UT Health San Antonio expands physician assistant studies program in Laredo

Outside view of the front of the UTHSCSA Laredo campus.

Will provide more career opportunities for students

UT Health San Antonio’s School of Health Professions invites Webb County students interested in a health career to learn more about its nationally recognized Master of Physician Assistant Studies program.

Expanded to Laredo in the summer of 2021, the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program is administered by UT Health San Antonio and located at the UT Education and Research Center at Laredo.

Physician assistants (PAs) are medical professionals who diagnose illness and assist with developing and managing treatment plans. They may work in all areas of medicine, including primary and specialty care, emergency medicine and psychiatry. In rural or underserved areas where doctors are only available for one or two days, a PA may be the primary care provider.

The program’s mission is to prepare outstanding physician assistants from Laredo and the surrounding area to alleviate the shortage of health care providers and to serve the citizens of Laredo and Webb County.

Physician assistant students undergo rigorous classroom instruction and training. Upon completion, students rotate through 15 clinical experiences in a range of health care settings — from pediatrics and primary care to surgery and emergency medicine.

“As a physician assistant, you have an opportunity to work with amazing health care teams in Laredo, helping our communities lead healthier lives,” said Rosalyn Rosas, MMS, PA-C, assistant professor and the program’s associate academic coordinator. “Students in our program receive exceptional education and training and discover how they can truly make a difference in the lives of their families, friends and neighbors, while building a rewarding career in medicine.”

Physician assistants earned a median annual salary of more than $115,000 in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which predicts employment in the PA profession will grow 31% from 2020 to 2030, with 12,200 openings projected each year.

Virtual information sessions about the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program are scheduled for March 23 and April 20. To register for the March session, click here; to register for the April session, click here.

Applications for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program will be accepted beginning April 30. For more information, visit uthscsa.edu/laredo/pa.



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