collageAre you interested in becoming a physician assistant, but unsure of where to start? If so, then check out Red Rocks Community College’s PA program!
Red Rocks Community College offers a fully accredited Physician Assistant Program that will give you the training and education you need to succeed. You’ll be prepared for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) exam, which is required for practicing as a PA. The program includes coursework in anatomy, physiology, clinical medicine and pathology.
The program accepted about half of applicants last year (53%), but if you meet all the prerequisites, we think you’ll have a good shot at being accepted!
The Red Rocks Physician Assistant Program is a rigorous 27-month, state-sponsored, nationally accredited program. The program was established in 1998 and has maintained accreditation since inception. The RRCC PA program became the first community college in the US to confer its own master’s degree.
Graduates of the RRCC PA program receive a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS). The RRCC PA program has a long history of educating competent, community minded PAs to practice primary care. Our graduates receive exceptional training and are prepared to enter clinical practice upon graduation.
History of the Red Rocks Physician Assistant Program
The Program was created in 1998 after several years of needs assessment and after community support was determined to be strong. The first class was admitted in January of 1999; subsequent classes were admitted in August of each year thereafter beginning in 1999.
Our accepted students have been successful in careers such as nursing, physical therapy, emergency services, exercise physiology, medical assisting, radiographic technology, respiratory therapy and audiology, among many others. Some students hold a master’s or doctoral degree; all have a baccalaureate degree prior to acceptance. Admission to the Program is extremely competitive. The average age of each class is between 28 and 30 years old. The RRCC PA Program accepts 32 students per year.
Mission:
The mission of the RRCC PA program is to prepare physician assistants to practice and promote empathetic, primary care-focused medicine that serves the community.
red rocks community college pA program tuition
The time constraints and demands of physician assistant education are such that the faculty strongly discourages employment during the Program. Therefore, an applicant should carefully consider his/her financial circumstances in order to develop a plan to obtain the financial resources necessary to complete the Program.
Tuition for RRCC MPAS – Master’s of Physician Assistant students for the 2021-2022 academic year is $578.75.10 per credit hour for Colorado residents and $665.60 per credit hour for non-residents. 120 hours of semester credit are required to complete the MPAS program. Total tuition and fees for in-state students is approximately $69,448 for the MPAS program. Total tuition and fees for out-of-state students is approximately $79,870. Please note: These figures are subject to change without notice. Tuition rates are adjusted by CCCS in June/July of each year.
Because PA students are strongly discouraged from working during the Program, applicants must account for the additional housing and living expenses that will be incurred. Other expenses include medical textbooks, equipment, and supplies. The average cost of the required textbooks and supplies is $4000. Approximately $1000 will be required for a high-quality stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, oto-ophthalmoscope, and other required equipment. In addition to these costs, students should calculate the expenses associated with transportation to clinical learning experiences (CLEs) and clerkships, some of which will be assigned outside the metropolitan Denver area. Students will require reliable transportation throughout the Program.
Upon acceptance to the PA Program, students will receive further information about the financial aid process.
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