Physician Assistant Studies Program
Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Physician Assistants (PAs) are healthcare providers who are authorized to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician. The mission of the RRCC PA Program is to prepare physician assistants to practice and promote empathic, primary-care focused medicine that serves the community.
The Physician Assistant Master’s degree program is a rigorous, year-round, 27-month curriculum. Students progress through the full-time prescribed curriculum as a cohort. Completion of the program qualifies graduates to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). Approximately 13 months of the program is on-campus didactic curriculum involving classroom, laboratory, and small-group work. The remainder of the program is devoted to off-campus clinical rotations and completing the Master’s capstone project. The program’s clinical rotations are throughout Colorado and Wyoming, many in rural and underserved areas.
Please note that admissions requirements, program curriculum, and graduation requirements are subject to change. The RRCC PA program website is the most current source for program information.
Program Application and Admission Criteria
Candidates must submit an application to the program through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). At the time of application, candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, the required prerequisites, and 2000 hours of paid, health care-relevant experience.
Accreditation
The Red Rocks Community College Physician Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The RRCC Program offers courses leading to a Certificate in PA Studies and prepares the student for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) which is administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Upon passage of the PANCE, graduates are eligible for licensure in any state.
Physician Assistant Studies Master's Degree requirements