Physician Assistant (M.S.)

Events & Visit Opportunities

July 25, 2013 - 4:00 PM - Physician Assistant Information Session
September 5, 2013 - 4:00 PM - Physician Assistant Information Session

The Physician Assistant Program at Seton Hill

Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine under physician supervision.  Physician assistants evaluate patients, perform physical examinations, order and interpret tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, assist in surgery and write prescriptions. While physician assistants work in all health care environments, traditionally physician assistants have chosen to serve in primary care.

Seton Hill offers two degrees in physician assistant: a combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science Program, and a Master of Science Program. Through the Physician Assistant Program at Seton Hill University students are exposed to wide-ranging academic experiences and hands-on clinical practice. Our faculty are dedicated educators and experienced health care providers who educate students to become clinically competent physician assistants who care for the whole patient - respecting diversity and delivering 'patient-centered' care that is ethically sound.

Why Choose Seton Hill's Physician Assistant Program?

• Collectively, Seton Hill's Physician Assistant Program faculty members have more than 115 years of clinical practice experience.

• 96% of Seton Hill's Physician Assistant Program graduates who have taken the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) in the past five years have passed on their first attempt. Click to View Pass Rate Summary Report (pdf).

• Students entering the program as freshmen can earn their B.S. and their M.S. in only five years.

• Small classes allow students to work directly with faculty members in a supportive environment.

• Seton Hill's program has a special emphasis on serving vulnerable populations.

• Seton Hill's program is fully-accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) through March 2014.

Master of Science in Physician Assistant

Seton Hill's Master of Science in Physician Assistant Program is a 27 month program that begins in Jaunary and graduates in May. During the first 15 months of the graduate program, students benefit from the expertise of Seton Hill's premier faculty through lectures, practical lab sessions, case presentations, problem-based learning sessions and off-campus clinical interactions. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules training and certification is provided to every student. The program concludes with a clinical training year, involving clinical rotations in health care facilities. In addition, each student is involved in research. 

Bachelor of Science/Master of Science
in Physician Assistant

This five year combined program gives freshmen the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in only five years. Students complete math, science and behavioral science course prerequisites, along with the core liberal arts degree requirements, in their first two and a half years of study and then enter the graduate program. Upon successful completion of both phases the student receives both the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Science.

Mission & Objectives of the Physician Assistant Program

The Physician Assistant Program at Seton Hill University is dedicated to the use of mobile technology to provide students with a quality academic and clinical education. All students will be trained as effective team members.  Program emphasis is on delivering optimal care in an efficient, effective and professional manner. The Physician Assistant Program at Seton Hill University strives to maintain a first time PANCE pass rate of 90% or greater for all students.

To achieve this goal the Physician Assistant Program will provide students with:

• The basic medical sciences needed for subsequent clinical studies and requisite to the role of the physician assistant.

• Training in the patient assessment, including techniques of interviewing and eliciting a medical history, physical examination, clinical procedures, information organization, and oral and written presentation.

• Information that presents medical findings from studies that focus on women and that highlight socioeconomic forces which impact on women in the health care system.

• The principles of clinical pharmacology and pharmaco-therapeutics appropriate to the medical therapy for common problems in clinical medicine.

• Information about the role of the physician assistant, including health care services delivery and the intra-professional, political, and legal factors of current and potential impact.

• A forum for discussion of ethical issues as they impact the physician assistant.

• Instruction in health psychology, behavioral medicine and the psychosocial factors that contribute to health with special attention given to cultural differences among patients.

• Instruction on how to interpret the medical literature in order to maintain a critical, current and operational knowledge of new medical evidence.

• Instruction and clinical practice experiences in those clinical disciplines relevant to primary care and major subspecialties. 

• A clinical practice experience across the full life span.