SRU PA graduates post 96 percent national board pass rate

Sept. 18, 2018

The inaugural graduating class from Slippery Rock University's new Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program performed incredibly well on their national board exams.

Of the 50 SRU graduates who took the exam, 48 achieved certification on their first try. The 96-percent pass rate matches the national average, but it is uncommon for provisionally accredited programs like SRU's, administrators said. The two-year program that combines academic and clinical instruction began in 2016.

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, the only certifying organization for physician assistants in the United States, issues the exam and a passing grade is required to enter the profession.