Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program
Unparalleled Clinical Experiences
Access to top clinical sites in Boston and beyond
A Team-Based IMPACT
Interprofessional experiences strengthen your ability to provide patient-centered care.
The Dr. Charles A. and Ann Sanders IMPACT Practice Center
Transforming health professions education & community care
A World of Opportunity
The MGH Institute's Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program offers a unique blend of opportunities in the classroom and the clinical environment. Learn how to contribute and lead in an interprofessional work setting. Expand your skills and knowledge through an integrated curriculum grounded in team-based learning. And fulfill clerkships at Harvard Medical School-affiliated academic medical centers, primary care outpatient clinics, and community hospitals in Boston and beyond.
"Growing up on a farm in rural Mississippi and eventually working as a law enforcement officer in Atlanta gave me a unique perspective on socioeconomic and health care disparities. The very roots of the PA profession are to close the gap, which affects so many people in my community and family alike."
Learn more about Marcus Wheeler [1],
Master of Physician Assistant Studies '19
Top Profession
CNN/Money.com ranked physician assistants as one of the nation’s best jobs
1st
Physician Assistant is ranked first in U.S. News & World Report's list [2] of best jobs
31% Growth in Next 10 Years
Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for PA’s will grow by 31% over the next 10 years
The IHP Advantage
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If you have any bachelor's degree, successfully complete the prerequisite courses, and have 1,000+ hours of direct patient-care experience, you can apply for our intensive 25-month program. Upon graduating, you'll be eligible to take the national exam to become a licensed PA in one of the country's fastest-growing healthcare professions. [4]
You will learn and collaborate with students and practitioners from across the health professions. Interprofessional team-based experiences will strengthen your ability to provide patient-centered care in an increasingly complex health care environment.
Joshua Merson
Describe what it’s like to teach using a team-based learning format.
"Fun and exhilarating – it allows me to use my creative side to develop activities that are both engaging and educational."
- Joshua Merson, MS, MS-HPEd, PA-C, CAQ-EM, Assistant Professor
Team-Based Learning Forms the Foundation
Team-based learning (TBL) is at the heart of our program. Throughout your course of study, you'll work with a team of students with diverse skills and backgrounds. Rather than sitting in lecture all day, class time is spent with your team under expert faculty guidance working through real-life clinical problems and scenarios. Learn more about our team-based learning approach.
We've designed the MPAS program to meet the needs of the adult learner. Accordingly, the curriculum:
- Promotes lifelong learning and critical-thinking skills
- Integrates the basic sciences, medicine and clinical skills
- Aims to foster compassion and improve patient care by incorporating the humanities, ethics, mindfulness and personal resilience
- Prepares you for collaborative practice as a PA.
Clerkships and Other Clinical Experiences
During your first year in the MPAS program, you'll have ongoing exposure to clinical experiences to enhance early application of classroom learning. Among the many clinical opportunities open to both first- and second-year students is the Crimson Care Collaborative, a Harvard Medical School student-faculty collaborative practice that provides care for vulnerable populations.
The last 13 months of the program are devoted to clinical clerkships. As part of Mass General Brigham, New England's largest health care organization, the MGH Institute offers unparalleled access to Harvard Medical School-affiliated academic medical centers and other respected institutions throughout New England and beyond. Learn more about our clerkships [10].
The Sanders IMPACT Practice Center
The MGH Institute’s Sanders IMPACT Practice Center brings together students from nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, speech-language pathology/language and literacy, and genetic counseling to learn and practice in teams and to deliver essential free care to the community.
Students provide care to a variety of clients, under the direct supervision of Institute faculty. They tackle complex client problems, supported by the latest technology and state-of-the-art facilities. Client populations include those with chronic conditions across the lifespan.
The center builds upon and enhances the community services currently provided by the Institute and houses these services in one integrated center. Learn more about the IMPACT Practice Center [11].
Institute Pledges to Combat Racial Injustice Head On
The IHP Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) [12] helps guide the IHP in an agenda that includes this anti-oppression statement [13]; an expansion of the JEDI Fellowship program [14]; programs to improve the diversity, retention, and support of faculty, staff, and students of color, especially Black faculty, staff, and students; and a review and streamlining of procedures for reporting bias.
Costs & Funding
Total Estimated PA Program Costs for:
Fall 2020 Start [15]
Summer 2019 Start [16]
Summer 2018 Start [17]
Summer 2017 Start [18]
Financial Aid Information [19]
