PA Studies Program Overview
The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Physician Associate (PA) Program is dedicated to training physician associates/assistants to serve the rural communities of Montana and other underserved populations. This rigorous, full-time curriculum spans 26 months and culminates in the awarding of a Master of Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) degree.
The program begins with an intensive in-person didactic phase on our picturesque campus in Missoula, Montana, where Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ benefit from the diverse expertise of faculty members with extensive scientific and clinical backgrounds. Following this phase, Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ engage in a hands-on, supervised clinical practice experience at various clinical rotation sites.
The clinical rotations encompass seven core disciplines: emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, women's health, and pediatrics, as well as an elective rotation. The program wraps up with a comprehensive summative evaluation and post-clinical courses, effectively preparing Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ to transition into professional practice as physician associates/assistants successfully.
As a developing program, the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ Physician Associate (PA) Program eagerly anticipates welcoming its inaugural cohort of PA Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ in the Fall semester of 2026, pending accreditation.
PA Studies Events
MPAS Program FAQs
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Students who successfully complete the program will earn a Master of Physician Associate (PA) Studies degree.
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UM's Master of Physician Associate (PA) Studies program will take 26 months to complete.
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Students in the MPAS program will attend full-time, on-campus in a face-to-face format.
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The anticipated number of matriculants per cohort is 24 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥.
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Each cohort will begin in the month of August. The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2026.
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All elements of the application are included within and should be submitted to CASPA.
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You may have up to two outstanding prerequisite courses to complete at the time of application. Be sure to identify that the required courses are “planned” or “in-progress” in the CASPA application.