Program Goals and Outcomes
The UToledo Physician Assistant (PA) Program met all four program goals for 2025. The program reviews its goals and outcome data annually and updates this page each year to report how it performed against its goals in the previous year. Each goal below states its benchmarks, gives a clear met or not met status for 2025, and reports results by graduating class (or academic year for faculty measures) for up to the previous five years so that trends are visible. Where a benchmark was not met in a prior year, the program's response is described. Results not yet available at the time of reporting are noted with an anticipated reporting date.
Summary of 2025 Results
|
UToledo PA Program Goal |
Basis for 2025 Status |
2025 Status |
|
1. Prepare qualified, confident graduates |
Class of 2025 met all four benchmarks, including a first-time PANCE pass rate of 95% (national rate 91.5%) |
Met |
|
2. Admit and retain students with inclusive attributes |
Entering Class of 2027 (Fall 2025): 35% with one or more attributes (benchmark 20%); Class of 2025 attrition: 7.5% (benchmark below 15%) |
Met |
|
3. Foster service commitment and preparation for underserved care |
Class of 2025: 76.3% served beyond the required minimum (benchmark 50%); preparedness for underserved care mean of 4.34 (benchmark 3.5) |
Met |
|
4. Principal faculty excellence in education and scholarship |
AY2025 teaching ratings of 4.60 to 4.79 (benchmark 3.5); 2025 scholarship and advising benchmarks met |
Met |
Goal 1: Prepare Qualified and Confident Graduates
Goal: Prepare graduates who are qualified and confident to enter the profession with the knowledge and skills required for entry-level physician assistant practice.
2025 Status: Met. The Class of 2025 met all four benchmarks: a first-time PANCE pass rate of 95% compared with the national rate of 91.5%, an End of Curriculum (EOC) cohort mean equal to the national mean, an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) cohort average of 83%, and graduate confidence ratings above 3.0 on every item. Prior years: The EOC, OSCE, and graduate confidence benchmarks were met for every reported class. The PANCE benchmark was met by the Classes of 2021 and 2023 and was not met by the Classes of 2022 and 2024.
|
Measure |
Benchmark |
|
PANCE first-time pass rate |
Meets or exceeds the national first-time pass rate for the same year |
|
Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) End of Curriculum (EOC) exam |
Cohort mean meets or exceeds the national mean |
|
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) |
Cohort average score above 70% |
|
End of Program survey: confidence in competency areas |
Mean of 3.0 ("moderately confident") or higher on every item (1 = not confident to 5 = extremely confident) |
PANCE First-Time Pass Rate
|
Class |
UToledo first-time pass rate |
National first-time pass rate (Benchmark) |
Status |
|
2025 |
95% |
91.5% |
Met |
|
2024 |
85% |
92.4% |
Not met |
|
2023 |
95% |
92.0% |
Met |
|
2022 |
90% |
91.9% |
Not met |
|
2021 |
100% |
93.2% |
Met |
National rates are from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Five Year Pass Rates for PANCE. The program's official NCCPA Exam Performance Summary Report Last 5 Years is available here: NCCPA 5-Year Pass Rates
End of Curriculum Exam
PAEA reports EOC results on a 1200 to 1800 scale, which allows scores to be compared across exam forms and years. PAEA groups scores into three performance levels (Limited, Satisfactory, and Advanced Medical Knowledge). The score required for Satisfactory Medical Knowledge was 1400 through 2025 and was raised by PAEA to 1435 for 2026. The national mean shown is the PAEA national comparative mean in effect for each class. The program's own graduation requirement is higher than PAEA's Satisfactory level: beginning with the Class of 2026, students must score 1470 or higher to graduate.
|
Class |
UToledo mean |
National mean (benchmark) |
Status |
|
2025 |
1516 |
1516 |
Met |
|
2024 |
1536 |
1516 |
Met |
|
2023 |
1523 |
1516 |
Met |
|
2022 |
1544 |
1519 |
Met |
On the PAEA End of Curriculum exam, learner scale scores range from 1200 to 1800 and fall into three performance levels: limited (1200–1434), satisfactory (1435–1544), and advanced (1545–1800).
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Performance
|
Class |
Cohort average |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2025 |
83% |
Above 70% |
Met |
|
2024 |
74% |
Above 70% |
Met |
|
2023 |
73% |
Above 70% |
Met |
|
2022 |
80% |
Above 70% |
Met |
Graduate Confidence (End of Program Survey)
This survey measure was introduced with the Class of 2024. All 12 competency items met the 3.0 benchmark for both classes.
|
Class |
Response rate |
Mean across 12 items |
Lowest item |
Highest item |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2025 |
100% |
3.96 |
3.68 |
4.25 |
3.0 |
Met |
|
2024 |
95% |
4.24 |
3.82 |
4.67 |
3.0 |
Met |
Program Response
After the Class of 2024 PANCE result, the program completed an Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) PANCE report and made four changes. It raised the EOC graduation threshold from 1400 to 1470 beginning with the Class of 2026 and moved the exam earlier in the clinical year, so students have time to remediate. It holds individual PANCE readiness meetings in which faculty review each student's EOC, End of Rotation (EOR), Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool (PACKRAT), and grade point average (GPA) data and help build a structured study plan. It added a formal question bank (Rosh Review) as a formative resource beginning with the Class of 2026. The Class of 2025 pass rate of 95% returned above the national rate, and the program will continue to monitor results by class.
Goal 2: Admit and Retain Students with Inclusive Attributes
Goal: Admit and retain students with one or more of the following attributes, as defined and reported by the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA): non-traditional (older than 25), first-generation college, military service, rural background, or economically disadvantaged.
2025 Status: Met. The entering Class of 2027 (Fall 2025) exceeded the 20% benchmark, with 35% of students holding one or more attributes, and the Class of 2025 graduated with an attrition rate of 7.5%, below the 15% benchmark, which is based on the ARC-PA graduation rate reporting threshold (a graduation rate at or below 85% for two consecutive years; ARC-PA Standard E1.03, Graduation Rate Required Report). Prior years: Both benchmarks were met for every reported class.
|
Measure |
Benchmark |
|
Entering students with one or more attributes |
20% or more of each entering class |
|
Attrition, all students |
Below 15% of each class |
Entering Class
|
Entering class (graduating class) |
Students with one or more attributes |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
Fall 2025 (Class of 2027) |
35% |
20% |
Met |
|
Fall 2024 (Class of 2026) |
45% |
20% |
Met |
|
Fall 2023 (Class of 2025) |
53% |
20% |
Met |
|
Fall 2022 (Class of 2024) |
36% |
20% |
Met |
|
Fall 2021 (Class of 2023) |
31% |
20% |
Met |
Attrition and Graduation
Attrition includes withdrawals, dismissals, and decelerations. A deceleration occurs when a student takes an approved leave of absence and leaves their entering class but remains enrolled in the program to complete with a later class. The number of students is shown in parentheses. Rates for the Classes of 2026 to 2028 are to date, as these classes have not yet graduated..
|
Class |
Entering students |
Attrition, all students |
Attrition, students with attributes |
Graduation rate |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2028 (to date) |
39 |
0.0% (0) |
0.0% |
In progress |
Below 15% |
Met to date |
|
2027 (to date) |
40 |
2.5% (1) |
2.5% |
In progress |
Below 15% |
Met to date |
|
2026 (to date) |
40 |
2.5% (1) |
0.0% |
In progress |
Below 15% |
Met to date |
|
2025 |
40 |
7.5% (3) |
5.0% |
92.5% |
Below 15% |
Met |
|
2024 |
40 |
0.0% (0) |
0.0% |
100% |
Below 15% |
Met |
|
2023 |
39 |
5.1% (2) |
0.0% |
94.9% |
Below 15% |
Met |
Goal 3: Foster Service Commitment and Preparation for Underserved Care
Goal: Foster a commitment to service and prepare graduates to provide culturally humble, patient-centered care that promotes health equity for individuals from varied backgrounds and underserved populations.
2025 Status: Met. In the Class of 2025, 76.3% of students served beyond the required minimum, exceeding the 50% benchmark, and graduates rated their preparation to work with underserved populations at a mean of 4.34, exceeding the 3.5 benchmark. Prior years: Both benchmarks were met for every reported class. The most recent class to complete the didactic phase (Class of 2026) reached 97.4% service beyond the minimum.
|
Goal component |
Measure |
Benchmark |
|
Foster a commitment to service |
Students serving beyond the curricular minimum of three underserved clinic sessions |
50% or more of each class |
|
Prepare graduates for underserved care |
End of Program survey: "The program offered sufficient learning experiences that helped prepare me to work with underserved populations" |
Mean of 3.5 or higher (1 to 5 scale) |
Service Beyond the Requirement
All students complete at least three underserved clinic sessions and one non-medical community service activity during the didactic phase as part of the curriculum, and 100% of students in the Classes of 2025 and 2026 completed this requirement. Because completion is required, it is reported here as context and is not a goal benchmark. The benchmark measures the percentage of students who chose to serve beyond the required minimum.
|
Class* |
4 to 7 sessions |
More than 7 sessions |
Served beyond the minimum |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2026 |
34.2% |
63.2% |
97.4% |
50% |
Met |
|
2025 |
31.6% |
44.7% |
76.3% |
50% |
Met |
*Service completed in didactic phase of the curriculum.
Graduate Preparedness for Underserved Care
|
Class |
Response rate |
Mean |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2025 |
100% |
4.34 |
3.5 |
Met |
|
2024 |
95% |
4.37 |
3.5 |
Met |
|
2023 |
78% |
4.26 |
3.5 |
Met |
Community Partnerships
Student representatives of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA) serve as liaisons to local free clinics and assist with onboarding and training. Students serve at Community Care Clinics, Halim Clinic, and Community of Hope. During the summer semester, students and faculty also serve at Toledo Grows, a community garden that supplies plants to other community gardens and provides weekly produce to community members. In December 2025, five students participated in a medical mission to Guatemala.
Goal 4: Principal Faculty Excellence in Education and Scholarship
Goal: Principal faculty demonstrate excellence through contributions to education and scholarship.
Status: Met. Student ratings of principal faculty teaching, availability, and willingness to assist ranged from 4.60 to 4.79 for AY2025, exceeding the 3.5 benchmark. In 2025, the department published 4 peer-reviewed articles against a benchmark of at least 2, and principal faculty averaged 4 scholarly project advisees each against a benchmark of at least 2. Prior years: All teaching, scholarship, and advising benchmarks were met for every reported year.
|
Measure |
Benchmark |
|
Course evaluations of principal faculty (organization and responsiveness items) |
Mean of 3.5 or higher (1 to 5 scale) |
|
End of Didactic (EOD) survey: faculty are knowledgeable and provide effective teaching |
Mean of 3.5 or higher |
|
End of Didactic survey: faculty were available for questions and advising |
Mean of 3.5 or higher |
|
End of Didactic survey: faculty were willing to assist when asked |
Mean of 3.5 or higher |
|
Scholarship: peer-reviewed articles published by the PA department |
At least 2 per year |
|
Scholarly project advising: department average advisees per principal faculty member |
At least 2 |
Teaching Effectiveness
Values are means on a 1 to 5 scale, with survey response rates in parentheses. Course evaluation data are collected after each semester, and End of Didactic data are collected in December of each year. The benchmark for every measure is a mean of 3.5 or higher.
|
Measure* |
AY2025 |
AY2024 |
AY2023 |
AY2022 |
Status |
|
Course evaluations, all principal faculty |
4.60 |
4.63 |
4.72 |
4.72 |
Met all years |
|
Knowledgeable, effective teaching (EOD) |
4.69 (98%) |
4.76 (87%) |
4.71 (63%) |
4.61 (98%) |
Met all years |
|
Available for questions and advising (EOD) |
4.77 (98%) |
4.82 (87%) |
4.60 (63%) |
4.71 (98%) |
Met all years |
|
Willing to assist when asked (EOD) |
4.79 (98%) |
4.85 (87%) |
4.72 (63%) |
4.68 (98%) |
Met all years |
*AY = academic year. For example, AY2025 refers to the 2024–2025 academic year.
Scholarship and Advising
|
Year |
Peer-reviewed articles published (department) |
Benchmark |
Average advisees per principal faculty member |
Benchmark |
Status |
|
2025 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
Met |
|
2024 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
Met |
|
2023 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
Met |
Calendar year 2026 publication and advising data will be reported after the year closes, anticipated January 2027.
Principal faculty also contribute to education beyond the PA curriculum through interprofessional education, pipeline and high school outreach programs, and ambassador programs. A list of faculty publications is available here: Faculty Publications
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT NATIONAL CERTIFYING EXAMINATION (PANCE) SCORES
The Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE) is the national
certifying examination offered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistants (NCCPA). A passing score is necessary to practice in most states.
Please find the most current PANCE Exam Peformance Summary Report showing our Pass Rates of the last five graduating classes.
STUDENT ATTRITION/GRADUATION RATE
| Class of 2023 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2025 | |
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Entering Class Size | 39 | 40 | 40 |
| Graduates | 37 | 40 | 37 |
| *Attritition Rate | 5.1% | 0% | 7.5% |
| **Graduation Rate | 94.9% | 100% | 92.5% |
*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.
Download the ARC-PA Graduation Rate Template