Program Overview
Physician Assistant ProgramPhoenix (Master of Physician Assistant Studies)
The mission of the Creighton University physician assistant program is to foster a tradition of excellence by transforming learners into compassionate physician assistants who are dedicated to exemplary patient care. Rooted in our Ignatian heritage, we empower students to realize their full potential through a commitment to professional growth and service to humanity.
Program Details
The physician assistant program aims to develop student competencies in:
- Patient-Centered Practice Knowledge: Provide compassionate, patient-centered, and evidence-based medical care that is effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health while utilizing up-to-date scientific evidence to inform clinical reasoning and clinical judgment.
- Health Literacy and Communication Skills: Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals while engaging in shared decision-making with patients and honoring the patients unique personal, cultural, and social values.
- Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Demonstrate the ability to engage in an interprofessional team in a manner that optimizes safe, effective patient- and population-centered care.
- Professionalism and Ethics: Demonstrate a commitment to professional behaviors and responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.
- Systems-Based Practice: Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare to deliver high-quality, safe, patient-centered care.
- Self-Assessment and Ongoing Professional Development: Demonstrate an awareness of personal and professional limitations and develop plans and interventions for addressing gaps.
- Cultural Humility: Demonstrate the ability to exercise a state of openness toward understanding and respecting important aspects of other peoples cultural identities.
Curriculum
The PA program curriculum is a 28-month, two-phase curriculumdidactic and clinical. The curriculum for the Phoenix program is a systems-based model which includes active learning and content in ethics and humanities, consistent with the Creighton University mission.
Phoenix Campus
Students learn in a new, state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of the Phoenix Medical Quarter. The new, modern health sciences campus will be home to nearly 1,000 students across multiple professions bringing interprofessional practice and education to improve and innovate patient care.
By the Numbers - Class of 2026
- 46 students
- 12 states represented
- Prerequisite Average GPA: 3.69
- Overall Cumulative GPA: 3.74
- Overall Science GPA: 3.72
Admissions Requirements
All applicants for the PA ProgramPhoenix will be reviewed based on several admissions requirements related to residency, holding a bachelors degree, minimum GPA, prerequisites, patient care experience, and more. Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. Accreditation is separate from the PA Program in Omaha, Nebraska, and admissions requirements may vary between the two programs.
Accreditation
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Creighton University Physician Assistant Program Phoenix sponsored by Creighton University.
Graduate Data & Attrition Rate
| Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 56 | 56 | 56 |
| Entering class size | 36 | 46 | 56 |
| Graduates | TBA | TBA | # |
| Attrition rate | 5.5% | 0 | # |
| Graduation rate | TBA | TBA | # |
Faculty
- Emily Babcock, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, Program Director, Associate Professor
- Michelle DiBaise, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, Director of Didactic Education, Associate Professor
- Lynzi Warner, MSPAS, PA-C, ATC/L, Director of Clinical Education, Director of Admissions, Assistant Professor
Staff
- Susan Benton, MA, Program Manager
- TBD, Administrative Assistant
Related Degrees
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy
- Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Medicine MD (Doctor of Medicine)
- Physician Assistant ProgramOmaha (Master of Physician Assistant Studies)
Professional Licensure Requirements
Professional licensure requirements are determined solely by each state and may change without notice to Creighton. While our information is updated annually, Creighton cannot guarantee continuous accuracy. Current and prospective students can find program-specific information on our Academic Regulations page or consult the appropriate licensing agency in the state where they plan to practice to confirm updated requirements for their program.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition rates are updated each year. Visit our financial aid site to learn more about the cost of attendance.
Financial Aid
Creighton University's Financial Aid Office administers over $200,000,000 in student aid each year from federal, state, institutional, and private sources.
Creighton in Phoenix
When our partners in Arizona asked us to open a campus in Phoenix to help solve the shortage of healthcare providers in the Southwest, we answered the call. Today, were educating the next generation of providers, in the Creighton tradition, which focuses on care and concern for others.
Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance
Our connections in the region mean students will have diverse opportunities for hands-on experiences. The program will be a part of the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance with close relationships to Dignity St. Josephs Hospital and Medical Center, Valleywise Health, and District Medical Group, Inc.