About The Physician Assistant MS Program

Offering an Exceptional Education

Albany Medical College has been educating physician assistants since 1972. Leading-edge technologies at Albany Medical College, including our Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center, enhance our mission of educating students to become physician assistants who provide highly skilled, cost-effective, patient-centered care in a variety of settings.

The program design involves 28 consecutive months of didactic instruction, clinical rotations, and research. During the first four terms, students complete coursework in basic medical sciences, behavioral and social sciences, health policy, clinical preparatory science, and research methods. View our didactic and clinical curriculum.

During the clinical year (Terms 5-7) students complete rotations in medicine, surgery, and medical and surgical specialties. A portfolio for clinical masters students is developed with ongoing faculty advisement throughout the program.

Graduation requirements include successful completion of all coursework and clinical rotations, assessment of professionalism, a portfolio for the clinical masters degree, and passing of summative clinical competency and written examinations. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Our Goals & How We Meet Them

Prepare students to practice as competent physician assistants

100 percent of students enrolled in the last five graduating classes completed the program.
99 percent of students graduating passed the PANCE, 96 percent on the first attempt.
As an Albany Medical College graduate, you can expect to be employed as a physician assistant immediately upon completing certification and licensing. The profession is one of the fastest growing in the country and demand for Albany Medical College graduates far exceeds the supply.

View our NCCPA PANCE Exam Summary Report

Prepare, promote, and encourage graduates to practice in underserved, rural, and culturally diverse settings

100 percent of students graduating completed at least two clinical rotations in these settings.
Every student must engage in and document cultural competency during patient encounters in the clinical phase.

Prepare graduate-level physician assistants to engage in the scholarly activities of the profession

100 percent of graduating students demonstrated the ability to apply evidence-based medicine methods to patient care.
100 percent of graduating students prepared and presented a publication quality poster to the Albany Medical College community.