PANCE perfect! MC’s physician assistant students achieve 100-percent pass rate for third straight year

Students in MC's Physician Assistant Studies Program achieved a perfect PANCE pass rate for the third consecutive year.

For the third year in a row, every student in Mississippi College’s Physician Assistant Program who took the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) for the first time in 2025 has passed with flying colors.

The 100-percent pass rate well exceeds the national average. First-time PANCE-takers nationally scored a 92-percent pass rate in 2024.

Rachelle Dye, MC associate professor and director of Physician Assistant Studies, said the perfect rate “three-peat” is an incredible achievement that speaks volumes about the quality of students enrolled in Mississippi College’s program.

“Over the last two years, we have had the two highest matriculating GPAs that we’ve ever had,” Dye said. “The Class of ’25 matriculated with a 3.77 GPA and the current class that’s seated in the didactic year, now the Class of 2026, matriculated with a 3.80 GPA.

“It (the perfect pass rate) gives them something to strive for. They don’t want to be the class that breaks the streak.”

Students who graduate from an accredited physician assistant program must pass the national certifying exam before practicing as PAs.

Over the last five years, MC PA students have posted an aggregate 98-percent pass rate on the PANCE.

“The consistent success of our physician assistant graduates on the National PANCE exam is a powerful reflection of the academic excellence, mentorship, and mission-driven focus that define Mississippi College,” said MC Provost and Executive Vice President Michael J. Highfield. “Our dedicated faculty not only equip students with the knowledge and skills to lead in healthcare, but also inspire them to pursue their calling with purpose, compassion, and confidence.”

Dye said that MC’s PA program ensures an exceptional pass rate among its students by strengthening the evidence-based material presented in its courses, maintaining practical application activities in its labs and including challenging questions in its exams.

The MC Physician Assistant program’s perfect PANCE pass streak began under the direction of Dr. Steve Martin, who served as MC professor, program director and department chair of Physician Assistant Studies until his retirement last summer. In 2024, the program received full 10-year reaccreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, which accredits physician assistant programs in the U.S. and Canada.

Upon graduating from MC’s PA Program, students must sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants board-certifying exam, which will allow them to apply for licensure within their chosen state to practice. Success on the PA National Certifying Exam is a strong indicator of good performance on this final test.

Dye said the perfect PANCE score is a boon to program recruitment.

“When applicants are considering a program, they look at tuition, the length of the program and pass rates,” she said. “They may be leery of applying to a school that didn’t have a consistently high pass rate, because no one wants to go through a program and find that they’re not able to pass the boards.”

For more information on MC’s Physician Assistant Studies, visit mc.edu/pa.