Our program is ranked first in Texas and sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. What puts us among the best? We offer:
The diversity of clinical settings in the Texas Medical Center – the world’s largest medical complex -- that ensures you have the opportunity to explore the full range of practice options open to PAs.
Faculty who are leaders of their profession and dedicated to your success. Our faculty includes seasoned educators, renowned researchers, and clinicians in active practice in the specialties of emergency medicine, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Curriculum that leverages all the resources of Baylor College of Medicine, which include one of the largest biomedical research enterprises in the nation and a top-ranked School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and Doctor of Nursing Practice-Nurse Anesthesia program as well as the National School of Tropical Medicine.
Interdisciplinary training with students and faculty from Baylor College of Medicine’s renowned School of Medicine and the other programs of the School of Health Professions as well as nursing, social work and pharmacy students from leading programs in and around the Texas Medical Center.
A service learning requirement that provides students with early exposure to underserved members of the Houston community and the social and medical issues that beset linguistically isolated individuals.
Extensive academic and support services to help you succeed at every stage of your training.
The program offers extensive support for student involvement in the activities of their profession with a continuing record of students filling leadership roles in the national student academy at the highest levels on a repeat basis.
Our program mission is to educate physician assistants who will provide excellent healthcare to individuals and communities in a broad range of settings. The core values embraced by the program's faculty include honesty, integrity, self-motivation, flexibility, lifelong learning, reflective practice, teamwork, and primary concern for the patient's welfare
I think my favorite thing about Baylor has been the sense of community I fostered with my peers and the faculty. I was scared the program would be really competitive. But it has been the opposite. We are a family.
Job Bank
Looking for an exceptional physician assistant for an open position? Reach our alumni through our job bank.
Career Hub
Curated, program-specific digital resource library for PA students presented by the Baylor College of Medicine Career Development Center.
PA Profession
Wondering whether the physician assistant profession is right for you? Learn more about the profession.
Residencies and Fellowships
Residency and Fellowship opportunities available to PA students.
Proven Success
100 percent employment upon graduation.
Our students have consistently outperformed the national average and first-time pass rates on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) since 1973. View our PANCE report.
Program Goals
The below information is in accordance with ARC-PA (6th Edition) Standard A3.11 (b) – The program publishes and makes readily available to enrolled and prospective students current program information, including evidence of its effectiveness in meeting its goals. (see this PDF chart).
The goals of the Baylor College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program are as follows:
- Enrollment and Retention: Recruit, enroll and retain diverse community of highly qualified applicants committed to the PA profession.
- Curriculum: Offer curriculum that provides foundational knowledge and analytical skills for the entry-level practice of clinical medicine and lifelong learning.
- Graduate Preparation: Prepare graduates that exhibit respect and compassion for others, responsiveness to diverse populations and a commitment to ethical, legal, and regulatory standards guiding clinical practice.
- Practice Preparedness: Prepare graduates who are confident to enter the profession with skills and knowledge requisite to entry-level practice as a Physician Assistant.
Program Outcomes
The BCM PA Program publishes our outcomes in accordance with ARC-PA Standard A3.12 as they relate to competencies required to enter clinical practice in this PDF chart. See a non-PDF version below.
SLO 1 Foundations for Clinical Practice: Learners will demonstrate understanding of the scientific, clinical and public health foundations underlying illness prevention and disease management. Competencies Required:
- Medical Knowledge
SLO 2 Risk Causality: Learners will understand the historical, social, family, and community context of illness prevention and disease management. Competencies Required:
- Medical Knowledge
- Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
SLO 3 Assessment: Learners will explain, conduct and document a systematic assessment and plan for disease prevention, illness stabilization and injury management. Competencies Required:
- Medical Knowledge
- Clinical and Technical Skills
- Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
SLO 4 Critical Thinking: Learners will use critical analysis skills to select and apply illness prevention and disease management strategies for use in clinical practice. Competencies Required:
- Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
SLO 5 Advocacy: Learners will exhibit cultural humility and professional behavior in all interactions with other care team members, individuals, and families. Competencies Required:
- Professional Behaviors
SLO 6 Communication: Utilize interpersonal communication skills that result in effective information exchange with individuals, their families, and the care team. Competencies Required:
- Interpersonal Skills
SLO 7 Collaborative Practice: Learners will understand and participate in the interdisciplinary prevention and management of illness and injury. Competencies Required:
- Interpersonal Skills
SLO 8 Practice-based Learning: Use analytical and counseling skills to select, implement,and sustain effective solutions for illness prevention through disease stabilization. Competencies Required:
- Medical Knowledge
- Interpersonal Skills
SLO 9 Information-Systems: Learners will use clinical data systems to support care decisions and the provision of effective, efficient care. Competencies Required:
- None
SLO 10 Systems-based practice: Learners will analyze epidemiological, environmental, and other appropriate scientific data related to the health of individuals and target populations. Competencies Required:
- Medical Knowledge
- Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
Accreditation
The 30-month Physician Assistant Program offered by Baylor College of Medicine consists of a 13-month didactic phase and a 17-month experiential learning phase inclusive of a Master’s Paper research project.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Baylor College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the Baylor College of Medicine. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be June 2029. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.
View the College’s accreditation page to view all Baylor accreditation information.
| Class of 2023 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Entering class size | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Graduates | 32 | 32 | 36 |
| *Attrition rate | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.10 |
| **Graduation rate | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.90 |
*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.
**Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.
"I went to college at 32 after 10 years as a massage therapist. I knew BCM was for me when I saw how fantastic the students and faculty were when I came for my interview. They took what was one of the most stressful days of my life and made it fun."
School of Health Professions
The Physician Assistant program is under the auspices of the Baylor College of Medicine School of Health Professions. Visit the School's site to learn about other programs offered, academic and support services available to students, view the School of Health Professions Student Handbook, School-related news and more.