Physician Assistant Studies

Benchmark for meeting this goal:

• PANCE first time pass rate will meet or exceed the national pass rate
• PAEA End of Curriculum Exam average cohort score will meet or exceed national average
• OSCEs students will acheive >70% average of all components
• End of Program Survey questions on confidence will have an average rating of “moderately confident” in all competency areas. This is measured on a Likert scale with 1 –Not confident; 2 – slightly confident; 3- moderately confident; 4 - very confident;  5 - extremely confident

The Physician Assistant Program evaluates Goal 1 through multiple objective and subjective outcome measures, including PANCE first-time pass rates, End of Curriculum (EOC) exam performance, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and end-of-program student self-assessment of confidence across core competency domains.

PANCE Performance:
The program benchmark is for the first-time PANCE pass rate to meet or exceed the national pass rate. This benchmark was met by the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2023. The Class of 2022 and Class of 2024 did not meet this benchmark, with pass rates of 90% and 85% respectively, compared to national averages of 92%. These cohorts are closely reviewed to identify curricular, assessment, and student support factors that may have contributed to these outcomes. The Class of 2025 national pass rate data is pending at the time of reporting.

End of Curriculum Examination:
The benchmark for the PAEA End of Curriculum Exam is for the cohort mean score to meet or exceed the national mean. This benchmark was met for all cohorts from 2021 through 2025. UToledo cohort averages consistently met or exceeded national means, demonstrating strong foundational medical knowledge across graduating classes.

OSCE Performance:
The program benchmark for OSCEs is an overall average score greater than 70%. This benchmark was met for the Classes of 2024 and 2025, with average scores of 80.16% and 88.8% respectively. Additionally, 100% of students in both cohorts achieved scores above the 70% benchmark, indicating consistent attainment of clinical skills and readiness for entry-level practice.

Student Confidence:
End-of-Program survey data demonstrated that graduating students rated themselves at or above the benchmark of “moderately confident” (Likert score ≥3) across all assessed competency domains for both the Classes of 2024 and 2025. Average confidence scores ranged from 3.68 to 4.67, with overall cohort averages of 4.24 (Class of 2024) and 3.96 (Class of 2025). These results indicate that graduates feel confident in their medical knowledge, clinical skills, professionalism, communication abilities, and readiness for collaborative practice.

End of Program Survey Data

Conclusion:
Overall, Goal 1 is partially met. While the program consistently meets benchmarks related to curriculum mastery, clinical skills, and graduate confidence, variability in PANCE pass rates for select cohorts warrants continued monitoring and targeted programmatic improvements to ensure sustained national benchmark performance.

Benchmark for meeting this goal:

• 20% of matriculating class has one or more of the above attributes
• Attrition rate below the ARC reporting threshold (10.7%)

The Physician Assistant Program is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment through intentional admissions practices and student support systems. Goal 2 is evaluated through demographic analysis of matriculating classes and program attrition and graduation rates.

Inclusive Admissions:
The benchmark for this goal is that at least 20% of each matriculating class possesses one or more identified inclusive attributes. This benchmark was exceeded for all cohorts from Fall 2021 through Fall 2025. The percentage of students with one or more inclusive attributes ranged from 31% to 53% across cohorts, demonstrating consistent success in attracting a diverse applicant pool reflective of the program’s mission and the communities it serves.

Retention and Attrition:
The program benchmark for attrition is to remain below the ARC-PA reporting threshold of 10.7%. This benchmark was met for all cohorts evaluated. Attrition rates for inclusive groups were 0% for the Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 cohorts and 5% for the Fall 2023 cohort. Overall program attrition rates ranged from 0% to 7.5%, with graduation rates between 92.5% and 100%.

Conclusion:
Goal 2 is met. The program consistently exceeds benchmarks for inclusive admissions while maintaining attrition rates well below national reporting thresholds, indicating both successful recruitment and effective retention of students from diverse backgrounds.

 

Benchmark for meeting this goal:

• All students to serve in an underserved clinic at least 3 times during didactic curriculum
• All students to serve in the community, outside of medical service, at least 1 time during didactic learning
• An average of ≥ 3.5 on End of Program survey question on preparedness in caring for underserved populations

The Physician Assistant Program assesses Goal 3 through student participation in community service activities, service in underserved clinical settings during the didactic phase, and student perceptions of preparedness to work with underserved populations.

Community Engagement:
The benchmark for this goal requires all students to serve in an underserved clinic at least three times during the didactic curriculum and to participate in at least one non-medical community service activity. Participation data demonstrate that 100% of students in the Classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 completed a minimum of three service days during the didactic phase. A majority of students exceeded this benchmark, with many volunteering monthly at local free clinics.

Student Leadership and Partnerships:
Student involvement is supported by SAAAPA representatives who serve as liaisons to local free clinics and assist with onboarding and training. Additionally, the program benefits from strong faculty leadership and community partnerships, including collaboration with the CCC, Halim, and Community of Hope clinics and participation in international medical missions. Most recently, five students participated in a medical mission to Guatemala in December 2025.

Student Preparedness:
End-of-Program survey data indicate that students feel well prepared to work with underserved populations. Mean scores exceeded the benchmark of 3.5 for both the Classes of 2024 (4.43) and 2025 (4.34).

Conclusion:
Goal 3 is met. Students consistently exceed service participation benchmarks and report high levels of preparedness to provide care to underserved populations, reflecting the program’s commitment to cultural humility and health equity.

Benchmark for this goal:

• An average score of ≥ 3.5 on Course evaluations of faculty
• An average score of ≥ 3.5 on each of the below questions taken from the End of Didactic survey
  
  • PA Program Faculty are knowledgeable and provide effective teaching in their subject area.
  • The faculty was available for questions and advising. 
  • The faculty were willing to assist me when I asked for help.
• Scholarship (presentations/ publications each year) average of 1 per faculty per year
  • Scholarly project advising
    • >2 students/faculty member

The Physician Assistant Program evaluates faculty excellence through teaching effectiveness, engagement in interprofessional education (IPE), community outreach, and scholarly productivity.

Educational Contributions:
Principal faculty actively contribute to education within and outside the PA program through interprofessional education initiatives, pipeline programs, outreach to local high schools, ambassador programs, and teaching in settings beyond the PA curriculum. Faculty teaching effectiveness is assessed through course evaluations and End-of-Didactic surveys, with a benchmark score of 3.5 out of 5. Faculty consistently meet or exceed this benchmark, demonstrating effective instruction and student engagement.

Scholarship and Mentorship:
The program benchmark for scholarship is an average of at least one scholarly product (presentation or publication) per principal faculty member per year. Faculty met or exceeded this benchmark in 2025, with multiple peer-reviewed publications and professional presentations. In addition, all principal faculty participate in advising student scholarly projects, with the number of advisees ranging from two to five students per faculty member, reflecting equitable mentorship distribution and strong faculty engagement in student scholarship.

Conclusion:
Goal 4 is met. Principal faculty demonstrate sustained excellence in teaching, mentorship, service, and scholarship, supporting both student success and the academic mission of the program.