Graduate
Master's

Physician Assistant Studies

School of Education & Human Services

In today’s fast-changing healthcare environment, physician assistants are at the forefront of delivering high-quality, accessible care. Recognized as the #2 Best Healthcare Job by U.S. News & World Report in 2024, the PA profession continues to earn national respect for its impact, versatility, and upward growth. At Canisius University, our Physician Assistant program is more than a path to clinical excellence—it’s a transformative journey that shapes compassionate, purpose-driven leaders. We prepare our students not only to meet the highest standards of medical practice, but to engage deeply with the communities they serve, bringing mindfulness, integrity, and leadership to every patient interaction.

If you are ready to join a mission-driven program that shapes confident, capable, and community-focused healthcare leaders, Canisius is the place to be.

Cost
$950/credit hour
Length
27 months
Credits
110
Program Format
On Campus
Program Director
Dr. Aimee Larson, DMSc, PA-C
Now Accepting Applications For: 2026
January 2026 Cohort
Open

Your Journey Starts Here: The Canisius Physician Assistant Program

The Physician Assistant (PA) program at Canisius University is a seven-semester, master’s-level curriculum designed to prepare students for excellence in clinical practice. The program is divided into two main phases: a comprehensive didactic phase and an immersive clinical phase.

Phase One: Building a Strong Foundation

During the first three semesters, students engage in intensive, classroom-based learning on campus. You'll study in a dedicated PA classroom designed to support both traditional lectures and active learning sessions. Our students benefit from access to state-of-the-art medical education technologies and a robust digital medical library with over 120 core textbooks and leading medical journals.

Faculty-led lectures, interactive seminars, and guest presentations by seasoned healthcare professionals provide a well-rounded academic experience. Beyond the classroom, students hone essential clinical skills—such as patient interviewing, physical exams, diagnostic procedures, and interpretation of tests—through hands-on practice in our simulation lab. Early clinical exposure in local hospitals and clinics allows you to apply your learning in real-world settings from the start.

Phase Two: Real-World Clinical Training

The final four semesters are dedicated to clinical rotations across a variety of healthcare settings. Students complete:

  • 8-week rotations in Family Medicine and Hospital Medicine

  • 4-week rotations in Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Outpatient Internal Medicine, and Behavioral Health

  • Two elective rotations in specialties such as Orthopedics, Critical Care, Neurology, Cardiology, Rheumatology, and others

Thanks to our strong partnerships with major healthcare systems across Western New York, our students are placed in high-quality clinical sites offering a diverse range of experiences. These connections not only enrich your clinical training—they often lead directly to employment opportunities after graduation.

At Canisius, we’re committed to making a lasting impact in our region. That’s why we aim for at least 50% of our graduates to stay and practice in Western New York, continuing to serve and strengthen the communities where they trained.

Train with Cutting-Edge Technology and Real-World Experience

At Canisius University, our Physician Assistant students train in a dynamic, state-of-the-art simulation lab designed to mirror real clinical environments. The facility features advanced simulation mannequins, four fully equipped examination rooms with integrated audio/visual recording, and multiple Anatomage virtual anatomy tables—among the most sought-after tools in medical education today. These high-tech resources are integrated throughout the curriculum to enhance both classroom instruction and clinical preparedness.

Students regularly review recorded simulations and clinical scenarios, receiving direct, individualized feedback from faculty. This proven approach helps build confidence and clinical competence before stepping into real patient care.

Our program also benefits from a strong affiliation with Sisters of Charity Hospital, providing access to in-situ simulations—highly realistic training scenarios that take place in actual hospital settings with real-time staff, residents, and interprofessional teams. These immersive experiences offer students a unique opportunity to apply their skills alongside healthcare professionals during routine hospital operations, bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice.

Additionally, Canisius PA students participate in a nationally recognized interprofessional collaborative practice program through our partnership with the University at Buffalo. This program credentials students in team-based care alongside peers in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more—an experience that strengthens communication skills, fosters professional collaboration, and stands out to future employers.

Learn More

While many PA programs have larger cohort sizes up to 60+ students in each cohort, students in our program benefit from a cohort size that is much smaller. Our average cohort will consist of 30 students, ensuring a more intimate learning environment and greater interaction between students and faculty.

A service-learning requirement provides our students with early exposure to underserved members of the Western New York Community, and the social and medical issues that affect patient care and health outcomes of patients from different socioeconomic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, students will also have access to one of the largest online libraries for medical references available. This includes popular medical texts, journals, weekly case reviews, and more. 

Accreditation 

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Canisius University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Canisius University.

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.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-canisius-college/ 

Extended Learning Opportunities 

Students will learn gross anatomy on our anatomage tables
Students will learn gross anatomy on our Anatomage tables
  • Interdisciplinary training with students and faculty from the University at Buffalo medical programs culminating in micro-credentialing of emplyer-valued skills. This allows our graduates to be more competitive in the job market after graduation
  • In-situ simulation exercises at Sisters of Charity Hospital with staff nurses, medicine residents, and other interprofessional staff and learners 
  • Travel to state and national conferences, including knowledge and skills competitions.