Mission Statement:

Loma Linda University Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Sciences educates primary care physician assistants who will provide healthcare in collaboration with physicians as active members of a professional healthcare team. We are committed to excellence and compassion for the whole person and quality healthcare for underserved communities locally and globally, in accordance with the mission of Loma Linda University and the School of Allied Health Professions.

Vision:

Graduates of the Loma Linda University Master of Physician Assistant program will be recognized for professional excellence, integrity, empathy, teamwork, and advocating lifestyle changes to promote wholeness.

Goals

  1. To provide a curriculum whose required academic content and clinical experience will equip graduates to provide competent medical care that will enhance the services of the medical profession.
  2. To graduate PAs who enhance the services of supervising physicians as part of the physician-PA team and collaborate with other members of an interdisciplinary health care team to provide quality patient care.
  3. To graduate PAs who will utilize their education and training to make significant contributions to the health of the community.
  4. To graduate PAs who improve access to medical services by providing whole person care to those living in underserved communities.
  5. To graduate PAs who are culturally competent and able to care for diverse populations with compassion and excellence.
  6. To graduate PAs who will provide care with the highest ethical standards.
  7. To graduate PAs who will be life-long learners and actively engaged in the PA profession.

Success of the Program in Meeting Goals:

Attrition Rates

For the last three cohorts of students, there has been a 2% attrition rate. Our goal is for every student who is selected for the program to graduate from the program with his or her cohort. In the last four years, 98% of students have been able to accomplish this goal.

Graduate Employment

Primary Care Percentage

  • Almost 23% of our 2019 graduates plan on working in primary care.
  • In our most recent alumni survey, 45% of alumni were working in primary care fields.

Employment Rates 

  • For the Class of 2019, almost 74% already had a job offer by their final day of clinical rotations.  While we do not offer a job placement service, we do provide all graduates and alumni with PA job listings that we receive in our department.
  • In our most recent alumni survey, 97% of graduates were still working as PAs, with over one third working in outpatient clinic settings.

Commitment to the Underserved

Employment in Underserved Areas

  • In our most recent alumni survey, 16% of graduates were working in medically underserved areas.

Graduate/Student Highlights

  • One of our graduates is currently working as a PA in Baja, Mexico, serving the rural community and a local orphanage by providing the only medical care in the area. www.siloeclinic.org
  • One of our graduates is helping establish the PA Profession in New Zealand.
  • Two recent grads were selected to receive full scholarships from the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and are working in medically underserved areas.
  • Many of our graduates are serving in one of the five branches of the Armed Forces.
  • One recent graduate is the founder and President of a non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance to under-deserved populations worldwide during disasters and throughout the recovery process. Another recent grad is Vice President of this organization. http://www.legacyir.org  
  • Class of 2016 graduate gives the Gift of Life. Read the story: AAPA.org