Physician Assistant Studies

Kim Meyer, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA

Dr. Kim Meyer serves as Interim Chair and Program Director for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Kim recently joined the HSC team after serving as program director of the PA program at LSUHSC in Shreveport. Kim earned a baccalaureate and master’s degrees in PA studies with a clinical specialization in neurosurgery. She has doctoral training in leadership in higher education. Kim is exceptionally qualified to assume this position.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of North Texas Health Science Center Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.  The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September, 2021.  The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The Program was first established in 1997. Today, the Program is housed within the School of Health Professions.  The mission of the Program is to create solutions for a healthier community by providing an exemplary education for physician assistant students with interests in primary care medicine and in meeting the needs of underserved populations.

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies provides the academic home for students and faculty involved in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree curriculum.  Upon successful completion of the curriculum, graduates receive an MPAS degree.  The MPAS curriculum prepares students for entry into clinical practice as a physician assistant.  US News and World Report magazine has ranked the Program among the top 35 graduate-level physician assistant programs in the Nation.

Our aim is to provide students with an environment that is both conducive to learning the art and science of medical practice and to helping our students achieve individual growth as healthcare professionals.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Program is to create solutions for a healthier community by preparing graduates with knowledge and skills needed for physician assistant practice, emphasizing primary care medicine and meeting the healthcare needs of underserved populations.

Teaching Goals for the Physician Assistant Program:

• Educate physician assistants equipped through academic and clinical training to provide patient care services with appropriate supervision of a licensed physician.
• Provide a course of professional study that provides graduates with appropriate knowledge of physical and mental disease and the skills to accurately and reliably perform the range of health care procedures and duties customarily ascribed to the PA profession.
• Foster development of the intellectual, ethical, and professional attitudes and behaviors that generate trust and respect from the patient population served by the physician assistant.
• Prepare physician assistants with the knowledge, technical capabilities, and judgment necessary to perform in a professional capacity.
• Prepare physician assistants to serve in expanded roles, which meet developing needs in society’s health care environment.
• Prepare physician assistants through curriculum, clinical experiences, and role models to provide medical services to underserved patient populations where the supervising physician may be physically located at the practice site or at a site remote from the physician assistant.
• Provide instruction that stresses the role of the physician assistant in health maintenance and preventive medicine while also taking into consideration the social, economic, and ethical aspects of health care delivery.
• Provide didactic and clinical experiences that prepare the physician assistant for dealing with cultural diversity in the patient population.
• Provide educational experiences that promote understanding of the interdependence of health professionals and foster an interdisciplinary team approach to the delivery of health care.
• Prepare the physician assistant with the knowledge and skills needed to perform clinical research activities and projects.
• Prepare physician assistants with the knowledge and skills needed to be life-long learners and design educational activities appropriate for patients, clinical students, and colleagues.
• Provide educational experiences that stimulate active learning in the science and art of medicine and that foster a desire for continued learning as a practicing professional.

These above goals translate into Expected Graduate Competencies for UNTHSC PA students.  These competencies provide a roadmap for the design of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies curriculum. The curriculum is arranged to educate the student on the knowledge and skills that are needed to develop these competencies.  Enrolled PA students must complete and pass each course in the curriculum in order to graduate and receive the MPAS degree.

General goals of the program:

1. For UNTHSC PA graduates taking the PA National Certification Examination (PANCE) each year, the percentage of graduates who pass the exam on their first attempt will exceed the national average for similar graduates taking the exam for the first time each year.
   • Status: In 2015, UNTHSC’s graduating PA class obtained a 100% first-time pass rate on the PANCE.  PA graduates from UNTHSC have exceeded the national first-time pass rate on the PANCE every year for the past 5 years.  For more information on UNTHSC’s annual pass rates, to go PANCE Results.
2. A high percentage of graduates will gain employment as a PA after graduation from the Program.
   • Status: In 2013, we conducted an employment survey of PA Classes of 2009-2013 alumni from UNTHSC. The overall response rate to our survey was 79%.  Of the 2009-2012 group, 86% of graduates were employed clinically at the time of the survey.  An additional 9% were employed in non-clinical roles.  For the recently graduated class of 2013, only 7% of graduates reported they were not yet employed.  Based on overall feedback from survey respondents, 96% of UNTHSC’s PA graduates over the past 5 years are employed clinically or in job related to research, education and other health-related fields.
3. Graduates will value their education.
   • Status: Just prior to graduation, the Program conducts surveys of new graduates asking them to give overall impressions of the Program and the education they have received.  Over the past 5 years, these surveys have shown our PA graduates do value their education from UNTHSC.  For example, when questioned about “overall quality” of their education, the average ratings spanned from 3.2 to 3.4 on a scale of 1-4, where 3.0 was considered “good” and 4.0 was considered “excellent.” When asked how well the program had prepared them to work as a PA, an average of 95.6% of graduates rated their preparation as “good” or “excellent.”

For more information on the MPAS program please consider attending an upcoming Open House or Admissions Information Session.