Physician Assistant Studies Academics & Accreditation

Program Goals

Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a master's degree, Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), and may sit for the national certifying examination to achieve licensure and certification. The UTMB Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program strives to:

1. Maintain an applicant pool consisting of at least 24% first generation college students.
   * The applicant pool for the cohort entering the UTMB PA program in 2023 is 26%.
2. Maintain a 95% or better three-year average graduation rate for students entering the UTMB PA program.
   *As of 2021 the three-year average graduation rate for UTMB PA program is 99%
3. Maintain at least 50% of clinical rotation sites in low income zip codes (as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services).
   *As of 2022 over 59% of clinical rotations were in low income zip codes.
4. Maintain a five-year first time PANCE pass rate above the national average.
   * The five-year national mean first time taker average pass rate is 94%
   * The five-year mean first time taker average pass rate for the UTMB PA Program is 95%
5. To foster a community of learning that values diversity, promotes inclusion and cultivates respect among the students, faculty and staff in our program.
   * Survey results pending. 

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 June 2027. 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 at (Accreditation History - UTMB).

Click on the link below to download a copy of our most recent reports:
UTMB NCCPA Pass Rate (PDF)
UTMB PA Program Attrition (PDF)

For verification, you may contact the Commission at the following address:

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant
12000 Findley Road, Suite 275
Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097