About Physician Assistant Studies

The Physician Assistant Studies Program at Marquette University is a professional program in the Marquette University College of Health Sciences. The Department of Physician Assistant Studies combines Marquette’s Jesuit tradition of cura personalis (“care for the whole person”) with the College of Health Sciences’ Jesuit ideals of concern for the spiritual, emotional and physical development of the individual. We are dedicated to educating physician assistants for supervised practice of primary medicine in dynamic health care systems. We realize our mission through a synergistic strategy of educational goals.

Other Information

Highlights of the Program

Each year, the MU PA program accepts 75 individuals to begin in May. Students are selected from both external applicants consisting of graduates and undergraduates from other universities and internal applicants consisting of Marquette undergraduates. The exact makeup of each selected class varies from year to year. The target class makeup includes approximately 27 Marquette undergraduate students. The program strives for a qualified yet diverse class of students who will realize our mission through transformative experiences and become leaders among the profession.

The Marquette PA program has a low attrition rate of 4.0% (2021) compared to the 2019 national average of 5.1% (withdrawn/dismissed) and a low deceleration rate of 1.3% compared to the 2019 national average of 4.1% (decelerated) according to the PAEA.

According to our most recent survey of graduates, the Marquette PA program Class of 2020 had a 100% job placement rate with over 30% securing employment in Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) or Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSA). 

Marquette University meets the educational requirements for licensing in ALL states.

State Licensure/Certification Disclosure

The information below reflects whether this program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the specified states.

Satisfies Educational Requirements: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY along with the US territories of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands

Does Not Satisfy Educational Requirements: None

No Determination Made: American Samoa, Guam

Please contact Lori.Kazaks@marquette.edu for more information.

 

Results of the 2019 AAPA Physician Assistant Census Survey indicate that the average total income from the primary employer for PAs who are not self-employed and who work full time is approximately $107,500. PA is repeatedly identified as a growing, satisfying career offering autonomy of practice.  According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 31 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. As demand for healthcare services grows, physician assistants will be needed to provide care to patients.