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Program Goals, PANCE Data & Attrition

Drury University > Graduate Studies > Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies > Program Goals, PANCE Data & Attrition

Program Goals

1. Recruit highly qualified applicants who successfully complete the program.

1. Criteria #1 – Recruit highly qualified applicants.

Outcome: Measured by admissions data and attrition rate

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. Undergraduate cumulative GPAs >3.25 out of 4.0 average for cohort
  2. Undergraduate science GPAs >3.25 out of 4.0 average for cohort
  3. Applicants having greater than 750 hours of patient care experience.

Success of Goal

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
Average undergraduate cumulative GPA 3.47 3.54 3.6  
Average prerequisite GPA 3.43 3.57 3.52  
Average hours of patient care experience 3,559 3,194 2,197  

Criteria #2 – Student applicants who successfully complete the program.

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. At least 94% of matriculated students successfully complete all program requirements and graduate, including those who complete the curriculum through an approved deceleration pathway.

Success of Goal

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027
Overall Graduation Rate 93.3% pending  

The alumni evaluation will be administered yearly in November, the results will be analyzed and posted to the website in the Spring of 2027

2. Graduate physician assistants who are prepared to provide patient-centered care as an entry-level physician assistant.

Outcome:Measured by performance on summative assessments, graduating student exit surveys, and alumni feedback surveys.

Criteria #1 – Graduates demonstrate competence in clinical skills and patient care required for entry-level practice.

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. ≥ 97% of students achieve a passing score on the OSLER on the first attempt.
    • Cohort 2025: 100%: goal met
    • Cohort 2026: pending: will be updated January 2027
  2. ≥ 97% of students achieve a passing score on the End-of-Curriculum Skills Assessment on the first attempt.
    • Cohort 2025: 100%: goal met
    • Cohort 2026: pending: will be updated January 2027

Success of Goal:

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
OSLER 100%      
End-of-Curriculum Skills Assessment 100%      

Criteria #2 – Graduates demonstrate medical knowledge consistent with national expectations for entry-level physician assistant practice.

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. Program End-of-Curriculum student group mean score is within 3% of or greater than the national mean.
Criteria Cohort 2025 Mean Nat’l Mean 2025 Cohort 2026 Mean Nat’l Mean 2026  
End of Curriculum Exam 1510 1516 1529 1520  
  • 2025 Assessment: Met
  • 2026 Assessment: Met

Criteria #3 – Graduates report preparedness for entry-level clinical practice.

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. Graduating students report a mean preparedness for entry into clinical-practice rating of 4.0 or greater on a 5-point Likert scale.
    • Cohort 2025: Met
    • Cohort 2026: Pending: will be updated January 2027
  2. Alumni one-year post-graduation report a mean preparedness for entry into clinical-practice rating of 4.0 or greater on a 5-point Likert scale.
    • Pending: will be updated January 2027

Success of Goal:

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
Student Exit Survey on preparedness for entry into clinical practice (administered upon completion of the program) 4.48 pending pending  
Graduate Feedback on preparedness for entry into clinical practice (administered one year after graduation) Pending Spring 2027      

3. Provide an educational program that ensures student readiness to pass the PA National Certifying Examination (PANCE).

Outcome: Measured by Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination Exam Performance Summary Report.

Criteria: DUPAP students meet or exceed national PANCE pass rate.

Measures/Benchmarks:

  1. PANCE Pass Rate at or above national average for cohort.

Success of Goal:

Criteria

Cohort 2025

Nat’l Ave 2025

 

Cohort 2026

Nat’l Ave 2026

 

Cohort 2027

Nat’l Ave 2027

PANCE Performance 1st time test takers

86%

91%

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Prepare graduates to provide care in various medical specialties to diverse patients across the lifespan in areas of high need in Southwest Missouri and beyond.

Criteria #1 – Offer supervised clinical practice experiences in rural and underserved areas.

Measure/Benchmarks:

  1. 100% of students having clinical opportunities in at least one rural medicine or underserved area.

Success of Goal:

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
% of students with SCPEs in rural areas 100%      
% of students with SCPEs in underserved areas 100%      

Criteria #2 – Graduates of DUPAP will work in various medical specialties serving patients across the lifespan.

Measure/Benchmark:

  1. DUPAP graduates will be represented in each of the following practice areas:

Success of Goal:

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
% of students who practice in pediatrics pending      
% of students who practice in surgery pending      
% of students who practice emergency medicine pending      
% of students who practice women’s health pending      
% of students who practice family medicine pending      
% of students who practice inpatient medicine pending      
% of students who practice in behavioral health pending      

Criteria #3 – 30% of Drury PA graduates stay in southwest Missouri to practice medicine in various levels of care or work in rural or underserved healthcare areas.

Measure/Benchmark:

  1. 30% of DUPAP graduates will work either in SW Missouri, rural, and/or underserved areas.

Success of Goal:

Criteria Cohort 2025 Cohort 2026 Cohort 2027 Cohort 2028
% of graduates who work in SW Missouri. Pending Spring 2027      
% of graduates who work in rural areas outside of SW MO. Pending Spring 2027      
% of graduates who work in underserved areas outside of SW MO. Pending Spring 2027      

The alumni evaluation will be administered yearly in November, the results will be analyzed and posted to the website in the Spring of 2027

NCCPA PANCE Scores

Our inaugural cohort graduated in November 2025. We will provide ongoing updates as subsequent outcomes are reported.

Score Report

Attrition Rate

Graduated Classes 2025
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) 30
Entering class size 30
Graduates 28
*Attrition rate 6.7%
**Graduation rate 93.3%

*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attrited from cohort divided by the entering class size.

**Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.

Note: This information is updated on an annual basis, typically in the spring.

Address: 729 N Drury Lane, Springfield, MO 65802

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