Physician Assistant Studies

Program profile

Congratulations Class of 2026 on receiving your White Coat!

Karin Wright, a student in UWL's Physician Assistant Program, took first place in this year's Say it in 6 contest through Graduate & Extended Learning. The judges said Wright's submission — “We study today to serve tomorrow” — best captured a day in the life of a graduate student.

Maggie Laufenberg, a clinical assistant professor in the Health Professions Department, is one of six UWL faculty to earn a 2022 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award.

Program profile

Accreditation Status

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Physician Assistant Program. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be Fall 2027. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

Mission & vision

Mission

In collaboration with nationally renowned partners, we develop exemplary PAs, in an inclusive culture, who equitably optimize the health of our region.

Vision

We will continue to be a nationally recognized program by:

Selecting students with the academic background, interpersonal skills and maturity necessary to be outstanding physician assistants
Educating students who will excel in improving the health and wellness of patients through the supervised practice of medicine
Developing students who are grounded in professional ethics, cultural sensitivity, and the use of evidence based medicine.

Program Goals (ARC A3.11b)

Goal 1: The program will attract highly qualified applicants with the academic background necessary to successfully complete the rigorous training required to become a physician assistant.

Benchmark	Program Outcome*	Benchmark Result
Number of verified CASPA applications will equal or exceed 400	406	Met
Ratio of verified CASPA applications to matriculants will equal or exceed 14.2	14.5:1	Met
Mean cumulative undergraduate GPA of matriculants will equal or exceed 3.0	3.90	Met
Mean science undergraduate GPA of matriculants will equal or exceed 3.0	3.87	Met
Mean Verbal GRE score of matriculants will equal or exceed 140	155	Met
Mean Quantitative GRE score of matriculants will equal or exceed 140	156	Met
Student Attrition Rate will be 10% or less	3.6%	Met

*Data pertain to the Class of 2025, who applied in 2022, matriculated in June 2023, and graduated in May 2025.

Goal 2: The program will ensure that its graduates attain the medical knowledge necessary to become highly competent physician assistants.

Benchmark	Program Outcome*	Benchmark Result
100% of graduates’ End of Curriculum Exam scores will equal or exceed 1400	100%	Met
100% of graduates will earn mean preceptor ratings for Medical Knowledge of 3.0 or higher on a 5-point Likert Scale	100%	Met
Program’s First-time Taker PANCE Pass Rate will exceed the National First-time Taker Pass Rate of 93%**	100%	Met
Program’s All Taker PANCE Pass Rate will be 100%	100%	Met

*Data pertain to the Class of 2025, who applied in 2022, matriculated in June 2023, and graduated in May 2025.

**NCCCPA Class of 2025

Goal 3: The program will ensure the development of excellent interpersonal skills essential for the effective practice of medicine as a physician assistant.

Benchmark	Program Outcome*	Benchmark Result
On the final didactic simulated patient encounter, 90% of students’ communication scores will equal or exceed 70%	96.2%	Met
On the final clinical simulated patient encounter, 90% of students’ communication scores will equal or exceed 70%	96.2%	Met
90% of graduates will earn mean preceptor ratings for Patient Rapport of 3.0 or higher on a 5-point Likert Scale	100%	Met
90% of graduates will earn mean preceptor ratings for Professional Relationships of 3.0 or higher on a 5-point Likert Scale	100%	Met

*Data pertain to the Class of 2025, who applied in 2022, matriculated in June 2023, and graduated in May 2025.

Goal 4: The program will educate physician assistants who will meet the healthcare needs of the regions served by the partner institutions.

Benchmark	Program Outcome*	Benchmark Result
30% or more graduates will accept initial employment in the regions served by the partner institutions	40.7%	Met
5-year average rate of initial regional employment will equal or exceed 40%	40.1%	Met
25% or more graduates will accept initial employment in partner institutions	33.3%	Met

*Data pertain to the Class of 2025, who applied in 2022, matriculated in June 2023, and graduated in May 2025.

Program Learning Outcomes

The program’s curriculum has been developed in accordance with the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education, 6th Edition, by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). As such, graduates are expected to demonstrate competency in the following areas:

Learning Outcome Domain	Description
Knowledge	Apply established and evolving core medical knowledge, including biomedical, epidemiological, behavioral, and psychosocial principles, to provide patient-centered care across the lifespan. (PLO1)
Interpersonal Skills	Establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and families that foster the effective exchange of information and shared decision making. (PLO2)
	Communicate patient health information in written, oral, and digital forms to patients, families, and members of the healthcare team. (PLO3)
	Collaborate with members of the healthcare team to provide integrated, patient-centered care. (PLO4)
Clinical and Technical Skills	Gather and document accurate and essential information about patients through history taking and physical examination. (PLO5)
Clinical and Technical Skills	Safely perform medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures commonly encountered upon entry into general medical practice. (PLO6)
Clinical reasoning and Problem Solving	Synthesize information to develop and prioritize a differential diagnosis. (PLO7)
	Recommend and interpret diagnostic and screening tests. (PLO8)
	Develop, implement, and modify management plans that optimize patient health and enable shared decision making. (PLO9)
Professional Behaviors	Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors necessary to provide safe and quality care to patients and populations. (PLO10)
Professional Behaviors	Demonstrate critical analysis of personal practices, medical literature, and other health information to improve clinical practice outcomes for patients and populations. (PLO11)

Graduation Rates and Attrition

Student Attrition	Graduated
Student Attrition	Class of 2025	Class of 2024	Class of 2023
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA)	31	31	31
Entering class size	28	29	28
Graduates	27	29	25
* Attrition rate	3.5	0	10.7
** Graduation rate	96.4	100	89.3

Data is current as of 05/2025

*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort (decelerated + withdrawals +dismissals) divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).

**Graduation rate calculation: Number of cohort graduates divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).

Curriculum

This full time, in-person only program accepts and enrolls one class per year. Accepted students must begin the program in the summer, with classes typically beginning after Memorial Day.

The 108 total credit curriculum is tightly sequenced over 24 months and consists of a 12-month Preclinical Year and a 12-month Clinical Year. The Clinical Year includes 44 weeks of clinical rotations.

Full course descriptions

Semester 1 - Summer (13 credits)

PAS 509 - Human Gross Anatomy (3 credits)
PAS 510 - Applied Human Gross Anatomy Lab (3 credits)
PAS 626 - Physiology for the Medical Professional (4 credits)
PAS 640 - Introduction to the PA Profession (1 credit)
PAS 680 - Pathology (1 credit)
PAS 700 - Society and Population Health (1 credit)

Semester 2 - Fall (22 credits)

PAS 630 - Clinical Pharmacology I (3 credits)
PAS 642 - Medical History and Physical Exam (3 credits)
PAS 643 - Applied Medical History and Physical Exam Lab (1 credit)
PAS 654 - Evidenced Based Practice for PAs (2 credits)
PAS 681 - Medical Diagnostics (1 credit)
PAS 800 - Clinical Assessment I Lab(1 credit)
Clinical Medicine Courses -
- PAS 682 - Cardiology
- PAS 683 - Gastroenterology
- PAS 685 - Pulmonology
- PAS 703 - Endocrinology
- PAS 707 - Hematology
- PAS 711 - Clinical Neurosciences I

Semester 3 - Winter (3 credits)

PAS 637 - Clinical Practice Skills I (1 credit)
PAS 649 - Healthcare Administration, Law and Ethics (1 credit)
Clinical Medicine Course
- PAS 717 - Rheumatology (1 credit)

Semester 4 - Spring (19 credits)

PAS 631 - Clinical Pharmacology II (2 credits)
PAS 647 - Applied Clinical Practice Skills Lab (2 credit)
PAS 652 - Clinical Procedure Skills (2 credits)
PAS 801 - Clinical Assessment II Lab(1 credit)
Clinical Medicine Courses -
- PAS 628 - Infectious Diseases (2 credits)
- PAS 701 - Nephrology (1 credit)
- PAS 709 - Emergency Medicine (1 credit)
- PAS 712 - Clinical Neurosciences II - Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry (2 credits)
- PAS 760 - Obstetrics-Maternal/Fetal Medicine (1 credit)
- PAS 762 - Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (1 credit)
- PAS 763 - Genitourinary Medicine (1 credit)
- PAS 764 - Applied Genitourinary Medicine Lab (1 credit)
- PAS 770 - Principles of Surgical Medicine (1 credit)
- PAS 771 - Orthopedics (1 credit)
- PAS 772 - Otorhinolaryngology and Opthalmology (1credit)
- PAS 773 - Dermatology (1 credit)

Semester 5 (13 credits)

Clinical rotations 1-3 (4 credits each)
PAS 790 Professional Development I (1 credit)

Semester 6 (18 credits)

Clinical rotations 4-7 (4 credits each)
PAS 792 Professional Development II (2 credits)

Semester 7 (4 credits)

Clinical rotations 8 (4 credits)

Semester 8 (14 credits)

Clinical rotations 9-11 (4 credits each)
PAS 794 Professional Development III (1 credit)
PAS 802 Summative Assessment (1 credit)

*In extenuating circumstances, a current student may request extension of the didactic curriculum from one to two years. Program administration will only consider requests submitted by current students (requests will not be accepted as an initial enrollment option for incoming students). The clinical phase of the curriculum is only available on a full-time basis.

Clinical rotations

Students complete eleven, 4-week clinical rotations during the second year (June - April). Seven rotations are in required areas of medicine and intended to provide a broad foundation for a generalist physician assistant. Required areas include:

General surgery
Emergency medicine
Obstetrics/gynecology
Pediatrics
Internal medicine
Family medicine
Behavioral Health

The remaining four Specialty rotations occur in practice environments intended to broaden skill and knowledge base in addition to providing depth to the student's area/s of interest. Supplemental choices are determined by the program based on preceptor/site availability and student interest.

Clinical rotations are completed within the health systems of our partner institutions. This provides students with a variety of opportunities for experiences in the many rural and suburban clinics and hospitals within these health systems in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Additional information about partner specialties and practice sites is available via the links below.

Prospective and enrolled students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.

Travel is required for many rotation sites. Students are responsible for their own housing and transportation during the clinical year. Some clinical sites are able to provide housing; however, this is highly specific to the location and current availability. Students are encouraged to secure housing through known contacts, personal connections, and former students.

The following calculator can be used to estimate the cost of typical living expenses in the locations of each of the health systems.

Living Wage Calculator La Crosse-Onalaska, Wisconsin

Living Wage Calculator Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

Living Wage Calculator Wood County, Wisconsin

Living Wage Calculator Rochester, MN (Olmstead County)

Facilities

Health Science Center (HSC) serves as the UWL-PA program's home. The HSC provides lecture space for didactic courses, exam rooms, and a student resource room. Take a virtual tour of the facility you will use in the first year of your program.

Program history

UW-La Crosse, in partnership with the Gundersen Medical Foundation of La Crosse and the Mayo Clinic School of Health Science of Rochester, Minnesota, first established this physician assistant educational program in 1995 as a Bachelor of Science program. In June of 2004, the program enrolled its first class in the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program. Marshfield Clinic joined the programmatic partnership in August of 2017. This addition provided additional sites for student clinical rotations. Over the course of the program, the regions served by our students through partner institutions have expanded to include central and western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and Iowa.