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The program begins with an intensive in-person didactic phase on our picturesque campus in Missoula, Montana, where students benefit from the diverse expertise of faculty members with extensive scientific and clinical backgrounds. Following this phase, students engage in a hands-on, supervised clinical practice experience at various clinical rotation sites.

The clinical rotations encompass seven core disciplines: emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, women's health, and pediatrics, as well as an elective rotation. The program wraps up with a comprehensive summative evaluation and post-clinical courses, effectively preparing students to transition into professional practice as physician associates/assistants successfully.

As a developing program, the University of Montana Physician Associate (PA) Program eagerly anticipates welcoming its inaugural cohort of PA students in the Fall semester of 2026, pending accreditation. 

Mission

The mission of the University of Montana School of Physician Associate (PA) Studies is to graduate versatile PAs competent to deliver high-quality patient-centered care in resource-limited environments.  

Vision

To become a regional center for excellence in PA education while transforming access to care in Montana. 

Values

• We value collaborative relationships among students, educators, and the communities we serve.  
• We value lifelong learning and contribution to the advancement of the PA profession. 
• We value the development of skilled, self-aware, and compassionate healthcare providers who are committed to serving the unique needs of Montana communities.

The University of Montana’s Physician Assistant/Associate Program has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The University of Montana’s Physician Assistant/Associate Program anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2026, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the April 2026 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Please note that the program will not commence in the event that the provisional accreditation is not received.