Work alongside a tight-knit group of PA and MD students. Learn through lectures, labs and hands-on clinical experiences.
In the UNM PA Program, you will move through a rigorous curriculum including didactic and clinical experiences. In only 27 months, you will be eligible to receive a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree and be ready to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
The PA program is fast-paced and intensive. We recommend students do not pursue outside employment during enrollment.
PA Program course information and requirements, including degree plans, may be found in the Student Handbook.
Didactic Curriculum
The PA Program didactic curriculum is approximately 18 months in length and consists of approximately 58 semester credit hours. The curriculum starts in the summer with foundational courses in research and population health. You will then learn basic exam skills in shared courses with medical students before participating in clinical experiences.
Along the way, you will take didactic courses in a range of medical disciplines. Your typical week will consist of 8-10 hours of lecture and lab with additional hours spent in small groups and other learning activities.
PA Program didactic coursework is generally scheduled from 8 AM-5 PM in-person on the UNM Health Sciences Center campus. There are no part-time, hybrid, or distance options for our cohort-based program.
Clinical Curriculum
The final nine months of your second year are dedicated to clerkships, or supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs). Through these clinical experiences, you will gain hands-on experience with large academic health center inpatient teams and in rural settings to provide health care to underserved populations. SCPEs total approximately 27 credit hours, plus a 1 semester credit hour Program to Practice course taken by all students as part of the clinical curriculum.
Clinical rotations include:
Family and Community Medicine
Women's Health and Prenatal Care
Pediatrics
Behavioral Medicine/Psychiatry
Emergency Medicine
General Internal Medicine
Surgery
Primary Care
Elective
All PA students complete rotations in both Family Medicine and Primary Care, in alignment with our program’s mission. The Elective rotation provides an opportunity for the student to complete a clinical field experience in an area of personal interest.
Students should be prepared to complete multiple rural rotations outside of the Albuquerque area. Reliable personal transportation is necessary.
Additional curricular information may be found in the University Catalog.
HRSA Grant
The UNM PA Program was awarded a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) grant in 2021. The project is titled “Enhancing Physician Assistant Training to Serve Rural and Underserved Communities of New Mexico.”
All UNM PA students will participate in a longitudinal course with the University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH) to address social determinants and epidemiology of rural and underserved communities. Students will also complete Comprehensive Primary Care Experiences that prepare them to provide care for patients in rural and underserved populations.
Military Support
The University of New Mexico has been rated a Gold Level “Military Friendly University.” Student veterans are encouraged to work with UNM’s Veteran and Military Resource Center for guidance with tuition, scholarships, and other resources.
