Well prepared to enter clinical practice
In the exit survey of the classes of 2022-24, 85% of graduates agreed or strongly agreed that the Emory PA program prepared them to care for underserved patient populations, and on average 90% of graduates agreed or strongly agreed that the Emory PA program prepared them to deliver compassionate care.
High-quality education
The Emory PA curriculum is taught by highly qualified and experienced clinical educator faculty with over 100 years of combined experience in PA education among the principal faculty. The program also attracts expert lecturers from the broad Emory community, and the region.
Evidence-based curriculum
Evidence-based medicine is an integral component of the Emory PA curriculum. Students matriculate in an epidemiology/biostatistics course (PAE 7002) in the second semester and learn key concepts to interpret medical publications. Building on these concepts and coordinating with modules, the focus of this skillset is to interpret evidence to support and guide clinical decision making. Clinical year students apply this skillset to develop thesis projects, and may submit these works to research competitions.
Dynamic clinical training opportunities
Exit surveys from 2022 to 2024 consistently showed that over 90% of students ranked the variety of subspecialties and clinical rotations among the top five strengths of the Emory PA Program.
Clinical training begins during the didactic phase, where students engage in structured experiences with standardized patients and simulation-based learning. Each disease module is paired with real-world clinical exposure: for example, during the cardiology module, students study heart failure in class, participate in a related simulation, and later visit an inpatient unit to evaluate a patient with heart failure. This integrated approach supports progressive skill development and reinforces clinical concepts through direct application.
In the clinical phase, students have access to over 170 preceptors, and work in a wide range of healthcare delivery systems, including academic medical centers, community hospitals, rural clinics, urban institutions serving medically underserved populations, private practices, and the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Some rotations take place in predominantly Spanish-speaking sites, and all students participate in service opportunities with underserved communities. Grady Memorial Hospital, a key training site, serves a diverse patient population from Africa, the Middle East, South and Central America, and Eastern Europe. Students at Grady work with onsite interpreters or use language line services that support over 50 languages.
All students complete core rotations in Emory-affiliated hospitals or academic healthcare centers, along with a required rotation in either a rural or urban medically underserved area to ensure exposure to a broad range of clinical environments and patient populations.
The program offers two elective rotations across more than 100 sites, allowing students to explore career interests or strengthen specific knowledge areas. Elective options span a wide range of medical and surgical subspecialties - from pediatric emergency medicine and adult hematology/oncology to trauma surgery and intensive care. A competitive Academic Medicine elective is also available for students interested in education and research.
Academic Support
Students benefit from highly skilled faculty educators and advisors to support and guide them through this highly rigorous graduate program. Other complimentary services include access to School of Medicine trained near-peer tutoring provided by second-year PA students, with 35% of first-year students utilizing the service and 77% reporting improved performance in key subjects like anatomy and clinical medicine. Each student may work with an educational coach through the Center for Holistic Student Success to understand study organization, provide emotional support and referral services for psychoeducation testing. First term metacognition workshops, developed in collaboration with the Emory Center for Humanizing Medical Education (CHIME), help students adopt effective learning strategies tailored to graduate-level education.
Accessible, Inclusive Multimodal Learning
The curriculum incorporates a variety of traditional lecture, flipped classroom, case-based learning, simulation, and experiential rotations to support diverse learning styles. Weekly faculty-led Learning Society sessions offer case-based learning, simulation, and consistent mentorship and academic enrichment, with 75% of students stating small groups were effective or very effective in improving clinical decision-making skills over the didactic phase of education. Lastly, the Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) provides timely support and referrals for those with new or existing learning challenges.
Professional Development
All students interested in working with a professional PA mentor are enrolled into the BRIDGE Mentorship program. Students can be matched with a practicing PA from Emory Healthcare and the broader metro Atlanta area, resulting in hundreds of hours of one-on-one mentoring annually for the class. Professional mentors come from all walks of life and backgrounds and students will be matched based on preferences, needs, and interests. The majority of students from the class of 2025 report increased confidence in career planning and networking. Courses on professional issues, including interviewing, ethics, and assembling a CV set you up for success after graduation and career fairs with Emory Healthcare APP Chiefs prior to graduation are provided to facilitate employment opportunities and connections!
These integrated program supports empower students to thrive academically, professionally, and personally, reinforcing the program’s commitment to inclusive excellence.
The Emory PA Program integrates community engagement and service into both the didactic and clinical phases of education. A hallmark initiative is the Emory Farmworker Project, which has provided free medical and dental care to over 28,000 migrant farmworkers and their families since 1996. Each summer, more than 200 volunteers—including PA students, faculty, alumni, and other health professions trainees—travel to rural South Georgia to deliver care. Students gain hands-on experience managing chronic conditions, treating injuries related to farm labor, and addressing mental health needs, all within interprofessional teams. The project fosters clinical competence, cultural humility, and a deeper understanding of health disparities.
Closer to campus, the PA Faculty-Student Clinic at The Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta offers consistent service opportunities. Since 2006, students have staffed monthly clinics serving uninsured, underinsured, and immigrant populations. Under faculty supervision, students conduct patient interviews, exams, and care planning, while learning to navigate cultural and language barriers with certified interpreters. The clinic’s integration of nutrition counseling and an urban farm enhances chronic disease management and supports holistic care.
Together, these experiences prepare students to deliver compassionate, community-centered care and reinforce the program’s commitment to outreach and service as a core component of PA education.