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���ϲ����� Physician Assistant Studies Program Overview

We’re Growing, But Still Engaged

Traditionally, the ���ϲ����� PA program has admitted 38 students per cohort. In January 2026, we anticipate welcoming up to 76 new ���ϲ����� PA students to campus! While this transition may seem like a major program change, the faculty and staff are working diligently to ensure we maintain our values with a larger cohort. For example, we are adding faculty to maintain our faculty: student ratio and we are evaluating each course to consider any resources needed to maintain the relationships we build with our learners inside and outside the classroom.

���ϲ����� Physician Assistant Studies Program in Charlotte, North Carolina

���ϲ����� is excited to announce the launch of a new Physician Assistant Studies Program located at the ���ϲ����� National Campus in Charlotte, North Carolina. The program will enroll for January 2027; Rooted in Boldly ���ϲ�����’s strategic pillars of engaged learning, leadership, and global impact, the Charlotte PA program is designed to prepare future PAs who are clinically exceptional, community-focused, and equity-driven. The program emphasizes training in primary care, urgent and emergent medicine, and will feature real-world, immersive learning experiences across diverse clinical settings. For more information email Dr. Veronica Marciano, Chair & Founding Program Director, vmarciano@elon.edu.

The ���ϲ����� Charlotte Physician Assistant (PA) Program has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The ���ϲ����� Charlotte Physician Assistant (PA) Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the September 2026 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Please note that the program will not commence in the event that the provisional accreditation is not received. 

Curriculum Approach

This 24-month program engages students through an innovative systems-organized curriculum that employs large and small group discussion, hands-on clinical skills labs, simulated patient experiences, lecture and patient scenario discussions. Over the course of the academic year, the patient scenarios and simulated patient experiences will increase in complexity. These will culminate in an Advanced Clinical Reasoning course in the fall that builds on existing learner-centered models by guiding students to reapply knowledge and build towards satisfaction of  (graduation outcomes).

The required Master’s Project supports and promotes professional development in the area of accessing, critically appraising and applying the best available evidence to address a research, patient care or policy question relevant to Physician Assistant practice or education. The clinical education phase consists of seven required rotations (Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Inpatient Medicine, General Surgery, Women’s Health and Behavioral Medicine) and one elective. Clinical sites are located throughout the central area of North Carolina.

���ϲ����� PA Program Information

• Full-time 24-month program that enrolls each January
• 113.5 credits must be successfully completed in order to graduate
• Candidates must have an earned baccalaureate degree and have successfully completed all the prerequisite courses and admission requirements. Learn more about the .

 

Mission

The ���ϲ����� Department of Physician Assistant Studies embraces the overall mission of the University and seeks to fulfill the Departmental vision of “Learning. Caring. Serving. Leading.” by acting upon these commitments:

Learning:

We foster a supportive, collaborative, and collegial community that engages students in a learner-centered environment, appropriately challenges them to capably demonstrate clinical competence, and supports professional development of students and faculty.

Caring:

To thrive as healthcare providers, we promote the well-being and resilience of students, faculty, and staff. We promote dialogue on personal and cultural attributes and are accepting of different values, beliefs, and perspectives as a valuable addition to our learning community.

We advance patient care by recognizing that our first responsibility is to our patients as we produce graduates who possess and demonstrate knowledge for clinical practice, clinical and technical skills for patient-centered care, interpersonal communication skills, critical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and professional behaviors for success and lifelong learning.

We embrace the healthcare team approach and believe interprofessional, patient-centered care is achieved through collaboration across health professions and integration of patient or family preferences with the best available healthcare practices.

Serving:

We encourage the development of engaged minds, inspired leaders, and global citizens through the investment of our talents and skills toward the betterment of communities locally and around the globe through connection and service.

Leading:

We are dedicated to the advancement of the PA profession and our communities as we continually seek to develop as professionals, equipped to rise to the needs of the evolving healthcare workforce. We seek to lead change within PA education and professional practice that improves patient care, addresses health equity, and adapts to meet the needs of the ever-changing healthcare environment.