Mission

To improve the quality of health and access to care, with a commitment to the medically underserved and marginalize communities, by educating students from all backgrounds to become highly proficient, socially impactful, and accountable physician assistants (PAs) in the primary care model.

Vision

The University of Utah Physician Assistant Program will steadfastly be a leader in PA education by providing innovative and requisite academic and clinical environments to inspire graduates to fulfill our mission, while also contributing to the growth and advancement of the profession.

To achieve our vision, the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program will:

Sustain, embrace and foster a welcoming and substantiating culture for all students, staff and faculty that integrates social accountability and fairness throughout our program and continued development
The recruitment and retention of students, staff, and faculty from all backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences
Promote primary care as a means to improve the health of all individuals and communities
Create life-long, self-directed learners

Objectives

Recruit and educate, socially accountable, and community engaged PA students from all backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences
Develop skilled PAs who will create requisite health and healthcare in the communities where they serve
Prepare graduates to deliver care that addresses social determinants of health to narrow the health disparities gap through culturally sensitive, culturally-responsive, socially responsible and accountable care
Prepare graduates to deliver patient-centered, evidence-based care as members of the interprofessional team
Promote and cultivate the PA profession through leadership, scholarship, and service

Values

Teaching Excellence
Respect
Collaboration
Integrity
Access, Affinity, Difference
Professionalism
Innovation
Leadership
Social Impact

Program Goals

ARC-PA Standard A3.12

Goal 1:

To graduate physician assistants that work in primary care with rates above the national average.

Success in meeting Goal 1:

In the past 5 years, approximately 51% of UPAP graduates have been engaged in Primary Care, which encompasses disciplines such as Family Medicine, Pediatrics (General), Internal Medicine (General), and Geriatrics. The identification of graduates was carried out through their NPI numbers and matched with HRSA designations for Health Practice Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas (HPSAs and MUAs). On a national level, Physician Assistants (PAs) contribute to primary care at a rate of 23% (source: NCCPA Statistical Profile of Certified PAs 2022).

Table 1 UPAP Graduates practicing in Primary Care and Underserved settings

Graduating year	Percentage Primary Care*	Percentage Underserved*
2018	46%	22%
2019	38%	25%
2020	50%	36%
2021	66%	34%
2022	54%	23%
Total	51%	28%

* The determination of primary care and underserved was recorded from practice site from NPI address. Primary care is family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Underserved is Federally funded health centers, VA, CHC, and other low income or free clinics.
** each graduate searched via NPI number and each location address matched in the HRSA tool “find shortage areas by address”. The HPSA and MUA shortage number was recorded and each graduate counted.

Over the last 5 years we have met our goal, while the national average is 22.8% of PAs are practicing in primary care. (Source: 2022 NCCPA Statistical Profile of Certified PAs)

Goal 2:

To graduate physician assistant that work in underserved areas with rates above the national average.

Success in meeting Goal 2:

Over the last five years, UPAP graduates are practicing in underserved settings (i.e. Community Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Public Health Service) at 28% while the National Average is 22.8%. See Table 1. (Source: 2022 NCCPA Recently Certified PAs Report)

According to an analysis of UPAP graduates from 2018 to 2022, it has been found that 51% of these graduates are employed in primary care settings located within health provider shortage areas (HPSAs) or medically underserved areas (MUAs), as certified by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) rural health grants eligibility analyzer. For more detailed information, please refer to Table 1.

Goal 3:

To maintain a PANCE pass rate greater than 90%.

Success in meeting Goal 3:

UPAP has maintained a PANCE pass rate that currently is 90% compared to the national average of 94% for the last 5 years. Our curriculum is comprehensive, rigorous, and the program is currently accredited through 2026.

Goal 4:

Matriculate a class that is demographically similar to the Salt Lake City metropolitan area:

Success in meeting Goal 4:

Racially and ethnically heterogeneous demographics for University of Utah Physician Assistant Classes Graduating.

Underrepresented in Medicine Group (URIM)	Class 47 2016-2018	Class 48 2017-2019	Class 49 2018-2020	Class 50 2019-2021	Class 51 2020-2022
Hispanic/Latinx	17%	13%	18%	27%	15%
American Indian/Alaska Native	2%	4%	0%	5%	3%
Black or African American	2%	7%	3%	2%	6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	2%	4%	3%	2%	1%
Asian underserved (Vietnamese, Myanmar, Nepalese, Bangladesh)	2%	0%	8%	5%	1%
Women	61%	60%	52%	58%	69%
Total URIM	26%	29%	32%	39%	26%
Total student of color	44%	36%	32%	44%	35%

Salt Lake City is currently White (73%), Hispanic (22%), Asian (5%), Black (3%), Pacific Islander (2%) and American Indian and Alaska Native (1.5%) (Source: US Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/saltlakecitycityutah).

Goal 5:

Additional Goals for the St. George Campus

To support the development of a PA workforce in rural/underserved and/or Southern Utah, have >50% of St. George student clinical rotations occur in rural/underserved (defined as HPSA/MUA) and/or Southern Utah (defined as south of Utah County).

Success in meeting Goal 5:

Currently, St. George students are scheduled to have 47% of total scheduled rotations occurring in rural, underserved and Southern Utah sites.

Goal 6: