Department: Physician Assistant Studies
Contacts
Office: Medical School Office Building (MSOB), 1265 Welch Road, Ste. 100
Mail Code: 5195
Phone: (650) 725-6959
Web Site: http://med.stanford.edu/pa
Courses offered by the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program are listed under the subject code PAS on the Stanford Bulletin’s Explore Courses website.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Physician Assistant Studies, or MSPA, program is a 9-quarter program (with one summer break) that includes streamlined courses with innovative content delivery, a state-of-the-art simulation lab, and world-class clinical anatomy experiences as well as early exposure to patient care. Students receive mentorship and support in their academic and research focus areas by clinically practicing Stanford PAs. During the didactic work, PA students are located at the School of Medicine and enroll as a cohort in a clinically focused curriculum. A substantial portion of their courses are integrated with medical students, allowing for an invaluable interprofessional education experience. During their clerkship year, students rotate through Stanford-affiliated hospitals and ambulatory practices as well as select sites throughout California. In an innovative approach to PA education that encourages the next generation of PA leaders, students are required to select one leadership track and complete a capstone project in that area. The leadership tracks include:
Community Health
Health Services and Policy Research
Clinical Research
Medical Education
Healthcare Administration
Upon completion of this program, students are prepared to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE).
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program is open to external as well as internal applicants. Advanced placement and coterminal degrees for Stanford University undergraduates are not available at this time. Individuals who wish to apply to the program should do so via the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). The application window typically opens at the end of April and closes on August 1, though the deadline has been extended to October 1 for the 2020 application cycle only. GRE scores or MCAT scores are typically required, though this requirement is being waived for the 2020 application cycle. The CASPer exam is also required, and this requirement has not been waived for the 2020 cycle. An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited US educational institution is required; applicants with a graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. academic institution and an equivalent undergraduate degree (see required minimum level of study) from a recognized academic institution outside the U.S. are also eligible to apply. For detailed information on applying, please visit the Admissions section of our website.
Faculty
Leadership
Associate Dean for PA Education and Program Director: Susan Fernandes
Associate Program Director: Rhonda Larsen
Medical Director: Andrew Nevins
Associate Medical Director: Ian Nelligan
Core Faculty
Director of Pre-Clerkship Education: Nicole Burwell
Director of Clerkship Education: Kendra Patton Silverman
Director of Student Scholarship: Michele Toussaint
Clinical Site Director - Central Valley: Sampath (Sam) Wijesinghe
Educators for Care PA (E4C-PA) Faculty
Lead E4C-PA: Courtney Nelson
Chad Anderson
Camille Bloom
Andrea Fox
Jennifer Hunter
Rochelle Reyes
Hannah Wright