Department of Physician Assistant Studies
Mission
The Mission of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio is to prepare outstanding physician assistants to recognize and treat acute and chronic illness and promote health. The Department of Physician Assistant Studies makes lives better by improving the health care, health outcomes and the wellbeing of patients and their families through education, practice, service, and research.
Vision
By 2022, the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, will be recognized as a world-class Physician Assistant program and be amongst the best programs in the United States. We will lead the nation in Physician Assistant education, scholarship, and service.
Goals
We focus on attracting and educating a diverse student body to become excellent health care providers. We also aim to sustain a high first-time Physician Assistant National Certification Exam pass rate. Over the past three years, our students’ Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) pass rate has been above the national average for first-time exam takers. Over the past five years, our first-time pass rate has also exceeded the national average. We cultivate graduates who are competitively marketable as health care providers. Over the past five years, 92.4 percent of our graduates were licensed to practice within six months of graduation. In addition, 100 percent of these licensed providers are currently practicing medicine.
The table, which reflects the varied and wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences of our students, demonstrates our continued commitment to diversity.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matriculation Size | |||||
| San Antonio | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Laredo | N/A | N/A | 10 | 12 | 15 |
| TOTAL | 45 | 45 | 55 | 57 | 60 |
| Race/Ethnicity | |||||
| African American | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hispanic | 17 | 5 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
| Native American | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 8 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 15 |
| Caucasian | 17 | 27 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| Gender | |||||
| Male | 12 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 16 |
| Female | 33 | 37 | 43 | 45 | 42 |
| Age | 24 (20-39) | 24 (20-44) | 26 (20-52) | 25 (20-41) | 24 (20-43) |
| Military Experience | 0 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Disadvantaged | |||||
| From a Health Professional Shortage Area | 6 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 24 |
| Education | 19 | 10 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| Economic | 16 | 8 | 29 | 20 | 21 |