Welcome to the Anne Arundel Community College Physician Assistant Program

Our full-time curriculum is twenty-five (25) months long and includes subjects in applied medical and behavioral sciences, patient assessment, clinical medicine, procedural skills, health policy, professional practice issues, and supervised clinical practice. The program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

Our Mission

We promote excellence in education in order to produce competent, ethical and compassionate health care providers who are ready to fulfill the roles and duties of the primary care physician assistant, recognize and promote the value of diversity, and who are committed to life-long learning.

Your first year is heavily weighted in didactic education. 

Summer classes begin with three courses:

• physical examination and history taking
• introduction to the physician assistant profession
• applied medical science 

The later course provides a common clinical focus for anatomy and physiology, genetics, immunology and microbiology. 

Fall classes begin with in-depth instruction in:

• pathophysiology
• clinical medicine
• pediatric medicine
• psychiatric medicine
• pharmacology 

With the exception of psychiatry, coursework in pathophysiology, pharmacology, pediatrics, and clinical medicine continue during the first spring session. Emergency medicine is also introduced at this time. Instruction in general surgery, obstetrics, occupational medicine, basic radiology, and basic clinical procedures is introduced during the second spring session.

An early introduction to clinical experience reinforces classroom instruction. 

1. You will spend one afternoon a week in your first year as part of a set of clinical courses designed to give you an early exposure to physical examinations, data gathering, clinical laboratory, as well as radiologic services.
2. Your clinical year starts during your second summer session, which includes two clinical clerkships. Seminars in clinical medicine and rotation-related critical thinking exercises are offered at least once per clerkship. The remaining required clerkships take up the second year's fall and spring terms. Seminars in clinical medicine, rotation-related critical thinking exercises, and participation in grand rounds continue during this time. This consists of 8 mandatory clerkships, 2 electives, and clinical seminar 1, 2, and 3. The didactic review includes discussions on public health and health policy.
3. The clinical year culminates with the third summer and participation in an elective clerkship.

Master's Option. You can earn a master’s degree while you earn your physician assistant certificate through a partnership between Anne Arundel Community College and Saint Francis University (SFU) in Loretto, Pa. Under the agreement, you pair 10 hours of SFU coursework with 20 hours of clinical rotations at AACC for a master of medical science degree. The program is entirely online and takes place during your second year of matriculation at AACC-PA. 

Notice of Nondiscrimination
AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. Call Disability Support Services, 410-777-2306 or Maryland Relay 711, 72 hours in advance to request most accommodations. Requests for sign language interpreters, alternative format books or assistive technology require 30-day notice. For information on AACC’s compliance and complaints concerning discrimination or harassment, contact Karen L. Cook, Esq., federal compliance manager, at 410-777-7370 or Maryland Relay 711.