Physician Assistant Program

We offer two ways to matriculate into the professional phase of our PA program:

1. First-year college students can pursue a five-year BSMS/MSPAS program that begins by pursuing a medical studies major and culminates in a Master of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.S.).
   1. You are guaranteed a seat in the professional phase of the PA program upon successful completion of our progression criteria. This will allow you to earn an advanced degree faster than the typical pathway.
   2. PA faculty advise all undergraduate students from their first year to graduation.
2. Students with a four-year degree who have completed both the required prerequisite courses and clinical experience can apply directly into the graduate PA Program if there are available seats.

Regardless of the track you choose, you will enjoy these benefits that are unique to the King's program:

• Our state-of-the-art facility boasts cutting-edge technology and sets the standard for healthcare education.
• Students learn in an on-site gross anatomy lab with human cadavers.
• Our PA program has an open-door policy, allowing students easy access to our faculty.
  
  

From the Battlefield to the Bedside

King’s College and the physician assistant profession have many parallels. Both embrace, uplift, and serve those in need.

King’s College was established in 1946 to educate the children of coal miners. These first-generation students were primarily veterans.

The Physician Assistant profession itself was created due to the shortage of physicians in the 1960s. The first Physician Assistants graduated [from Duke University] in 1967, all of whom were Vietnam War veterans with extensive medical training from their military service.

In 1975, the King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies began. The College and the profession share inherent philosophies. Both are rooted in respect for each unique individual. Both prioritize the dignity of every human being.

At King’s College, we are one and we are here for each other in the Holy Cross tradition and in the realm of care, compassion, and healing. We teach, preach, and practice not only how to make a living, but how to live.

What can you do with a Physician Assistant master's degree?

PAs perform physical exams, diagnose illnesses, develop and carry out treatment plans, order and interpret lab tests, assist in surgery, provide patient education, and prescribe medications, among other essential responsibilities.

PAs are employed in virtually all health care settings including private offices, clinics, and hospitals. They can practice in almost any field of medicine including family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and orthopedics to name just a few.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual salary for physician assistants is $126,010 and related jobs are projected to grow 27% from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than most other occupations.

The King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., began in 1975 and has decades of experience in preparing students with the sophisticated didactic and clinical training necessary to succeed. In fact, we have over 1,000 PA graduates who practice throughout the country in all areas of medicine.

Undergraduate Medical Studies Major to PA Program Track

Undergraduate students entering into the five-year BSMS/MSPAS program submit an application to the Kings College admissions department.

The five-year physician assistant BSMS/MSPAS program is composed of two parts:

• Once accepted, students follow a prescribed academic sequence for the first three years. These medical studies course requirements consist of liberal arts, PA classes, and preparatory science prerequisites for the later professional phase. Students must fulfill all the core requirements during these first three years.
• Afterwards, students will embark on a two-year professional phase and train to be a physician assistant, beginning with 12 months of didactic instruction in all areas of general medicine. Direct patient encounters become the core instruction during the 12 months of the clinical curriculum. In addition, students are mentored as they develop and complete a master's research project.

Upon successful completion of the first four years of the physician assistant degree program, students receive:

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Studies.
• A Minor in Biology.

Upon successful completion of the two-year professional phase, students receive:

• A Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.S.)
• Eligibility to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

Physician Assistant Master's Degree Program

Students with four-year degrees may apply into the 24-month professional phase of the PA Program as graduate candidates. The progressional phase consists of 12 months of didactic instruction and 12 months of clinical instruction. In addition, students are mentored as they develop and complete a master's research project. Upon completion of this phase, students will attain a master's degree in physician assistant studies and are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). For admissions requirements, visit this page.