Physician Assistant Studies

 

Program Goals

The Physician Assistant Studies program is committed to addressing the critical shortage of healthcare providers in East Texas through the education and training of compassionate, competent, and community-oriented Physician Assistants. Grounded in the mission to improve access to quality care, our program supports students prepared to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare across the lifespan. Through immersive clinical experiences, evidence-based instruction, and interprofessional collaboration, students gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to excel in both primary and specialty care settings.

The program emphasizes meaningful partnerships with hospitals, clinics and community organizations to expand clinical training opportunities and strengthen the regional healthcare infrastructure. These collaborations not only enhance student learning but also create pathways for graduate retention within East Texas, fostering a sustainable healthcare workforce. Students engage directly with the community through service-learning, outreach, and clinical rotations that address non-medical drivers of health and promote preventive and chronic disease management.

Academic excellence and innovation form the cornerstone of the program’s approach. A rigorous curriculum integrates cutting-edge technology, simulation, and evidence-based practice with ongoing faculty development to ensure the highest standards of instruction. Graduates emerge as lifelong learners and leaders—equipped to advance health, support workforce development, and contribute to the region’s economic growth through service, scholarship, and professional excellence.

Core Values

• Excellence - Refusing to accept anything but the best in all we do.

• Perseverance - Persisting in pursuit of success, despite any obstacles.
• Integrity/Respect - Remembering due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights and traditions of all.
• Community - Promoting a feeling of fellowship with others by focusing on our common attitudes, interests, and goals.
• Creativity - Using our imagination to generate novel ideas to solve the health disparities of East Texas.
• Service - Transformational, service-focused leadership in achieving daring goals.

Create an E.P.I.C.C.S- An Epic culture of service, creativity, and excellence

ARC-PA Accreditation Statement