The Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at South College is a rigorous 27-month curriculum that builds on your previous education to qualify you for advanced physician assistant positions throughout the medical field.
Physician assistants help improve access to medical care by expanding a physician’s practice base, which is especially important in medically underserved areas. Many PAs are employed in primary care specialties, including family practice, pediatrics, and general medicine.
South College is passionate about providing the education and skills necessary to help you become a highly qualified physician assistant, able to deliver outstanding, professional patient care. In addition to our core faculty members, we bring in local physicians and physician assistants as adjunct faculty to give the program a hands-on focus.
Keys to Success
In addition to drive, focus, and a desire to improve lives through healthcare, you should be able to demonstrate good working relationships with patients and co-workers. This will help you to successfully complete the PA program, pass the national certifying examination, and go on to have a satisfying career.
The South College core faculty members take a personalized approach to education, and are frequently available to answer questions and provide guidance. Our adjunct faculty consists of local physicians and physician assistants who are committed to acting as mentors in our students’ education, and you can find additional support from course tutors and the Writing Lab.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the South College Masters of Health Science Physician Assistant Program sponsored by South College. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 September 2027. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The South College Masters of Health Science Physician Assistant Program is a single program with two campuses; one in Knoxville, Tennessee and an extension campus in Atlanta, Georgia.
South College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the doctorate, educational specialist, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate levels. South College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of South College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Amounts for tuition, fees, books, and supplies are subject to change. South College follows the required methodology provided by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for the reporting of employment information for graduates. This information is compiled on an annual basis and submitted to the Commission by October 15 each year for graduates during the most recently completed reporting year (July 1-June 30). For more detailed information related to the calculation of graduate employment rates, please click here.
*The career options listed above are a small sample of potential job titles, and are not meant to be comprehensive. Students may or may not find employment in these positions. Job growth statistics are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2014–2024 projections. Note that the Bureau does not publish estimates for all job titles, so in some cases these numbers are an approximation based on similar job titles.
While I was looking at programs, South College’s DPT program had a unique atmosphere and was a program that was challenging the traditional brick and mortar DPT education model. It was something I wanted to be a part of, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from the top PTs and educators in the country.
- Audrey Sherles, Doctor of Physical Therapy
I am currently in the Bachelor’s of Business Administration program with a Concentration in Accounting. I felt that given my personal interests, strengths, and skills, that a degree in accounting would be the right choice. Also, I wanted to choose something that had the potential to allow work/life balance in the future as both are important to me.
- Anjali Doshi, Bachelor of Business Administration
I went to college originally straight out of high school with the intent of majoring in musical performance with a concentration in theoretical studies. I was not prepared to for college at that point, so I decided to gain some experience and maturity by joining the work force full-time. After working for 10 years, I felt it was time to try school again.
- Adam Hatcher, Bachelor of Business Administration
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