About the Program
April 27, 2023 2026-04-14 17:59About the Program
Overview
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program at Rocky Mountain College prepares graduates to deliver excellent, evidence-based care in a wide range of settings, with a special focus on rural and underserved communities in the intermountain West. Our vision, mission, and goals guide every aspect of the curriculum and clinical experiences, and our accreditation ensures the program meets rigorous national standards.
Vision
Our vision is to excel as a center of health care education dedicated to providing medical services to the underserved and rural populations of this intermountain region.
Mission
The mission of the Rocky Mountain College Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program (MPAS) is to educate primary care providers who embody a combination of academic talents of evidence-based medicine, clinical skills, and professionalism while providing compassionate health care services, particularly to those in rural and underserved areas of this region. Our graduates distinguish themselves through an emphasis on patient safety and quality improvement.
Program Goals
The PA Program aims to provide a high quality medical education experience that will challenge you to:
Demonstrate core medical knowledge appropriate to PA professionals;
Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills appropriate to PA professionals;
Demonstrate professionally appropriate knowledge and behaviors;
Deliver patient-centered, systems-based care by navigating healthcare systems, coordinating interprofessional services, and addressing barriers to care in rural and underserved populations;
Demonstrate practice-based learning and improvement through continuous self-evaluation, application of evidence-based medicine, and incorporation of feedback to enhance clinical performance and patient outcomes;
Demonstrate the competencies in patient care appropriate to PA professionals; and,
Demonstrate that graduates meet regional primary care workforce needs particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.
The program strives to meet its mission and goals. We acknowledge our responsibility to current and future students to show factually accurate evidence of achieving program goals. Our most recent evidence is shown below. All scores are based on a scale where “1” is excellent and “5” is very poor.
1. Core Medical Knowledge
| Instrument | Evidence & Results |
|---|---|
| PANCE Performance | Official NCCPA Report: Five Year First Time Taker Average Pass Rate: 96% (Matches National Average) |
| Didactic Survey | End of Year 1 Rating: 1.6 average rating for the program as a whole. |
| Preceptor Survey | Ranking of student "factual knowledge and concepts": 2.0 |
| Employer Survey | Ability to identify signs and symptoms of medical conditions: 1.4 (Measured 2 years post-grad) |
2. Interpersonal & Communication Skills
| Instrument | Evidence & Results |
|---|---|
| Preceptor Survey | Ability to relate to patients: 1.6 | Colleagues: 2.0 Written health record maintenance: 2.5 | Oral case presentation: 2.4 |
| Employer Survey | Use of effective listening, non-verbal, and writing skills to elicit/provide information: 1.2 |
3. Patient Care Competencies
| Instrument | Evidence & Results |
|---|---|
| Preceptor Survey | Medical Interviewing: 2.3 | Patient Management Plan: 2.2 | Clinical Procedures: 2.5 |
| Employer Survey | Knowledge of Diagnostic Studies: 1.6 | Differential Diagnosis: 1.8 | Formulating Management Plans: 1.3 |
4. Professional Knowledge & Behaviors
| Instrument | Evidence & Results |
|---|---|
| Alumni Survey | Professionalism courses at RMC rated at 1.9 (After 1 year of clinical practice). |
| Preceptor Survey | Understanding of PA Role: 1.3 | Reliability/Professionalism: 1.5 - 1.7 | Self-Confidence: 2.0 |
Accreditation
The Rocky Mountain College Master of Physician Assistant Studies program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation confirms that the program meets nationally recognized standards for PA education and that graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
Official Accreditation Statement
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Rocky Mountain College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at: http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-rocky-mountain-college/
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 January 2027. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
What Accreditation Means for You
You are eligible, upon successful completion of the program, to sit for the PANCE. You can pursue state licensure as a physician assistant where you choose to practice, subject to individual state requirements. You can be confident that the curriculum, faculty qualifications, and clinical experiences have been reviewed and meet ARC-PA standards.
For additional information about ARC-PA accreditation, visit: ARC-PA Website
Focus on Rural and Underserved Communities
A defining feature of the Rocky Mountain College MPAS program is our commitment to rural and underserved populations in the intermountain West.
How this commitment shows up:
Regional Emphasis:
We give preference in admissions to applicants from Montana and surrounding states, and to those from smaller, rural communities who are likely to return and serve similar areas.
Clinical Experiences:
Many supervised clinical experiences take place in rural and frontier communities where specialty services are limited, giving students exposure to full-spectrum care. In addition, all students complete a required rotation in a rural healthcare setting.
Graduate Practice Patterns:
Many supervised clinical experiences take place in rural and frontier communities where specialty services are limited, giving students exposure to full-spectrum care. In addition, all students complete a required rotation in a rural healthcare setting.
This focus shapes not only where students learn, but how they think about access, equity, and long-term community impact.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
The MPAS program regularly reviews outcomes data—including PANCE performance, graduation and attrition rates, and survey feedback from preceptors, employers, and alumni—to evaluate how well we are meeting our goals.
We use this information to:
- Refine and sequence coursework
- Adjust the mix of clinical experiences
- Enhance student support and advising
- Strengthen preparation for PANCE and entry into practice
- Our aim is to ensure that every cohort is well-prepared to step into PA roles and to serve patients confidently and competently.
To see detailed PANCE results, survey findings, and other outcomes, visit:
