Physician Assistant BS/M Bachelor of Science Degree
Learn to diagnose, treat, and care for patients with hands-on experience in RIT’s physician assistant program.
$115K
Median First-Year Salary of RIT Graduates from this Physician Assistant BS/MS degree
#5
Best Health Care Jobs: Physician Assistant
5
Accelerated Five Year Direct-Entry Program
36
Maximum incoming students accepted per year, ensuring a tight-knit, collaborative peer group
Overview for Physician Assistant BS/MS
5-Year Accelerated Direct-Entry Track: Earn your bachelor of science and your master of science in physician assistant in five years
Accreditation: Fully accredited by the ARC-PA
82% five-year, first-time exam taker pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination® (PANCE).
Mandatory Clinical Rotations: In pediatrics, outpatient internal medicine, inpatient internal medicine, women's health, emergency medicine, surgery, behavioral health, and family medicine.
Two Elective Rotations: Choose two more rotations in areas that interest you (based on availability).
In Demand Grads: Recent graduates are employed by Comprehensive & Interventional Pain Management LLP, Danbury Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Regional Health, St. Peter's Health Partners, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Unity Hospital, and University of Rochester Medical Center, to name a few.
RIT’s physician assistant program prepares you to elicit medical histories, conduct physical examinations, order laboratory and radiological testing, diagnose common illnesses, determine treatment, provide medical advice, counsel and educate patients, promote wellness and disease prevention, assist in surgery, and perform casting and suturing.
Physician assistant duties vary depending on the state and specialty in which they practice. In most states, including New York, physician assistants may prescribe medication. Examples of specialties include (but are not limited to) internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health, general surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and neonatology. Clinical rotations (internships) during students’ last year provide the opportunity to explore these varied disciplines.
Obtaining the skills and knowledge to practice as a physician assistant is a complex process. A carefully planned course of study has been developed to offer a balance of didactic and clinical knowledge. A significant component of the educational process is the socialization of the student to the character, performance, and role of a provider of medical care. The evaluation of the student’s adaptation to this role depends on the experienced judgment of individual faculty members. It is important to recognize that these subjective judgments may transcend or be independent of traditional paper and pencil tests and other similar objective measures of academic performance. Physician assistant education involves instruction from practicing clinicians with unpredictable schedules.
Many opportunities, in the form of evaluations, are provided for the measurement of progress by both faculty and student. In addition to a fully staffed Academic Support Center, individual instruction, and tutoring may be provided in certain instances. Every effort is made to provide a complete learning environment. Even though a variety of experiences, learning situations, and tools are provided by the program, the single greatest factor, motivation, is essentially up to the student.
Mission
RIT's physician assistant program provides a foundation of science and liberal arts; and prepares students to provide compassionate, patient-centered healthcare. The program is committed to developing the ethical values, medical knowledge, professionalism, and interpersonal communication skills essential for inter-professional, team-based, clinical practice.
RIT's Five-Year Physician Assistant Program: Bachelor's + Master's
The physician assistant major is offered as a BS/MS degree program, which enables students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years. The curriculum is divided into a pre-professional phase (years 1 and 2), which includes course work in the basic sciences, mathematics, general education, and liberal arts; and a professional phase, (years 3, 4, and 5), which features didactic medical education and culminates in clinical rotations in which students apply their medical knowledge in a series of rotations at a variety of on-site locations that can include hospitals, clinics, outpatient and ambulatory centers, and other medical locations.
Technical Standards
Students in the physician assistant program must possess certain capabilities and skills, with or without reasonable accommodation. These include the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. They must have a functional use, with or without accommodation, of the senses of vision, hearing, and equilibrium. Learn more about the technical standards required of a successful physician assistant major.
Program Progression
Students are matriculated into one of the first three years, upon their acceptance into the physician assistant major. Students must complete academic requirements to progress on to the next academic year. Students must meet all program academic requirements and standards to advance from the pre-professional phase to the professional phase of the program. Once matriculated into the pre-professional phase, students are permitted to take a limited number of courses at another institution during the summer, pending program approval. It is important, however, that students take core science courses at RIT to ensure a consistent educational experience. Students are not permitted to skip class years (i.e. first to third year) once matriculated in the major.
Program Goals
1. COMPETENT: Ensure students develop the fundamental medical knowledge, skills and clinical reasoning to deliver high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care.
2. COMPASSIONATE: Develop clinicians skilled in patient and inter-professional communication who practice with compassion, professionalism and integrity.
3. INCLUSIVE: Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the faculty, staff and students to deliver quality care to all patients.
5. MINDFUL: Mentor and support students’ holistic well-being and professional growth.
6. ENGAGED: Promote opportunities for student engagement in community service and outreach.
For more information view our Program Goals and Measures for Success.
Program Competencies
Physician assistant program competencies are the specific knowledge, skills, behaviors, and professional attributes that students are expected to demonstrate before graduation. For more information, please view our Program Competencies.
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Meet Us on Campus
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October 12 | October 24 | November 14
Careers and Clinical Rotations
Typical Job Titles
| Orthopedic Physician Assistant | Family Practice Physician Assistant | Hospitalist Physician Assistant |
| Neuromedicine ICU Physician Assistant | Cardiology Physician Assistant |
Graduates work primarily in the Health Care industry.
Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations include a series of five-week experiences in various disciplines of medicine, providing students with the opportunity to apply the basic principles of medicine to hospital-based and ambulatory patient care settings. Students are assigned to a primary preceptor (physician/physician assistant) and are exposed to a wide variety of acute and chronic medical problems. The emphasis is on data gathering, physical examination, differential diagnosis, patient management, maintenance of medical records, performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and the provision of patient education and counseling. Students will complete mandatory rotations in outpatient and inpatient internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, women's health, pediatrics, general surgery, and behavioral health. Two additional elective rotations, chosen by the student, enables each student to customize their clinical experiences according to their medical area of interest.
The clinical rotations represent the integration and combination of the didactic and clinical phases of the physician assistant program. A great deal of planning has gone into creating a learning environment that will allow the student to obtain the high-level skills required for practice as a physician assistant. The affiliates (hospitals and office-practices) are busy places offering a variety of services. It is the responsibility of the student to explore and learn as much as possible during this very important year. You will be assigned a preceptor for each rotation by the program. This will generally be a physician, physician assistant program, or nurse practitioner who is responsible for your actions and educational experience. In general, the student is expected to participate in each and every aspect of the department or office where assigned.
The physician assistant program is fortunate to have the support of the local and neighboring medical communities for providing clinical sites offering a wide array of clinical experiences. Program faculty provides rotation assignments for all students. The program cannot assure the student assignment to a clinical affiliate within the immediate Rochester area or other desired area. Several of these sites are located some distance from the RIT main campus. The physician assistant program makes every attempt to assist the student in finding suitable housing. However, ultimately the responsibility for housing, travel, and food are the student's responsibility.
Featured Work and Profiles
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Camp Good Days Inspired an RIT Student’s Passion for Pediatric Oncology
An RIT physician assistant student was inspired by Camp Good Days, a camp for children with cancer, which shaped her passion for pediatric oncology.
Read More about Camp Good Days Inspired an RIT Student’s Passion for Pediatric Oncology -
Breaking Boundaries: RIT Grad Merges Sonography and PA Studies for Comprehensive Patient Care
Zayneb Ghazle '24 became the first student to graduate with a double major in diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound) and the physician assistant BS/MS program.
Read More about Breaking Boundaries: RIT Grad Merges Sonography and PA Studies for Comprehensive Patient Care -
Digital Anatomy Table Revolutionizes Learning for Physician Assistant Students
The Digital Anatomy Table is a high-tech tool that provides interactive, 3D views of human anatomy, allowing physician assistant students to explore detailed virtual cadavers and to simulate clinical...
Read More about Digital Anatomy Table Revolutionizes Learning for Physician Assistant Students -
Real-World Clinical Training Gives RIT PA Student Fresh Perspective on Patient Care
RIT PA student Juliana Lutzer gained hands-on clinical experience that deepened her understanding of patient care and enhanced her practical skills beyond classroom learning.
Read More about Real-World Clinical Training Gives RIT PA Student Fresh Perspective on Patient Care -
Doubling Down on Pediatric Care: RIT Alumna Opens Second AcuteKids Center
RIT alumna Chrysa Charno opens second AcuteKids Pediatric Urgent Care location, expanding her health care services for children.
Read More about Doubling Down on Pediatric Care: RIT Alumna Opens Second AcuteKids Center -
From RIT to Bahrain: Alumna's Fulbright Award Fuels Vital Asthma Study
RIT physician assistant alumna Maria Morcos wins a Fulbright Award. She will conduct a clinical trial on asthma in Bahrain at the Royal College of Surgeons.
Read More about From RIT to Bahrain: Alumna's Fulbright Award Fuels Vital Asthma Study
Curriculum for 2026-2027 for Physician Assistant BS/MS
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Admissions and Financial Aid
First Year Admission
First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes the following, or the equivalent:
- 4 years of English
- 3 years of social studies and/or history
- 3 years of math is required and must include algebra, geometry, and algebra 2/trigonometry. Pre-calculus and/or statistics is preferred.
- 2-3 years of science. Biology and chemistry are required.
Additional Admission Information
- GPA Requirements: Prospective applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) to be considered for admission. Preference is given to students with a GPA of 3.5 and above. Once a student is enrolled in the program they must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 each year to progress from the pre-professional phase to the professional phase.
- Personal Interview: Personal interviews are by invitation only and play a critical role in applicant ranking and selection. If invited for a personal interview, applicants must submit a supplemental data packet and application.
Careful attention is given to ranking and the personal interview for both first-year and transfer applicants.
Transfer Admission
We welcome transfer applications for spaces available in the second and third years of the physician assistant program. Transfer applications are thoroughly reviewed on a case-by-case basis by program faculty, who ultimately make a determination on which year the applicant is eligible to transfer into. Applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements, but transfer applicants are strongly encouraged to talk with an admission counselor or the program chair to discuss specific requirements for entry into the program based on the year the applicant is interested in transferring into.
- A minimum of college algebra is required. Pre-calculus or calculus is preferred.
- Biology and chemistry are required.
- Anatomy and physiology are required and must be taken within the last 5 years prior to matriculation.
Qualified transfer students are accepted into the PA program ONLY on a space available basis. Transfer admission is highly competitive.
- Prior health care experience and/or shadowing are strongly recommended.
- Transcript evaluations and rendering of transfer credit are addressed at the time of admission only.
- For eligibility to transfer into the professional phase of the program (year 3), anatomy and physiology courses must be taken within the last five years prior to matriculation.
- All pre-professional course work must be completed to be considered for entry into the professional phase of the major. Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information on transfer requirements.
Health Care Experience
- Patient Care Experience: While health care experience is not a requirement for admission, preference is given to applicants who have accrued more than 40 hours of patient care experience. Program faculty highly recommend that candidates volunteer in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers, and/or health care facilities.
- Shadowing Experience: Shadowing health care professionals (physician assistants, medical doctors, etc.) in clinical arenas is highly recommended as a means of observing the role of physician assistants and other members of the health care team.
Advanced Placement
The following restrictions apply to applicants seeking to apply with AP credits:
- AP credit for general education courses, calculus, statistics, and university electives is evaluated and approved by academic advisors.
- AP credit is not accepted for biology or chemistry as course substitutions.
- AP credit and prior experiential learning credits are not awarded in the professional phase of the major.
Summary of Costs
- RIT tuition and student fees
- Refund policy for RIT tuition and student fees
- Physician assistant program costs and fees
- Physician assistan program summary of costs–professional phase
Financial Aid and Scholarships
100% of all incoming first-year and transfer students receive aid.
RIT’s personalized and comprehensive financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment programs. When all these are put to work, your actual cost may be much lower than the published estimated cost of attendance.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships
Financial Aid Changes During the Program
Financial aid will change over the course of the Physician Assistant BS/MS program. When you are enrolled as an undergraduate student, you will be billed undergraduate tuition and fee rates, and receive undergraduate financial aid. Once you advance to graduate status, your tuition, fees, and financial aid switch to graduate tuition and aid and your undergraduate financial aid will no longer apply.
Learn more about this change
Resources
Program Resources
Physician Assistant Organizations
- American Academy of Physician Assistants
- New York State Society of Physician Assistants
- The Rochester Regional Physician Assistant Association
- National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Wallace Library Resources
- Up-to-date Online Database
- Physician Assistant InfoGuide
- Other Medical/Health Databases
- Wallace Library Catalog and Free Services
- Rash, Rashes, and The Art of Skin Diagnosis: A Self-Paced Dermatology Tutorial, a self-paced online dermatology tutorial, introduces medical students to dermatology concepts and key terms. With a focus on how to accurately diagnose a rash, this series of Web pages also integrates morphology training with the standard dermatology curriculum diagnoses.
- Access Med
- The Medical Letters
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