Mission, Vision, and Goals

Program Mission

Frostburg State University's Physician Assistant Program educates students to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care through interprofessional teams grounded in best practices. Our graduates excel in serving rural and underserved populations in the Western Maryland region, demonstrating inclusiveness, outstanding communication, patient advocacy, and dedication to community improvement. 

Program Vision

Our vision is to develop Physician Assistants who lead positive change in Western Maryland's healthcare delivery by combining clinical excellence, community engagement, and innovative problem-solving to create lasting improvements in our region's underserved communities. 

Program Overview

The Frostburg State University (FSU) Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.) degree in Physician Assistant (PA) Studies prepares students educationally and professionally to provide quality medical care upon program graduation. With nationally recognized leadership, the program is advancing best practices in PA educational research, wellness practice, and longitudinal student success through a holistic lens. 

Partnered with FSU - the sponsoring institution - and the University System of Maryland (USMH) in Hagerstown, the program is uniquely situated for growth and advancement of the PA profession. Our graduate-level competency-based program consists of two (2) progressive phases spanning a total of twenty-four (24) months and for a total of 117 credits. Phase I (didactic phase) represents the foundational courses spanning the first twelve (12) months of the educational experience and representing sixty-eight (68) program credits. Phase II (clinical phase) represents forty-nine (49) credits in the subsequent twelve (12) month period, including intensive specialty-based courses, ten (10) clinical rotations – aka supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs), and culminating to the Summative (capstone) course. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and apply for licensure in any of the 50 states, District of Columbia (D.C.), and U.S. Territories. 

About the area

The PA program is hosted in Hagerstown, Maryland, within an 8,000 square foot facility at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown (USMH) building, which is notably one of the only Regional Higher Education Centers (RHEC). This RHEC is situated in an urban-suburban downtown location whilst intersecting the beautiful rural area mountains and trailways of Appalachia. Locally, this area has often been referred to as “Hub City,” given its historical roots providing transit access to several bordering states and dating back to the 1800s.

The FSU PA Program takes pride in its mission, educating, developing, and ultimately empowering future graduates to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care through interprofessional teams grounded in best practices. Our graduates excel in providing care to rural and underserved populations from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating inclusiveness, outstanding communication, patient advocacy, and dedication to community improvement. We partner with national and top area medical schools, hospitals, clinics, and professional organizations to enrich student experiences and support early networking for job placement.

There are many exciting opportunities for students to explore during their time with us. We believe in challenging you to become the best version of yourself, preparing you as a future PA, health professions leader, advocate, and evidence-based clinician.

Program Goals

Goal 1: Graduates demonstrate they have the necessary core medical knowledge to enter clinical practice.

Benchmarks:

a. First time PANCE passing rate meets the national average.

b. All students will pass PAEA End of Curriculum Exam within one standard deviation of the national mean.

Goal 2: Matriculate and graduate students from Healthcare Professions Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.

Benchmarks:

Goal 3: The program will matriculate and graduate individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Benchmarks:

Goal 4: Prepare graduates to meet the healthcare needs of rural and medically underserved populations.

Benchmarks:

Goal 5: The institution will invest in the faculty, staff, technologies, and facilities that will enable us to achieve our mission and goals.

Benchmarks:

Currently FSU has continuing regional accreditation from Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is currently in the review cycle in 2024. At the September 2023 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Frostburg State University Physician Assistant Program on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in September 2025.