Program Goals, Competencies, and PANCE Results

Goal 1: Competent PAs: Graduate competent PAs who demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for excellent medical practice.
How: Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) first-time taker pass rate. The Colorado Mesa University Bechtel Physician Assistant Program strives to have a PANCE first-time pass rate equal to or greater than the national average

*View NCCPA PANCE Summary Report:

Goal 2: Employment: Graduate PAs able to contribute to the delivery of health care Program goal of 95% of graduates are practicing PAs within one year of graduation.
How: Graduate data information from the alumni survey

Goal 3: Serving and Leading: Actively serving in their professional organization or community.
How: The goal of at least 90% of students to remain active in community service during the didactic phase. The goal is measured by an audit of student community service hours at the end of the didactic phase.

Goal 4: Program Completion: Student-centered instruction that leads to program completion.
How: The goal of at least 90% of students to graduate from the program.

We will publish evidence of our effectiveness in meeting each of our program goals
as this information becomes available (Updated May 2024).

Graduation Rate

*Attrition rate calculation:  Number of students who attritted from cohort (decelerated + withdrawals + dismissals) divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).

**Graduation rate calculation:  Number of cohort graduates divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).

 Please note: The table above will be updated after each cohort graduation.

Medical Knowledge (MK)

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the biomedical, clinical, and social knowledge necessary to care for patients across all ages and a variety of settings.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills (IC)

1. Demonstrate an ability to elicit an accurate medical history and perform a detailed physical exam to make patient-centered diagnostic and therapeutic management plans. 
2. Demonstrate the ability to provide appropriate patient education and interventions for individual and community disease prevention and health promotion.
   
   
3. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication, which results in an exchange of information and collaboration with patients, families, caregivers, and medical professionals.

 Patient Care (PC)

1. Apply acquired medical, behavioral, and social science knowledge necessary to evaluate, diagnose, and care for patients across the life span in a variety of clinical settings. 
   
   
2. Demonstrate the clinical problem-solving skills necessary to develop a differential diagnosis and patient-centered diagnostic and therapeutic management plans that include pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
   
   
3. Perform core technical skills required in primary care including diagnostic and therapeutic clinical procedures.
   
   
4. Integrate evidence from scientific studies to make evidenced-based and culturally sensitive clinical judgments in the individualized care and management of patients.

Professionalism (P)

1. Demonstrate professionalism and ethical behaviors of compassion, respect, integrity, and accountability, while maintaining sensitivity and responsiveness to patients, families and the multidisciplinary healthcare team. 
2. Demonstrate continuous self-assessment and implementation of an improvement plan that includes compassionate self-care and a commitment to life-long learning.