With great anticipation, Saint Mary’s launched a new 3+2 Physician Assistant (PA) Program. It is a collaborative effort between Saint Mary’s and Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. Beginning in fall 2019, students chosen for this highly competitive program will spend three years studying on the Winona Campus followed by two years with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, with most graduate courses being held at Saint Mary’s Cascade Meadow facility in Rochester. Those two years will include substantial clinical experiences at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and throughout Mayo Clinic Health System.
At the completion of this program, students will receive a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s and a Master of Health Sciences degree in PA Studies from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. The ultimate goal of the program is to create a pipeline of talented PAs who will work for Mayo Clinic at locations throughout the Midwest, responding to a national need for quality healthcare. It is particularly prestigious since these new PA students will train at the No. 1 ranked hospital in the nation. Mayo is also ranked No. 1 in more specialties than any other hospital. For more information about the program, visit smumn.edu/PAprogram.