Overview

Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed healthcare professionals who practice medicine in collaboration with physicians. They are trained to diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. PAs work in every medical and surgical specialty, providing care in hospitals, clinics, and community settings across urban, rural, and suburban areas.

The Elon University Physician Assistant Program in Charlotte is a full-time, 24-month graduate program launching in January 2027 as the first PA program in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rooted in Elon’s tradition of engaged learning, leadership, and community impact, the program is designed to prepare compassionate, collaborative, and equity-driven healthcare providers. Students will complete 114 credit hours through an integrated curriculum that combines medical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and professional skill development with immersive clinical training in primary care, urgent care, emergent medicine, and specialty settings. Emphasizing service to diverse and underserved populations, the program equips graduates to address healthcare disparities, practice with cultural humility, and lead as advocates for patients and communities. Upon completion, graduates will be prepared for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) and state licensure, ready to deliver exemplary, patient-centered care in partnership with physicians across a variety of healthcare settings.