AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College’s Physician Assistant Studies Program has been recognized as one of the best in the country in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Graduate Schools rankings.

Daemen is tied for No. 74 in the newly released rankings, placing it among the 100 best physician assistant programs in the United States and one of only two in the Buffalo Niagara region named to the list.

Daemen joins other distinguished institutions in the latest annual rankings, including Duke, Cornell, Gannon, and Yale universities, and Albany Medical College.

“This prestigious ranking is a reflection of the exceptional academic quality of our physician assistant studies program, high caliber faculty and students, and our college’s growing national reputation as a premier health care educator,” said Daemen President Gary Olson. “We are proud to have Daemen recognized with other elite institutions from throughout the United States.”

The health schools ranking is based on peer assessment surveys completed by deans, administrators, and/or faculty at accredited programs or schools in the discipline. Participants rated the academic quality of physician assistant programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding).

“As we celebrate the 20^th anniversary of our first graduating physician assistant class, it is wonderful to be recognized nationally by our peers for the quality education that we are known for regionally and beyond,” said Dr. Gregg Shutts, professor and chair of physician assistant studies. “At Daemen, our combined BS/MS model is a unique opportunity that offers high-performing students an expedited path to earn their physician assistant degree and prepares them for one of the fastest growing and most respected careers in the country.”

Daemen’s Physician Assistant Studies Program, which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, is one of the highest-demand majors at the college. Program graduates have a 98 percent first-time pass rate on the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants exam.

Physician assistant holds the No. 1 spot on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Health Care Jobs for 2019 and No. 3 on this year’s 100 Best Jobs list. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 37 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.