Northwestern physician assistant graduates record 100 percent exam pass rate

Northwestern College’s 2025 physician assistant graduates have recorded a 100% first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. All 29 students who graduated on Aug. 9 passed the national boards on their first attempt. Northwestern’s pass rate has surpassed the national average for three years in a row.

“Consistently achieving results like this is an incredible accomplishment for our students and faculty,” says Jill Van Otterloo, director of Northwestern’s physician assistant program. “It reflects the strength of our curriculum, the dedication of our students and the individualized support our faculty provide throughout the program.”

Van Otterloo credits the program’s success to its system-based, modular curriculum and the close mentorship students receive. “Our students work hard to master a challenging 27-month curriculum that integrates faith and learning,” she says. “They’re supported by faculty who are not only knowledgeable but deeply invested in each student’s personal and professional growth. The feedback we hear from graduates about feeling academically prepared, well-mentored and part of a close-knit community confirms that our approach is working.”

Northwestern’s 2025 physician assistant graduates are working in positions across the country in family medicine, orthopedics, gastrointestinal surgery, pediatric surgery, emergency medicine, vascular surgery, oncology, cardiothoracic surgery and dermatology.




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Northwestern's master's degree program in physician assistant studies gives students practice-based training to prepare them to provide exceptional, compassionate health care in a variety of settings.

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