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#5 Best Job in America
A physician assistant (PA) is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional who practices medicine as a member of a health care team. PAs practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and in the uniformed services.
Why become a physician assistant?
Now is an exciting time to join the physician assistant profession. According to US News & World Report, the physician assistant profession ranks #2 on the 2026 list of Best Health Care Jobs in America and fifth on the 2026 list of 100 Best Jobs in America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual salary for PAs at $133,260 and projects that the field will grow at a rate of 20% (much faster than average) between now and 2034. For more information on what PAs do, visit the AAPA’s What is a PA? website.
Read on to learn more about Union's program, or apply now.
I was drawn to the Union's PA program because of their dedication to giving students more than just an academic education. The professors’ mission is to prepare us for so much more than to be adequate clinicians. They strive to teach us Christian principles that I feel are sometimes underrepresented in health care, such as compassion, servanthood, humility, and self-sacrifice. They also place an emphasis on serving others and equip us with a mindset to view our patients holistically and treat them with a Christ-like attitude.
2018 graduate—now works in family practice at Adventist Health in Kerman, California
A Rewarding Career in Health Care
20%
estimated growth in the next decade.
As a PA student at Union, you’ll have many opportunities to practice your skills and make a difference in the lives of people who need it most.
Why study at Union Adventist University?
- Your first two years of our master’s level program will be classroom training with plenty of hands-on learning, followed by 11 months of clinical rotations in many specialties.
- With only 30 people in your class, your professors will have time to give you the help you need to succeed. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to build connections with your classmates that can last a lifetime.
- Every month Union PA and nursing students hold a foot clinic at Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach, an organization that serves Lincoln’s homeless.
- Our program offers more than 200 clinical sites locally and nationally.
- The majority of our graduates have found a job within three months of passing the national certification board examination.
Everyone in the Union PA Program is very nice. They aren’t trying to make things excessively hard to weed out people. They’re just very genuine on how they approach training and teaching the students and I really appreciated that. My most vivid memory is when we washed people's feet at Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach. We did nail care, foot care and gave away lots of shoes. It was a Christlike type of serving and it was very humbling to put myself in that position. It brought me back to why I was doing what I was doing, which was to show compassion to other people.
2018 graduate—now lives in New Zealand where he has been instrumental in establishing the PA profession
Majors and Minors
Union Adventist University offers a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree. See the curriculum.
Union also offers several excellent pre-PA tracks. Plus, Union undergraduate students get preferred status when apply to the Union Adventist University PA program. Learn more
Apply to the PA Program
Learn everything you need to do to be accepted into Union's PA program.
Accreditation, PANCE and graduation rates
Union is accredited by ARC-PA and the Higher Learning Commission.
About the PA Program
Learn about our program—outcomes, vision and even frequently asked questions.
Tuition
How much will it cost to get a Master of Physician Assistant Studies at Union? Here's everything you need to know.
Curriculum
Check out the classes you'll need to graduate with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies.
Study PA
Why earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies at Union Adventist University?