General Information about the Program
The Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant Program is a seven-semester program based in the UMKC School of Medicine. Students enrolled in our program benefit from the extensive medical education resources offered by the School of Medicine, such as the Clinical Training Facility, Health Sciences library, and Medical Education Media Center.
Our program is located on the UMKC Hospital Hill campus in the heart of Kansas City. The UMKC School of Medicine is proud to be one of 10 neighboring partners of the UMKC Health Sciences District, a premier academic health district engaging in cutting-edge biomedical research and entrepreneurship, delivering state-of-the science health care, and educating the next generation of health care professionals. Our program’s unique location offers access to community health centers, academic medical affiliates, and surrounding rural locations, which provide students experiences in a wide variety of settings that serve diverse patient populations.
Vision Statement
The UMKC MMSPA Program will be a leader in PA education recognized by the quality of our graduates, community partnerships, and academic excellence.
Mission Statement
To educate competent, compassionate, and culturally-aware Physician Assistants who are prepared to meet the healthcare needs of our community. Graduates will advance the Physician Assistant profession through clinical excellence, service, and dedication to professional stewardship.
Accreditation Statement
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Missouri Kansas City Physician Assistant Program sponsored by University of Missouri Kansas City. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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.
Review the program’s accreditation history
Graduate Performance on Certification Exam
The Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant program graduates have performed well on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). The average first-time PANCE pass rate for the program (across all cohorts) is 97%.
Review the NCCPA pass rate summary report
Student Attrition
| Graduated Classes | |||
| Class of 2021 | Class of 2022 | Class of 2023 | |
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) |
20 | 20 | 20 |
| Entering class size | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| Graduates | 18 | 18 | 19 |
| * Attrition rate | 14.29% | 10% | 5% |
| **Graduation rate | 85.71% | 90% | 95% |
*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.
**Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.