Physician Assistant (M.P.A.)
Physician assistant programs are master's degree programs Completion of a physician assistant program results in either a master of physician assistant studies (MPA) or a master of science in physician assistant studies (MS-PA) degree. Most PA programs are 2-2.5 years in length and involve a combination of course work and clinical experience. Some PA programs require students to conduct research as part of the curriculum.
There are more than 310 accredited or provisionally accredited PA programs in the United States. These accredited PA programs are represented by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). The PAEA oversees CASPA. The vast majority of all accredited PA programs and a handful of developing programs participate in CASPA, including all of the Texas PA programs.
Texas has 14 accredited PA programs plus one working towards accreditation. Below is a table listing the names of the Texas universities offering PA programs, the locations of these universities, and their Web sites.
Name | Location | Web site |
Baylor College of Medicine | Houston | |
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | Dallas | |
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Midland | |
University of North Texas Health Science Center | Fort Worth | www.unthsc.edu/school-of-health-professions/physician-assistant-studies/ |
University of Texas Medical Branch | Galveston | https://www.utmb.edu/som/physician-assistant |
University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley | Edinburgh | https://www.utrgv.edu/pa/ |
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | San Antonio | |
| Hardin-Simmons University | Abilene | https://www.hsutx.edu/academics/holland/graduate/physician-assistant/ |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Belton | https://go.umhb.edu/graduate/physician-assistant/home |
| University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences | Austin | https://www.usa.edu/college-health-sciences/master-of-science-in-physician-assistant-studies-mspas-program/ |
| South University | Austin | https://www.southuniversity.edu/degree-programs/healthcare/physician-assistant-ms |
| Baylor University | Waco | https://physicianassistant.robbins.baylor.edu/ |
| Franklin Pierce University | Round Rock | https://franklinpierce.edu/academics/programs/physician-assistant/tx-hybrid/ |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville | (working on accreditation for 2026) |
| Austin College | Sherman | https://paprogram.austincollege.edu/
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