Program Mission Statement
The Marietta College Physician Assistant Program is dedicated to educating future physician assistants to provide quality healthcare (physical, social, and behavioral) to meet the needs of patients in Ohio and throughout the Appalachian region.
The program accomplishes this mission by educating individuals who have the academic, clinical and interpersonal proficiencies necessary to practice as physician assistants.
Program Goals
- To deliver an academic and clinical curriculum that prepares students to successfully pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) and to obtain first-time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average.
| Class | # of FTT* | Prog. FTT* Pass Rate | National FTT* Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2019 | 37 | 92% | 93% |
| Class of 2020 | 34 | 97% | 95% |
| Class of 2021 | 37 | 95% | 93% |
| Class of 2022 | 35 | 100% | 92% |
| Class of 2023 | 36 | 97% | *Available 2023 |
*First Time Taker
- To provide the student support necessary to maintain a graduation rate of 94% or above.
- Graduation rate for Class of 2023 – 100%
- Overall graduation rate – 99.1%
- To cultivate competent and gainfully employed physician assistants with 50% providing care to patients in Ohio and the Appalachian region.
- Job placement rate for Class of 2022 six months after graduation – %
- Overall percentage of graduates practicing in Ohio and the Appalachian region – 70%
- Graduates in the 2023 cohort demonstrated two thirds had accepted a PA position prior to graduation with 76% of respondents working in an underserved area and 84% in the Ohio/Appalachian region
- 94% of preceptors rated the overall performance of the Marietta College PA student working with them as "above average" or "excellent;" no preceptor rated an overall student performance as "below average" or "poor."
- To foster critical thinking skills necessary for successful clinical practice.
- All students obtain 4 credit hours of research courses (PASP 590 and PASP 591) and are required to complete a Capstone Project (PASP 691) prior to graduation
- 65+ student/faculty journal or on-line publications
- Didactic students participate in case based clinical scenarios each semester
- Didactic and clinical students perform multiple problem oriented complaints (POC) throughout the program
- Clinical students perform multiple objective structured clinical exams (OSCE) as part of call back day activities.