Master of Physician Assistant Studies, MPAS
Jennifer Eames, MPAS, DHSc, PA-C
Founding Physician Assistant Program Director
The Hardin-Simmons University Physician Assistant (PA) Program is dedicated to academic excellence in medical education. Our mission is to develop and prepare compassionate, professional PA providers who are committed to life-long leadership, learning and community service. Our graduates will work as part of the healthcare team to deliver exceptional healthcare to rural West Texas and under-served communities worldwide.
Physician Assistant Program Goals
Recruit outstanding PA students that will display a commitment to community service.
Prepare PA students for the practice of medicine as exemplified by achieving a pass rate on the national certifying examination that exceeds the national average and attainment of employment after graduation.
Provide training opportunities for PA students in rural and under-served medical settings.
Physician Assistant Program Admission Criteria
Applications are accepted by applying to CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants). A new class begins each fall semester.
| Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university |
| GPA minimum |
3.0 |
| Science GPA |
3.0 |
| GRE |
Required |
| Health Care Experience |
Recommended |
| Class Size |
30 |
| Program Length |
27 months |
| Overview of Prerequisite Requirements |
Hours |
| Anatomy |
4 |
| Biology |
8 |
| Chemistry |
4 |
| English |
3 |
| Microbiology |
4 |
| Organic Chemistry |
4 |
| Psychology |
3 |
| Physiology |
4 |
| Sociology* |
3 |
| Statistics |
3 |
*Will accept 3 additional hours of Psychology as an alternative
Physician Assistant Program Curriculum
The Physician Assistant curriculum will be delivered on a full-time, continuous basis for a total of 27 months. Students will matriculate as a cohort (30 students) into a 12-month academic phase, followed by 13 months of clinical education. In the final semester, the two months prior to graduation are didactic.
Year One: Didactic
Semester: Fall
| PA 6402 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| PA 6404 | Medical Interview and Physical Exam | 4 |
| PA 6206 | Preventive Medicine & Patient Education | 2 |
| PA 6208 | Intro Health Professions & PA Practice | 2 |
| PA 6310 | Physiology & Pathophysiology I | 3 |
| PA 6112 | Medical Ethics | 1 |
| PA 6214 | Clinical Medicine I | 2 |
Semester: Spring
Semester: Summer
Total Credit Hours: 53
Year Two: Clinical
Clinical Rotations include 5 weeks (5 credit hours each) in the following:
Family Medicine / Pediatrics / Women’s Health / Mental Health / Internal Medicine / General Surgery/Emergency Medicine /Elective 1 / Elective 2 / Professional Development
Semester: Fall
Clinical Rotations 1,2, & 3 (15 Credits)
Semester: Spring
Clinical Rotations 4,5, & 6 (15 Credits)
Semester: Summer
Clinical Rotations 7,8, & 9 (15 Credits)
Semester: Last Fall Prior to Graduation
Clinical Rotation 10 (5 Credits)
Total Credit Hours: 59
Total Credit Hours: 112