Introduction

The UMDNJ Physician Assistant Program, located at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, confers a Master of Science degree upon completion of three years of didactic and clinical education. We have been educating PAs since 1975, and are fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).

There are two routes of entry into this program. Most students are admitted directly into the professional program after earning a baccalaureate degree and completing the required prerequisite courses.

Another possible route of entry is for students who have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. These students may be admitted into the articulated BA/MS program through one of our affiliated universities.

During the didactic phase of the Program, students study the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc.) which provide a foundation for the clinical sciences (clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, etc.) During the clinical phase, we offer extensive training, including rotations in inpatient medicine, ambulatory care, surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, intensive care medicine, and a medical sub-specialty (cardiology, gastroenterology, HIV/AIDS, or geriatrics). During the final semester, students may choose an elective rotation from a wide variety of disciplines such as cardiology, infectious disease, dermatology, gastroenterology, and surgical subspecialties or arrange a rotation at a site of their choosing anywhere in the United States.

We believe our three-year format affords the best opportunity for educating a physician assistant, and we are pleased that the very high ranking of our program on the national certifying exam supports this. Our program is one of the top programs in the Country. Our graduates consistently achieve a 100% first-time pass rate on the national certifying examination, with scores that place the program in or above the 97th percentile nationwide.