Competencies, Graduation Rate & PANCE Pass Rate
The Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), maintaining high standards of compliance and achieving excellent graduation rates, while also adhering to the competencies outlined by prominent Physician Assistant organizations, preparing students for comprehensive healthcare provision.
Yale PA Program Competencies
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The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) created a document which outlines the Competencies of the Physician Assistant Profession.
Based on the above, the Yale School of Medicine PA Program developed a set of competencies that each PA student is expected to meet in order to graduate. These competencies reflect our commitment to academic excellence, readiness for clinical practice, and professional growth.
Graduation Rate
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| Measure | Class of 2023 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Entering class size | 40 | 35 | 40 |
| Number joining class cohort who began with different cohort | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Number who decelerated | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of withdrawals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of dismissals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total attrition from cohort | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Graduates | 39 | 35 | 39 |
| Anticipated graduates | 40 | 35 | 40 |
| Attrition Rate * | 2.5% | 0% | 0% |
| Graduation Rate ** | 97.5% | 100% | 97.5% * |
*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort (decelerated + withdrawals + dismissals) divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).
**Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.
† As of 4/1/2026 one Class of 2025 student is a late graduate.
Comments: Student attrition is when a student enters the accredited phase of the program but does not graduate with that cohort of students. Student attrition can be the result of several factors including poor academic performance, medical leave of absence, or deceleration within the program.