Physician Assistant Education Program History
The University of Nebraska Medical Center Physician Assistant Program was established as a result of a mandate from the Nebraska State Legislature in November of 1971. The purpose of the PA Program was to provide primary care providers for rural and underserved areas of Nebraska.
The first students graduated from the Program in 1975 with a bachelor's degree. In 1993, the Program began awarding a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree and at the time, was one of the first PA programs nationally to offer a master's degree.
As the demand for a master's degree level of physician assistant education increased, in September of 1996, the PA Program established the Distance Learning Program. This Program allowed practicing PAs with a bachelor's degree earn master's degree while continuing to their PA practice.
The UNMC PA Program has had a long history of supporting the training of PAs in the military. In October of 1972, an affiliation agreement was made with the US Air Force PA Program to award a master's degree to military PA students who successfully completed their PA training. Currently, the PA Program awards master's degrees to all branches of the military through the Interservice Physician Assistant Program.
