At a glance
Delivery
Face to face
Finish in
27 months
Estimated tuition
$104,944
Contact us
Request information
Interested in learning more about Bethel's M.S. in Physician Assistant program? Fill out this simple form and we'll send you more information soon.Connect with a counselor
They’ll answer your questions, connect you with professors, and help you find the right time to visit campus. They’ll be there every step of the way to help make applying to Bethel as smooth as possible.
Program highlights
Outstanding training facilities
You’ll train in state-of-the-art facilities, utilizing patient simulations, cadaver dissection, and procedural trainers to enhance learning. You'll become familiar with cutting-edge ultrasound equipment, virtual anatomy platforms, and clinical diagnostic software.
Experienced core faculty
Our professors have close to 150 years of combined clinical work as PAs or physicians and bring this wealth of experience to the classroom.
Faith integration
Our professors embrace a holistic approach to medical care that takes into account the mind, body, and spirit connection in medicine and integrates it with faith in patient treatment.
Statewide partnerships
Our physician assistant graduate program has created strong community and statewide partnerships with clinical sites all over Minnesota and neighboring states to provide quality clinical experience and training.
Systems-based curriculum
Our systems-based curriculum integrates clinical medicine, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical procedures, and case-based learning.
Transformative community
You'll discover a strong sense of community. Faculty become mentors and classmates become colleagues and lifelong friends.
Recent News
Collaborating across disciplines for research and hands-on experience
April 14, 2025 | 10 a.m.
Upcoming Events
AUG 9 2025
2025 Physician Assistant Pinning and White Coat Ceremony
10:30 a.m. Benson Great Hall
Celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2025 and the Class of 2026's transition from didactic to clinical year.
NOV 19 2025
M.S. Physician Assistant Info Session (In-Person)
6 p.m. Anderson Center 301E Conference Room
Register to learn more about the M.S. Physician Assistant program!
Discover what's next.
Now more than ever, our world needs excellent healthcare providers, and Bethel’s physician assistant graduate program is preparing students who help meet that need. Through our PA school in Minnesota, you’ll become a skilled healthcare professional, prepared to provide comprehensive patient care to people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life.
99.6
graduates who passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam
150
years of clinical expertise by PA program faculty
The Physician Assistant program at Bethel University has allowed me to grow as a student, future provider, and Christian. I appreciate the Christian perspective our professors use to show that all patients are of equal worth and dignity.
Courtney Perpich '15
With an incredibly helpful and supportive faculty, and a great cohort of classmates, there is no other place I'd rather be preparing for a career as a Physician Assistant.
Amanda Walters '16Grad School: Bethel University
The sense of community within the PA program at Bethel is something I appreciate greatly. The teachers and students are all on the same team - we want to become the best people and medical providers we can be.
Sarah Field '16
I have loved having a faith-based program. From the prayer before each test to the sincere caring attitudes of the faculty - it has been a great educational experience!
Laura Bade '15
The faculty are not only incredible practitioners, they are also friends. They care about me, they care about my family, and they are preparing me with the best Physician Assistant education possible.
Lisa Milbrandt '15Career Outcomes
What can I do with an M.S. in Physician Assistant?
Our physician assistant graduates provide comprehensive patient care to diverse individuals, families, and communities, nearby and around the world. Physician assistants have a $133,000 median annual salary nationally (BLS.gov), with a 28% increase in jobs projected over the next 10 years both in Minnesota and nationally, making this an excellent field to consider if you'd like to make a difference while also ensuring job opportunities and stability.
Skills
Learn how to:
- Take medical histories and perform physical exams
- Assist with preventive care
- Solve problems and make decisions in healthcare settings
- Conduct clinical procedures
- Manage ethical/legal considerations
- Provide prognoses and treatments for diseases
- Think through and analyze issues critically
- Perform research and apply statistics to it
- Communicate effectively with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds
- Understand billing and coding, risk management, and other legal issues in the PA profession
Careers
Our graduates work in:
- Family practice
- Internal medicine
- Pediatrics
- Women’s health
- Surgery
- Emergency medicine
- And many other specialties
Employers
Our graduates work in settings like:
- Private clinics
- Hospitals
- Public health care facilities
- Governmental service
- Medical missions
Start your journey
Apply now
You're called to accomplish incredible things. Take the next step in your career and fill out our simple, straightforward application today.
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Frequently asked questions
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Because of our intensive and tight-knit learning environment, Bethel accepts a limited number of students into each cohort of the physician assistant program. Admissions requirements include:
- Undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited university
- Prerequisite courses
- English language proficiency
- 500 completed hours of direct patient care (in a medical capacity)
- GPA of 3.25 overall, including 3.25 in the sciences, on a 4.0 scale (as calculated by CASPA)
- Personal statement and interview
International applicants: Prerequisite coursework must be completed in the United States. Foreign transcripts are evaluated by NACES or CGFNS International, and required documentation includes proof of current passport, visa, health insurance, I-94 form, and financial funding.
Full details about our application prerequisites and requirements can be found here, and our admissions team is ready to answer questions and help you navigate the application process.
- Bethel University’s PA program is a full-time, 27-month program. This includes 15 months of coursework (beginning with a summer term) followed by a year of clinical rotations in several different specialties.
- Bethel’s physician assistant program is well-established and known for clinical excellence, with a near-perfect pass rate on the national certification exam for PAs. Because of Bethel’s unique faith-informed environment, you’ll be well supported and among peers and faculty who approach their work as a calling, valuing empathy and ethics above all. Courses will take place at Bethel's Anderson Center campus in Arden Hills, Minnesota, which has ample parking and amenities and is just minutes from the Twin Cities. The physician assistant program itself has dedicated, cutting-edge learning spaces and simulation labs, designed to give students hands-on experience in real clinical settings and diverse patient interactions.
- Yes, Bethel University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1959. This regional accreditation, recognized by the United States Department of Education, demonstrates that the university meets quality educational standards. See if this program meets licensure requirements for your state.
- In order to be considered for Bethel’s physician assistant program, you must have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 overall, including an overall GPA of 3.25 in the sciences (on a 4.0 scale).
- The Master of Science (M.S.) in Physician Assistant is a two-year graduate-level program for those who wish to become a physician assistant. By comparison, medical professional programs—such as a doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), or doctor of chiropractic (DC)—involve several more years of graduate coursework and residency, depending on the discipline. PAs work closely with physicians, but can enter the workforce much more quickly, with added flexibility to change disciplines and settings. Here are some top reasons to become a physician assistant.
- Yes! We’ve had Bethel PA students from many different states and countries. Graduates of our program are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE), and they have historically had an excellent pass rate. Passing the PANCE will allow you to apply for licensure to practice as a PA in any state.
- Hands-on learning is woven into all Bethel coursework, with a special emphasis on building a high-level understanding of the healthcare profession while gaining practical clinical skills. As you get further into the PA program, you’ll do more specialized learning, with intentional and increasingly complex experiences in patient assessment and diagnostics, clinical medicine, clinical reasoning, and more. With the help of Bethel program coordinators, each student will also complete 12 months of core clinical rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, women’s health, and pediatrics, as well as elective placements.
- Classes begin in June for each cohort of Bethel’s PA program, and we begin accepting applications in April (a full year before coursework begins). Learn more about applying for Bethel’s physician assistant graduate program.
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Bethel’s physician assistant program is designed to meet core competencies identified by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) and American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA). Through traditional coursework, hands-on clinical experiences in our simulation labs, and clinical placements in local healthcare settings, you’ll gain specific skills like:
- learning how to interpret and document patient information
- performing comprehensive physical examinations and proper procedural skills
- critically analyzing medical literature
- conducting patient education and counseling with empathy
- understanding the legal and ethical dynamics of healthcare