General Information

Location

The Physician Assistant Studies Program (PASP) is located in Edinburg, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. We are located approximately 4 hours south of San Antonio. The campus is located just 20 minutes from the Texas-Mexican border. The local population is primarily Hispanic. The Physician Assistant Studies Program serves primarily the four counties of the Rio Grande Valley: Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron. Both Hidalgo and Cameron counties are urban/metropolitan counties with large rural areas while Starr and Willacy counties are almost exclusively rural. All Rio Grande Valley counties are classified as medically underserved areas (MUAs). The Rio Grande Valley experiences a unique population dynamic in that it shares its culture and livelihood with the much larger metropolitan border cities of Mexico, specifically Reynosa and Matamoros, both in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

Uniqueness

The Physician Assistant Studies Program is recognized as the only physician assistant program in Texas that is not located nor affiliated with a medical center. This characteristic lends itself to a very unique capability for PASP students to train in the most optimal, one-to-one settings. Although not located at a medical center, the PASP is affiliated with more than 150 clincial preceptors and/or training facilities, including all of the major hospitals in all four Rio Grande Valley counties. 

Honors & Awards

The Physician Assistant Studies Program prides itself in having received an award for excellence in diversity in 2005 from the Physician Assistant Education Association in Puerto Rico. This national award shined a spotlight on the many successes the PASP has had with the recruitment and retention of students with a minority/diversity background. The Physician Assistant Studies Program consistently enrolls 85% Hispanic students in every class. The PASP is recognized nationally as the leader in physician assistant student Hispanic enrollment.

Accreditation

The Physician Assistant Studies Program is accredited by the Accrediation Review Commission for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA).  The University of Texas - Pan American is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).