1. Physician Assistant Program

Advantages| PA Program at LEC

Proven and Award Winning

  • 100% first-time PANCE pass rate for the Class of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 (100/100 students).

  • 100% employment rate for the Class of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 (100/100 students).

Graduates practice in multiple specialties in Northeast Ohio and throughout the nation, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, urgent care, trauma, orthopedics, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, hospital medicine, cardiology, gastroenterology, psychiatry, and many more.

  • 98.4% graduation rate since 2014, which is above the national average of 94.8% (2018 PAEA Program Report 32).

  • 10-year ARC-PA accreditation-continued status, which is the maximum offered.

  • 2015-2018 Quarterfinalists for the national American Academy of Physician Assistants Challenge Bowl.

    • 2016 Champion for the Ohio regional Cleveland Clinic Challenge Bowl.

  • 2015 Winner of the Examsoft Higher Achievement Award, a nationally recognized examination system.

  • Faculty member won the 2015 Ohio Association of Physician Assistants Educator of the Year.

World-Class Clinical Experiences 

Lake Erie College has partnered with University Hospitals, one of the nation's leading health care systems, providing high-quality, patient-centered medical care at locations throughout Northeast Ohio.  Students may also have experiences with other excellent locations including Cleveland Clinic, Lake Health, Akron Children’s Hospital, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and many more.

Students will have access to multiple career opportunities in Northeast Ohio with world-class facilities that are rich in need of physician assistants. 

Recognized by M-SARA, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement partner for the Midwestern region, Lake Erie College allows PA students to complete clinical rotations at out-of-state sites.

Outstanding Faculty 

  • The PA program student-to-faculty ratio is impressive, better than 10:1 with small, hands-on labs of 6-8 students.

  • All of the core PA program faculty currently practice medicine and together have over 100 years of clinical experience and over 55 years of PA education experience.

  • Our Medical Director is the President for University Hospitals Geauga.

  • Anatomy & Physiology course instruction is provided by faculty holding dual MD/PhD degrees.

Faculty have collaborated with multiple organizations including the nccPA Health Foundation, Physician Assistant Education Association, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services to obtain multiple grants enhancing the Program and profession. 

Integrated and Comprehensive Program 

  • Beautiful, newly renovated dedicated suite for the PA Program.

  • Module-based synchronized curriculum with problem-based learning.

  • Three semesters of dedicated pharmacology courses synchronized to the module-based curriculum to better prepare students for clinical medicine.

  • Textbooks, anatomy/dissection software, board review course and materials, medical equipment, scrubs, and lab coats are included in the tuition.

  • Access to multiple ultrasound machines with an integrated curriculum teaching ultrasound technique and application.

  • Multiple updated technologies including Anatomage virtual dissection table, rhythm generating software, and hi-fidelity manikins including the Next Generation Harvey® Cardiopulmonary Simulator.

Early clinical experiences are integrated within the first several weeks of the didactic training phases. Students will have early exposure to clinical medicine to enhance learning and create excitement for patient care. 

These early clinical experiences include: 

  • Interprofessional Tumor Board

  • Coroner's Office

  • Nursing homes

  • Emergency departments

  • Operating rooms

  • Genetics Laboratory

Unique opportunities 

Dual MBA option 

  • Graduation of the PA Program creates automatic acceptance into the Lake Erie College Parker MBA Program.

  • Three PA courses will count toward the necessary 12 courses, a 25% time and money savings.

  • Creates opportunities for further career advancement.

Additional preparation creating distinct strengths in: 

  • Emergency medicine

  • Psychiatry and addiction medicine

  • Ultrasound application

Comprehensive Student Credentials

Students will build a comprehensive portfolio of credentials during their PA education which may include:

History of Excellence

Since 1856, Lake Erie College has offered outstanding educational opportunities for its students. The Princeton Review ranks Lake Erie College as one of the "Best in the Midwest."

The campus is located 30 miles east of Cleveland. The beautifully lush historic campus is comprised of 46 acres and 18 buildings.