Welcome to UNTHSC Physician Assistant Studies. 

The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program is located on the friendly campus of UNTHSC located in the cultural district of Fort Worth, TX.  We are also proud of the fact that the PA program is one of two educational programs offered by the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) whose mission is:

'Educating the Physician and Physician Assistant of Tomorrow Through the Quest For Knowledge Today.'

Our Program mission is:

The program in Physician Assistant Studies provides an exemplary education for careers in primary health care, teaching and research. As members of the health care team, our graduates assist physicians in providing preventive and primary health care services to patients, particularly those in underserved rural and urban settings.

TCOM first began accepting PA students in 1997. As a state-supported school, we have a special interest in meeting the healthcare needs of citizens throughout the State and especially in medically underserved areas. Faculty members strive to create a learning environment that is both current and practical. The curriculum is challenging and rewarding and you will have many opportunities to learn the art and science of treating human health and disease. 

The PA Studies curriculum is divided into pre-clinical and clinical phases. During the pre-clinical phase, most of your learning takes place in the classroom under the guidance of expert faculty and scientists. Faculty members from diverse backgrounds ranging from primary to specialized care in medical and surgical disciplines to research scientists will encourage and assist you in learning the foundations for success as a PA. We strongly support learning in a medical school environment promotes mutual respect and understanding between all health-related professions.

For the clinical phase, PA students are assigned to TCOM and affiliate clinics/hospitals throughout Fort Worth and Texas to work directly with graduate physician and PA preceptors. These outstanding faculty and adjunct faculty members will advance the knowledge you ve accumulated in the pre-clinical phase and further develop your clinical skills and acumen under their close supervision.

The UNTHSC PA Studies Program is accredited by the ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistant Education) and graduates receive a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from the UNTHSC upon successful completion of requirements.

If you re thinking about applying to the PA program as a student, keep in mind that we receive more applications than there are seats available in the class, therefore attention to requirements is essential to enhancing your chance for selection. You will find more information on prerequisites and the two applications you will need to complete under the Admissions Information link.  We encourage applications from students who are representative of the ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic groups they wish to serve as practitioners.

Please also take advantage of the other links on this page to explore information about the program curriculum and career planning.  I hope you'll find answers to most of your questions at this website. If not, please don't hesitate to call us at numbers that are listed in the Contact Information link.

Hank Lemke, MMS, PA-C

Director, Physician Assistant Studies

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Hank Lemke, MMS, PA-C, is an Assistant Professor in the TCOM. He is the founding director of the PA Studies program. After completing his PA education through the U.S. Air Force in 1982, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree as a Physician Associate from the University of Oklahoma. Afterwards, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force Biomedical Science Corps. He received his Master of Medical Science degree in 1996 from St.Francis College in Pennsylvania and later that year, retired from the Air Force after serving as Director of the Air Force PA Program. He has been Primary Investigator for two Human Resource Services Administration PA Training Grants and he serves on the editorial review panel of The Journal on Physician Assistant Education. Mr. Lemke's clinical interests are in primary care and family medicine. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Texas Academy of Physician Assistants and is a past-president of the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants and the Society of Air Force Physician Assistants. He is also a Life Member of the AAPA Veterans Caucus.