For Touro PA students, real-world education and community outreach go hand in hand
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Cameron Chong always enjoyed working with people and learning about physiology and the health of the human body. But she also wanted her career to make a difference in the lives of others.
That’s why Chong chose the Physician Assistant Studies Program at Touro University Nevada.
“I chose Touro because of its activity in the community,” says Chong. “I felt that I would have access to high-quality rotations and be able to explore my interests in different specialties. Touro also has a great reputation, and I felt that learning at a school that is well regarded in the community would best prepare me to become a caring and competent provider.”
Care and competence are pillars at Touro Nevada. The stated mission of Touro Nevada is to provide quality education in healthcare with the Judaic commitment to social justice, intellectual pursuit, and service to humanity. But that service to the community doesn’t wait until after graduation. For Touro Nevada students, the community is their classroom. And they are out among their neighbors in Southern Nevada, serving and leading from the first day they step on campus.
“Touro has developed an innovative PA curriculum which includes point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), simulation, and a robust community outreach program that didactic and clinical students participate in. Faculty have a vested interest in student success which is evident by the support resources provided to our students.”
- Amie Duford
MPAS, PA-C, Program Director and Associate Professor, School of Physician Assistant Studies
Nowhere is this more apparent — and important — than in Touro Nevada’s Physician Assistant Studies Program.
Physician assistants, licensed clinicians who practice across disciplines and in every specialty and setting, are an integral part of the medical care team. They work alongside physicians and carry much of the primary care patient load. This role has become even more important in light of the nationwide shortage in healthcare workers.
“Physician assistants are helping to close gaps when it comes to access to care and a lack of medical providers in our communities,” says Lindsey Reynolds, PA-C, MSPAS, assistant professor and associate director of Academic Education in the Touro Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program. “Our roles, as well as our ability to move between specialties of medicine are often seen as highly desirable qualities in today’s healthcare system.”
This is one of many reasons why students are choosing to enter the healthcare profession as physician assistants — and why many of them are choosing Touro Nevada’s PA program as the gateway.
“With community outreach and diversity emphasized in the program, I feel prepared to treat patients from all walks of life,” says Chong. “Touro has prepared me academically with rigorous course material that ensures my knowledge base is more than adequate to pass my certifying exams and help patients throughout the world.”
For Touro Nevada, community is not confined to campus. The university was founded on the Judaic values of teaching, learning, and service — and service to the community is at Touro Nevada’s core.
This involvement starts as part of the curriculum through first- and second-year clinical rotations. Here, students apply what they’ve learned while helping underserved populations in the region. For instance, Touro Nevada has a unique partnership with Southwest Medical Associates where PA students can complete their rotations with the goal of transitioning into fulltime positions after graduation and licensing.
“Touro has developed an innovative PA curriculum which includes point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), simulation, and a robust community outreach program that didactic and clinical students participate in,” says Duford.
The Touro outreach program includes community medicine rotation, serving underserved populations here in Clark County, including the homeless. Touro Nevada also offers international rotations to aid the underserved in other countries like Nepal, Cambodia, Guatemala, and Peru.
"The faculty and staff are amazing here. They are all so helpful and welcoming. Every single one of them has an open door policy. You can tell they really enjoy their jobs and want the students to succeed."
- Carlos Perez
Master of Physician Assistant Studies Student Year 2
Touro Nevada’s PA program features two degrees:
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In addition to the best curriculum, facilities, and teaching faculty, instructors also go out of their way with a unique open-door policy to mentor students and prepare them to graduate, pass their licensure exam and excel in their careers. Last year, Touro Nevada PA students had a 97% first-time pass rate on their professional exams. And 100% of the PA class graduated.
“Faculty have a vested interest in student success,” says Amie Duford, MPAS, PA-C, Touro PA Studies Program Director & Associate Professor. “Which is evident by the support resources provided to our students and faculty open-door policies.”
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The sharp rise in demand for physician assistants is evident in the evolution of Touro Nevada’s PA program. When it first began, the PA program hosted about 40 students. That number has doubled in recent years, growing into the campus’ spacious and cutting-edge facilities.
“We always work to keep our curriculum up to date with technological advances in medicine,” says Reynolds, who is also a graduate with honors of the Touro Nevada PA program. “Our ultrasound and clinical skills curricula, as well as our state-of-the-art simulation center, where students practice their skills with manikins before practicing on live patients, offer our students exceptional experiences for learning.”
But while PA students at Touro Nevada benefit from world-class curriculum that includes the latest in medical technology and methodology, along with an experience and expert faculty, the true Touro difference is a philosophy — to treat each patient as a unit of mind, body, and spirit.
“Touro University focuses on an integrated, holistic approach to healthcare because treating the entire patient, from their medical concerns to their mental health concerns to helping patients with the social aspects of their care, creates an environment of trust and understanding,” says Reynolds. “As healthcare providers, we strive to provide effective and complete care for the whole patient.”
Treating mind, body and spirit
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Master of Physician Assistant Studies — In this program, students learn the skills to become proficient and empathetic physician assistants through classroom experiences and in-person clinical rotations.
Doctor of Physician Associate — A program designed for licensed PAs who already hold a master’s degree and want to further hone their knowledge, leadership, and research skills.
Outreach and hands-on experience
In addition to clinical rotations, Touro Nevada students also have opportunities for meaningful service in the community outside of the hospital walls through Touro’s Mobile Healthcare Clinic. This community medicine outreach programs, staffed by Touro students and faculty, provides acute care services to the most vulnerable and underserved members of our community.
“Touro has a strong sense of community within itself and within the valley,” says Chong. “You don’t find that in many places, and it’s a unique quality that I think makes Touro special. You’ll get once in a lifetime experience working with the providers and patients in Southern Nevada.”
By Monica Vanover on March 10, 2025.
By Monica Vanover on March 10, 2025.
Admissions Requirements
For full details, visit our program page.
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First Time PANCE Pass Rate
(2024 Cohort)
97%
Hours of Point of Care Ultrasound Training
25
Hours of Free Community Medical Care Provided by PA Students in 2025
700
Baccalaureate degree
Minimum 3.0 in science and overall GPA
Two Letters of recommendation
500 hours of direct patient care