Welcome to the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services in the Carver College of Medicine. Our physician assistant program has worked hard to establish a “Tradition of Excellence." This tradition has been molded and shaped by the hard work and determination of the program’s students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Program Directors 1972-Present

Rex Montgomery, PhD               Denis Oliver, PhD                      David Asprey, PhD, PA-C          Anthony Brenneman, MPAS, PA-C

1972-1976                                       1976-1997                                    1997-2012                                      2012-Present

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services is committed to identifying and recruiting individuals of the highest possible quality for the PA profession. It is our responsibility to equip them with the necessary clinical and professional knowledge, skills and abilities to provide high quality, compassionate medical care to diverse patient populations. In order to accomplish this mission, we rely on the exceptional resources afforded by the Carver College of Medicine.

This time proven process has allowed our program to train and graduate individuals who are among the most outstanding clinicians and PA leaders in the country. This is attested to by our graduates who year after year have consistently scored among the very top programs in the country on the national certifying examination. Many of our graduates have also gone onto directing PA programs throughout the U.S. and have been Presidents of PAEA and AAPA. In addition, our program, which is currently ranked as a #2 program, has consistently been ranked as one of the top graduate degree PA programs by the U.S. News and World Report.

The University of Iowa’s PA Program is unlike any other PA program in the country. Our unique program curriculum is purposefully designed to have the PA students complete their didactic curriculum with medical students. The innovative curriculum is intricately woven into a creative matrix of courses that prepares students to move far beyond simple memorization of facts and figures to developing skills designed to prepare them as lifelong learners.

We believe that our program provides its students with a wonderful educational experience. We are very proud of the “Tradition of Excellence” that has been established here at The University of Iowa PA Program. We hope that you will give serious consideration to our program when contemplating your choice of places to continue your education in becoming a PA.

Anthony Brenneman, MPAS, PA-C

Clinical Professor and Program Director

David P. Asprey, PhD, PA-C

Professor and Department Executive Officer, Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services