Physician Assistant students observe cadavers in a lab

Physician Assistant Studies

Program Overview
Admissions Requirements
Courses
Tuition & Aid

There's no better place to reach your potential as a physician assistant than in Nashville, the health care industry capital of the U.S. Let us help you prepare for a career of service; use our small class sizes to your advantage. Learn from veteran faculty in our state-of-the-art facilities. Get to know the health care community around you and gain experience in area hospitals and labs. After all, classroom learning is not all you'll need — nor all you'll receive.

Faith is an important infusion to learning here: in ethics, mentoring, the clinical experience or servanthood. Our PA program will serve your spiritual and vocational goals, as you train to serve others.

And once you graduate, you'll join your peers — who all got the job they wanted in a field with a national 99.4 percent job placement rate.

Core Competencies for Graduates

Competencies, which are summative in nature, encapsulate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for entry into clinical Physician Assistant practice. As such, the Lipscomb University School of Physician Assistant Studies has defined the core competencies expected of its graduates. Not only do the competencies culminate the program’s expectations of the student, but they also serve as a framework to underpin the curriculum and establish a robust foundation on which graduates can build a future career.

Medical Knowledge (MK)

Medical knowledge must be focused on core evidence-based knowledge for practice. Physician assistants must demonstrate the acquisition of established knowledge in scientific, biomedical, and clinical sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care in clinical practice. Moreover, the graduate PAs should incorporate epidemiological and social/behavioral approaches to various patients and populations, while demonstrating the propensity for life-long learning and critical appraisal of evolving medical knowledge. Upon graduation, the PA student will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of scientific principles and application to patient care.
Demonstrate biomedical knowledge regarding the recognition, treatment, and prevention of disease.
Demonstrate knowledge and application of clinical sciences to patient care.
Apply evidence-based and epidemiological approaches to patient care for patients and populations.
Apply principles of social-behavioral sciences by assessing the impact of psychosocial and cultural influences on health, disease, care-seeking, and compliance.

Interpersonal Skills (IS)

In healthcare, physician assistants must demonstrate the necessary interpersonal skills to allow for effective interaction with patients, families, collaborating physicians, and other health professionals. As such, these skills are considered an inherent component of healthcare delivery, allowing for effective communication and the exchange of information. Interpersonal skills, influenced by a Christian worldview, will foster altruism and service to fulfill the calling of a physician assistant. Upon graduation, the PA student will be able to:

Create and maintain a therapeutic relationship with patients, family members, and caregivers while demonstrating sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation.
Create a collegial partnership with other members of the healthcare team in order to provide patient-centered care.
Adapt communication skills to the context of the interaction to allow for the effective exchange of information.

Clinical & Technical Skills (CTS)

Patient-centered care requires patient- and setting-specific clinical and technical skills to assess, evaluate, and manage patients presenting with a wide range of diseases. Similarly, these skills are also required for the promotion of health in patients and populations. Upon graduation, the PA student will be able to:

Obtain essential and accurate histories and perform an appropriate physical exam for ages across the lifespan, regardless of presentation.
Order & interpret appropriate diagnostic studies.
Develop a differential diagnosis and select the most appropriate working diagnosis.
Perform medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures considered essential for entry-level PA practice.
Develop and implement therapeutic plans and interventions.
Provide counseling that is culturally sensitive and relevant to the context of the encounter.
Accurately and adequately provide comprehensive documentation regarding care for medical, legal, quality, and financial purposes in a timely manner.
Provide concise oral case presentations appropriate for the audience and context of the presentation.

Clinical Reasoning & Problem-Solving Skills (CRPS)

The practice of patient-centered healthcare requires the persistent use of sound clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to analyze information and synthesize treatment plans. Additionally, said skills must be developed and maintained in order to triage and provide appropriate care. Upon graduation, the PA student will be able to:

Demonstrate an investigative and analytical approach to clinical situations.
Recognize normal and abnormal health states in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
Discern between acute, chronic, and emergent disease states.
Prioritize therapeutic actions and clinical care decisions based on available data.

Professional Behaviors (PB)

Physician Assistants must demonstrate strict adherence to professional responsibilities, remaining accountable to our colleagues and the public, in addition to the patients and populations we serve. Physician assistants must demonstrate a high level of trust, ethical practice, and commitment to the standards of the profession. Upon graduation: the PA student will be able to:

Appraise the role of the physician assistant in the delivery of healthcare and the contexts of the physician/PA relationship and the interprofessional team.
Differentiate the functions of the various members of the interprofessional health care team to promote a climate of mutual respect and trust.
Demonstrate self-awareness in recognition of personal/professional limitations.
Maintain loyalty to ethical principles of practice.
Adhere to standards of care, and to relevant laws, policies, and regulations that govern the delivery of care.
Engage in systems-based practice through coordination of care, while maintaining cost awareness, risk/benefit analysis, and advocacy efforts.
Use critical analysis of practice patterns to learn and improve patient care and outcomes, while identifying ways to improve efficiency and reduce medical error.

Accreditation Information

At its March 2021 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Lipscomb University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Lipscomb University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in March 2023.

Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additional two years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance. Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation - Provisional or Accreditation - Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.

Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.

Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-lipscomb-university/

Mission, Vision and Goals

Mission

The Lipscomb University School of Physician Assistant Studies is focused on training students to become physician assistants who will provide compassionate healthcare to a diverse patient community. Our mission is built on a framework of Christian ethics and rooted in faith. We are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment that fosters growth in knowledge, professionalism, and service. Our graduates will be leaders in medicine that work to improve patients’ health across the lifespan.

Our program mission reflects the mission of Lipscomb University to integrate Christian faith and practice with academic excellence. It is built on five unshakeable pillars, as established by the university: faith, community, knowledge, innovation and service.

Vision

Our vision is to live out the mission of the program and university by creating an environment that provides opportunities for growth in knowledge, skills, and professionalism while maintaining our faith-based heritage.

Goals

1. To achieve on-time graduation rates on par with the national average.

Metrics:

On-time graduation rate

Benchmarks:

On-time graduation rate at or above the mean on-time graduation rate published in PAEA’s annual Program Report. Program Report 35 reports a mean on-time graduation rate of 92.9%.

Success:

Class of 2020: 94.3% (33 of 35 students) graduated on time.
Class of 2021: 93% (40 of 43 students) graduate on time.

2. To prepare students to practice evidence-based medicine and participate in scholarly activities.

Metrics:

Cohort pass rate in the following courses:

PA 5042 - Biostatistics and Evidence-Based Medicine
PA 6001 - Professional Practicum

Benchmarks:

100% pass rate in PA 5042 - Biostatistics & Evidence-Based Medicine
100% pass rate in PA 6001 - Professional Practicum

Success:

PA 5042 - Biostatistics & Evidence-Based Medicine

Class of 2020 - 100% pass rate
Class of 2021 - 100% pass rate
Class of 2022 - 100% pass rate

PA 6001 - Professional Practicum

Class of 2020 - 100% pass rate
Class of 2021 - 100% pass rate

3. To prepare graduates to practice in a variety of health care settings, including medically underserved areas or populations.

Metrics:

Percentage of students completing a supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) in a Health Professional Shortage Area as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the government of the United States of America.

Benchmarks:

75% of students will complete a supervised clinical practice experience in a Health Professional Shortage Area.

Success:

Class of 2020 - 100% of students
Class of 2021 - 100% of students

4. To achieve a first-time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average

Metrics:

Fist-time PANCE Pass rate

Benchmarks:

First-time PANCE pass rate as published annually.

Success:

Class of 2020: 100% (95% national first-time pass rate)
Class of 2021: 95% (93% national first-time pass rate)

NCCPA PANCE Pass Rate Summary Report

Student Attrition

Policies

The School of Physician Assistant Studies endeavors to define, publish, make readily available, and consistently apply policies and procedures applicable to the program. As such, the program has published the following index of selected policies in accordance with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) standards which are indexed below.

For Prospective Students:

A3.03: Student Solicitation of Clinical Sites or Preceptors Policy

No student will be required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. The program will coordinate clinical sites and preceptors for all program-required rotations. Coordinating supervised clinical practice experiences will include identifying, contacting, and evaluating sites and preceptors for educational suitability as a required or elective rotation experience.

A3.12a: ARC-PA Accreditation Status

Please refer to the Program Overview → Accreditation Information section of this website.

A3.12b: Evidence in Effectiveness in Meeting Goals

Please refer to the Program Overview → Mission, Vision, & Goals section of this website.

A3.12c: Current Annual PANCE Report Provided by NCCPA

Please refer to the Program Overview → NCCPA PANCE Pass Rate Summary Report section of this website.

A3.12d: Required Curricular Components

Please refer to the Courses section of this website.

A3.12e: Academic Credit Offered by Program

Please refer to the Program Overview section of this website.

A3.12f: Estimates of Cost (Tuition/Fees)

Please refer to the Tuition & Aid section of this website.

A3.12g: Program Required Competencies

Please refer to the Program Overview → Core Competencies for New Graduates section of this website.

A3.12h: Services Related to a Distant Campus

The School of Physician Assistant Studies does not have a distant campus associated with the program.

A3.12i: Student Attrition Information

Please refer to the Program Overview → Student Attrition section of this website.

A3.13a: Admission Practices Favoring Individuals or Groups

Please refer to the Admissions Requirements → Holistic Application Review section of this website.

A3.13b: Admissions Requirements (Education/Experience)

Please refer to the Admissions Requirements → Patient Care Experience & Shadowing and Prerequisite Info sections of this website.

A3.13c: Practices for Advanced Placement

Advanced placement is defined as a waiver of required coursework included in the PA curriculum for applicants to the program and/or a waiver of required coursework included in the PA curriculum for currently enrolled students in the program which results in the student advancing in the curriculum without completing required curriculum components at the sponsoring institution.

The School of Physician Assistant Studies does not offer advanced placement for applicants to the program or currently enrolled students in the program.

A3.13d: Admissions Requirements (Academic Standards)

Please refer to the Admissions Requirements → Prerequisite Info section of this website.

A3.13e: Technical Standards

Please refer to the Admissions Requirements → Technical Standards section of this website.

For Enrolled Students:

Policies for enrolled students are published and indexed in the Lipscomb University School of Physician Assistant Studies Student Handbook.

Simulation Education

Admissions Requirements

Requirements Overview

COVID-19 - Temporary Admissions Changes

COVID-19 Statement and Admissions

Due to COVID-19, several temporary changes have been made to the Lipscomb admissions policies and extended through the 2022-2023 CASPA cycle.

We will accept online credit for classes with corresponding labs ONLY if the transition to an online platform was due to COVID-19 and assuming all other prerequisite criteria are met. Please answer the questions in CASPA to indicate any courses this may have affected.
Classes and their corresponding labs taught online before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted in-class/lab teaching will not be accepted.
The admissions committee may require official documentation from your institution.
We understand that applicants may have difficulty obtaining shadowing hours and patient care experience hours.

Further updates and changes are possible as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve. Feel free to reach out with any further questions via email to aven.humphreys@lipscomb.edu.

Technical Standards

Professional healthcare providers are challenged in environments that demand certain abilities, behaviors, and skills. The Lipscomb University School of Physician Assistant Studies has identified certain professional behaviors, abilities, and skills that are essential for students to be able to succeed within the program and provide excellent care to patients. In order for a student to be eligible to enroll in the program, he or she must be able to perform these skills and behaviors successfully either unassisted, with dependable use of reasonable assistive devices, or by employing another reasonable accommodation. The following descriptions define the capabilities expected from an individual in order to successfully complete the Lipscomb University Physician Assistant Program.

Minimum Performance

The PA student must possess the skills related to critical thinking, communication, gross motor dexterity, fine motor coordination, interpersonal skills, observational abilities, and social skills in an individual, group, classroom, laboratory, or other educational settings. All students must be able to effectively perform and function in settings that are solitary, small group, large group, social environment, public space, or large classroom settings without disruption to other students, patients, faculty, or staff. All students must be able to function and remain calm within stressful situations. All students must be able to attend classes and laboratory sessions and be present for examination and testing. All students must be able to perform overnight call when required on supervised clinical rotations.

Communication Skills

The PA student must be able to effectively hear, understand, speak, and observe patients in order to elicit history and other necessary information from patients, students, faculty, and staff. The student must be able to perceive nonverbal communication and cues, describe patient mood or changes, describe posture and appearance, and interpret and describe patient activity and behavior. The PA student must be able to communicate in verbal, written, typed, and electronic formats in a manner that is effective, efficient, and sensitive, and in the English language. The PA student must be able to receive and give communication effectively with others in a professional manner. The PA student must be able to interact, communicate, and understand other students, clinicians, faculty, patients, and their families in order to respond appropriately and in a timely fashion.

Intellectual Capabilities

The PA student must possess and demonstrate the physical, emotional, intellectual, compassionate, and ethical capabilities required to undertake the full curriculum at a normal pace with on-time completion. The student must be able to learn, retain, and recall information and make reasoned decisions in a timely fashion. The student must be able to achieve a competent level of critical thinking and reasoning required to function in an entry-level PA position. In order to achieve this level, the student must be able to perform in areas of reasoning, measurement, analysis, interpretation, synthesis, calculation, and deduction. These skills must be evident in dealing with other students, faculty, staff, patients, patient families, and other health care professionals. Critical thinking and problem solving, while in stressful situations, are necessary to complete the program.

Interpersonal Abilities and Social Interactions

The PA student must be able to establish and maintain appropriate relationships in a professional manner with other students, faculty, staff, health care professionals, patients, and patient families. This encompasses possessing the maturity and emotional health necessary to function within the health care and educational environments while achieving full utilization of his or her abilities, intellectual function, sound judgment, sensory input, critical thinking, and promptness. The student must be able to demonstrate compassion, empathy, responsibility, and tolerance towards patients, families, faculty, staff, other students, and colleagues. This includes the ability to remain calm and function at this level within stressful situations and with competing demands for the student's time and energies.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills and Strength

The interaction with patients and the demands of the health care and educational environments while in training and practice require strength, coordination, and endurance. The PA student must have sufficient fine and gross motor coordination to function within the patient care and educational environments that may include clutter, equipment, tables, family members, stairs, textbooks, supplies, and distractions. This includes the ability to ambulate, stand for extended periods of time, concentrate, balance, interact, assist in movement, use medical instruments, use electronic devices, position patients, and lift heavy objects. In general, a PA student should be able to safely lift 50+ pounds without any assistance or injury. Interaction within the environment may include classrooms, treatment rooms, laboratory spaces, patient rooms, waiting rooms, operating rooms, public spaces, stairwells, outdoors, and any other space generally necessary to interact with and treat patients or interact in the educational environment. This interaction may require standing or sitting for extended periods of time without disruption or change in position. This interaction may require altering lighting, including bright or fluorescent lights or low light conditions. All students must be able to travel to clinical rotation sites.

Observational Skills

The PA student must be able to observe a patient or simulated patient accurately from varying distances. This includes adequate vision. The PA student must possess the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory sensations sufficient enough to receive the sensory input in the classroom, clinical, laboratory, or educational setting. These skills include the ability to inspect, palpate, percuss, and auscultate accurately during the physical examination.

Patient Care Experience & Shadowing

Patient Care Experience

Lipscomb requires all applicants to have patient care experience. However, we do not require a specific number of hours to be considered for an interview. Patient care experience is defined as those experiences in which you are directly responsible for an aspect of a patient's care. Patient care hours may be paid or volunteer. It is extremely important to provide a detailed description of your experiences on your CASPA application to assure that you are given appropriate credit. Examples include but are not limited to nursing assistant, medical assistant, emergency medical technician/paramedic, emergency room technician, home health aide, and phlebotomist.

Healthcare Experience

Healthcare experience is defined as experience in a health or health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient's care, but may still have patient interaction. Additional weight within the admissions rubric will be given for medical scribe experience.

Shadowing

Lipscomb requires all applicants to have PA shadowing experience. However, we do not require a specific number of hours to be considered for an interview. We prefer you seek quality interactions with a practicing PA rather than just accumulating higher quantity hours.

Prerequisite Info

A CASPA calculated GPA of 3.0 is required for both the cumulative GPA and the overall science GPA at the time of application submission. The program does not replace grades or recalculate GPAs based on coursework completed after application submission.
Must have earned a ‘C’ or above in all prerequisite courses.
Must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, or the international equivalent verified by WES, or anticipate earning a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation into the physician assistant program.
The prerequisite classes must be obtained from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
Science and statistics prerequisites must have been completed within 10 years of matriculation.
The only online prerequisite courses considered for acceptance are the psychology and statistics courses, unless a course meets the COVID exception policy.
Science prerequisites must be those for science majors only. We will not accept prerequisites for nursing, kinesiology, etc, or those listed as “survey” or “introductory” courses
The program does not accept Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP credits for any of our prerequisite coursework.

The following prerequisite list is representative of classes that are generally accepted. This list is not all-inclusive. Other courses may substitute based on prior approval on an individual basis.

Chemistry (8 credits)

General Chemistry I and II with a Lab
Organic Chemistry I and II with a Lab
Chemistry for Health Sciences (including a lab)

Human Anatomy and Physiology (8 credits)

Human Anatomy/Physiology I
Human Anatomy/Physiology II
Human Anatomy
Human Physiology

Biology (8 credits)

Principles of Biology I and II with a Lab
Microbiology with lab
Immunology
Virology
Molecular Basis of Human Disease
Molecular Biology with lab
Genetics
Cell Biology with lab

Psychology (3 credits)

Developmental Psychology
General Psychology I
Abnormal Psychology

Statistics (3 credits)

Probability & Statistics
Biostatistics
Introduction to Statistics

Course Expiration Policy

All prerequisite science and statistics courses must be taken within 10 calendar years of matriculation. If a one-semester course was completed greater than 10 years prior to the year of matriculation, then the course must be repeated. If a two-semester course was completed greater than 10 years prior to the time of matriculation, then at least one-half of the course must be repeated.

For example, for an applicant expecting to matriculate in Fall 2024, all prerequisite science and statistics courses must have been taken no later than 2014.

Holistic Applicant Review

The Admissions Committee takes a broad range of factors into consideration as we select candidates, including:

Capacity for academic success*
Patient care experience*
Medical scribe experience*
Evidence of service*
Superior interpersonal skills
An understanding of the PA profession with PA shadowing experience*
Letters of recommendation (3 required) with additional weight given for those from a healthcare provider (PA, NP, MD, DO)*
Written expression of personal thought and technical proficiency of writing

*Applicants who exceed the minimum requirements for certain admission criteria will receive incremental weighting during the applicant review process.

The Lipscomb University School of Physician Assistant Studies endeavors to recruit and retain a diverse community of physician assistant students whose qualifications align with the programmatic mission and goals. As such, the program has admissions and enrollment practices that advantage specific individuals or groups. Applicants demonstrating any of the following attributes will receive incremental weighting within various sections of the admission's rubric:

Multilingual
Applicants from a rural or medically underserved area
Socioeconomic indicators as reported in CASPA
First-generation college students
Applicants from a disadvantaged background
Military service with honorable discharge
Lipscomb graduates

International Students

Lipscomb University, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the School of Physician Assistant studies require international students to be proficient in written and oral English before submitting an application. Applicants whose native language is not English must present the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), prior to applying for admission to the college. For more information, visit www.toefl.org. Minimum TOEFL scores are 213 for the computer exam and 550 for the paper exam. The equivalent TOEFL iBT score is 80. Lipscomb’s TOEFL code is 1161.

Applicants that are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply. Graduates of foreign institutions must have a degree equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree as verified by World Education Services (WES). Contact information for WES can be found at www.wes.org. Transcripts must be provided in the original language and with an English translation. In addition, all prerequisite classes must be completed from a regionally accredited U.S. higher education institution. The Physician Assistant Program requires a course-by-course evaluation including verification of lab components of the courses with the CASPA application. Applications will not be considered for admission until the WES report is received.

Admission Process

Overview & Important Dates

We have a rolling admissions process and strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible for the Fall 2023 cohort. All applications must be verified by CASPA by the February 1, 2023 deadline to be considered. To increase your chances of receiving an interview, please review our admission guidelines below.

April 28, 2022 - CASPA Application Available.

Eastern Time on February 1, 2023 - Deadline to have a CASPA application status of verified and received by the program. Applications that remain unverified by CASPA and not yet received by our program after midnight will not be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Lipscomb participate in the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)?

Yes, Lipscomb participates in CASPA. All applications and materials must be submitted through CASPA.

Does Lipscomb require a supplemental application?

No.

Do I have to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)?

No, Lipscomb does not require the GRE for admissions.

Does Lipscomb accept advanced placement or CLEP for prerequisites?

No.

Does the PA program accept Dual Credit for prerequisites?

Yes, as long as it meets the minimum grade and semester credit hour requirements verifiable by transcript.

Does Lipscomb have a pathway program?

No.

Does Lipscomb University give favor to specified individuals or groups?

Yes. See our Holistic Applicant Review section of the website for further information.

What if a student withdraws from the program? Is there a refund?

The School of Physician Assistant Studies has a refund and withdrawal policy available in the student handbook.

Can I work while in PA school?

Lipscomb strongly discourages employment during PA school due to the significant time commitment required of students.

Where can I find physician assistant shadowing opportunities?

You can visit Physician Assistant Shadow Online. Lipscomb cannot make recommendations on specific shadowing opportunities for applicants.

Does the Lipscomb PA program do open house sessions on campus?

Yes, we regularly host open house sessions that include on campus presentations and tours. The dates for these sessions are listed on our home page. Please register here if you would like to attend one of the sessions.

I meet the minimum requirements. Does that mean I am guaranteed an interview?

No. Lipscomb does not guarantee an interview based on any academic or other standards. All interviews are granted based on a holistic admissions approach.

How many cohorts are admitted per year?

One cohort is admitted per year.

When does the program begin?

The program begins in the Fall.

How many seats are available per cohort?

There are a maximum of 50 seats in the cohort.

What is the duration of the program?

This is a 7 semester program that runs year-round. It includes 4 semesters of didactic education and 3 semesters of clinical education.

Does Lipscomb provide graduate housing on campus?

No, there is currently no graduate housing on campus.

Do you have a part-time or online option for your PA program?

No. All students must participate on campus on a full-time basis.

Can any of the prerequisites be completed online or in a hybrid course?

The only online prerequisite courses considered for acceptance are psychology and statistics. See our COVID policy for exceptions.

How many letters of recommendation are required?

Three.

Do all of my recommendation letters on CASPA need to be written by physician assistants?

No. However, applicants with letters of recommendation written by a healthcare provider (PA, NP, MD, or DO) will be given additional weight in the application review process.

Do you accept transfer students from another PA program?

No.

Can I apply if I have outstanding prerequisite courses?

Yes. However, no more than 2 prerequisite courses can be pending completion at the time of application submission.

Successful Applicant Profile

Courses

The following courses of study are designed to prepare a student for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree at Lipscomb University.

Semester I

PA 5012 - Introduction to PA Practice and Health Care
PA 5065 - Human Anatomy
PA 5104 - Physiology & Pathophysiology I
PA 5022 - Ethics in Health Care
PA 5033 - Medical Communications
PA 5042 - Biostatistics and Evidence Based Medicine

Semester II

PA 5204 - Physiology & Pathophysiology II
PA 5156 - Clinical Medicine I
PA 5114 - Pharmacology & Medical Therapeutics I
PA 5262 - Clinical Assessment I
PA 5272 - Laboratory and Diagnostic Methods I

Semester III

PA 5303 - Physiology & Pathophysiology III
PA 5256 - Clinical Medicine II
PA 5214 - Pharmacology & Medical Therapeutics II
PA 5523 - Introduction to Women's Health
PA 5502 - Introduction to Behavioral and Mental Health
PA 5362 - Clinical Assessment II
PA 5281 - Laboratory and Diagnostic Methods II

Semester IV

PA 5356 - Clinical Medicine III
PA 5513 - Introduction to Surgery
PA 5533 - Introduction to Pediatrics
PA 5233 - Advanced Clinical Skills
PA 5543 - Introduction to Emergency Medicine

Semester V/VI/VII

PA 6001 - Professional Practicum
PA 6016 - Pediatrics
PA 6026 - Behavioral and Mental Health
PA 6036 - Women's Health
PA 6046 - Emergency Medicine
PA 6056 - Surgery
PA 6066 - Internal Medicine
PA 6076 - Family Medicine
PA 6A16 - Clinical Elective I

Tuition & Aid

Tuition and Fees for 2021-22

	Tuition	Fees¹	Total
Semester 1	$15,250	$2,619	$17,869
Semester 2	$15,250	$1,829	$17,079
Semester 3	$15,250	$1,829	$17,079
Semester 4	$15,250	$2,024	$17,274
Semester 5	$15,250	$1,077	$16,327
Semester 6	$15,250	$1,077	$16,327
Semester 7	$15,250	$1,272	$16,522
Tuition and Fees Total			$118,477
Other Required Expenses²			$1,050
Total Cost³			$119,527

¹ Student, lab, technology and graduation fees
² This covers medical equipment ($700), screening (e.g., criminal background checks and urine drug screens-$200), and compliance monitoring fee ($150). As with other line items, cost may vary, particularly depending on the level or grade of medical equipment purchased.
³All amounts shown are estimates and subject to change.

Financial Aid

Applying for Aid

Financial Aid: Physician Assistant

Completing the FAFSA

We recommend that the FAFSA be filed by April 1. If you do not have your tax return completed by then, go ahead and file the FAFSA. You can always amend your FAFSA once your return is complete.
Complete your FAFSA by going to fafsa.gov and electronically submitting it.
Be sure to have your tax information from the most recent tax year and your driver's license.
If you have filed a FAFSA before, you will need your FSA ID.
If you have not filed a FAFSA before, visit FAFSA.gov to request an ID.
Lipscomb University's school code is 003486 (to be used in step six on the FAFSA).

Frequently Asked Questions for FAFSA:

Please be sure to answer the following questions on the FAFSA as shown.

How to answer FAFSA Question 29:

What will your college grade level be when you begin the 20XX-20XX school year?

Incoming students select: 1st-year college graduate/professional (MBA,MD,PhD,etc.)
Existing students select: Continuing graduate/professional or beyond (MBA, MD, PhD, etc.)

How to answer FAFSA Question 30:

What college degree or certificate will you be working on when you begin the 20XX-20XX school year?

All students select: College graduate/professional (MBA, MD, PhD, etc.)

How to answer FAFSA Question 47:

At the beginning of the 20XX - 20XX school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, graduate certificate, etc.)?

All students select: Yes

Accepting Aid

Once your FAFSA has been reviewed and processed by the Office of Financial Aid at Lipscomb University, you may then accept the aid you are being offered.

Head over to myLipscomb.
Select All Apps.
Select CNS Student Portal.
Select My Financial Aid.
Select My Award.
Select View Award (most relevant award year*).
Scroll down and select View Loan Offer.
- The amount displayed is the MAX amount available. You may edit the award amount to a lower amount if desired.
- Select the Box to the Right and check after any edits.
Scroll down and select Accept/Reject Loan.

If done correctly you can view your award letter once again and a green “A” will be showing next to your accepted loan. If rejected, the loan will no longer show in the letter.

For any adjustments after accepting the loans, you may contact FinancialAid@lipscomb.edu to request the Grad Loan Adjustment Form.

Types of Financial Aid Available

Federal Stafford Loan

A borrower must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment for at least six semester hours and must be working toward a degree or certificate. Loans must be actively accepted in myLipscomb in order to be applied as an expected payment to the student bill. Stafford Loans will not pay until the student has completed both Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov. Loans will not be credited to accounts until 30 days after classes begin or when a student begins the sixth credit hour, whichever comes last.

Maximum of $20,500 in Unsubsidized Stafford Loans per academic year as a Physician Assistant student.
Having a Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan means that interest accrues while you are in school.
Payments begin six months after graduation or leaving school.
Eligibility is determined by FAFSA.

Grad Plus Loan

The Graduate PLUS Loan is available to independent graduate and professional students. This loan requires credit approval by the Department of Education, as well as a FAFSA submission. Learn more on how to apply.

Can be deferred while in school.
FAFSA is required.
Non-need based loan, based on credit. Can use a co-signer.
Must use all of Stafford before Grad Plus is applied to accounts.

Federal Stafford and Grad Plus loans are subject to interest rates and origination fees as applicable to each loan type.

Contact Information

Physician Assistant

Aven Humphreys
Director of Student Affairs
(615) 966-7150
aven.humphreys@lipscomb.edu

95%

PANCE Pass Rate for the class of 2021

Networking

Both our deeply connected faculty and our experiential learning opportunities offer myriad ways for you to form relationships with leaders in the industry. These connections will serve and support you throughout your career.

Research Opportunities

We know that you want to be an innovator in the field. That’s why we offer unique research opportunities in our state-of-the-art facilities with our world-class faculty so that you can hone your expertise.

Nashville

A big city. An even bigger opportunity. We consider Nashville an extension of our classroom, and as a leading city in many industries, that means you’ll gain experience and insight you won’t find anywhere else.

99.4%

National job placement rate

Our Faculty

Jason Huddleston

Program Director

Jason H. Huddleston is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Physician Assistant Studies program. Dr. Huddleston holds a Doctor of Medical Science degree from the University of Lynchburg...
Meet Jason Huddleston
Matt Steidl

Assistant Professor

Matt ('00) met his wife Erin (Tews '99) at Lipscomb as an undergraduate. He and Erin have three daughters. He worked as a software engineer for Lockheed Martin on the...
Meet Matt Steidl
Wade Denney

Medical Director

Dr. Denney returned to Lipscomb to join the faculty of the School of Physician Assistant Studies as Medical Director and Adjunct Professor of Medicine in 2020. He obtained his undergraduate...
Meet Wade Denney
Linda Elrod

Assistant Professor

Elrod ('77), assistant professor of physician assistant studies, holds a Master of Science in Medicine from Trevecca Nazarene University and is a Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C). She has eight years...
Meet Linda Elrod
Terri Jerkins

Assistant Professor School of Physician Assistant Studies

Jerkins is an assistant professor for the School of Physician Assistant Studies. Jerkins received her Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, Tenn. She...
Meet Terri Jerkins
Casie Ramirez

Director of Clinical Education - PA Program

An Alabama native, Casie comes to us with nine years of experience as a physician assistant in various clinical settings. She obtained her MS in Physician Assistant Studies from the...
Meet Casie Ramirez
Lauren Webb

Assistant Professor

Lauren was raised in Alabama, eventually leading her to Auburn University where she earned a degree in Biomedical Sciences. Following undergrad, she then attended the Mississippi College Physician Assistant program,...
Meet Lauren Webb
Cindy Wingert

Assistant Professor

With over 17 years of teaching experience, Cindy comes to Lipscomb UniversityÂ from The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Cindy's primary area of interest is teaching human gross anatomy; however,...
Meet Cindy Wingert
Geoff Wright

Assistant Professor

Geoff Wright, Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies, joined Lipscomb's PA program in the summer of 2020. Prior to Lipscomb, Wright, a certified PA, spent three years as a hospitalist...
Meet Geoff Wright

Career Paths