Mission

The mission of the James Madison University Physician Assistant Program is to provide educational opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to function as primary care physician assistants, serving the medical needs of the Commonwealth of Virginia and society in general including rural and medically underserved areas.

The MPAS will achieve this mission by meeting the following goals

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1. providing a course of study that balances general education, behavioral medicine, basic sciences, clinical sciences and clinical experiences in a manner that equips students with a solid foundation upon which to build successful careers.

2. providing skills in life-long learning as a way of maintaining professional excellence.

3. affording students the opportunity to become skilled users of technological advancements in learning methodologies and information management.

4. fostering a learning environment that enables each student to perform optimally.

5. providing a course of study from which all students can pass the national certification examination for PAs.

6. promoting and exemplifying professional practice that is patient-centered, primary care in focus, culturally aware, interdisciplinary in approach, and service oriented.

7. broadening students' perceptions of career possibilities by providing learning opportunities with vulnerable and culturally diverse patient populations in rural, urban and medically underserved areas.