Program Information

The mission of the Physician Assistant program is to educate students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in clinical, community, and academic service to humanity, building upon the College’s foundations of humanics and academic excellence. The Springfield College physician assistant program trains primary care physician assistants eligible for employment in a wide variety of medical settings and specialties.

This is a six-year program with students earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science - Pre-Physician Assistant and a master of science degree in physician assistant studies upon successful completion of the program. The program is divided into two distinct phases: a pre-professional phase in which students complete the General Education Program and basic science program requirements, and the professional phase, which includes 15 months of didactic education and 12 months of clinical rotations. The didactic portion includes courses in clinical medicine, pharmacology, applied clinical skills, genetics, human anatomy and physiology, history taking and physical assessment, mental health issues, foundations of research, advanced statistics, research project, and seminar courses. Clinical education includes inpatient medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and emergency medicine. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Certification Examination and to apply for state licensure.

A graduate program for students with a bachelor’s degree is also available. The graduate program allows the student to complete the professional phase of the program in 27 months and be awarded a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies.

To view a major program sequence to assist with course planning, click here.

Degree Information

Degree(s):    Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a major in Health Science  - Pre-Physician Assistant
                   Master of Science (M.S.) with a major in Physician Assistant Studies

(a minimum of 120 credits at the undergraduate level)
(a minimum of 108 credits at the graduate level)

Contact Information

For more information about the physician assistant program, contact Charles Milch, M.H.P., M.B.A., P.A.C, the physician assistant program director, at (413) 748-3554 or the Admissions Office at (800) 343-1257.

Curricular Requirements

General Education Program (40 - 46 credits)

The General Education program at Springfield College is informed by its century-old Humanics tradition of educating the whole person in spirit, mind, and body, for leadership in service to humanity. These requirements have the goal of developing literate, thoughtful, socially responsible students, and instilling in them a spirit of inquiry into the nature of humankind and the universe. Towards those ends, the requirements emphasize and encourage: the acquisition of knowledge, understanding, and competency essential for the improvement of the human condition in a diverse society; a search for personal and spiritual values; and the development of an understanding and appreciation of physical well-being. 

For specific requirements, see the General Education Program - Traditional Undergraduate Students (40 - 46 credits)  section.

II. Major Requirements

Program Minimum Technical Standards

Technical standards define the attributes considered necessary for students to possess in order to complete their education and training, and subsequently enter clinical practice. These standards are prerequisites for entrance, continuation, and graduation from the Springfield College Physician Assistant Program. Students must possess aptitude, ability, and skills in five areas: 1) observation, 2) communication, 3) sensory and motor coordination and function, 4) conceptualization, integration, and quantitation, and 5) behavioral and social attributes. These functions are critically important and must be autonomously performed by the student. It should be understood that these are standards for minimum competence in the program. More information on technical standards is available from the Office of Admissions and can be found in the Physician Assistant Program Student Handbook.

Students are required to follow the procedures and adhere to the policies of the physician assistant program as outlined in the Physician Assistant Program Student Handbook.