PA Program Options

Your needs and interests will help you determine which of our PA program options is right for you. We offer full-time options on three different campuses, as well as part-time and MPH-MPAS dual degree options.

Before You Apply

You may apply for two options; our admissions committee will decide on the best fit. For any program option, we are looking for candidates who meet our mission.

Application Process

Full-Time Campus Options

We offer full-time, 24-month professional program options on three campuses:  UW–Madison, UW-Stevens Point at Wausau and UW-Platteville. All three of the campus options result in a degree from UW–Madison. All full-time campus options include one year of didactic training (lectures, labs and discussions) and one year of clinical rotation consisting of four core two-month rotations in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and surgery, and one two-month rotation in a student-elected area of medicine. Most lectures originate from the Madison campus.

UW–Madison Main Campus

Our UW–Madison campus offers a vibrant community in the heart of our state’s capital city. Learning takes place in the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Learning Center at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, where you will have access to the Clinical Teaching and Assessment Center, a simulated clinical environment designed to look, feel and function like a real-world setting. Clinical rotations may take place in Madison or at locations around the state.

Who should apply: Students who enjoy campus life and a bustling metropolitan area. Madison students are committed to the delivery of comprehensive health care in a culturally and ethnically sensitive manner and interested in primary health care for populations and regions in need.

Wausau Distant Campus

Our Wausau distant campus is located on the UW-Stevens Point at Wausau campus in Wausau, Wisconsin and focuses on the northern half of Wisconsin. Students attend the Madison campus during the first summer and then transition to the Wausau distant campus. In-person attendance at the Wausau campus is required 2-3 days per week for the fall, spring and first two weeks of June. There are five clinical rotations that take place during the second year. Most rotations are completed in central and northern Wisconsin communities. Attendance is required on the Madison campus for one week at the end of each clinical rotation.

Who should apply: Students with a strong connection to the area, a high affinity for practicing in central and northern Wisconsin, the ability to learn well in a remote learning environment and the capability to be self-directed.

Platteville Distant Campus

Our Platteville distant campus is located on the UW-Platteville campus in Platteville, Wisconsin. This distant campus focuses on the tri-state region of Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. Students spend their first educational year and the first two weeks of the second summer on the UW-Platteville campus. There are five clinical rotations that take place during the second year. Most are completed in this region, with some rotations taking place in a rural setting. Attendance is required on the Madison campus for one week at the end of each clinical rotation.

Who should apply: Students with a meaningful connection to the tri-state area, a strong affinity for practicing in that area, and the ability to learn well in a remote learning environment. If you are currently a UW-Platteville undergraduate, you may also apply for the 3+2 program option, which would allow you to graduate with both a bachelor of science degree in biology from UW-Platteville and a master’s in physician assistant studies from UW–Madison in 5 years (3+2).

Full-Time Degree Plan

Part-Time Distance Option

We offer a part-time, 36-month distance option featuring 24 months half-time didactic instruction and 12 months full-time clinical training.  Video-captured lectures, with asynchronous discussions, provide a flexible learning environment. The majority of learning is completed in and around the student’s home community. During clinical rotations, every effort will be made to keep students in or as close to their home community as possible. However, final decisions for placement will be based on availability of qualified preceptors.

Who should apply: If you have a strong connection to your community, a desire to practice there after graduation and would like flexibility as you pursue your degree, the part-time option may be for you. How to know which one depends on how far away you live. The regional distance education (rDE) option requires that students commute to Madison every day in the first summer (12 weeks) and up to several times per week, on a regular basis, during the two years of their didactic education. The traditional distance education (tDE) option requires that students be in Madison for the first summer of the program (12 weeks) and twice per semester thereafter for labs at the Health Sciences Learning Center. If you live in a medically underserved community and are further away from Madison than a couple hours’ drive, you may want to consider the tDE option.

Note: Due to federal regulations, we are unable to accept applications for our part-time distance option from those living in California.

Part-Time Degree Plan

MPAS-MPH Dual Degree Option

With this full-time, 33-month, on-campus dual-degree option, you may earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies and Master of Public Health (MPAS-MPH) degree, consisting of two semesters of MPH curriculum, one full year of PA didactic curriculum and one year of PA clinical rotations.

Who should apply: Students who have a strong desire to integrate public health into their PA practice after graduation.

More about the MPAS-MPH Dual Degree