Western starts Ontario’s first graduate physician assistant program with 29 students
Director Josee Paradis says more than 1,000 people applied, and student Sophie Kelly says many still do not know what the profession does.
Western has begun Ontario’s first graduate-level physician assistant program, a two-year master of physician assistant studies that trains 29 students. Program director Josee Paradis said the program drew more than 1,000 applicants for its first cohort. Graduates will work in physician-led teams in hospitals, primary care, emergency medicine and specialty services.
The province said in February it would invest $16 million to add as many as 150 physician assistant education spots at Ontario universities between 2026 and 2027, as part of a push to connect everyone in Ontario to primary care by 2029. Canada has about 1,000 certified physician assistants, 600 of them in Ontario.
Student Sophie Kelly, who first met a physician assistant while studying nursing, said many people are unfamiliar with the role. Student Jack Strong said building relationships with medical students early matters, and the two groups learn together in select parts of Western’s medical curriculum.
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