The Physician Assistant Program is three years (33 months) in duration and affords each student an understanding of the medical sciences and their application to clinical situations.

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The first two academic years are devoted to didactic work in the basic medical sciences, fundamentals of clinical medicine, professional issues, and the psychosocial aspects of health care delivery. Students spend the third year completing 40 weeks (about 2,000 hours) of supervised clinical practice experiences in various teaching hospitals, clinics, and physician offices.

PA Program Highlights

As a graduate of the Daemen College Physician Assistant Program, you will be expected to: 

• Provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for treatment of health problems and the promotion of health
• Demonstrate knowledge about established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and apply this knowledge to patient care
• Investigate and evaluate your patient care practices, appraise, and assimilate scientific evidence and improve your patient care practices
• Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange and teaming with patients, their patient's families, and professional associates
• Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to a diverse patient population
• Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value

PA Program Application Requirements

Daemen College is a participant in the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Applicants for admission to the MS degree track must apply through CASPA. Current Daemen College students wishing to apply to the PA Program should meet with Vincenette San Lorenzo, Director of PA Graduate Services, to discuss options.

All successful applicants must demonstrate evidence of strong mathematics and science preparation, knowledge of the profession, and superior interpersonal communication skills. A faculty interview is required. The admissions process is very competitive. Please refer to the FAQ page for more specifics on prerequisites and minimum requirements.

Daemen College reserves the right to make changes to the Physician Assistant curriculum, and/or entrance criteria to the three year program, and/or program and graduation requirements. All enrolled students must meet all requirements if changed or amended by Daemen College.

PA Career Options

Deliver medical services in doctor’s offices, hospitals, urgent care centers, emergency departments, surgical centers, correctional facilities, and more in a variety of specialties including surgery, family practice, psychiatry, orthopedics, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine and others.

The average annual salary for Physician Assistants is growing nationally. The average salary in 2020 was approximately $113,000. The profession is growing in terms of practitioners, with an estimated 60% increase expected over the next decade. Of the approximate 100,000 PAs in the nation, 1 in 10 is licensed in New York. 

Recent PA Graduate Employers

For more information, contact Vincenette San Lorenzo, Administrative Coordinator for the Director of Physician Assistant Graduate Services at vsanlore@daemen.edu or call 716-839-8383.