Physician Assistant Program Data
PA National Certification Exam 5-Year Pass Rates
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants is the credentialing organization for physician assistants in the U.S. It administers the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam, which students must pass to practice as a certified PA.
NCCPA Exam Performance Summary Report
| Class | Class Graduation Year | Group | Number of Candidates Who Took PANCE | Number of Exam Attempts | Number of Exams Passed | Program Exam Pass Rate | National Exam Pass Rate for the Class Graduation Year | % of Candidates Who Ultimately Passed PANCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2023 | 2023 | All Takers | 38 | 47 | 36 | 77% | 89% | 95% |
| First Time Takers | 38 | 38 | 31 | 82% | 92% | 95% | ||
| Class of 2024 | 2024 | All Takers | 43 | 45 | 42 | 93% | 91% | 98% |
| First Time Takers | 43 | 43 | 40 | 93% | 93% | 98% |
Program Goals and Outcomes
Goal 1: Prepare PA students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter clinical practice.
Goal 2: Cultivate student professionalism within the PA program.
Goal 3: Promote a diverse and inclusive PA program environment.
Goal 4: Prepare students as leaders and advocates for the PA profession.
Student Attrition Rates
| Graduated Classes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2023 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2025 | |
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 40 | 46 | |
| Entering class size | 40 | 48 | |
| Graduates | 38 | 45 | |
| * Attrition rate | 5% | 6% | |
| **Graduation rate | 95% | 94% | |
*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort (decelerated + withdrawals + dismissals) divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).
**Graduation rate calculation: Number of cohort graduates divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).