Johnna Tanner, PA Program Department Chair, reports that as the only Physician Assistant program in the state that is associated with a public university, the mission of the program at UTHSC is to prepare a diverse group of highly skilled Physician Assistant practitioners who are dedicated to improving access and providing high quality care. With that eye to diversity, this inaugural class has set the bar high. The class is evenly balanced with 13 males and 13 females which surpasses the national average of 75% percent female students. The class is also considerably above national averages with regards to ethnicity/race.
With a diverse and experienced faculty, the UTHSC PA program is poised to answer the challenging health care needs that the region is facing. By providing these students with a state of the art learning environment and unique clinical opportunities coupled with a tuition that is significantly lower than any other program in the state, UTHSC’s physician assistant students will be more than ready to provide outstanding care to Tennessee’s residents.