Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant
Mayo Clinic
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Location: Boston | Start Term: FallBecome a highly skilled healthcare professional with advanced scientific knowledge and clinical skills to provide patient-centered care.
Improve Lives Through Compassionate, Evidence-Based Care
The Master of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies is a three-year program on our Boston campus, located in the heart of the Longwood Medical Area. You’ll spend two years immersed in coursework to gain advanced medical, scientific, and clinical knowledge. Then, complete a full year of rotations in a variety of settings to apply and advance your skills. This program will prepare you to pass the PANCE board exam and become a practicing PA.
A Growing Profession with Unlimited Opportunities
Physician Assistants are consistently among the nation’s highest-earning, top-ranked healthcare professionals. Graduates from MCPHS find long-term success in this fast-growing field.
$134K
PER YEARThe median annual compensation for physician assistants in 2024, a more than 5% increase from the year prior.
#2
BEST HEALTHCARE JOBPhysician Assistant is once again ranked among the best jobs in the country in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report.
20%
EXPECTED JOB GROWTHThe U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment for physician assistants will grow through 2034.
Experience PA Studies at MCPHS—Boston
Our faculty members bring extensive medical experience and are committed to training highly qualified, compassionate healthcare providers. Hear from them about what students can expect from the PA program.
High-Tech, Hands-On Learning
Our Boston campus features two state-of-the-art simulation laboratory rooms with high-fidelity mannequins. Simulation courses allow students to practice their skills in realistic medical scenarios.
Customized Clinical Experiences
In addition to seven core rotations, choose two elective rotations to explore specialty areas that align with your interests and career goals. You may also pursue rotations abroad in places like Europe, Africa, or South America to advance your skills while experiencing international health systems.
Evidence-Based Education
Coursework is grounded in current medical evidence and best practices, integrating basic and clinical sciences to support clinical reasoning and decision-making. Learn to apply these principles across care settings while developing interprofessional communication and collaboration skills.
Student Success Stories
From advocacy to research and national honors, students in this program experience great accomplishments at MCPHS and beyond.
Minh Tran
| PA-C, MPAS ‘25“As clinicians, we make a difference by providing care for each patient, but when we engage with decision-makers shaping healthcare policies, our impact grows exponentially. By advocating for systemic change, we can transform the healthcare system for the better.”
Duncan Daviau
| DMSc, MPAS ’17, President, Massachusetts Association of PAs“I encourage all healthcare students to get involved in their professional organizations in some capacity. We all have a voice. Investing in yourself and your profession will pay dividends going forward. It certainly has for me.”
Emily Brenman
| MPAS ‘26“Walking into your first clinical rotation is nerve-wracking because you have a lot of doubt, questioning whether you studied enough or grasped all the concepts. I learned you have to trust your past self, who worked so hard and has come so far, to know that you can keep your patients safe.”
Careers in Action: MPAS Alumni Making Their Mark
Our PA studies graduates are working at top-tier healthcare organizations across the country.
-
-
Assistant PA Director
Boston Children’s Hospital
-
Internal Medicine Physician Assistant
Tufts Medical Center
-
Neonatal ICU Physician Assistant
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
-
Physician Assistant
U.S. Department of Defense
-
Thoracic Surgery Physician Assistant
Massachusetts General Hospital
An Undergraduate Pathway to a PA Career
Begin your path to becoming a PA right after high school at MCPHS. Earn a Bachelor of Science in Premedical Health Studies and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies in six years instead of seven.
News from the School of PA Studies—Boston
Download a Master of PA Studies Fact Sheet
Tell us about yourself and we’ll send you more information on how to launch your healthcare career.