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PA Program Mission, Values & Goals

Explore the mission, values, goals and successes of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies at Stephens College.

Mission

The Stephens College Physician Assistant program is dedicated to transforming students into excellent clinicians who practice with compassion. The program emphasizes leadership within the profession while working in an inter-professional team.

Values

Integrity, Perseverance, Communication, Empathy, High Standards

Program Highlights

• Breadth of choices for clinical rotations in a variety of settings
• Small class sizes allowing for individual attention
• Modern newly built lab and classroom facilities
• Knowledgeable faculty with extensive experience in the field
• Commitment to mentorship and advising

Goals of the Program

1: Recruit applicants who will successfully complete the physician assistant curriculum.

Stephens College is dedicated to recruiting and selecting highly qualified applicants for its Master of Physician Assistant Program in Columbia, MO. To ensure the success of this effort, the program consistently evaluates its recruitment strategies, application procedures, interview process, and candidate selection.

The outcomes used to measure success in this goal include undergraduate cumulative GPA, Science GPA, Pre-requisite GPA,  and Average Direct Patient Care Hours.

SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOAL:

Stephens College strives to promote excellence in education through a carefully considered application process. Success for this goal is met by the following benchmarks: undergraduate cumulative GPA greater than 3.25, a pre-requisite GPA greater than 3.25, and an average of greater than 2000 direct patient care hours per cohort. 

2: Educate students with the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level clinical practice as a physician assistant.

Success in this goal will be demonstrated by assessing students in the following benchmarks:

• Summative OSCE passing with performance at or above “Average” in all assessed categories.
• Program End of Curriculum Student Group Mean Score at or above the National Mean
• Preceptor Evaluation of Students results for the following survey items:
  • Preceptor Evaluation of Students results for the following survey items:
  • a. Medical knowledge greater than 3.5/5.0 scale
  • b. Clinical procedures greater than 3.5/5.0 scale
  • c. Eliciting a patient history greater than 3.5/5.0 scale
  • d. Performing a physical exam greater than 3.5/5.0 scale.

SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOAL:

The 2023, 2024, and 2025 cohorts passed the Summative OSCE with a score at or above average in all categories.

All cohorts received a 3.5 or greater on a 5.0 scale for medical knowledge, clinical procedures, eliciting a patient history, and performing a physical exam.

3: Prepare students to deliver team-based collaborative primary care.

Stephens College is committed to providing interdisciplinary educational experiences to students. Students participate in and present at Interdisciplinary Grand Rounds at Stephens College and at the University of Missouri. Participants include first- and second-year physician assistant students, physician assistants in fellowships, practicing physician assistants, physical therapy students, nursing students, occupational therapy students, athletic training students and physicians.

Success in this goal is demonstrated through Preceptor Evaluation of Student Preparedness for interdisciplinary education with a score of greater than 3.5/5.0, Graduate evaluation of student preparedness for interdisciplinary education with a score of greater than 3.5/5.0 scale and Faculty Evaluation of Curriculum of student preparedness for interdisciplinary education.

SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOAL:

4: Emphasize professionalism within the curriculum and model professional behavior.

This goal will be assessed by measuring the following benchmarks. The preceptor evaluation of student professionalism with a score greater than 3.5/5.0 scale. Graduate evaluation in the following areas: program fosters professionalism and the faculty model professionalism with a score greater than 3.5/5.0 scale. The faculty evaluation in the following area of the program fosters professionalism with a score greater than 3.5/5.0 scale.

SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOAL:

5: Achieve PANCE pass rates consistently above national average.

This goal will be measured annually with the NCCPA provided data on program first-time pass rate as compared to the national average.

The Stephens College Physician Assistant Program is dedicated to educating and preparing future physician assistants for excellence in healthcare. The program is committed to continuous improvement of its curriculum, ensuring that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) and transition confidently into clinical practice.

SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING GOAL:

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