PAs (physician associates) are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting. Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice.
Alvernia will offer two pathways to obtain an MMS degree in Physician Associate Studies, a Bio-PA 3+2 program, and a traditional Post Baccalaureate program. Both will build on Alvernia’s student-centered learning model by providing the opportunity for experiential learning in the local community during both the didactic and clinical phases of the PA program. This upholds Alvernia’s core value of Service by healing and nurturing members of the community in need.
Program Highlights
- Program Overview
-
The physician associate program is a 24-month program. The first 12 months will consist of the didactic phase, which will be delivered over three semesters, beginning in the fall. The curriculum will be based on the most recent ARC-PA standards and NCCPA PANCE blueprint and align with the University and Program’s mission and goals.
The curriculum will include basic and clinical sciences including an intensive anatomy course utilizing Anatomage tables and early experiential learning with direct patient care experiences. Students will begin working alongside faculty in a Pro Bono clinic in CollegeTowne Reading during the first semester.
The second 12 months will consist of the clinical phase, during which students will participate in supervised clinical experiences which will allow them to meet program defined learning outcomes for the following:
- Family Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Surgery
- Pediatrics
- Women’s Health
- Behavioral and Mental Health
Supervised clinical experiences will occur in both the inpatient and outpatient settings as well as the emergency department and operating room.
- Physician Associate Profession
-
PAs (physician associates) are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting. Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice.
There are approximately 150,000 PAs who practice in every medical setting in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They work in hospitals, medical offices, community health centers, nursing homes, retail clinics, educational facilities, workplace clinics, and correctional institutions. PAs also serve in the nation’s uniformed services and work for other federal government agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs.
PAs’ specific duties depend on the setting in which they work, their level of experience, their specialty, and state laws.
Generally, PAs can:
- Take medical histories
- Conduct physical exams
- Diagnose and treat illness
- Order and interpret tests
- Develop treatment plans
- Prescribe medication
- Counsel on preventive care
- Perform procedures
- Assist in surgery
- Make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes
- Do clinical research
Visit AAPA.ORG for more information.
- Professional Title Change
-
On May 24, 2021, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) House of Delegates passed a resolution affirming “physician associate” as the official title of the PA profession. This title change will take time to fully implement as it involves other national PA organizations: Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), and Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA); PA programs, AAPA Constituent Organizations, as well as state and federal governments, regulators, and employers.
The purpose of the title change is to allow PAs to hold a professional title that ensures clarity about the work that they provide within the healthcare system. It does not impact a PA’s scope of practice. PAs will continue to use physician assistant as their official legal title in the professional capacity until jurisdiction governing licensure and practice has formally adopted the new title. This process may take several years but is underway. Therefore, Alvernia University has adopted the title “Physician Associate Program” as a reflection of the status of the profession.
For more information about the Physician Associate title change investigation and final report to the AAPA House of Delegates, please refer to the AAPA website.
- Career Outlook for Physician Associates
-
The PA profession is one of the fastest growing in the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth rate for 2021-2031 is 28%, which is much higher than the average growth rate of 5% for all professions. The median annual wage for physician assistants was $121,530 in 2021.
According to the NCCPA 2020 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified PAs, the mean number of months for recently certified physician assistants to find and accept a clinical position was 2.6 months. A majority (62.7%) had two or more job offers. The median starting salary for recently certified PAs was $95,000, with a median salary of $98,412.
- Experience the Alvernia Advantage
-
Alvernia University is a private liberal arts university guided by Franciscan values that serves a diverse student body of 2,700 students who hail from 25 states and 14 countries. Located on 191 acres in Berks County, PA, our beautiful campus and John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne in downtown Reading is an easy car ride to some of the Northeast’s major metropolitan areas.
With more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors, Alvernia offers students our unique blend of a rigorous liberal arts core for development of the mind, strong technical training in high-demand majors, experiential learning through study abroad and internship experiences, and community engagement through our service model.
We call this the Alvernia Advantage, and believe it prepares our students to not only make a living – but a life. A life of career success, community engagement and bringing people together through our Franciscan values.
As one of only 23 Franciscan institutions in the country, these values influence all that we do. From curriculum to culture, our students learn to care about others and to be cognizant of social justice, equality and human dignity – qualities needed in our society – now, more than ever.
We’re proud to be the Golden Wolves, and our pack ranks in the top 100 among best regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report. We’re also recognized as a College of Distinction for our commitment to engaged, experiential education.
Come join us and experience the Alvernia Advantage.
Degree Pathways and Curriculum
- Degree Pathways and Admission Criteria
-
Alvernia will offer two pathways to obtain an MMS degree in Physician Assistant Studies, a Bio-PA 3+2 program, and a traditional Post Baccalaureate program. Both will build on Alvernia’s student-centered learning model by providing the opportunity for experiential learning in the local community during both the didactic and clinical phases of the PA program This upholds Alvernia’s core value of Service by healing and nurturing members of the community in need.
Admission Criteria for BIO-PA (3+2) Accelerated Program
The Alvernia University Bio-PA (3+2) program is an accelerated, fast-paced course of study which allows focused students to obtain both a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology and a Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree within five years. It requires full time attendance, including summers, during the last two years. The admissions process is a two-step process which includes academic acceptance to the University, followed by the necessity to meet admission requirements for the PA program.
Step One: Admission Requirements for the Bio-PA (3+2) Accelerated Program
- Decisions regarding admission into the biology portion of the program will be made by the Office of Admissions in accordance with the University undergraduate admissions policies. The Physician Associate Program Director will be consulted as needed.
- Admission into the Bio-PA accelerated (3+2) program will be available to students who meet the criteria of 3.5 high school GPA. This is a hard cut-off and there will be no rounding. The SAT is optional with a desired score of 1170 to be considered competitive.
- All students must take a math competency examination with results indicating a proficiency level for pre-calculus or higher. Those students who are required to take pre-calculus must do so during the summer semester prior to the fall of their freshman year.
- AP credit will be accepted with a score of 4 or higher. All students on the Bio-PA (3+2) accelerated track must take a higher-level course in the same content area if transfer credits are used.
- Transfer credit will be accepted for courses with a grade of 3.0 or higher. All students on the Bio-PA (3+2) accelerated track must take a higher-level course in the same content area if transfer credits are used.
- Acceptance into the Bio-PA (3+2) accelerated program is conditional pending verification of final high school transcripts. Upon timely completion of ALL admission criteria, applicants will be offered admission into the accelerated program and a conditional guaranteed admission into the graduate PA program as determined by each student’s ability to meet all PA program admission criteria for the Bio-PA (3+2) accelerated track. Students within the accelerated (3+2) format will follow a modified curricular plan in biology labeled “Bio-PA”. For more information about the Bio-PA (3+2) accelerated program contact us at admissions@alvernia.edu.
Step Two: Admission Requirements for the Bio-PA (3+2) Accelerated Program
- All students must apply to the Physician Associate Program via CASPA.
Academic criteria
- Courses must be taken in the order in which they are listed in the proposed curriculum
- No less than “C” on any science or prerequisite course
- Minimum overall cumulative and science and prerequisite GPA of 3.4 for assured admission
GRE
- All students must take the GRE examination
Direct Patient Care Hours
- The Program defines direct patient care hours as any experience where the applicant provides hands-on patient care and is exposed to patient care delivery and/or the provider-patient relationship. We require a minimum of 200 direct patient care hours with at least 8 hours direct interaction with a PA. Any hours credited as part of education or training will not count. Direct patient care hours may be paid or volunteer.
Interviews
- No Interview required but there will be a required accepted students’ day on campus.
CASPER
- All applicants will be required to complete a CASPER assessment, which is an online, open-response situational competency test.
Custom Essay
- All applicants will be required to answer three short-answer essay questions within the CASPA portal that are specific to the Alvernia University PA program.
Letters of Recommendation
- Three letters of recommendation will be required, including at least one from a healthcare professional and one from a professor/instructor.
Criminal Background Check
- All applicants must pass a criminal background check prior to matriculation.
Technical Standards
- All applicants must meet the program’s officially published technical standards at the time of matriculation and continue to meet them while enrolled in the program.
Learn more about the program at a virtual faculty session
At this time, the BIO-PA 3+2 program is only available for first-year students. We invite transfer students to complete another major and apply for Master's in Physician Associate programs after completion of their baccalaureate degree.
Post-Baccalaureate Master of Medical Science in Physician Associate Program*CASPA
- All students must apply to the Physician Associate Program via CASPA.
Bachelor’s Degree
- Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree awarded from a regionally accredited institution at the time of matriculation.
Grade point Average (GPAs)
- Minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.8 and minimum Science and Prerequisite GPA of 3.0.
Prerequisite Courses
- No less than “C” in any prerequisite course.
- Applicants may have two outstanding prerequisites at the time of CASPA application submission, but these must be completed and verified prior to matriculation.
- All prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years of CASPA application submission.
- Pass/Fail grades for prerequisite courses will not be accepted.
Academic Rigor
- The program will review all transcripts submitted by each applicant for evidence of academic rigor in each semester of study. Completing more than one STEM class per semester in one or more semesters will strengthen the application.
GRE
- All students must take the GRE examination.
Direct Patient Care Hours
- The Program defines direct patient care hours as any experience where the applicant provides hands-on patient care and is exposed to patient care delivery and/or the provider-patient relationship. We require a minimum of 200 direct patient care hours with at least 8 hours direct interaction with a PA. Additional hours will strengthen the application. Any hours credited as part of education or training will not count. Direct patient care hours may be paid or volunteer.
Community Service
- Evidence of community service and a commitment to service is not required but recommended. Evidence of community service will strengthen the application based on the number of community service hours.
Leadership
- Evidence of leadership is not required but recommended. Evidence of leadership roles will strengthen the application based on the number of leadership roles.
Interviews
- No interview is required but there will be an optional accepted students’ day on campus.
CASPER
- All applicants will be required to complete the CASPER assessment, which is an online, open-response situational competency test. Individual results will be reviewed and considered in the admission decision.
Custom Essay
- All applicants will be required to answer three short-answer essay questions within the CASPA portal that are specific to the Alvernia University PA program.
Letters of Recommendation
- Three letters of recommendation are required, including at least one from a healthcare professional and one from a professor/instructor.
Criminal Background Check
- All applicants must pass a criminal background check prior to matriculation.
Technical Standards
- All applicants must meet the program’s officially published technical standards at the time of matriculation and continue to meet them while enrolled in the program.
International Students
- We will not enroll applicants who have graduated from foreign or domestic medical institutions alone. International applicants must have completed at least one year of study in a US or English-Speaking Institution and fulfill our minimum requirements for the English proficiency examination.
- Applicants who have completed course work outside of the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, or any other English-Speaking country must take the TOEFL English proficiency examination and achieve a minimum score of 100.
Special Considerations
- Alvernia University Alumni
- Local applicants from the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Chester, Montgomery, Lebanon, Schuylkill, and Lehigh
- All past and current military experience, including veteran, active duty, and reserve status
- Applicants who speak Spanish, or any other language in addition to English, including sign language.
- Technical Standards for Admission
-
The technical standards for the Alvernia University Physician Associate Program have been established to ensure that candidates have the ability to demonstrate academic mastery, competence when performing clinical skills, and the ability to communicate clinical information.
These technical standards are intended to ensure that each candidate has the academic and physical ability to acquire competencies, as defined by the National Commission on Accreditation of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission for Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). The technical standards are consistent with the technical standards set forth by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Alvernia University and the Physician Associate Program are committed to creating a respectful, accessible, and inclusive learning environment for all students and do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, sexual preference, gender identity, ethnicity, handicap or socioeconomic status.
Out of that commitment, and in accordance with both the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Program offers support to those individuals who may require an accessibility accommodation. If a candidate states they are unable to meet the technical standards due to a diagnosed disability, the Alvernia University College of Health Sciences will determine whether the candidate can meet the technical standards with reasonable accommodation. This includes a review of whether the accommodations requested would jeopardize patient safety or the educational process of the student or the institution, including all coursework and clinical rotations deemed essential to graduation.
A candidate with a documented disability who wishes to request academic accommodations is encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services at 610-568-1499 or via email at accessibility.services@alvernia.edu.
All candidates, with or without reasonable accommodation, are required to master the activities described herein, including Observation, Communication, Motor Function, Critical Thinking Ability, Behavioral and Social Skills, and Ethical and Legal Standards. These technical standards are required for admission and must be maintained throughout a student’s progress from matriculation through graduation from the Physician Associate Program.
Competency in technical standards will be assessed regularly throughout the Program. Students are obligated to alert the Program in a timely fashion of any change in their ability to fulfill the technical standards. Students are subject to dismissal and may not be able to graduate if they do not, with or without reasonable accommodation, participate fully in all aspects of PA training; are not deployable as competent PAs; or otherwise, do not meet the technical standards.
Due to the nature of the program, students will be expected to submit to drug testing and comprehensive background checks and must promptly report though the identified channels if they are physically impaired by drugs or alcohol while performing tasks as part of the program; or if they are charged or convicted of any misdemeanor or felony offense while in the Program. Failure to disclose prior or new offenses may lead to disciplinary action that may include dismissal.
All candidates must be able to independently meet the following standards with or without accommodation:
1. Observation
- Students must be able to acquire information effectively and accurately from demonstrations in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting and apply relevant information.
- Students must be able to acquire information effectively and accurately from patients, observe a patient’s condition, and accurately describe these findings.
- Students must be able to perform a complete history and physical examination and develop an appropriate assessment, order diagnostic studies, and formulate a treatment plan.
- Students must have the ability to note non-verbal as well as verbal signals
- These skills require the use of visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile senses or the functional equivalent
2. Communication
- Students must be able to communicate effectively, professionally, and empathetically with other students, faculty, patients, their family members, and other professionals in any healthcare setting.
- Students must be able to listen attentively and speak clearly to individuals from different social and cultural backgrounds.
- Students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication in the English language to elicit information, convey information, clarify information, and create rapport.
- Students must be able to recognize and respond to non-verbal communication, accurately and legibly record observations, and plans in the patient record using various formats, and complete legal documents and forms in a timely manner.
3. Motor Function
- Students must, after reasonable training, be able to elicit information from patients by performing a patient history and physical examination using palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers.
- Students must be able to perform the basic and advanced clinical procedures that are requirements of the PA program curriculum after reasonable training.
- Students must be able to provide timely routine and emergent medical care to patients, which includes, but is not limited to, recording information; performing basic laboratory tests, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; interpreting diagnostic images; assisting in surgical care; performing medical procedures, and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
4. Critical Thinking Ability
- Students must be able to assimilate a large amount of complex information presented in the Program curriculum.
- Students must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and apply critical thinking to solve problems. In addition, students must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships of structures.
- Students must be able to adapt to different learning environments and modalities including, but not limited to, classroom instruction; small group, team, and collaborative activities; individual study preparation and presentation of information; and simulations and use of computer technology.
- Students must be able to critically appraise medical literature to provide evidence-based care by formulating accurate diagnoses and management plans.
- Students must demonstrate sound clinical judgment and identify/predict issues that require intervention and intervene in a timely manner.
5. Behavioral and Social Skills
- Students must adapt to changing environments and learn in the face of uncertainties inherent in the practice of medicine.
- Students must accept responsibility for learning, exercising good judgment, and promptly completing all responsibilities during their training, as well as the responsibility attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients.
- Respond to supervision appropriately and act within the scope of practice, when indicated
- Students must understand the legal and ethical standards of the medical profession.
- Students must be able to work effectively, respectfully, and professionally as part of the educational and healthcare team, and to interact with instructors and peers, patients, patient families, and healthcare personnel in a courteous, professional, and respectful manner.
- Students must demonstrate best practices related to cultural competency and providing services to individuals with diverse backgrounds.
- Students must be able to contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments; accept constructive feedback from others, and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes.
- Students must be punctual for all program requirements and be able to participate in all scheduled training hours, which may not be limited to the standard workweek.
6. Ethical and Legal Standards
- Students must behave in an ethical and moral manner consistent with professional values and standards
- Students must be able to understand the basis and content of both general and medical ethics and demonstrate high ethical and moral behavior.
- Students must demonstrate maturity, emotional stability, compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, responsibility, and tolerance.
- Students must be able to recognize limitations in their knowledge, skills, and abilities and to seek appropriate assistance with their identified limitations.
- Students must understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and function within both the law and ethical standards of the medical profession
- Students must meet the legal standards to be licensed to practice medicine.
- Physician Associate Program Prerequisite Courses
-
Anatomy or A&P I
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
Physiology or A&P II
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
General Chemistry
Two courses, or a minimum of 6 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
General Biology
Two courses, or a minimum of 6 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
Statistics
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
Microbiology
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
Psychology
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
One course, or a minimum of 3 semester hours. Lab is not required but strongly recommended.
- Curriculum
-
The undergraduate Biology curriculum for the Bio-PA 3+2 Program is as follows:
Summer MOD 6 prior to Freshman Fall
Course Title
credits
MAT 131 (if needed)
3
Semester 1 (Freshman)
Course Title
credits
Core (COM 101 Recommended)
3
SHR 101
3
BIO 103: Principles of Biology I w/ Lab
4
CHE 104: General Chemistry I
3
CHE 110: General Chemistry Lab I
1
CHE 107: Laboratory Safety
1
Total credits
15
SEARCH credits
6
Semester 2 (Freshman)
Course Title
credits
PHI 105/THE 105
3
PSY 101 (core)
3
BIO 104: Principles of Biology II w/ Lab
4
CHE 105: General Chemistry II
3
CHE 111: General Chemistry Lab II
1
MAT 230 Calculus I
4
Total credits
18
SEARCH credits
6
Semester 3 (Sophomore)
Course Title
credits
PHI 105/THE 105
3
CORE
3
CHE 201: Organic Chemistry I
3
CHE 210: Organic Chemistry Lab I
1
MAT 209: Probability and Statistics
3
MAT 220: Math/Statistics Computer Lab
1
BIO 107 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
3
BIO 117 Human Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
1
Total credits
18
SEARCH credits
6
Semester 4 (Sophomore)
Course Title
credits
CORE
3
CORE
3
CHE 202: Organic Chemistry II
3
CHE 211: Organic Chemistry Lab II
1
BIO 221: General Microbiology w/ lab
4
BIO 108 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
3
BIO 118 Human Anatomy & Physiology II Lab
1
Total credits
18
SEARCH credits
6
Semester 5 (Junior)
Course Title
credits
CORE (Diversity)
3
CORE
3
BIO 303: Genetics w/ Lab
4
BIO 320: Ecology
4
PHY 200: Physics I w/ Lab
4
Total credits
18
SEARCH credits
6
Semester 6 (Junior)
Course Title
credits
CORE
3
CORE
3
CORE
3
BIO 304: Cell Biology
3
BIO 311: Cell Biology Lab
1
PHY 201: Physics II w/ Lab
4
Total credits
17
SEARCH credits
9
The Curriculum for the Physician Associate Program is under development.
- Tuition
-
To determine the cost of this program, please visit our Tuition page. For a personalized estimate, please contact an admissions counselor at 610-790-8269 or at admissions@alvernia.edu.
- Financial Aid
-
100% of Alvernia students receive some form of scholarship and/or aid. Our admissions counselors can help you identify the aid that is available to you and for your program. For more information, visit our Financial Aid page.
-
Accreditation
-
The Alvernia University Physician Associate Program has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The Alvernia University Physician Associate Program anticipates matriculating its first class in August, 2024, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the March 2024 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Please note that The Alvernia University Physician Associate Program will not commence if provisional accreditation status is not formally achieved. In addition, any student enrolled in the 3+2 program will be offered the opportunity to complete their bachelor's degree including the option of earning a biology degree in year four via a modified curriculum. Any deposits collected from admitted students will be refunded by the University should provisional accreditation status not be obtained from the ARC-PA.
All programs offered by Alvernia University are approved by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Learn More
For more information about Alvernia’s Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program contact the Admissions Office at 1-888-ALVERNIA or 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu, or reach out directly to:
Department Contact
Renee Langstaff
Physician Assistant Program Director
Photos on this page are courtesy of the AAPA
