Physician Assistant Studies

Physician assistants fill the gap between the demand for medical care and the shortage of primary- and specialty-care physicians in rural and urban communities. Licensed to practice medicine under a doctor's supervision, PAs provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services, many of which have been performed by physicians in the past. Their practices are centered on patient care but may also include educational, research and administrative activities.

Why come to Marquette for the accelerated physician assistant program?

As a freshman, you’ll be admitted directly into the biomedical sciences major as a pre-PA and have the opportunity to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and, if accepted into the program, a master’s in physician assistant studies in as few as five years. Marquette also offers a postgraduate emergency medicine fellowship for PAs, one of only a handful of such programs in the country.

Be prepared to work anywhere.

You’ll learn in the heart of the city, and you’ll be prepared to work in metropolitan hospitals and clinics, as well as in rural areas. Marquette has teaching affiliations with all the major health care systems in the metro Milwaukee area and a broad range of clinical internship options. Students in the Physician Assistant program encounter rigorous health science instruction in biomedical sciences, as well as clinical instruction in clinical medicine, emergency medicine and surgery. During your final year of study, you’ll work full time with practicing physician assistants and physicians during your clinical internship rotations in pediatrics, family practice, internal medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. And you can choose to add specialty rotations to customize your degree in areas such as orthopedics, surgical subspecialties or internal medicine subspecialties.

Why pursue a career as a physician assistant?

There are excellent career opportunities in most areas of medicine and surgery. The physician assistant profession is considered to be one of the fastest-growing in the United States. The income potential is excellent. You are able to work in a variety of medical settings with a broad range of skills and responsibilities, including diagnosing and treating illnesses, prescribing medications, and teaching patients how to improve their health.

Some of the classes you'll take:

  • General Biology I & II
  • Human Anatomy
  • General Pathology
  • Human Gross Anatomy
  • Human Physiology
  • Microbiology
  • Diagnostics Technology
  • Evidence-based Medicine
  • Introduction to Medical History and Physical Examination
  • Professional Issues

For a complete listing of required courses for the program in physician assistant studies, please visit the Marquette University Online Bulletin at this link.