NAU’s PA program goals and successes

Compassion, diversity, and quality – valued goals

The mission of the Northern Arizona University Physician Assistant Program is to educate individuals from inclusive backgrounds and lived experiences and graduate physician assistants who provide high quality, compassionate medical care to the people of Arizona.

The goals and progress of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at NAU

• Provide a broad, interdisciplinary medical education including evidence-based practice to facilitate students’ success in dynamic healthcare environments.
  • Rigorous curriculum includes 108 total credits with coursework that integrates current, evidence-based content.

Graduation rates for three most recent cohorts:

Class of 2022	Class of 2023	Class of 2024
90.6%	91.7%	95%*

*To date

• • • Students complete interdisciplinary coursework in the didactic and clinical phases of the curriculum, including Anatomy, and the longitudinal Community Health Mentorship Program (CHMP).

Interdisciplinary participation in the CHMP

Year	2022-2023	2023-2024	2024-2025
Medical Students	99	111	116
Occupational Therapy Students	45	49	51
PA Students	55	60	59
Physical Therapy Students	48	50	82
Nutrition Students	*	11	TBD
Mentors	43	41	48
Total Students	247	270	308
Student Teams	42	43	51

• • • Clinical students experience training in a wide range of dynamic healthcare environments occurring in seven disciplines: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Mental Health. In addition, students choose one elective rotation.

Clinical rotation placements:

NAU Clinical Rotation	Length
PHA 613 Surgery	6 weeks
PHA 615 Women's Health	6 weeks
PHA 616 Mental Health	6 weeks
PHA 617 Emergency Medicine	6 weeks
PHA 631 Family Medicine	6 weeks
PHA 632 Internal Medicine	6 weeks
PHA 634 Pediatrics	6 weeks
PHA 620 Elective	6 weeks

• • • Graduates of the program work in a variety of settings including rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, community health centers, primary care and specialty practices, emergency departments, and inpatient units.

Many students report having secured employment in the month before graduation:

PA Employment status (as of End of Program Survey)

What is your PA employment status?	Class of 2022 N=48 RR:98%	Class of 2023 N=55 RR:96%	Class of 2024 N=57* RR:96%
"I have accepted a PA job offer"	14/47 (30%)	16/53 (30%)	18/53 (34%)

• Prepare graduates to practice in diverse settings throughout Arizona, with emphasis on primary care and medically underserved communities.
  • In the most recent academic year, 54.5% of the students’ clinical rotation time (24 weeks) was completed in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics).
  • The NAU PA program is committed to addressing shortages of health professionals in rural areas. All NAU PA students are part of the Arizona Rural Health Professions Programs (RHPP) which is supported by the Arizona Area Health Education Centers (AzAHEC). This primary care rural and underserved training track prepares graduates to practice in diverse settings throughout Arizona, with emphasis on primary care and medically underserved rural and urban communities.

All students complete clinical rotations in rural and/or other underserved settings.

Recent data:

	Class of 2024	Class of 2023	Class of 2022	Class of 2021
# of graduates	58	55	48	48
# of clinical rotations completed in qualifying rural or other medically underserved setting (% of all rotations)	310 (62%)	323 (73%)	242 (63%)	104 (27%)
Average # of qualifying rotations per student	>5 (63%)	> 5 (63%)	> 5 (63%)	> 2 (25%)

• • The Rural Health Professions Program is supported through the Arizona Area Health Education Centers (AzAHEC).
    • In addition to completing RHPP-supported rotations, many students are selected to  participate in the AHEC Scholars Program (ASP) which is also supported by AzAHEC. The ASP is a two-year interprofessional program led by AHEC Regional Centers within the state of Arizona. As part of the program, in addition to completing rotations in underserved settings, students attend monthly didactic seminars – with small groups of students attending different health professions programs – and engage with a select Arizona community to enhance their ability to identify and address the needs of populations in underserved areas. The most recent cohort participation in the ASP is 96%.
    • In 2023, 61% of program clinical training partners were in HRSA-designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), and 73% of clinical rotations were completed at Primary Care (PC) Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Medically Underserved Areas (MUA). The NAU PA Program is one of only eight PA Programs nationally housed in Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

NAU PA Alumni Practice Setting (CO2014-2023)

Total graduates	441
Total unknown practice setting	9

	Number	%	Range (by cohort)
Practice in a PC HPSA	172	39%	30-50%
Practice in MUA	147	33%	24-40%
Practice in Mental HPSA	166	38%	20-52%
Practice in any HPSA or MUA	280	63%	48-78%

Benchmark: ≥ 50% 

• Utilize technology and innovative teaching strategies to equip students effectively and efficiently with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become competent healthcare providers, life-long learners and leaders in their communities.
  • Lecture and laboratory-based courses and clinical rotations are designed to utilize:
    • Technology including simulation, point of care ultrasound (POCUS), learning studios, and other educational resources which equip students to develop skill in performing examinations, clinical procedures and interventions.
    • Innovative teaching strategies including case-based learning activities which enable students to develop problem-solving and medical decision-making skills, group work which fosters the development of interpersonal communication skills, and seminar-based courses which promote lifelong learning and leadership.
    • Integrated principles of health systems science to advance student awareness of strategies to increase access to care, reduce the cost of care, and improve the health of the population.

NAU graduates’ rate of certification maintenance

NAU graduates	Currently certified	Rate of certification maintenance
499	495	495/499 99%

Rate of certification maintenance for three most recent cohorts

Class of 2022	Class of 2023	Class of 2024*
100% (48)	100% (55)	95%

*To date

Graduates would recommend the NAU PA Program to others (End of Program Survey)

	Class of 2022 N=47 (RR:98%)	Class of 2023 N=53 (RR:96%)	Class of 2024 N=52 (RR:90%)
"I would recommend the NAU PA program to others"	4.04/5.0	4.57/5.0	4.19/5.0

• Develop a tradition of excellence in preparing students to successfully complete the national certification examination and serve the people of Arizona.
• Since the beginning of the program, all cohorts* have had an ultimate pass rate of 100%. *Class of 2024 ultimate pass rate is currently 95% (some graduates have remaining attempts).
  • Note: the Exam Performance Summary Report shows 98% ultimate pass rate for Class of 2021 which reflects a graduate who will not complete the examination due to personal circumstances.

National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant (NCCPA) Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) Exam Performance Summary Report All Years

NAU graduates serving the people of Arizona:

NAU graduates (CO14-CO23) practicing in Arizona

	Class of 2023	Class of 2022	2014-present
Total graduates	55	48	441
Arizona	40 (73%)	38 (79%)	345 (78%)
Out-of-State	9 (16%)	10 (21%)	89 (20%)
Unknown	6 (11%)	-	10 (2%)

*n=9 graduates have an unknown practice setting

• Develop staff members with a commitment to excellence in service to students, faculty and the community.
  • Staff members engage in numerous activities in service to:
    • Students: provide administrative support for courses, clinical rotations, coordinate events and wellness activities, and others.
    • Faculty: provide administrative support for teaching, scholarship, and service, organize appreciation events, attend and participate in department meetings and committee service, and others.
    • Community: conduct open houses, tours, health and wellness events, and others.
    • Staff are actively engaged and supported in pursuing professional development. The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) hosts annual Staff retreats, where all staff travel to Flagstaff for professional development and wellness activities.
    • Staff and faculty are recognized for their contributions in the biweekly CHHS Newsletter. In addition, NAU recognizes staff contributions annually at the NAU Staff and Faculty Awards.
• Develop faculty with a commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.
  • Faculty members engage in numerous activities demonstrating their commitment to excellence in:
    • Teaching: within the program and as invited guest speakers to other programs.
      • PA faculty perform above the university mean in instructional performance.
        • Fall 2024: PHA courses 3.8 (NAU 3.6)
    • Scholarship: poster projects, publications, research, and others.
      • Faculty members are actively engaged in mentoring PA students in academic and scholarly endeavors.
    • Service: program, college and university committees, local and national organization membership and leadership roles, and others.
  • Faculty are actively engaged and supported in pursuing professional development.