Take the next step towards caring for and assisting those in need in your community and beyond! Join the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Here, in our program, the second in the state of Tennessee, you'll have the opportunity to experience a first-class, hands-on medical education, enhanced by state-of-the-art technology and facility. You'll be taught by distinguished faculty, who hold vast experience and expertise in academic, clinical and research environments. Even better, our open-door policy ensures they'll be available to assist and guide you in your studies, helping you to become the best PA you can be.
Through the use of simulated trainers, you will practice procedural skills like intravenous catheter insertion, airway management, laceration repair, and abscess incision and drainage. In addition to your education, you will receive a unique opportunity to take part in a variety of volunteer experiences, providing medical services to uninsured individuals in need.
You will also have access to various features and resources like our cadaver lab, mannikins, simulation labs, and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) suites.
The LMU-SMS PA-Harrogate program is a full-time graduate-level program, lasting 27 months, that will result in your earning a Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree once you have successfully completed minimum competency and all other degree requirements. The program's curriculum is sectioned into a 14-month didactic, preclinical phase and a 13-month clinical phase. While clinical rotations are primarily located in the southeastern United States, other locations across the U.S. are available as well.
The first phase will only take place on the Harrogate campus. During the didactic phase you will develop a foundation for the upcoming clinical phase and pursue rigorous coursework covering basic medical, clinical, and behavioral sciences, including:
The second phase will be provided at both urban and rural single and multi-specialty clinics as well as community and tertiary hospital settings with physician and PA preceptors. Depending on availability, there are also elective experiences available in a variety of areas in medicine. You can expect to travel to multiple core rotation locations throughout the course of your clinical phase. Luckily, financial aid is available to you for clinical rotation expenses, including transportation, room and board. This phase will consist of four to eight-week rotations, including:
During your clinical year, you will be expected to complete a capstone project consisting of two sections. The first will help you harness professionalism through continuous medical education activities, certifications, proficiency in skills and procedures, community involvement, and interaction with your future colleagues and peers. The second section will include professional writing designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of selected and approved medical topics. While working on your capstone project, you will work alongside an approved advisor.
Apply to the Master of Medical Science - Physician Assistant Studies program
To be accepted into the program, you must meet all of the technical standards for admission. Review the application checklist to ensure that you have included all required items for your application. Being admitted into the LMU-PA program is very competitive and meeting all prerequisites does NOT guarantee admission into the program.
The LMU admissions committee will make decisions regarding admission based on your overall science grade point averages (GPAs), the personal interview, personal and professional references, knowledge of your profession and your written and personal statements. You will be given preference in the admission progress if you are:
Our PA program reserves up to three seats each year for students who meet the defined criteria and are admitted into the program under applicable admissions standards and procedures for each of the programs.
No advanced placement, transfer credit, or credit for experimental learning will be awarded for the program.
To be admitted into the PA program at LMU, you must complete the following steps:
Step 1: Complete the Application
LMU-SMS's PA program uses the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Your CASPA application will not be processed until after it has been received by the program. Due to the competitive nature of the program, we recommend that you apply early.
It is required that you submit an official transcript from the regionally accredited university or college where you earned your bachelor's degree and completed any prerequisite courses required for admission into the PA program. A course-by-course evaluation is required, and all coursework must be designated as undergraduate, graduate or professional.
During your application process, you will be required to submit two letters of reference. Your references should consist of:
Letters of reference should be submitted to CASPA online. Please read and adhere to the CASPA Admissions Code of Cooperation.
Step 2– Application Review and Interview
Once your application has been submitted to CASPA, the members of the Admissions Committee will review your file. If you are chosen by the committee, you will be invited to campus for an interview by phone or email. You will be given further information about the schedule of events for the day of your visit, including your meeting with an interview panel.
After completing your interview, your file will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Once a decision has been made regarding your admission, you will be notified in writing. Additional information will be included, some of which is time sensitive.
Admission into the program is based on a variety of factors. No one piece of information submitted will determine whether or not the committee will extend an offer of admission. When reviewing your file, in addition to your desire to practice medicine in underserved areas, the committee will consider factors like your:
According to the U.S. News & World Report, a career as a Physician Assistant (PA) is regularly ranked as a top career in the field of health care. The average median annual salary for a PA is $100,000. Furthermore, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that the PA profession will experience a faster rate of growth than the average for all occupations.
Want to learn more about the PA program at Lincoln Memorial University? Reach out to us at any time and we will get back to you as soon as we can! !
Campus Location: 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752
Phone: 800.325.0900, ext 6691 (toll free)
Phone: 423.869.6691 (direct)
Email: paadmissions@lmunet.edu
