Building on Carroll’s highly successful undergraduate nursing, pre-med, allied health, and health sciences programs, a graduate-level physician assistant program is a natural progression for the college and a strong fit for the mission of Carroll College in serving others. With individualized instruction from supportive faculty, Carroll’s program will help meet significant needs that exist in Montana and the region, especially in rural communities.
Physician Assistant
Details
Looking to meet the healthcare needs of Montana and the surrounding region, Carroll College is developing a Physician Assistant program. Carroll has applied for Provisional Accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Pending this accreditation, the program plans to welcome its first cohort in May 2028.
About the Program
Carroll College is actively developing the Physician Assistant program. The College has applied for Accreditation – Provisional status from the ARC-PA and has already begun building partnerships with healthcare facilities around the state.
Our Mission
The mission of the Carroll College Physician Assistant program is to prepare skilled, compassionate, and culturally sensitive physician assistants who provide patient-centered, evidence-based care to diverse individuals and communities in Montana and across the nation. Graduates will embody the ideals of excellence and lifelong learning and contribute to their communities through leadership and service.
The goals of the Physician Assistant program align with its mission. The program is committed to promoting a positive learning environment in which learners can thrive and succeed. The curriculum provides students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to enter clinical practice as competent, caring, and collaborative healthcare professionals. Through a process of continuous self-assessment and analysis, the program will evaluate success in achieving specific program goals, guide program decision-making, and improve performance over time. The program goals include:
- Provide an educational program that prepares graduates to attain the knowledge and skills necessary to enter clinical practice.
- Encourage a culture of service, community engagement, and outreach to underserved and marginalized populations.
- Prepare graduates to practice in rural or medically underserved communities
- Foster a positive and inclusive learning environment that supports personal and professional growth and emphasizes lifelong learning.
Carroll College has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Carroll College anticipates matriculating its first class in May 2028, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the October 2027 agenda ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrated the program's ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation - provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the PA profession will experience a nearly 28% increase in employment between 2021 and 2031—a rate that is faster than most occupations both in and out of the healthcare sector. Further, PAs received the highest score provided to any healthcare profession for achieving work-life balance.
Projected Increase
28%
Meeting the Needs of Montana and Beyond
With individualized instruction from supportive faculty, Carroll’s program will help meet significant needs that exist in Montana and the region, especially in rural communities. Preference will be given to Montana state residents and Carroll College grads.
According to the October 2022, Montana Department of Labor and Industry Postsecondary Workforce Report, Montana’s employment demand for physician assistants is nearly twice the available supply.
Highlights of Carroll’s Proposed PA Program
- Comprehensive curriculum leading to Master of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies.
- Experienced and dedicated faculty and instructors.
- Strong foundation in the basic and clinical sciences.
- Emphasis on working collaboratively in interprofessional patient-centered teams.
- Classroom and labs that provide state-of-the-art technology and learning resources.
- High-quality training sites that prepare graduates to enter clinical practice.
- A supportive environment that fosters personal and professional growth.
Good-To-Know
Timeline
Carroll College has applied for Provisional Accreditation through the ARC-PA. Accreditation status will be determined at the October 2027 ARC-PA meeting. We anticipate matriculation of our first cohort in May 2028.
Clinical Opportunities
If you are a clinician or alumni interested in supporting the program with clinical opportunities, please reach out to PA@carroll.edu.
If you would like to donate to the developing Physician Assistant program at Carroll College, you may do so through our giving website.
A growing and lucrative profession
US News and World Report lists a Physician Assistant as the #2 Best Health Care Job, #4 on their 100 Best Jobs List, and #4 as the Best STEM job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the median income of Physician Assistants as $121,530.00/year and projects the field for physician assistants to grow by 28% between now and 2031.
Physician assistants are licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician.
As skilled licensed medical professionals, physician assistants diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. PAs exercise autonomy in medical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services, with the opportunity to practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, further improving healthcare access and quality.
Today, PAs also perform many duties that were once considered the sole purview of physicians—and while many can be found working in primary care, such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine, an increasing number choose specialty areas like general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, and orthopedics.
PAs must graduate from an accredited educational program, pass the physician assistant national certifying exam (PANCE), and gain licensure from the state medical or PA board.
To be determined. The establishment of an accredited Physician Assistant Program that successfully prepares students for licensure is an extensive process.
Applicants will have earned a Bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the program. Most successful students have completed coursework in biology, physiology, chemistry, and other health-related sciences. Carroll’s Pre-Physician Assistant program provides a list of common prerequisites for students applying to Physician Assistant programs.
Preference will be given to Montana state residents and Carroll College grads.
Applicants will also have completed patient care hours. While the exact requirement for Carroll’s program is still to be determined, existing Physician Assistant programs, on average, require 2,854 patient care hours for new students.
Carroll plans to enroll up to 34 students per class.
No. The pre-PA Pathway, taken in conjunction with a major area of study, is for undergraduate students enrolled at Carroll College who are interested in pursuing a career as a physician assistant after earning their bachelor's degree. Applicants to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program are not required to enroll in undergraduate studies or complete their prerequisite courses at Carroll College.
Acceptance to PA schools is highly competitive. The average undergraduate overall GPA for first-year students is 3.52 (3.52 science/3.63 non-science). Many PA programs require health care experience for PA school candidates and the mean patient care experience hours for new students is 2,854.
The Didactic (“pre-clinical”) phase will be approximately 14 months and the Clinical phase will be approximately 13 months.
If you have an interest in financially supporting the program, please reach out to Keith Stout, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. If you would like to donate to the developing Physician Assistant program at Carroll College, you may do so through our giving website.
If you are interested in supporting the program with clinical opportunities, please contact pa@carroll.edu.
You can email questions to pa@carroll.edu In addition, this website will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
Fill out this inquiry form and we will send periodic updates as Carroll continues to develop the PA program.
