Undergraduate Degree
	None
Graduate Degree
	Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) from the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.
Competitive Admission
	25 students per year
Links
	Web Site General Catalog

Physician assistants (PAs) are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Within the physician/PA relationship, PAs are responsible for making medical decisions and providing a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services in a variety of settings, including an office, hospital emergency room, nursing home, rural satellite clinic, and/or in a patient’s home.

Physicians are consulted as needed and ultimately are responsible for the care provided by the physician/PA team. PAs also are involved in both patient and/or community health education.

The University developed the program in 1972 and admitted 10 students to the first physician assistant class. In 1992, the bachelor's program was converted to a 25-month graduate-level curriculum, awarding graduates the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS).

• Why Choose PA Studies at Iowa?
• Students
• Faculty
• Preprofessional Studies
• Admission
• Student Activities
• Clinical Rotations
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Choose PA Studies at Iowa?
Iowa’s program has an excellent reputation nationwide. U.S. News & World Report ranked it first in the nation among PA graduate programs.

Since 1974, University of Iowa PA graduates have consistently performed in the top 5 to 10 percent in the country each year on the National Certifying Examination. In addition, University of Iowa PA graduates have enjoyed a first-time pass rate of 99 percent since 1974, compared with the national average of 85 percent during the same period.

The program is integrated with medical school classes and connected with the health sciences campus, including University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, one of the nation’s largest public university-owned teaching hospitals.

Iowa’s program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

Students
Current students say they chose PA studies to enter a medical field with excellent income potential and exciting work that allows them to switch specialty fields without further training. Being a PA also can allow for a more flexible schedule and more available family time.

Most who chose Iowa’s program had backgrounds in the biological sciences (with considerable health care experience, working directly with patients) and had researched the profession and shadowed practicing physician assistants.

Faculty
Dedicated and highly respected full-time faculty from their respective departments in the UI Carver College of Medicine teach the program’s classes. David Asprey, program director, is a past president of the Physician Assistant Education Association.

Preprofessional Studies
Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university. Required science course work includes general biology or zoology, general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, a minimum of three upper-level courses in the natural sciences (including upper-division human, animal, or exercise physiology), and statistics. A minimum of 1,000 hours of health care experience is required. Applicants must have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) within the past 10 years.

Admission
The University of Iowa participates in the Physician Assistant Education Association’s Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants. For applications, go to https://portal.caspaonline.org. Applications are accepted after April 15 with a deadline of Nov. 1. All application materials, including GRE or MCAT scores, recommendations, and college transcripts, must be submitted before the deadline.

Admission is highly selective. Of the 411 applicants for the class entering in May 2008, only 25 were admitted. The following factors are used when considering admission: 40 percent academic, 20 percent health care experience, 20 percent interpersonal communication skills, 10 percent knowledge of the PA role/profession, and 10 percent supporting documents.

Under current regulations, applications are accepted only from U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Each new class begins in late May.

Student Activities
The physician assistant program at Iowa sponsors a pre-PA organization, the Association of Pre-Physician Assistant Students. The organization encourages and assists prospective PA students; fosters and maintains high standards for academic progress, professional qualifications, and ethics; and provides a wealth of social and informal educational opportunities. Meetings throughout the year include speakers from PA faculty, students, and practicing physician assistants.

Clinical Rotations
Many clinical rotations are available, both domestically and internationally. One example is a four-week clinical rotation in Tanzania during the second year. Students pay their own way, but housing is provided.

Careers
Physician assistants work in clinical settings as part of a medical team of professionals. Graduates of Iowa’s program enjoy a 100 percent placement rate in the job market.

Starting salaries for University of Iowa graduates average $66,000. There is steady demand for graduates of the program.

Graduates may elect to continue with advanced studies or with graduate-level study in preventive medicine, integrative physiology/exercise science, or health management and policy. It also is possible for PAs to enter postgraduate residency programs in emergency medicine, gynecology/obstetrics, neonatology, occupational health, orthopaedic surgery, pediatrics, rural primary care, surgery, anesthesiology/patient monitoring systems, psychiatry, and intensive respiratory care/critical care medicine.

Scholarships
Several small scholarships based on financial need and/or merit are available through The University of Iowa for PA students. For general financial aid information, refer to the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Several national scholarships are available, such as the National Health Service Corps scholarship or those through national PA organizations.

In addition to general University student expenses, students are responsible for the purchase of their medical uniforms and diagnostic equipment, at a cost of approximately $2,000.