Choosing a career as a Physician Assistant (PA) is a smart decision for those passionate about healthcare, patient care, and working alongside medical professionals.
With the healthcare industry rapidly expanding, PAs are in high demand due to their versatility, expertise, and ability to provide critical services. However, to become a successful PA, selecting the right educational program is crucial.
This guide highlights 13 top Physician Assistant programs. Whether you are a recent graduate or a professional making a career shift, these programs offer the education and clinical training you need to thrive.
13 Top Physician Assistant Programs
Here are top Physician assistant school programs you can enroll in this 2025:
- Duke University
- University of Utah – Salt Lake City, Utah
- George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)
- A. T. Still University – Kirksville, Missouri
- University of Wisconsin at Madison – Madison, Wisconsin
- Augusta University -Augusta, Georgia
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program
- Emory University – Atlanta, Georgia
- University of Iowa
- University of Southern California (USC) (Los Angeles, California)
- Touro College – New York, New York
- Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) – PA Program
Read Also: Top Deloitte Internship Programs
1. Duke University
First on our list of top Physician Assistant Program schools is Duke University. The school accredited its first Physical Assistant program in 1965.
This Duke University PA program’s curriculum is highly structured, integrating problem-based learning, medical simulation, and early clinical exposure. It covers advanced coursework in clinical anatomy, pharmacotherapeutics, pathophysiology, and diagnostic medicine, delivered through small-group, case-based discussions.
Every year, the school accepts approximately 80 students into the department. They have a graduation rate of 98% and a PANCE pass rate of 98-100% with full accreditation from ARC-PA.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
2. University of Utah – Salt Lake City, Utah
Among the top physician assistant programs worth going for is the University of Utah PA program. The university is known for its consistency in offering a high-standard PA program that covers rural medicine, primary care, and service to underserved populations.
The program’s curriculum focuses on physician shortages in remote areas, with a dedicated track in Native American health services.
Their faculty consists of experts in rural medicine, wilderness medicine, and emergency trauma care, offering students unique insights into providing healthcare in challenging environments. They have a PANCE pass rate of 94-96% and full accreditation from ARC-PA.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
3. George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)
With a focus on medical research, healthcare policy, and public health, George Washington University (GW) provides one of the nation’s most distinctive and multidisciplinary PA programs, such as the Intersection of Medicine, Public Health, and Policy.
Offering a dual PA/MPH (Master of Public Health) degree, the program is among the few in the country that enables students to obtain training in both public health policy and clinical medicine.
The program is designed to give PA students extensive instruction in biostatistics, healthcare law, epidemiology, and policy analysis.
This prepares graduates for careers in government healthcare administration as well as clinical practice. The program at GW, which is situated in the center of Washington, D.C., provides unparalleled exposure to nonprofits, public health facilities, and federal agencies.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
Read Also: Best NMSC Scholarship Programs
4. A. T. Still University – Kirksville, Missouri
Among the top physician assistant programs in the world is the A. T. Still University Advanced Physician Assistant online degree program. This Master of Science in Advanced Physician Assistant Studies offers a direct path to the APA credential.
The areas this program covers include professional practice issues, medical writing, ethics, clinical research design, and medicine.
To enroll, you must be willing to build a career in the physician assistant field. The good thing about this program is that you don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree to pursue this program. And they have a 5-Year PANCE pass rate of 96%.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
5. University of Wisconsin at Madison – Madison, Wisconsin
Next on our list of best physician assistant programs that can you gain advanced knowledge in your physician assistant career is the Masters of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) at the University of Wisconsin.
The program includes both didactic coursework and clinical experiences. And it’s also a flexible hybrid program; that means you can study both on campus and online.
Students can anticipate spending two, three- to four-day brief residencies on campus per semester. Two years are needed to finish the coursework. During their last year, students participate in a full-time clinical component in the community.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
6. Augusta University -Augusta, Georgia
Augusta University is another university that offers an advanced physician assistant program. Their Online Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) Bridge Program is basically for students with undergraduate degree programs.
The PA program is a web-based program that covers courses like pharmacotherapeutics, diagnostic methods, and pathology, medical communication, and physical assessment.
Another good thing about this program is that it’s a one-year program. That means it can be completed in a year.
Note, they have a 5-Year PANCE pass rate of 100% and a faculty: student ratio of 15:1.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
7. University of Nebraska Medical Center
Next on our list is the University of Nebraska Medical Center PA program. They offer an advanced program in Physician Assistant that focuses on clinical practice and education.
It’s a master’s physician assistant program that covers courses in health care policy, clinical inquiry and writing, and health care ethics management in healthcare.
They have a 5-Year PANCE Pass Rate: 100% and a faculty: student ratio of 2:1.
Note, the average graduate tuition is around $8,721/yr in-state and $24,975/year out-of-state.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
Read Also: How to Apply for Canada Caregiver Program 2025
8. Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program
Yale University’s Physician Assistant Online Program is one of the first nationally recognized, high-ranking PA programs delivered in a hybrid format.
Designed for individuals who may not have access to traditional, campus-based education, this program combines online coursework with hands-on clinical rotations in your local community or designated sites across the country.
This program offers the prestige of a Yale education from anywhere in the U.S. It also blends interactive online learning with in-person clinical training and maintains small class sizes and high faculty engagement.
To enroll, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, competitive GRE scores, and a minimum of 500 to 1,000 hours of healthcare-related experience. Note, prerequisite courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and statistics are also needed.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
9. Emory University – Atlanta, Georgia
One of the most selective PA programs in the nation, Emory University is known for turning out highly skilled and adaptable PAs.
In order to ensure that PA students collaborate with medical students, public health experts, and nursing students to create a comprehensive approach to patient care, research, and healthcare policy, the school’s demanding medical education model is intricately woven into interdisciplinary healthcare training.
Emory’s problem-based learning (PBL) approach, which emphasizes case-based situations, clinical simulations, and actual patient contacts, is one of the curriculum’s distinguishing features.
Students can participate in infectious disease research, public health initiatives, and the development of health policies due to the school’s robust research component.
Note, they have a 5-Year PANCE Pass Rate of 95-97% and accreditation from ARC-PA.
For students looking to enter specialized medical fields, Emory offers elective rotations in neurology, oncology, endocrinology, and cardiothoracic surgery, as well as an optional PA residency program in emergency medicine.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
10. University of Iowa
Next on our list of top physician assistant programs is the University of Iowa’s Physician Assistant program. Their program curriculum is among the top three nationwide and it’s and it’s committed to evidence-based medicine with a PANCE pass rate of 99%.
The PA program at IOWA Coursework covers clinical decision-making and medical research, integrating biostatistics, epidemiology, and genomics into traditional medical training.
One of the interesting things about this school is its strong clinical training infrastructure and standard healthcare systems. Note: the program was accredited by ARC-PA.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
Read Also: 20 Fully Funded Masters Degree Scholarship Program Korea
11. University of Southern California (USC) (Los Angeles, California)
USC’s PA program at the Keck School of Medicine is one of the oldest and most respected in the United States. It is one of the best PA schools in California
Situated in a dynamic urban healthcare environment, the program prepares students to serve diverse populations with a strong emphasis on primary care and public health.
This program covers an extensive clinical network across Los Angeles and Southern California. It also emphasizes community-based, culturally competent healthcare and offers opportunities to participate in global health and underserved community initiatives.
To enroll, you need a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record, GRE scores, and a minimum of 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
12. Touro College – New York, New York
Touro College offers a Master’s Completion Program to students interested in advancing their career in Physician Assistant.
The program is a one-year degree program that covers medical ethics and healthcare policy, health science epidemiology and biostatistics, medical research methods, and evidence-based medicine.
Note, they have a 5-Year PANCE pass rate of 97% and a faculty: student ratio of 11:1.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
13. Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) – PA Program
Finally on our list of top physician assistant programs is the Oregon Health & Science University PA program.
OHSU’s PA Program offers a balanced and mission-driven curriculum with a strong emphasis on interprofessional education and rural health care.
As Oregon’s premier health sciences university, OHSU provides PA students with access to top-tier facilities and a vast network of clinical partnerships, particularly in underserved and remote communities.
This program focuses on serving rural and medically underserved populations. To be eligible for this PA program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in any major, with prerequisite coursework in the sciences, a minimum of 2,000 hours of direct patient care experience, and a strong background in service, leadership, and healthcare exposure. Also, experience as paramedics, medical assistants, or nurses is required.
To know more about this physician assistant program and apply, visit the PA school program’s official website below.
Read Also: Top Capital One Internship Programs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Most programs require a bachelor’s degree, minimum GPA (usually 3.0+), GRE or other exams, and 1000-2000 hours of patient care experience.
Most PA programs take between 24 and 36 months to complete, including classroom and clinical training.
Tuition can range from $35,000 to $140,000 depending on the school, residency status, and program format.
Yes, some schools like Yale offer online PA programs with in-person clinical rotations.
Duke, Emory, University of Iowa, Yale, and USC consistently rank among the top PA schools in the U.S.
Conclusion
Becoming a Physician Assistant opens doors to a rewarding career in healthcare. Choosing the right program is the first step toward success. Whether you’re looking for cutting-edge research opportunities, rural healthcare training, or flexible online programs, the 13 top PA schools listed above provide a variety of pathways to launch your career. Review their offerings, understand the costs, and apply with confidence to the program that best fits your goals and lifestyle.
References
- Usnews.com- Physician assistant rankings
- Goelective.com- top-15-pa-school-programs-in-the-us-ranked-updated
- Healthcare-management-degree.net- online-physician-assistant-certification-programs
- Magoosh.com –best-pa-schools
