About the
Physician Assistant Studies Program
Our mission is:
To improve health and quality of life for the people of Texas, and provide an exemplary graduate-level education for physician assistant students, particularly those choosing to work in primary care and underserved clinical settings.
The Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program is located on the friendly campus of the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) in the cultural district of Fort Worth, TX. We are proud of the fact that our program is organized within the School of Health Professions. The PA program first began accepting PA students in 1997. As a state-supported school, we take a special interest in meeting the healthcare needs of citizens of Texas, especially in medically underserved areas.
Our faculty strives to create a learning environment that is current and practical. The curriculum is challenging, but also rewarding, and as a student here you will have many opportunities to learn the art and science of treating human health and disease. The curriculum is divided into pre-clinical and clinical phases. During the pre-clinical phase, learning takes place in the classroom under the guidance of expert faculty and scientists. Faculty members from diverse scientific backgrounds and medical and surgical disciplines will encourage and assist you in developing the foundations for success as a PA. We believe that learning in a Health Science Center environment promotes mutual respect and understanding between health-related professions. During 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 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 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 completion of requirements.
If you are 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 chances for selection. You will find more information on the prerequisites and 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.
While you are at it, take advantage of the other links on this web-site to explore information about the university and the curriculum. Most of the information you’ll need to know to apply can be found under the “Admissions Information for Prospective Students” link. You will also find many answers to commonly asked questions on the “Frequently Asked Questions” link too. Please don't hesitate to call us at numbers listed in the “Contact Information” link if you need more information.
Hank Lemke, MMS, PA-C
Chairman, Department of Physician Assistant Studies
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Henry “Hank” Lemke, MMS, PA-C, is the Founding Director of the UNTHSC Physician Assistant Studies program. He completed his PA education through the U.S. Air Force and was awarded the Bachelor of Science as Physician Associate from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City in December 1982. In 1983, he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force Biomedical Science Corps. In July, 1995 he received his Master of Medical Science degree from St. Francis College in Loretto, PA and in 1996, he retired from the U.S. Air Force after serving as director of the Air Force PA Training Program. He has been PI for two HRSA PA Training Grants and he serves on the editorial review panel of The Journal on Physician Assistant Education. He is a past-president for the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants and the Society of Air Force Physician Assistants and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is also a Life Member of the AAPA Veterans Caucus.
This page last updated Feb 19, 2009
