Physician Assistant Program
The physician assistant is a professional member of the health-care team who is qualified by academic and clinical education to practice medicine with supervision by a licensed physician. Following a medical model of patient care, physician assistants are qualified to perform a wide range of duties traditionally performed only by physicians.
Physician assistants obtain patient histories, perform physical examinations, diagnose illness, determine treatment plans, order and interpret laboratory, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and prescribe medication as well as provide patient education, counseling, and follow-up care.
The Accreditation Review Committee for Physician Assistant (ARCPA) has granted accreditation to the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University Physician Assistant Program. Continued accreditation status is granted when a currently accredited program complies 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 2029. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
Of note, the Physician Assistant (MS) program is only offered in the summer, while the PA Master's Completion Post Professional (MS) Degree program will be offered during the spring, summer and fall terms.
For program related fees please click on the following link below: