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Master of Science in PA Studies

Augsburg University’s PA Program is a primary-care focused program that challenges students to be their best and become compassionate, empathetic, and forward thinking healthcare providers. Established in 1994, we are Minnesota’s first PA Program and we continuously strive to go above and beyond for our students’ education and experience.

During our 27-month long, full-time program, students will gain the skills to provide team-based patient care in an inclusive and active learning environment and will graduate with a Master of Science in PA Studies.

 


 

Augsburg pa program logoPA PROGRAM History

In 1994, Augsburg University began the official launch of the Physician Assistant Program. We were a 4-year post baccalaureate program that enabled students to receive their PA license and certification. Not only was it the first (and only) PA program in Minnesota at the time, it was also designed to follow Augsburg University’s guiding principles and mission.

The first class of 23 students were located in the basement of Anderson hall and had 12 months of coursework followed by 15 months of clinical rotations and a 12-week long preceptorship. In 2002 we made the official switch to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree, among the first PA programs in the country to do so. Since then Augsburg PA has continued to change and listen to the demands and needs within healthcare.

Today, the program is 27 months long, with 15 months of coursework focused on clinical applications in human anatomy, clinical medicine, pharmacotherapy, history and physical examination, and community health and evidence-based practice. This is followed by 12 months of clinical rotations in family medicine, behavioral health, internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, reproductive health, pediatrics and electives. Our classrooms are located adjacent to Augsburg University on a large medical campus and our clinical training sites are located throughout Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and beyond. We are connected to a wide variety of diverse communities where our students live and learn.

PA PROGRAM MISSION

The mission of the Augsburg PA program is to educate empathic, community-minded, and forward-thinking health care leaders to practice in primary care with a focus on underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities.

The Augsburg PA program values team-based learning for team-based patient care through connection, inclusion, and innovation. Our goal is to have our students become informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, and critical thinkers in order to help patients of all walks of life.

 

WE AIM TO BE:

Informed Citizens: Community and Civic Engagement

The Augsburg PA Community and Civic Engagement curriculum provides students the opportunity to become informed citizens and develop an empathetic, transcultural, harm reduction approach through experiential learning in community settings. Health-focused experiences for first-year PA students are supported through collaboration with many community-based organizations.

 

Thoughtful Stewards: Community, Global, and Professional Responsibility

As part of the Augsburg PA Program Master’s Project, students will research, interpret, evaluate data, and form solutions to a modern healthcare problem within one of 3 tracks: Community, Global, and Professional. The final project is presented in poster form and published on Idun, Augsburg’s repository of scholarly and creative work.

 

Critical Thinkers: Inclusive and Active Learning Curriculum

An inclusive curriculum encourages student and faculty to reflect on how race, gender, and other socioeconomic factors are represented and addressed in healthcare and within the PA program. Our goal is to provide a safe, supportive space for students and faculty to engage in critical conversations that will drive change.

 

 


Program Policies

Program policies apply to all students, principle faculty, and the program director. A copy of the Augsburg PA Program policies can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OUkVArua8V18cYVL1qNzwcTq5yKZTJDe/view?usp=sharingbutton with text "pa program handbook" and photo of an open book

 

Discrimination, Bias, and Sexual Harassment

The Augsburg PA Program does not tolerate acts of discrimination, bias, or sexual harassment. The PA Program follows all Augsburg University Policies related to this topic:

button with text "Augsburg University Policies: Campus policy & procedures"

To report discrimination or a bias-incident please use the following link to connect to our online reporting form. If you would like more details on the reporting process and the reporting options you have, visit our bias form.

For more information on Augsburg Sexual Harassment policies or to report sexual harassment, please go to our harassment reporting portal.


Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Augsburg University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Augsburg University. 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 2029 June. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.