Program Goals

BUPAP has established the following encompassing goals to continue the educational development of physician assistants for future practice in the field of medicine. 

• Maintain continuous accreditation with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
• Recruit and admit highly qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds.
• Attract and graduate students who exhibit a servant’s heart.
• Maintain a level of first-time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average.

Updated: February 4, 2026

1. Maintain continuous accreditation with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

At its March 2024 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Bethel University – TN Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Bethel University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in March 2026.

Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additional two years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance. Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation - Provisional or Accreditation - Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.

Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.

Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-bethel-university-tn/ . Goal is not met.

2. Recruit and admit highly qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Bethel University Physician Assistant Program (BUPAP) evaluates the recruitment of highly qualified applicants by comparing the entering cohort’s average admissions criteria scores against the previous cohort admissions criteria scores producing a retrospective analysis of Admissions criteria. BUPAP analyzes the data to aid in the admissions process of selecting highly qualified applicants, which in turn, accomplishes our goal.

BUPAP lists the recommendations of a highly qualified PA Candidate under the Admissions portion of our website under BUPAP applicants, as well as in the PA Information Packet. These recommendations are based on the averages of successful candidates in prior admission cycles, as well as what is deemed to be an ideal candidate. While this is a goal for applicants to achieve, BUPAP does not make these scores/hours an admissions requirement. Instead, BUPAP recommends that applicants refer to the averages. Applicants are informed that these are only averages, and that each application is evaluated on its own merit.

BUPAP recruits and admits highly qualified applicants based on GRE scores (quantitative and analytical), GPAs (Prerequisite, Undergraduate/Graduate Cumulative, and Undergraduate/Graduate Science), shadowing hours, patient care experience, health care experience, leadership, and community service hours. BUPAP applicants must also score at least a “C” in the required prerequisite courses.

To determine if the goal has been met for highly qualified students, BUPAP uses GRE scores, both cumulative and analytical, as well as cumulative GPA scores. The benchmarks demonstrating core knowledge proficiency is GRE total of >300, a GRE analytical > 3.5, and cumulative GPA > 3.4. The strength benchmarks are noted with a GRE total of >310, an analytical > 4.5, and cumulative GPA >3.6. The Physician Assistant Education Association’s (PAEA) Program Report 36 identifies these areas average scores as a total GRE of 305.8 (N = 76), GRE analytical average of 4.1 (N = 65), and cumulative GPA of 3.6 (N = 195). The goal has been met for 2025.

BUPAP continues to admit highly qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds. Diverse backgrounds are defined as underrepresented individuals in the PA profession who identify as Hispanic or non-Caucasian, as well as the male gender. BUPAP does not discriminate during the application cycle and believes having a more diverse cohort aids in the formation of a compassionate healthcare professional. The benchmarks are > 15% underrepresented students for Hispanic or non-Caucasian and males > 25%. The strength benchmarks are > 25% Hispanic or non-Caucasian and > 35% for male underrepresented students. The PAEA’s Program Report 36 identifies these areas average scores as white = 76.9% (23.1 % non-Caucasian, N = 179) and males = 25.4% (N =194). BUPAP’s goal is to be in the top 50% of programs across the nation. The United States Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (PEP), which is updated annually (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/TN/PST045225), also identifies Tennessee with a 78.2% white-alone population percentage (or 21.8% non-caucasion). The goal has been met for 2025.

3. Attract and graduate students who exhibit a servant’s heart.

BUPAP determines the effectiveness in meeting this goal based on exceeding the minimal requirements of volunteer hours during the admission’s process and volunteer hours during the student’s time at the PA program. The minimum hours for applicants to receive an interview is 25 volunteer hours. The required volunteer hours during the didactic and clinical phase of the program are 40 hours. This goal is evaluated only on those students who are admitted to the program.

To attract students who exhibit a servant's heart, applicants matriculating into the program are required to have a minimum of 25 volunteer hours to gain an interview and be considered for admission into the program. This minimum was established for the admission cycle starting April of 2021 for the Physician Assistant Class of 2024. Previous classes did not have this minimum; however, volunteer hours remained a criterion on the Admission’s Interview rubric used during the interview process. The benchmark for a matriculating student is 100 volunteer hours. This benchmark is based on data obtained on previous matriculating classes demonstrating the number of students greater than 100 volunteer hours ranged from ~20-80%, as well as the benchmark of 100 volunteer hours is the halfway point on the Admission’s Interview rubric. The goal is considered to be met if > 50% of the students have more than 100 volunteer hours. It is considered a strength of the program if > 50% of the admitted students have more than 200 volunteer hours.

PA Students admitted into the program are required to complete a minimum of 40 volunteer hours prior to graduation. The benchmark for graduating students is 41 hours. The goal is considered met if > 50% of students obtain more than 41 volunteer hours and it is considered a strength of the program if 50% of the class has 50 hours.

 

Graduating Class (Class of 2025)

Both the Matriculation and Graduation data for the Class of 2025 met the Goal for attracting and graduating a student that exhibit a servant’s heart.

• For the Class of 2025 matriculation data met benchmark but was not recorded as a strength as 46% of the class of 2025 had > 200 volunteer hours at matriculation.

• Upon graduation, the Class of 2025 met the benchmark of > 50% of the class had 41 volunteer hours or greater.

• The class did not meet the strength criteria of > 50% of the class having logged > 50 hours as 40% of the class logged over 50 hours.

Didactic Data Class of 2027 (Didactic Year 2025)

The class of 2027 matriculated in Jan 2025. This class met the Matriculation data Goal for attracting a student that exhibits a servant’s heart.

• For the Class of 2027, matriculation data was considered a strength as 68% of the class had > 200 volunteer hours.

• We will continue to follow this class through the clinical year and until graduation. Currently at the end of their didact year, the class has a total of 1356.5 hours with 806 being non-medical and 556.5 medical hours. 

• Below are some of the volunteer experiences the class participated in during their didactic year.

Spring Semester:

• PA students visited local schools and provided health education on nutrition, healthy lifestyles, personal hygiene, and dental care. The PA students conducted fundraising activities to purchase personal hygiene supplies for the various elementary and middle school students.

Summer Semester:

• PA students organized and competed in a Pickleball Tournament to benefit the Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA) Organization.

Fall Semester:

• PA students conducted a Junior PA Day to introduce children of the surrounding communities to various aspects of healthcare. 

4. To maintain a level of first- time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average.

The goal was met for the Class of 2024 as the class scored at or above first time PANCE pass rate national average. The goal was met for the Class of 2025 as the class scored above national average for the first time PANCE pass rate. We will continue to adjust the didactic and clinical curriculum as needed to increase our first time PANCE Pass rate.

a.    PACO 2024 First Time Taker Average Pass Rate

• Bethel University PA Program - 92%
• National – 92%

b.    PACO 2025 First Time Taker Average Pass Rate

• Bethel University PA Program – 96%
• National – 91%

c.    Five-Year First-Time Taker Average Pass Rate

• Bethel University PA Program - 91%
• National – 92%