Accreditation overview and policies

    The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Physician Assistant Program in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the standards.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 2025. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the accreditation standards and ARC-PA policy.

    Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) data is provided by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

    PA student

    View the program's accreditation history

    View the NCCPA PANCE exam first time taker summary report (pdf)

    View the NCCPA PANCE exam performance summary report (pdf)

    View the ARC-PA attrition table (pdf)

    Outcomes

    We are committed to helping our students succeed during their education and in job placement after graduation.

    Learn about the program's goals and outcomes

    Policies and documents

    Technical standards

    UW-Madison advanced placement policy (pdf)

    End-of-program competencies (pdf)

    PA Student Handbook (pdf)

    History

    • 1974: The University of Wisconsin-Madison Physician Assistant (PA) PA Program was founded.
    • 1977: Awarded accreditation upon the graduation of its first class in 1977 and since that time has been granted continuous accreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
    • 1990: Joined the School of Medicine and Public Health's nationally acclaimed Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.
    • 2001: Traditional Distance Education (tDE) Track launched
    • 2004: Moves to its new home at the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Learning Center.
    • 2010: Transitions from a baccalaureate program to a master’s program, offering the Masters of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree.
    • 2014: Inaugural wisPACT@UW-Stevens Point at Wausau (Wisconsin PA Community-based Track) class welcomed
    • 2015: First cohort of MPH-MPAS dual degree students matriculates.
    • 2018:  Regional Distance Education (rDE) Track launched.
    • 2019: Receives 5-year HRSA funding to increase mission match learners, create curriculum around behavioral health, SUD and addiction medicine and enhance student, faculty and preceptor wellness.
    • 2023: Anticipates accepting 10 students in the wisPACT@UW-Platteville distant campus *pending ARC-PA approval in Spring 2023.