PA Studies Program Overview
The University of Montana Physician Associate (PA) Program is dedicated to training physician associates/assistants to serve the rural communities of Montana and other underserved populations. This rigorous, full-time curriculum spans 26 months and culminates in the awarding of a Master of Physician Associate Studies (MPAS) degree.
The program begins with an intensive in-person didactic phase on our picturesque campus in Missoula, Montana, where students benefit from the diverse expertise of faculty members with extensive scientific and clinical backgrounds. Following this phase, students engage in a hands-on, supervised clinical practice experience at various clinical rotation sites.
The clinical rotations encompass seven core disciplines: emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, women's health, and pediatrics, as well as an elective rotation. The program wraps up with a comprehensive summative evaluation and post-clinical courses, effectively preparing students to transition into professional practice as physician associates/assistants successfully.
As a developing program, the University of Montana Physician Associate (PA) Program eagerly anticipates welcoming its inaugural cohort of PA students in the Fall semester of 2026, pending accreditation.
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MPAS Program FAQs
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Students who successfully complete the program will earn a Master of Physician Associate (PA) Studies degree.
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UM's Master of Physician Associate (PA) Studies program will take 26 months to complete.
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Students in the MPAS program will attend full-time, on-campus in a face-to-face format.
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The anticipated number of matriculants per cohort is 24 students.
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Each cohort will begin in the month of August. The University of Montana anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2026.
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All elements of the application are included within and should be submitted to CASPA.
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You may have up to two outstanding prerequisite courses to complete at the time of application. Be sure to identify that the required courses are “planned” or “in-progress” in the CASPA application.