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Physician Assistant Studies

A page within Physician Assistant Studies

Become a PA with UW-La Crosse!

PA Class of 2024 Graduation PA Class of 2024 Graduation
Physician Assistant Class of 2024 White Coat Ceremony Physician Assistant Class of 2024 White Coat Ceremony
Students and faulty practicing exam techniques Students and faulty practicing exam techniques
PA Class of 2024 Winter Clothing Drive PA Class of 2024 Winter Clothing Drive
PA Class of 2025 PA Class of 2025
Students practicing exam techniques Students practicing exam techniques
Class of 2025 at the Mayo Clinic Class of 2025 at the Mayo Clinic

Program partnerships

The UWL PA program represents a unique collaboration with our clinical partners:

Students benefit from the expertise of dedicated academic and clinical instructors each of the four institutions. In the first year, didactic instruction is completed at the UWL Health Science Center. Second year clinical instruction occurs within the healthcare systems represented by our three clinical partners. 

UWL PA program logo

Accolades for graduate preparation

UWL Campus in Spring

What is a physician assistant?

Physician assistants/physician associates (PAs) are licensed, certified healthcare professionals who practice medicine in partnership with physicians. PAs work in a variety of practice settings, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and research centers. Duties include:

  • Take medical history
  • Conduct physical exams
  • Diagnose & treat illness
  • Order & interpret tests
  • Develop treatment plans
  • Provide preventive care
  • Assist in surgery
  • Write prescriptions
  • Make rounds
  • Perform clinical research
PA students practicing eye exam

A day in the life of a grad student

Our students were challenged to describe their graduate experience with one image and six words. Below are the 2021 "Say it in 6" entries from the Physician Assistant Studies program. 

Karin W. (click image to view larger version) Karin W. Karin W. (click image to view larger version)
Anna H. (click image to view larger version) Anna H Anna H. (click image to view larger version)
Emily J. (click image to view larger version) Emily J Emily J. (click image to view larger version)
Hannah S. (click image to view larger version) Hannah S Hannah S. (click image to view larger version)
Jessica G. (click image to view larger version) Jessica G Jessica G. (click image to view larger version)
Morgan S. (click image to view larger version) Morgan S Morgan S. (click image to view larger version)

Contact our program

PROGRAM INQUIRIES & APPLICATION QUESTIONS 

Peter Amann  Profile of Peter Amann

Health professions news feed

UWL College of Business Administration faculty and Mayo Clinic Health System leaders merged academic insight with industry expertise to help shape a better healthcare experience for all. [Pictured left to right: Uzay Damali and Tanner Holst] From campus to clinic Posted 8:50 a.m. Wednesday, June 25, 2025 UWL, Mayo leaders collaborate on healthcare technology research Read more about From campus to clinic There’s a strong connection between UW-La Crosse and Tomah Health, especially when it comes to the hospital’s Rehabilitation Services Department -- with nearly 75% of the department being UWL graduates. A healthy partnership Posted 12:11 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2025 UWL grads bring wealth of knowledge, compassion to Tomah Health rehab services Read more about A healthy partnership From left, students from the KLE Institute of Physiotherapy in Belagavi, India, Supriyo Sarkar and Shreyasi Ghatkar apply reflective markers on Anuradha Paramshetti, another student from KLE. Paramshetti stands on the force plate-embedded treadmill called Treadmetrix. Crossing borders, building skills Posted 9:49 a.m. Monday, May 5, 2025 Visiting physical therapy students from India experience innovation and community engagement at UWL Read more about Crossing borders, building skills All of Naghmeh Gheidi’s research studies place a strong emphasis on student involvement. Students are developing the literature review, planning the experiments, collecting the results and analyzing them – all with her mentorship. Here UWL student Tori Bott, left, places reflective markers on the patient, Karen Saegrove, with Naghmeh Gheidi, far right. Hope beyond ‘no cure’ conditions Posted 9:39 a.m. Sunday, April 20, 2025 UWL students explore new evidence for Parkinson’s and other chronic conditions Read more about Hope beyond ‘no cure’ conditions Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease that affects the cartilage cushioning the ends of bones in joints. Non-surgical management of knee arthritis Posted 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 UWL researchers highlight simple, non-surgical approaches that can reduce knee pain Read more about Non-surgical management of knee arthritis
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