Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS)

The Delaware Valley University Physician Assistant Program is dedicated to the pillars of scholarship, service and professionalism. The program strives to train clinicians who are versed in leadership in the complex healthcare environment. The program is committed to educating graduates to provide compassionate team-based and evidence-based patient care, meeting the needs of society and their diverse communities.

Class of 2026 Profile

Overall acceptance rate = 1.83%

Academic & Experiential Preparation

• Grade Point Average (GPA)

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores

• Relevant Experience

Ongoing Program Goals

• Attract, select, and retain highly qualified students
  • Outcome #1: An incoming class profile, including GPA, GRE and experience hours, will be published by December of each year. This profile will demonstrate that the incoming cohort has met or exceeded programmatic benchmarks.

The benchmarks include:

• Overall CASPA GPA of 3.25 or greater

• Science GPA of 3.0 or greater

• Post-Baccalaureate GPA of 3.6 or greater (if applicable)

• Graduate GPA of 3.5 or greater (if applicable)

• GRE percentile, in aggregate, 50th percentile or greater (if applicable)

• Health care & patient care experience, 6500 hours or greater

• Shadowing (physician or PA) for 300 hours or greater

• Volunteer/community service for 500 hours or greater.

• Outcome #2: Maintain an attrition rate of less than 10%
  • The program achieved a 90% graduation rate for the Class of 2024. The attrition rates for the Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 are 0%, to date. 
• Maintain first-time PANCE pass rate above national average
  • Outcome #1: PANCE results will be published annually. A direct link to the NCCPA report will be included here no later than March, 2025 and the below table will be updated when data are available:

    CLASS	NUMBER OF FIRST-TIME TEST TAKERS	PROGRAM FIRST-TIME TEST TAKER PASS RATE	NATIONAL FIRST-TIME TEST TAKER PASS RATE
    2024
    2025
    2026
    2027
    2028

• Prepare students to fulfill community health needs
• Outcome #1: 

  • Students will identify and present a patient case scenario with public health implications and identify the related epidemiology; social determinants of health; resources for patient advocacy; and impact of local, state, and national public policy and the built environment with an average cohort performance level of 85% or better.

    Results: This assignment has been successfully completed by all learners in the program to date and has exceeded the defined performance level (Class of 2024 average 95%; Class of 2025 average 98%)

This course has been successfully completed by all learners in the program to date and has met all programmatic benchmarks for effectiveness.

• Outcome #2: Students will complete at least one service learning activity

All students have completed a minimum of two service learning opportunities, with organizations including the Doylestown YMCA, Family Services Association of Bucks County, A Woman’s Place, BCHIP, MANNA, Bucks County Opportunity Council, and the Lenape Valley Foundation.

• Provide students with experiential learning opportunities beginning in the first year of the program
• Outcome #1: 

  • Students will participate in a first-year clinical experience, student evaluations of which will exceed the program’s benchmark of 80% related to clinical experience appropriateness and effectiveness.

    Results: All students have been placed in local clinics, practices, and hospital settings and spend one day per week in the clinical environment during the first year of the Program. Student evaluation of the course and sites have exceeded program benchmark.

All students have been placed in local clinics, practices, and hospital settings and spend one day per week in the clinical environment during the first year of the Program.

• Prepare students to provide evidence-based care to a wide range of patients in a multidisciplinary health care team
• Outcome #1: 

  • Students will participate in monthly Journal Club and demonstrate the ability to develop clinical questions, search for, and appraise medical literature with an average cohort performance level of 85% or better.

    Results: Journal Club has been successfully attended by all learners in the program to date and has exceeded the stated benchmark for cohort performance, with a current running average cohort performance of 96

This course has been successfully completed by all learners in the program to date and has met all programmatic benchmarks for effectiveness.

• Outcome #2: Students will complete an interprofessional education experience

Physician Assistant students participated in an interprofessional education activity with peers in the Graduate Counseling Psychology and Speech Language Pathology programs.

• Outcome #3: Students will have an interprofessional encounter in the clinical setting

To date, all clinical phase students have logged interprofessional encounters, with the most common professions being nursing, physicians in training (residents/fellows), rehabilitation professionals (PT, OT, SLP), pharmacists, radiology technicians, and social work. This outcome is further measured with the summative student portfolio prior to graduation.

The success of the program in achieving its goals and additional program outcomes of interest will be updated as the program’s development progresses and the first cohort of students matriculates and graduates.

PANCE Pass Rates:

Delaware Valley University anticipates graduating its first cohort of students in October, 2024. PANCE pass rates will be posted when available, no later than March, 2025. 

Attrition

Click here for student attrition

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential to the PA profession and PA education as it enhances the quality of instruction and patient care. The Program aims to foster a welcoming, fair, and respectful environment, inclusive of all differences and individual identities. We strive to create a didactic and clinical education that is well-rounded and cultivates meaningful interactions and experiences with faculty, staff and preceptors with distinct backgrounds and perspectives. All students will graduate with the cross-cultural competencies necessary to effectively and respectfully treat diverse patients and function effectively on multicultural teams. 

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is demonstrated in our holistic admissions process, curriculum, hiring practices, and thoughtful selection of clinical rotation sites. The Program has established goals specific to diversity and inclusion, as follows:

• Recruit and admit a diverse cohort of students
  • Outcome #1: At least 50% of the incoming class will answer “yes” to at least one diversity indicator

Class of 2024: 85%

Class of 2025: 75%

• • Outcome #2: At least 15% of interview questions will address principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion

This has been achieved per internal audit of the Program’s admissions and hiring practices.

• Provide resources toward training culturally sensitive and responsive physician assistants
  • Outcome #1: 100% of students will complete a dedicated course in Cultural Competence and Multicultural Healthcare

This course has been successfully completed by all learners in the program to date and has met all programmatic benchmarks for effectiveness.

• • Outcome #2: 100% of students will receive at least one DEI-focused certification during their time in the program

Trainings completed by students include those offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Think Cultural Health) and the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center. All students to date have successfully completed these trainings.

• Recruit a diverse team of culturally sensitive and responsive faculty and staff
  • Outcome #1: At least 50% of faculty and staff will answer “yes” to at least one diversity indicator

Currently, 67% of faculty and staff meet at least one of the Program’s diversity indicators.

• • Outcome #2: 100% of faculty and staff will complete annual DEI training

This outcome has been achieved, with faculty and staff completing trainings in cultural intelligence, trauma-informed education, and disability support services/accommodations.