Physician Associate Program

URL (https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/Prospective-Students/Degree-Programs/Physician-Associate-Program)

Degrees offered: Master of Health Sciences

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine offers the Physician Associate degree. The PA Program is one of the original six accredited programs in the United States and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1972. Our outstanding faculty is accessible and committed to the personal and professional development of our students. The program takes advantage of our place in an academic medical center to teach the next generation of clinicians. With a strong educational foundation our graduates are ready to launch a lifelong career with opportunities to practice in a variety of dynamic settings.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Physician Associate Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). OUHSC PA graduates are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Successful passage of this examination is required for physician assistant state licensure in the United States. To learn more about licensure requirements for each state visit https://www.aapa.org/download/19739/ or the individual licensing board site links found at https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/state-advocacy/state-licensing/list-of-licensing-boards/.

PANCE Pass Rate: (Click Here)

  • 5-year first-time taker pass rate for the OUHSC Program: 93%
  • 5-year first-time taker pass rate for the National average: 93%

Graduation Rate

Type Class of 2021 Class of 2022 Class of 2023 Class of 2024
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) 57 57 57 57
Entering class size 51 50 48 50
Graduates 50 48 50 48
Attrition rate1 3.9% 6% 0% 6%
Graduation rate2 98% 96% 100% 94.00%
1

Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.

2

Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Oklahoma Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the University of Oklahoma. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

The University of Oklahoma is accredited by:

The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA)
30 North LaSalle St., Suite 2400,
Chicago, IL 60602; 312/263-0456.

Program Faculty and Staff

Leadership

Darlla D. Duniphin, DHSc, PA-C
Interim Program Director
Director for Clinical Education
Associate Professor

Chad Douglas, MD, PharmD
Medical Director
Director for Didactic Education
Assistant Professor

Matt Allman, MPAS, PA-C
Director for Evaluation and Assessment

Faculty

Kenneth G Foster, MHS, PA-C
Assistant Professor

Elizabeth Garone, MHS, PA-C
Assistant Professor

Frederick Miller, PhD
Associate Professor
Assistant Dean for Preclinical Curriculum

Bruna Varalli-Claypool, MHS, PA-C
Professor

Staff

Ellie Dutton, BSBAM
Didactic Education Coordinator,
Senior Student Program Coordinator

Jasmine Handley, BA
Evaluation & Assessment Coordinator,
Senior Student Program Coordinator

Lisa Jones, BBA
Administrative Manager

Kathy Martin, BSSE
Clinical Education Coordinator,
Senior Student Program Coordinator

Aly Moss, BBA
Senior Coordinator for College Recruitment,
Senior Student Program Coordinator

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in the prescribed courses and to pay tuition and fees at the time designated by the Bursar's Office. Details regarding tuition/fee charges and collection are available from the Bursar's Office.