M.S. in Physician Assistant
Physician Assistant Program Details
Master of Science
As a physician assistant student at Bethel, you’ll develop skills for comprehensive medical practice and build a balanced core of knowledge in the fields of natural and social sciences, medical sciences, behavioral sciences, and evidence-based medicine.
Face to Face
Daytime
You'll meet during the day on campus.
Location: St. Paul
Start Dates: Summer 2026
Total credits
112
Program length
27 months
Courses
Course schedule
Students earning their M.S. in Physician Assistant degree at Bethel take 112 semester credits during the 27-month program—15 months of courses followed by 12 months of clinical rotations in different specialties. We operate in a "cohort" model, so you'll go through your program with a consistent group of students who often become professional mentors and friends.
Courses begin high-level, with didactic training in a variety of clinical topics, and get progressively more advanced and hands-on. View the course schedule (pdf) to see a breakdown of courses by year and term.
Attrition and performance
|
|
Class of 2022 |
Class of 2023 |
Class of 2024 |
Class of 2025 |
|
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) |
32 |
32 |
32 |
40 |
|
Entering class size |
32 |
33 |
33 |
40 |
|
Graduates |
31 |
32 |
31 |
39 |
|
*Attrition rate |
3% |
3% |
6% |
7.5% |
|
**Graduation rate (in 27 months) |
97% |
97% |
94% |
97.5% |
|
***Overall graduation rate |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.
**Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.
***Overall graduation rate: Percentage of students who began with the cohort and went on to graduate from the program, either in 27 months or through a decelerated course of study.
Program mission and goals
Learn more about the mission and goals of Bethel's physician assistant program.
Program competencies
Read about the competencies graduates are expected to develop during the PA program.
Clinical year curriculum and requirements
Learn about your clinical year rotations and requirements.
Certifying exam and licensure
Read about the national Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and Bethel graduates' pass rates.
Program policies
Find details about the PA program's policies regarding outside employment and advanced placement.