ActionServlet 14_{“Selected Occupational Projections Data.” Bureau of Labor Statistics.} http://data.bls.gov:8080/oep/servlet/oep.noeted.servlet.ActionServlet 15_{“PA Students and Information.” Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants.} http://www.nevadapa.com/students.html#programs

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were also analyzed to provide a national employment outlook for physician assistant graduates and serve as a benchmark for the level of demand in Nevada and the Southwest. Key findings from our analysis are outlined in the section that follows.

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Key Findings

 _{Our research revealed only one physician assistant master’s program in}

the state of Nevada: Touro University-Nevada, also located in XXX.

 _{Our research indicates only six physician assistant master’s programs in}

the Southwestern states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah: The

average number of physician assistant master’s degrees granted by these institutions each year is less than a quarter of the projected number of job openings expected each year between 2008 and 2018 in related occupations.  _{At the national level, the average number of physician assistant master’s}

degrees granted is approximately four-fifths of the projected number of job openings expected each year between 2008 and 2018 in related

occupations.

 _{The physician assistant profession is expected to be one of the fastest}

growing occupations over the next few years: The BLS projects a 39

percent increase nationwide in the number of physician assistants. The profession is also expected to grow by 39 percent in Nevada over the same time period.

 _{Among faculty in physician assistant master’s programs, an MPA}

degree is often the highest level of education attained: This suggests that

there are postsecondary teaching opportunities for MPA graduates who teach within their field.

 _{Admission to physician assistant master’s degree programs in the}

Southwest is extremely competitive: It is common for the average overall

GPA of entering classes to be 0.5 or more above the minimum required, and many of the programs profiled in this study receive several hundred applications for a few dozen spots. This suggests there is a healthy student demand for physician assistant master’s programs.

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Supply of Physician Assistant Master’s Degrees

In this section, we present and discuss the number of graduates that will compete for job openings in physician assistant-related professions. To determine this number, we used the IPEDS Data Center tool to gather degree completions data for master’s degree-granting physician assistant programs. Since IPEDS did not report any PA master’s degree completions at Nevada institutions, we compiled degree completions data for the states comprising the Southwestern region of the United States as well as

national degree completions data. Please note: bachelor degree completions data for PA

programs were deliberately excluded from the analysis.

Regional Supply

Between 2005 and 2009, on average 287 physician assistant master’s degrees were conferred each year at institutions in Arizona, California, and Utah (Table 3). In 2009, the overwhelming majority of the completions came from institutions in California, with Californian institutions accounting for 199 degree completions out of a total of 316 for the region that year. The other 117 came from one institution in Arizona (79 completions) and one in Utah (38 completions). As Figure 2 illustrates, the number of degree completions at institutions in the Southwest trended upward between 2005 and 2009. In 2009, there were 33 percent more degree completions at institutions in

these states than there were in 2005.16

Figure 2: Physician Assistant Master’s Degree Completions in the Southwest, 2005-2009

Source: IPEDS Data Center

16_{“IPEDS Data Center.” National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/login.aspx} 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 D eg ree C om pl et io ns Year

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Table 3: Master of Physician Assistant Degree Completions in the Southwest, 2005-2009

State ₂₀₀₅Number of Physician Assistant Degree Completions ₂₀₀₆ ₂₀₀₇ ₂₀₀₈ ₂₀₀₉ _Average

Arizona 51 57 53 82 79 64

California 148 192 206 175 199 184

Utah 39 40 40 36 38 39

Southwest 238 289 299 293 316 287

Six institutions comprise all of the degree completions in the Southwest. Each of these programs is profiled later in this report.

National Supply

The growth in the amount of physician assistant master’s degrees conferred nationally

has been nearly as strong as it has been in the Southwest. In 2009, 3,975 degrees

were conferred by institutions across the United States, which is 27 percent higher than the number of degrees conferred in 2005.17_{Of these 3,975 degrees, only 316,}

or roughly eight percent, were conferred by institutions in the Southwest. To put this into perspective, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah comprise approximately 16

percent of the entire U.S. population, according to the latest Census data,18

suggesting a significant opportunity for aspiring physician assistants in those states. Table 4 below presents the total number of physician assistant master’s degree completions at institutions in the United States for each year between 2005 and 2009. It also provides a yearly average based on completions over that same period. Figure 3, which illustrates the growth in degree completions nationally over that same time period.

Table 4: National Degree Completions in Master of Physician Assistant Programs, 2005-2009

State ₂₀₀₅Number of Physician Assistant Degree Completions ₂₀₀₆ ₂₀₀₇ ₂₀₀₈ ₂₀₀₉ _Average

Nationwide 3,127 3,559 3,246 3,774 3,975 3,536

17_Ibid.

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Figure 3: National Degree Completions Trend

Source: IPEDS Data Center 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 D eg ree C om pl et io ns Year

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Projected Job Openings in Occupations Related to Physician Assistant

Master’s Programs

In this section, we outline job opening projections for physician assistants and postsecondary health specialties teachers in the Las Vegas – Paradise Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the state of Nevada, the Southwestern region of the United States, and the United States as a whole. Job projection data was obtained from each state’s employment-focused department or agency as well as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for national data. The labor projections, beginning with the Las Vegas – Paradise Metropolitan Statistical Area, are presented and discussed below.

Local Projections19

As XXX, Nevada lies within the Las Vegas – Paradise MSA, it is useful to analyze employment projections in that area for the two occupations related to an MPA degree. The Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation’s (DETR) Research and Analysis Bureau provides projection data for physician assistants and postsecondary health specialties teachers in the Las Vegas – Paradise

MSA up to 2018. On average, the DETR projects there will be 18 physician

assistant job openings each year over the next eight years due to growth and

replacement needs and 23 job openings per year for postsecondary health

specialties teachers, for a combined total of 41 annual job openings on average.

Table 5 below displays the DETR’s ten-year employment projections for both occupations in the Las Vegas – Paradise MSA.

Table 5: Physician Assistant Employment Projections for the Las Vegas - Paradise MSA

SOC Code SOC Title Estimated 2008 Employment

2018 Projected Employment

Growth

(Number) (Percent) Growth

Average Annual Openings

29-1071 Physician _Assistant 313 442 129 41.2 18

25-1071 Health Specialties Teachers,

Postsecondary 410 548 138 33.7 23

Total 723 990 267 36.9 41

Source: DETR Research and Analysis Bureau20

19_{“10 Year Occupational Employment Projections.” Nevada Department of Employment Training and} Rehabilitation, Research and Analysis Bureau.

http://www.nevadaworkforce.com/cgi/dataanalysis/AreaSelection.asp?tableName=Occprj 20_Ibid.

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While Nevada has been hit harder than most states by the current economic

recession, the state’s healthcare industry is expected to continue to grow. As of

2008, hundreds of thousands of Nevadans lived in areas underserved by primary care practitioners. The percentage of the state’s residents that live in underserved areas

(13.3 percent) is higher than the national average (11.8 percent).21_{According to Allied}

Health World, “This shortage [of health professionals in some areas], along

with the increase in the number of hospitals built in Nevada makes it a good state to seek employment as a Physician Assistant.”22_{This is especially true of}

under-resourced areas, as physician assistants are a more cost-effective method of delivering most health services typically delivered by physicians.

State employment projections support the notion that there will continue to be a market for trained physician assistants as well as postsecondary health specialties

teachers. On average, the Nevada DETR projects there will be 25 physician

assistant job openings annually as well as 39 annual job openings for postsecondary health specialties teachers, for a combined total of 64 annual job openings.23 Comparing these figures with those presented in the Local Projections

subsection, it is clear that most job openings in both occupations will be in the

Las Vegas – Paradise MSA, especially openings for physician assistants. Table 6

below presents the DETR’s ten-year projections for these two occupations in the state of Nevada.

Table 6: Physician Assistant Employment Projections for Nevada SOC Code SOC Title Estimated 2008

Employment

2018 Projected

Employment (Number) Growth (Percent) Growth

29-1071 Physician Assistant 470 653 183 38.9 25

Postsecondary 822 1,018 196 23.8 39

Total 1,292 1,671 379 29.3 64

Source: DETR Research and Analysis Bureau24

21_{“Nevada: Estimated Underserved Population Living in Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs),} as of September, 2008.” statehealthfacts.org.

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?cmprgn=1&cat=8&rgn=30&ind=682&sub=156

22_{“Physician Assistant Education in Nevada – NV.” Allied Health World.} http://www.alliedhealthworld.com/nevada-physician-assistant-schools.html 23_{“10 Year Occupational Employment Projections.” Op. cit.}

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There is evidence of future job growth in the physician assistant profession in states

bordering Nevada. In Arizona, which has fewer physicians per 100,000 residents

than the national average, physician assistants are seen as a way of meeting the

demand for health services traditionally provided by physicians. According to

an article in The Arizona Republic, recent legislation in Arizona may contribute to

physician assistants assuming a greater proportion of primary care services in the state going forward. After noting how physician assistants and nurse practitioners are increasingly providing primary care services in place of physicians, the article states, “Lawmakers slashed funding to train graduate-student doctors at Arizona hospitals. One result is fewer graduating doctors will launch their careers here, medical experts

say.”25_{Fewer doctors, particularly primary care doctors, and a growing population}

provide opportunities for physician assistants to fill some of the health services gap. A recent report from the Utah Medical Education Council (UMEC) posits that

several factors are contributing to PA employment growth in the state. For

example, the report notes the shorter training period (compared to physicians) as

an attractive option to aspiring healthcare workers, as well as their cost effectiveness

to employers. Additionally, physician assistants are beginning to branch into

specializations in which there are severe physician shortages.26

The UMEC report also offers PA employment projections extending to 2025.

According to UMEC’s medium-growth projections, the PA workforce in Utah is

expected to grow at more than 5 percent per year until 2015, when annual

growth will begin to slow, reaching 3.4 percent in 2025.27

Employment projections for the four Southwestern states support the notion that physician assistants will fill some of the health services gap left by stagnating

employment growth in primary care physicians. California, with its massive

population and high projected PA job growth (42 percent), is where most of the PA

job growth in the region will occur. In all four states, however, physician assistant employment is expected to grow by over 30 percent between 2008 and 2018. Employment growth is also expected in the postsecondary health

specialties teacher profession in all four Southwestern states, but it is expected to be modest compared to physician assistant employment growth. Between these two

professions, there will be nearly 1,200 job openings per year across the four

states between 2008 and 2018 due to growth and replacement needs, according

25_{Alltucker, K. “Primary Care Doctors in Short Supply in Arizona, Nation.”}_{The Arizona Republic. August 14, 2010.}

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/08/14/20100814primary-care-doctors-shortage.html

26_{Chappel, B., S. Koduri, and C. Ruttinger. (2010). “Utah’s Physician Assistant Workforce: 2010.” Utah Medical} Education Council, 28-29.

http://www.utahmec.org/uploads/UMEC%20Utah%20Physician%20Assistant%20Report%202010.pdf 27_{Ibid., 32.}

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to state projections. Figure 4, below, presents employment projections for the two professions in the Southwest region. Table 7, also below, contains the data on which Figure 4 is based.

Figure 4: Physician Assistant and Health Specialties Teacher (Postsecondary) Employment Growth Projections by Percentage and Number for the Southwest, 2008-2018

Sources: Arizona Workforce Informer, California Employment Development Department, Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, Research and Analysis Bureau, and Utah Department of Workforce Services.

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Arizona California Nevada Utah Southwest

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Table 7: Physician Assistant and Health Specialties Teacher (Postsecondary) Employment Growth Projections for the Southwest, 2008-2018

Arizona28

2018 Projected

29-1071 Physician _Assistant 1,293 1,731 438 33.9 67

Postsecondary 1,996 2,320 324 16.2 67

California29

2018 Projected

29-1071 Physician _Assistant 8,100 11,500 3,400 42 490

Postsecondary 10,600 12,500 1,900 17.9 380

Nevada30

2018 Projected

29-1071 Physician _Assistant 470 653 183 38.9 25

Postsecondary 822 1,018 196 23.8 39

Utah31

2018 Projected

29-1071 Physician _Assistant 830 1,320 490 59 60

Postsecondary 1,540 1,970 430 27.9 70

Total (4 states) 25,651 33,012 7,361 30 1,198

28_{“Occupation Projections.” Arizona Workforce Informer.} http://www.workforce.az.gov/?PAGEID=67&SUBID=144

29_{“Occupational Projections of Employment.” California Employment Development Department.} http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/dataanalysis/areaselection.asp?tablename=occprj 30_{“10 Year Occupational Employment Projections.” Op. cit.}

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Since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only provides employment projections for postsecondary teachers as a whole and does not categorize the projections by subject taught, this sub-section focuses exclusively on projections for physician assistants. For the past few years, CNN Money and payscale.com have produced a list of the top 100 jobs in the United States, ranking occupations by pay, growth prospects, and

quality of life. In both 200932_{and 2010}33_,_{physician assistant was rated the second}

best job in the United States. On job growth alone, the physician assistant

profession ranks third, with 39 percent job growth nationwide projected between

2008 and 2018.34 _{The BLS projects national PA employment in 2018 to be}

103,900. This is up substantially from 2008 employment levels, which stood at 74,800.35_{CNN Money attributes this explosive growth to the cost-effectiveness of}

PAs compared to physicians. An article in U.S. News provides a brief account of the

relationship between the economy and physician assistant job growth:

With the economy tight in recent years, demand for physician assistants has increased, as they are capable of practicing medicine at roughly the same level as a full-fledged physician, but at a much lower cost, which makes them an appealing asset to medical providers looking to trim budgets.36

If this assessment is true, the physician assistant profession may be one of the few that have actually been aided by the recession.

The BLS believes job growth is likely to be particularly strong in inner-city and

rural areas, because “those settings have difficulty attracting physicians.”

Additionally, the BLS foresees a greater presence of PAs in hospitals, academic medical centers, public clinics, prisons, and other institutional settings. The BLS also claims public policy will factor into PA job growth, predicting greater employment

prospects in states where regulations allow PAs a wide scope of practice.37

32_{2009 Rankings: “Best Jobs in America.” CNNMoney.com.}

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2009/index.html 33_{2010 Rankings: “Best Jobs in America.” CNNMoney.com.}

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2010/ 34_{“Job Growth.” CNNMoney.com.}

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2010/jobgrowth/index.html

35_{“Physician Assistants.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics.} http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

36_{Burnsed, B. “Why Physician Assistant School May be Right for You.”}_{U.S. News and World Report, August 6, 2010.} http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2010/08/06/why-physician-assistant-school-may-be-right-for-you.html

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National job projections for the physician assistant profession support the anecdotal

assertions of CNN Money and payscale.com as well as U.S. News journalists. As

Table 8 shows, employment is projected to grow steadily between 2008 and 2018,

with an annual average of over 4,200 job openings due to growth and replacement

needs. Later on in this report, this figure will be compared with degree completions in physician assistant master’s programs nationally to determine if there is a demand for more MPA (or other related degree, such as an MSPA or MPAS) graduates.

Table 8: National Physician Assistant Employment Projections SOC Code SOC Title Estimated 2008

Employment

2018 Projected Employment

Growth

(Number) (Percent) Growth

Total job openings due to growth and replacement needs Average Annual Openings 29-1071 Physician _Assistant 74,800 103,900 29,200 39 42,800 4,280 Source: BLS38

Physician Assistant Earnings Data

Income varies by specialty, practice setting, geographical location, and years of experience. Employers often pay for their employees' professional liability insurance, registration fees with the Drug Enforcement Administration, State licensing fees, and credentialing fees. Nationwide, the median annual wage of physician assistants was $84,420 in May 2009. The middle 50 percent of physician assistants earned between $71,160 and $99,540. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $55,880, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $115,080. Median annual wages in the industries

employing the largest numbers of physician assistants in May 2008 were:39

 General medical and surgical hospitals: $84,550

 Outpatient care centers: $84,390

 Offices of physicians: $80,440

 Federal Executive Branch: $78,200

 Colleges, universities, and professional schools: $74,200

According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ 2008 Census Report, median income for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice was $85,710 in

2008; median income for first-year graduates was $74,470.40

38_{“Employment by Occupation.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://bls.gov/emp/ep_table_102.htm} 39_{“Physician Assistants.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics.} http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

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Table 9: State Physician Assistant Salaries, 2009

State Average Annual Salary Median Annual _Salary

Arizona $84,460 $86,300

California $91,670 $89,880

Nevada $103,500 $88,270

Utah $88,190 $89,810

National $84,830 $84,420

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics41

41_{Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment Statistics.”} http://data.bls.gov:8080/oes/search.jsp?data_tool=OES

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Comparing Job Projections to Degree Completions

By comparing projected average annual job openings with average annual degree completions in degrees that correspond with those jobs, we are able to infer the level of unmet demand for graduates of physician assistant master’s programs. Please note, however, that this methodology is far from perfect. For one, degree completion projections are currently unavailable, so we have instead used a figure for average annual completions over a recent five-year period as a proxy for future completions. Also, in many cases there are almost certainly other degree programs that place graduates in corresponding occupations. While physician assistant degree programs are the only programs associated with the physician assistant profession (according to the NCSC), several degree programs prepare students for careers as postsecondary

health specialties teachers. This methodology merely serves to offer an indication of the level of

demand for graduates of these degree programs and should not be regarded as a definitive projection.

Nevada Comparison

Given the lack of Master’s degree completions data for the only physician master’s program in the state (Touro University-Nevada), it is difficult to offer an accurate assessment of the market for graduates of a new program. Combining the projections for physician assistant and postsecondary health specialties teachers, there are

expected to be 64 job openings per year. The room in the Nevada labor market for

more PA graduates will depend on the size of the Touro program, as well as how many Nevada students participate in the University of Nevada – University of Washington MEDEX Northwest partnership program. The MEDEX Northwest program allows Nevada students obtain their in-class PA training in Washington while completing clinical training in Nevada, and serving medically underserviced areas of Nevada upon graduation. The program’s website mentions that at least three

spots in the program are reserved for Nevada candidates.42_{It is certainly possible that}

physician assistant graduates from other states will seek employment in Nevada.

Southwest Comparison

For states in the Southwest, comparing degree completions data with employment

projections for occupations related to physician assistant degree programs indicates a

substantial pent-up demand for graduates of physician assistant master’s programs. If average annual degree completions at institutions in the region remain

around the average observed between 2005 and 2009, there will be more than four

times as many job openings in occupations staffed by MPA graduates as there will be graduates each year. These numbers are indicative of the fact that the

42_{“MEDEX Physician Assistant Program.” University of Nevada, Center for Education and Health Services} Outreach. http://www.medicine.nevada.edu/cehso/medex.html

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Southwest region confers relatively few physician assistant master’s degrees relative to its population size and healthcare needs.

National Comparison

At the national level, comparing projected annual physician assistant job openings with average annual degree completions in physician assistant master’s programs

indicates unmet demand for MPA graduates in the future. On average until 2018,

there will be 744 more job openings each year for MPA graduates than there will be degree completions, provided the 2005-2009 average remains accurate. As

noted earlier, employment projections for postsecondary health specialties teachers are unavailable at the national level, so this figure only compares physician assistant job openings to degree completions. This implies that the gulf between job openings and degree completions could in fact be greater than 744, as it can reasonably be assumed that some graduates will pursue postsecondary teaching careers.

Table 10 below shows the difference between projected average annual job openings in all jobs related to physician assistant degree programs (physician assistant, postsecondary health specialties teacher) and the average annual number of physician assistant master’s degrees of all types (MPA, MSPA, etc.) conferred in Nevada, the Southwest, and the United States. Figure 5 presents a graphical representation of these data.

Figure 5: Comparison of Degree Completions to Job Openings

Sources: IPEDS Data Center, BLS, Arizona Workforce Informer, California Employment Development Department, Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, and the Utah Department of Workforce Services

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

United States Southwest Nevada

Number of Degree Completions and Projected Job Openings

Average Annual Degree Completions Average Annual Job Openings (Projected)

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Table 10: Comparison of Degree Completions to Job Openings

Nevada

Degree Program Average Annual Degree Completions: 2005-2009 Corresponding Occupation Average Annual Job Openings: 2008-2018 (all corresponding occupations) Job Openings Minus Degree Completions Physician Assistant 0 Physician Assistant 64 64 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Southwest

Degree Program Average Annual Degree Completions Corresponding Occupation Average Annual Job Openings (all corresponding occupations) Job Openings Minus Degree Completions Physician Assistant 287 Physician Assistant 1,199 912 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

National

Degree Program Average Annual Degree Completions Corresponding Occupation Average Annual Job Openings (all corresponding occupations) Job Openings Minus Degree Completions Physician

Assistant 3,536 Physician Assistant 4,280 744

Sources: IPEDS Data Center, BLS, Arizona Workforce Informer, California Employment Development Department, Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, and the Utah Department of Workforce Services

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Profiles of Physician Assistant Master’s Programs

In this section, we profile seven Southwestern master’s degree-granting physician assistant programs. Currently, one institution in Nevada and six in the surrounding states of Arizona, California, and Utah, confer physician assistant master’s degrees. Degree programs from the following seven institutions are profiled in this section: Loma Linda University, Midwestern University – Glendale, Samuel Merritt University, Touro University-Nevada, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, and Western University of Health Sciences.

For these seven programs, we attempted to provide: enrollment information for the

host institution, recent degree conferral information for the program, the

program’s mission, information on the program’s curriculum and faculty,

important admissions information, the cost to enroll, and students’ first time

pass rates on the Physician Assistance National Certifying Exam (PANCE).

Basic information on each program is provided in Table 11.

Table 11: Quick Facts – Profiled Institutions

Institution Degree Offered Program Location Conferrals, 5-Year Degree Average

First-Time Passing PANCE,

5-Year Average (2005-2009) Loma Linda University Master of Physician _Assistant Loma Linda, _California 21 92% Midwestern University

- Glendale

Master of Medical Science in Physician

Assistant Glendale, Arizona 65 97%

Samuel Merritt

University Master of Physician Assistant Oakland, California 28 98%

Touro

University-Nevada Master of Physician Assistant Studies XXX, Nevada N/A N/A

University of Southern

California Master of Physician Assistant Practice Alhambra, California 39 93% University of Utah Master of Physician _{Assistant Studies} Salt Lake City, Utah 39 95% Western University of

Health Sciences

Master of Science in Physician Assistant

Studies Pomona, California 96 92%

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Located in Loma Linda, California, Loma Linda University is a private institution that

serves over 4,000 students, of whom roughly three quarters are graduate students.43

The University offers a Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) degree through its School of Allied Health Professions. The physician assistant program has grown

substantially between 2005 and 2009. In 2005, the program conferred 17 degrees;

by 2009 that number had grown to 24.44

The mission of the Loma Linda physician assistant program is to:

…[educate] primary care physician assistants who will complement the work of physicians by providing: health care as active members of a professional health care team, excellence and compassion in health care for the whole person, and quality health care for under-served individuals and communities nationally and globally.45

Acceptance to the program is extremely competitive. There were 956 applicants to

the fall 2009 class, of which only 150 were interviewed and 26 were granted

admission. Further, while applicants must have at least a 3.0 overall undergraduate

grade point average (GPA), the average GPA of accepted students is 3.67.46

To satisfy the degree requirements, students must complete 128 units spread out

over eight quarters. As is typical with physician assistant programs, students are

enrolled continuously over a two-year period, including two summer sessions.47_The

curriculum is taught by six faculty members.48

Tuition for the program is $32,505 for the first year, $34,869 for the second year,

and $4,728 for the third year.49

The program’s website displays its graduating class’ first-time pass rates on the PANCE for each year between 2005 and 2009, which are presented below:

43_{“Loma Linda University.” National Center for Education Statistics, College Navigator.} http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=loma+linda+university&s=all&id=117636 44_{“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.}

45_{“Mission Statement, Vision, and Objectives of the Loma Linda University Department of Physician Assistant} Sciences.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions.

http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/pa/vision.page?

46_{“Answers to Questions Regarding the Physician Assistant Program.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied} Health Professions. http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/pa/faqs.page?

47_{“2010-2011 Physician Assistant Program Curriculum.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health} Professions. http://www.llu.edu/assets/alliedhealth/documents/pa/pacur10.pdf

48_{“Physician Assistant Faculty and Staff.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions.} http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/pa/faculty.page?

49_{“Tuition Costs & Fees.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions.} http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/pa/fa.page?

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 2005 – 95 percent  2006 – 94 percent  2007 – 90 percent  2008 – 92 percent  2009 – 90 percent50 Midwestern University

Midwestern University is divided into two campuses – one in Downers Grove, Illinois and the other in Glendale, Arizona. The University’s physician assistant program is run by the College of Health Sciences and is offered at both campuses. This profile, however, will focus exclusively on the physician assistant program at the Glendale campus.

Like Loma Linda University’s physician assistant program, Midwestern University’s

physician assistant program has grown significantly between 2005 and 2009. In 2005,

the Master of Medical Science (MMS) in Physician Assistant program conferred 51 degrees. In 2009, degree conferrals were up to 80.51

The mission of the program is “…to train and mentor Physician Assistant students in an educational environment that cultivates excellence in professionalism, compassion,

competence, service, and teamwork in the practice of medicine.”52

As with other programs profiled in this report, admission to Midwestern

University’s physician assistant program is highly competitive. While students

must have earned at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA to be considered for admission, the

average overall GPA of the class of 2012 is 3.56.53

To successfully complete the degree, students are required to obtain a total of 159

credits and complete six weeks of clinical practice. Students have the option of

pursuing one of four distinct tracks: the Clinical Specialty Track, the Research

Track, the Bioethics Track, or the Health Professions Education Track. Each track prepares students for a specific career path. For example, while the Clinical Specialty Track prepares students for clinical practice in specialized branches of physician assistant work, the Health Professions Education Track prepares students for careers

as health educators.54

50_{“Physician Assistant Program PANCE Scores.” Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions.} http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/pa/passscores.page?

51_{“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.}

52_{“Physician Assistant Studies in Glendale.” Midwestern University, College of Health Sciences.} http://www.midwestern.edu/x606.xml

53_Ibid.

54_{“Curriculum.” Midwestern University, College of Health Sciences.}

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The program is taught by nine faculty members, most of whom are listed as

certified physician assistants on the program’s website. Amongst the faculty members are one professor, a director of clinical skills, a clinical coordinator, four associate

professors, and two assistant professors.55

The program has established partnerships with clinical facilities and practitioners in Arizona and several other states. These partnerships offer students a

vast range of options for fulfilling the clinical practice component of the program, including opportunities in “ambulatory practice settings, small and large office-based group practices, community and migrant health centers, in-patient settings involving large and small hospitals as well as federal and state facilities,” in rural, suburban, and

urban settings.56

The total cost to enroll in Midwestern’s physician assistant program, including

tuition, fees, books, supplies, insurance, and AAPA membership, varies from the first

year to the third. The total cost for the first year of the program is $39,803, the

second year costs $39,263, and the third year is $9,614.57

Midwestern highlights the job placement and PANCE success of its graduating

classes. The program’s website notes that 98 percent of graduates responding to a

recent survey found employment within 20 weeks of graduation. Further, the

program’s graduates averaged a 97 percent first-attempt pass rate between 2005 and

2009.58

Samuel Merritt University

Samuel Merritt University (SMU) is a small, private institution of approximately 1,400

students (nearly 800 graduate students) located in Oakland, California.59 _The

University’s Master of Physician Assistant program has fluctuated in size over the past five years, with a low of 2 degrees conferred in 2005 and a high of 42 conferred in 2007. The five year average between 2005 and 2009 was 28.60

According to the program’s website, “The first fifteen months (four semesters) of

the curriculum are devoted to the preclinical studies of the basic medical and clinical

55_{“Campus Directory.” Midwestern University, College of Health Sciences.}

https://online.midwestern.edu/public/dir.cgi?campus=G&progaff=PA&fac_staff=F&btn_main_search=1&search =0

56_{“Physician Assistant Studies in Glendale.” Op. cit.} 57_Ibid.

58_Ibid.

59_{“Samuel Merritt University.” National Center for Education Statistics, College Navigator.} http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=samuel+merritt+university&s=all&id=122296 60_{“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.}

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science necessary for practice as a physician assistant.” This preclinical period is

followed by intensive clinical experience in medicine, surgery, and primary care.61

Ten faculty members make up the teaching staff in the SMU physician assistant

program, and all but two faculty members are listed as certified physician assistants on the program’s website. The faculty is comprised of six assistant professors and

four adjuncts.62

Out of 735 applicants to the fall 2009 entering class, 61 were admitted and 36 enrolled. The average overall GPA of the fall 2009 entering class was 3.55 and the average science GPA was 3.48. Students are not required to take the GRE for

admission. Language on the program’s website indicates that prior clinical experience is preferred but not required. The site, for example, informs potential applicants that

“Most competitive applicants will have a minimum of 1000 hours of related direct

patient contact,” but does not explicitly state that experience is required.63

For the 2010-2011 academic year, the MPA program’s tuition and fees amount to

$36,951, or $1,011 per unit if enrolling part-time.64

On the PANCE, the program boasts an average first-time pass rate of 98 percent

between 2004 and 2008, compared to a national average of approximately 91 percent over the same time period. This is the highest first-time pass rate of any of the

programs profiled in this report.65

Touro University-Nevada

Based in XXX, Nevada, Touro University-Nevada is a branch campus of New York City’s Touro College. The University’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

program is the only physician assistant master’s program in Nevada, and is

offered through the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The mission statement of the Touro MPAS program is the following:

The Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program is committed to the education of highly qualified compassionate Physician Assistants who are part of the health care team and are responsive to the developing health

61_{“Physician Assistant Curriculum.” Samuel Merritt University.} http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/physician_assistant/curriculum

62_{“Contact Information.” Samuel Merritt University. http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/physician_assistant/faculty} 63_{“Physician Assistant Program.” Samuel Merritt University.}

http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/physician_assistant/requirements 64_{“2010-2011 Tuition and Fees.” Samuel Merritt University.} http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/physician_assistant/requirements

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needs of their communities as culturally competent clinicians, educators, facilitators, and leaders.66

The program’s curriculum is divided into four sections that range between 19.5

and 23 credit hours, and also includes 48 credit hours of clinical rotations.

Coursework in the first section is mainly comprised of general health topics, with course titles such as “Human Science,” “PA History, Roles and Responsibilities,” and “U.S. Healthcare Systems.” Some more specific topics are also covered in the first section in one credit hour courses such as immunology and diagnostic imaging. Courses in sections two through four delve into specific health topics and some topics are studied throughout the latter three sections, such as pharmacology and clinical medicine. Example courses that are unique to each section include: “Diagnostic Modalities” in section two, “Mental Health/Human Sexuality” in section

three, and “Clinical Genetics” in section four.67 In total, the program is 28 months in

length.68

The MPAS program has seven faculty members, almost all of whom have a

background in the U.S. Military serving in a health capacity. Further, most faculty members have received a graduate-level physician assistant degree and have served as

practicing PAs at some point in their careers.69

Admission to the Touro Universtiy-Nevada MPAS program requires a minimum

overall and science GPA of 2.67. Prior health care work or relevant volunteer

experience is required, and the program only accepts U.S. citizens or permanent

residents. Applicants must also have received at least a C in the following prerequisite courses:

 Eight semester-hours of anatomy and physiology;

 Four semester-hours of inorganic chemistry;

 Four semester-hours of organic chemistry;

 Three semester-hours of biochemistry;

 Three semester-hours of microbiology; and

 Three semester-units in general psychology or statistics are recommended.70

Tuition and fees for the class entering in July 2010 amounted to $33,583, which

covers the entire 2010-2011 academic year. The cost of supplies for the 2010-2011

66_{“About.” Touro University-Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine.} http://tun.touro.edu/programs/college-of-osteopathic-medicine/physician-assistant-studies/about/

67_{“PA Curriculum.” Touro University-Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine.}

http://tun.touro.edu/programs/college-of-osteopathic-medicine/physician-assistant-studies/cirriculum/ 68_{“About.” Touro University-Nevada. Op. cit.}

69_{“Faculty.” Touro University-Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine.} http://tun.touro.edu/programs/college-of-osteopathic-medicine/physician-assistant-studies/faculty/

70_{“PA Admission.” Touro University-Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine.} http://tun.touro.edu/prospective-students/applying-for-admission/pa-admission/

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academic year is estimated to be $1,539. The University estimates the total cost of

attendance, including tuition and fees, room and board, supplies, transportation, and

other expenses, to be $75,202 for the 2010-2011 academic year.71

University of Southern California

The University of Southern California (USC) is a large, private institution located in Los Angeles, California. A little more than half of USC’s nearly 35,000 students are

graduate students.72_{The University’s Master of Physician Assistant Practice (MPAP)}

program, run through the Keck School of Medicine in nearby Alhambra, California,

has grown in size from 31 degree completions in 2005 to 46 completions in

2009.73

The program’s mission statement is the following:

The USC Primary Care Physician Assistant Program is dedicated to the advancement of physician assistant education and emphasizes service to the medically underserved. The Program is committed to preparing students from a wide variety of backgrounds to practice medicine with the supervision of a physician. Emphasis is placed upon understanding and appreciating diversity. The Program aims to prepare its graduates to practice and promote primary health care of the highest quality as part of a multidisciplinary team.74

In the program’s first year, the curriculum touches on basic medical sciences, behavioral sciences, clinical skills, and various topics in medicine. Unlike most programs profiled in this study, students are given a summer break between the first and second year of the program. In the second year of the program, students take higher level courses in behavioral sciences, clinical skills, and topics in medicine, and participate in a combined 30 weeks of clinical assignments between the spring and summer sessions. In the third year, students complete 18 weeks of clinical

assignments and take four advanced topics seminar courses. In total, the program

runs for 33 months.75

71_{“New – PA.” Touro University-Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine.} http://tun.touro.edu/prospective-students/fund-your-education-2/tuitions-and-fees/first-year-master-pa-studies/

72_{“University of Southern California.” National Center for Education Statistics, College Navigator.} http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=university+of+southern+california&s=all&id=123961 73_{“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.}

74_{“About the Program.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.}

http://keck.usc.edu/en/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/About_t he_Program.aspx

75_{“Program Curriculum.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.}

http://keck.usc.edu/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/Education_a nd_Training/Curriculum.aspx

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Most of the program’s faculty members are certified physician assistants and two

faculty members have doctoral degrees.76

A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for admission to the program; however, the

average GPA of applicants who made it to the interview stage of the admissions process is 3.36 according to the program’s website.

77_Further,

applicants are required to take either the GRE or MCAT exams and hands-on

clinical experience is listed as preferred.78

USC estimates that the program’s mandatory tuition, fees, and insurance costs will

amount to nearly $42,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year. The estimated total cost

of the program for the 2011-2012 academic year, including room and board, books,

equipment, transportation, and other fees, is approximately $68,000.79

The program’s first-time pass rate for the PANCE has fluctuated between 2005

and 2009, from a low of 84 percent in 2005 to a high of 100 percent in 2007. In 2009, the first-time pass rate was 88 percent. The program’s yearly average between 2005

and 2009 was approximately 93 percent.80

University of Utah

The University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the only public institution

profiled in this study and the only institution in Utah for which IPEDS recorded

degree completions in a physician assistant master’s program. The University

has more than 29,000 students, of which roughly 7,000 are graduate students.81

The University offers a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree through

its School of Medicine. The program’s size has remained consistent between

2005 and 2009, conferring 39 degrees in 2005 and 38 in 2009.82

The program’s mission is:

76_{“Program Faculty.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.}

http://keck.usc.edu/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/About_the_ Program.aspx

77_{“Selection Criteria & Application Procedures.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.} http://keck.usc.edu/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/Education_a nd_Training/Selection.aspx

78_{“Admission Requirements, Fall 2011.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.}

http://keck.usc.edu/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/Education_a nd_Training/Admission_Requirements.aspx

79_{“Expenses.” University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.}

http://keck.usc.edu/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Physician_Assistant_Program/Education_a nd_Training/Expenses.aspx

80_{“About the Program.” USC. Op. cit.}

81_{“University of Utah.” National Center for Education Statistics, College Navigator.} http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=university+of+utah&s=all&id=230764 82_{“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.}

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To increase access to health care, especially to those living in medically underserved and rural communities, through the training and service of highly skilled physician assistants committed to the health and wellbeing of their communities.83

The first-year curriculum focuses primarily on clinical medicine and evidence-based medicine. The second year, called “The Clinical Year,” sees students engage in intensive clinical training. During the Clinical Year, students go through the following rotations: primary care, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, general

surgery, rural/underserved rotations, and elective rotations.84

The program has seven faculty members and all are certified physician assistants.

Additionally, many of the program’s faculty members continue to serve as practicing

physician assistants.85

Admission to the Utah physician assistant program is very competitive. There

were 779 applicants to the fall 2010 entering class, of which only 40 were granted

admission. Further, while three year’s work experience is not required for

admission, it is highly recommended, and the program gives preference to

applicants who have undertaken physician assistant shadowing.86

The University provides figures for the total cost of the program as opposed to a

yearly breakdown, which varies depending on students’ residency status. Enrollment

in the program costs $58,085 for Utah residents, $78,956 for non-residents, and

$66,021 for non-residents who obtain resident status after their first year in the program. Non-residents from western states may be entitled to the resident rate if

the applicant’s state does not have a physician assistant program. The scholarship that covers the difference is offered through the Western Interstate Commission for

Higher Education.87

Between 2005 and 2009, a yearly average of 95 percent of the program’s

graduates passed the PANCE on the first attempt.88

83_{“Mission, Vision, Program Core Values.” University of Utah, School of Medicine.} http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/MissionVision.htm

84_{“Curriculum.” University of Utah, School of Medicine. http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/Curriculum/index.htm} 85_{“Our Faculty and Staff.” University of Utah, School of Medicine.}

http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/AboutUs/Faculty-Staff/index.htm 86_{“Frequently Asked Questions.” University of Utah, School of Medicine.} http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/Admissions/FAQ.htm

87_{“Tuition & Financial Aid.” University of Utah, School of Medicine.} http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/Admissions/tuition.htm

88_{“UPAP and the National Averages.” University of Utah, School of Medicine.} http://medicine.utah.edu/upap/AboutUs/averages.htm