About the PA Program

Founding Director’s Welcome

Thank you for your interest in our Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program within the College of Health and Human Sciences at Kansas State University. We strive for educational excellence, engage a dedicated and experienced faculty, and provide a challenging didactic and clinical educational experience.

Our 27-month, 112-credit program consists of 12 months of didactic education and 15 months of clinical experiences designed to prepare graduates to provide medical care as part of an interprofessional team. Upon successful completion, graduates will receive a Master of Science Physician Assistant Studies degree.

The Physician Assistant Studies faculty have worked diligently to apply the critical thinking principles, experiential learning, collaboration, and communication in developing an outstanding PA curriculum, guided by K-State’s mission and the Competencies of the Physician Assistant Profession.

Gwen Ferdinand-Jacob, DHSc., MPAS, PA-C
Physician Assistant Program Director

Physician Assistant Program Mission

The Kansas State University Physician Assistant Program's mission is to prepare diverse and highly skilled graduates who are committed to providing compassionate and patient-centered care in a collaborative environment. The program is dedicated to graduating physician assistants who demonstrate professionalism, are globally minded, and practice within an ethical framework to improve the quality of life of their communities, and the medically underserved populations.

Physician Assistant Program Vision

The Kansas State University Physician Assistant Program will provide excellence in medical education, graduating healthcare providers who serve the local communities and beyond with uncompromising commitment and compassion.

Physician Assistant Program Values

The core values that we strive to instill in our students through our curriculum and training are:

• Integrity: Be Honest: Doing the right things at the right time and place. Focus on the best interests of patients.
• Compassion: Be kind: Treat patients, families, learners and each other with kindness and empathy. Connect with patients and families individually and personally and engage them as partners in their care decisions.
• Accountability: Be responsible: Be individually and collectively responsible for the work we do and for the outcomes and experience of every patient, every learner, every day.
• Excellence: Be the Best: Strive to be the best and work continuously to improve performance and exceed expectations.
• Collaboration: Be a team-player: Work together within our organization and in community partnerships in the pursuit of our common mission.
• Leadership: Be a role model: Model and expect behavior that contributes to the community through professionalism, leadership, and service.

Professional Organizations

ARC-PA - Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant

CASPA - the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) is a service of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), the only national organization representing physician assistant (PA) educational programs since 2001.

KAPA - the Kansas Academy of Physician Assistants serves as the official representative voice of Kansas PAs.

AAPA - the American Academy of PAs is the national professional society for PAs.

AAPA (Students) - student membership information for the AAPA.

NCCPA - the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants is the only certifying organization for physician assistants in the United States.

Physician Assistant History Society - the Physician Assistant History Society, Inc., is dedicated to the history and legacy of the physician assistant profession through the identification and collection of appropriate artifacts.