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Physician Assistant Program–Omaha (Master of Physician Assistant Studies)
At the physician assistant (PA) program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, you’ll learn more than just the practice of medicine. You’ll experience an interprofessional, broad-based medical education in an environment of reflective learning that will transform you into an exemplary healthcare provider.
If you’re driven by the desire to positively impact the lives of patients, our Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program will be a perfect fit. Experienced and dedicated faculty will inspire you to realize your full potential as a leader in the profession. They’ll help you live a life of service, learning and self-improvement in the Jesuit tradition.
Program Details
The Creighton University Physician Assistant Program mission is to foster a tradition of excellence by transforming learners into compassionate physician assistants who are dedicated to exemplary patient care. Rooted in our Ignatian heritage, we empower students to realize their full potential through a commitment to professional growth and service to humanity.
Curriculum
The PA program curriculum is a 28-month, two-phase curriculum designed in the medical model. Graduates will be awarded a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree. Explore the curriculum.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the Creighton University Physician Assistant Program, the graduate will be able to demonstrate competence in the following areas of medical practice:
- Patient care: Provide patient-centered care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health
- Medical knowledge: Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and lifelong learning
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families and health professionals
- Professionalism: Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles
- Systems-Based Practice: Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal healthcare
By the Numbers
- Class size in Omaha: 28 (entering 2023)
- Overall GPA Average: 3.81
- Science GPA Average: 3.91
- Prerequisite GPA Average: 3.93
- Students representing 10 states
Admissions Requirements
General Academic Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited US or Canadian educational institution
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Minimum science GPA of 3.0. Science GPA will be considered as a part of the application review
- Minimum Course Grades: C or Higher
- A prerequisite GPA will be considered as part of the application review
- General well-roundedness
- Minimum 250 hours of patient care experience required
- Service (volunteer and community enrichment) preferred, but not required
- Shadowing preferred, but not required
- Apply through the CASPA website
- Supplemental application to be considered for an interview
- $50 application fee
- Personal interview if invited
- Three letters of recommendation
Dates & Deadlines
The CASPA (Central Application System for Physician Assistants) application cycle opens in April for applicants who wish to enroll in the program in August of the following year. All application materials must be received by CASPA by August 1 the year prior to enrollment. Applicants may visit the CASPA website for more information. The supplemental application deadline is September 1. Learn more about the admissions process including requirement details and deadlines.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition rates are updated each year. Visit our financial aid site to learn more about the cost of attendance.
Financial Aid
To help make your studies at Creighton University more affordable, we encourage you to file the FAFSA to apply for financial assistance. A variety of scholarships are also available.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Creighton University Physician Assistant Program – Omaha sponsored by Creighton University. 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 the 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 March 2034. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website. For general information, visit the ARC-PA’s page on provisional accreditation. For information on Creighton University’s accreditation, visit the accreditation page.
The Creighton University PA Program - Omaha began instruction in 2019, and graduated its first class in 2021. For the first two graduating cohorts, the first-time test-taker pass rate was 100%. View information regarding the program’s PANCE Pass rate. This report will be updated annually and will include a 5-year rolling average PANCE pass rate.
| Class of 2021 | Class of 2022 | Class of 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Entering class size | 24 | 28 | 32 |
| Graduates | 23 | 28 | 32 |
| * Attrition rate | 4% | 0% | 0% |
| ** Graduation rate | 96% | 100% | 100% |
* Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.
** Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.
Note: Student attrition for the Class of 2021 was not due to academic or professionalism actions.
Physician Assistant Program
Hixson-Lied Science Building
Suite 202
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178-0408
402.280.4531 or 800.325.4405
Fax: 402.280.1241
The program is staffed by faculty with well over 100 years of experience in PA education, and we have had a 100% first-time pass rate for the national certifying examination.
— Stephane VanderMuelen, MPAS, MA, PA-C
Why Become a PA?
Now is an exciting time to join the physician assistant profession. According to US News & World Report, the physician assistant profession ranks #1 on the list of Best Health Care Jobs in America and #1 on the 2021 list of Best Jobs in America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual salary of PAs at $115,390 and projects that the field will grow 31% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.
A PA is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional who practices medicine as a member of healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. PAs practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and in the uniformed services. Graduates of the Creighton PA program will be able to work and communicate effectively as leaders or members of a collaborative healthcare team to provide culturally competent, evidence-based patient-centered care.
For more information on what PAs do, visit the AAPA’s What is a PA? website. For more information on PA education, visit the PA Focus website.
