Physician Assistant Studies

  • Master of Physicians Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.)

Physician Assistants (PAs) are valued members of the medical and surgical care team. Working alongside and under the supervision of doctors of medicine, osteopathy, and/or in some states podiatry, PAs take histories, perform physical examinations, make clinical diagnoses, treat illnesses, provide patient education, counsel patients, assist in surgery, create patient orders, interpret laboratory studies, and prescribe medications.

Program Offerings at Grand Valley

The M.P.A.S. program consists of students who possess a baccalaureate degree from GVSU or other universities, have completed prerequisite courses, and at the time of application have fulfilled a minimum of 500 hours of work, volunteer, and/or shadow experience in health care settings with patients. Admission to the M.P.A.S. program is highly competitive. Application information is available at www.gvsu.edu/pas/.

Coursework

PA students study a variety of topics that include:

  • Clinical problem solving
  • Foundations of clinical medicine
  • Medical physiology
  • Physician assistant profession issues

Career Options

PAs are employed in a wide variety of health care settings including:

  • Academic
  • Administrative
  • Correctional facilities
  • Emergency rooms
  • Nursing homes
  • Private practices
  • Public clinics
  • Veterans administration

Why Study Physician Assistant Studies at Grand Valley?

  • Small student to faculty ratios. The program accepts 48 students per year with 8 full-time dedicated program faculty members.
  • Excellent resources. The program is located in the state-of-the-art Cook DeVos Center for Health Sciences building in the heart of the medical community of downtown Grand Rapids.
  • Superb board preparation. 100% of graduates in the past five years have passed the NCCPA certification examination.
  • Recognized faculty. Whether state or national presentations, master teacher awards, or national leadership excellence awards, the faculty members are of the highest caliber.
  • The PAS program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

For More Information

College of Health Professions
Physician Assistant Studies Program
www.gvsu.edu/pas
(616) 331-5700
Admissions Office
www.gvsu.edu/admissions

“I really enjoyed the small class sizes because I didn't get lost in the mix. The faculty interaction is just fantastic. I think that contributes to the success of all the students in the program.”

David Klungle
M.P.A.S. ALUMNUS

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