Academic Catalog

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

The Ithaca College (IC) Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS-PAS) is a 27-month continuous program that includes a foundation in the basic and medical sciences, cadaver anatomy lab, clinical coursework, clinical skills and procedures and nine clinical rotations. The didactic phase is 15 months and the clinical phase is 12 months.  IC MS-PAS program is committed to a servant leadership model, innovative thinking and an equity framework to graduate Physician Assistants who are educated, engaged and empowered to advocate for their patients and provide exemplary professional performance in the communities they serve.

The Ithaca College Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS-PAS) is a graduate program, which is 27 months in length and comprised of 112 credits. The program includes 15 months of didactic classroom work and 12 months of supervised clinical experiences in healthcare facilities. The didactic phase includes education in the basic sciences, understanding of each organ system, and exposure to patients in a clinical setting and practice in the Clinical Learning Center and Simulation Lab. In addition, learners complete a capstone project and interprofessional education. There are no electives in the MS-PAS Program.

Graduation Requirements

All required graduate coursework is listed below and must be taken in the sequence established by the MS-PAS Program unless permission to deviate from the sequence or time frame is approved by the Program Director.

All physician assistant majors must take graduate-level courses offered by the MS-PAS Program for a letter grade unless otherwise specified in the course descriptions. 

Degree Requirements

Didactic Year Courses
PASG 60000Medical Interviewing, Documentation & Counseling3
PASG 60100Foundations of Medical Sciences: Genetics, Microbiology & Infectious Disease3
PASG 60200Foundations of Medical Sciences: Physiology3
PASG 60300Diagnostic Imaging2
PASG 60400Human and Radiographic Anatomy and Lab6
PASG 60500Physician Assistant Professional Practice1
PASG 60610Clinical Assessment I4
PASG 60620Clinical Assessment II4
PASG 60710Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostics I2
PASG 60720Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostics II2
PASG 60810Clinical Medicine I6
PASG 60820Clinical Medicine II6
PASG 60830Clinical Medicine III6
PASG 60910Evidenced Based Medicine I: Introduction & Research Methodology2
PASG 60920Evidenced Based Medicine II: Critical Appraisal2
PASG 60930Evidenced Based Medicine III: Effective Communication in Health Care2
PASG 61010Pharmacology and Therapeutics I2
PASG 61020Pharmacology and Therapeutics II2
PASG 61100Leadership and Advocacy1
PASG 61310Pathophysiology I2
PASG 61320Pathophysiology II2
PASG 61400Behavioral and Mental Health Care3
PASG 61500Clinical Skills and Procedures4
PASG 61600Ethics, Law, and Social Justice in Healthcare1
PASG 61700Population and Community Health2
Clinical Year Rotation Courses
PASG 70000Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Family Medicine4
PASG 70100Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Internal Medicine4
PASG 70200Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Surgery4
PASG 70300Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine4
PASG 70400Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Women's Health4
PASG 70500Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Behavioral and Mental Health Care4
PASG 70600Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - Emergency Medicine4
PASG 70700Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - General Elective Rotation I4
PASG 70800Supervised Clinical Practice Experience - General Elective Rotation II4
PASG 70900Transition to Clinical Practice3
Total Credits112