2U, Yale University partner to launch online Master of Medical Science degree for PA

2U, Inc., today announced that it is partnering with Yale University to launch an online Master of Medical Science (MMSc) degree for aspiring physician associates (PA), pending approval of the online program by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and various state licensing agencies.

The program will enable online students to receive the same high-quality training as their on-campus counterparts without the financial burden and stress of relocating, while also encouraging PAs to learn and work in their local communities. In contrast with most PA programs, the online program also will recruit student cohorts three times per year instead of one, allowing qualified students to start their education and training as soon as they are ready.

Leveraging 2U's leading cloud-based software-as-a-service platform, the online PA program will include: collaborative, live classes that facilitate face-to-face interaction; high-quality, interactive coursework developed by Yale faculty who teach in the program; as well as hands-on clinical experience at field sites chosen with each student's location and career goals in mind. The program also will feature in-person immersion experiences that allow students to collaborate with classmates and professors on-site at the Yale campus in New Haven, CT.

"PA program students could come to campus during the first week or two in the program to experience Yale," said program director James Van Rhee. "Then at the end of the first year, they would come back to learn clinical skills and again at the end of the clinical year to do testing. A distant student could also do a rotation at Yale New Haven Hospital."

"On-site clinical placements are critical in a field such as Physician Assistant, and 2U has extensive experience incorporating this hands-on curriculum component into an online program, having facilitated more than 20,000 placements as part of its university partner degree programs in nursing, social work and other fields," said Chip Paucek, CEO and Co-Founder of 2U. "This blended approach is a differentiator for 2U-partner programs, and we look forward to leveraging this experience as we work with Yale to create a top-tier online option for students interested in the high-growth Physician Assistant career field."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for Physician Assistants are expected to increase by 38 percent between 2012 and 2022. This equates to an additional 33,300 new positions, driven by heightened demand for health care services from older patients, increased prevalence of chronic disease and a shortage of primary care physicians. The career website Glassdoor also ranked Physician Assistant at #1 in its list of the "25 Best Jobs in America for 2015," based on earnings potential, career opportunities and number of job openings.

Offering many of the health care services provided by physicians, PAs take patient histories and perform physical exams, diagnose illnesses and develop treatment plans, order lab tests and prescribe medications, counsel and educate patients, and, in surgical settings, suture wounds and assist in surgery, among other responsibilities.

This program is part of 2U's ongoing commitment to expanding access to high-quality education for health care professionals by working with some of the best colleges and universities in the country to offer their health care degree programs online. For more information on 2U-enabled health care degree programs, please visit 2U's website.

SOURCE 2U, Inc.