RRCC's Master's Program for Physician Assistants Receives Grant for Scholarships

Students earning their master's degrees at Red Rocks Community College will have fewer financial barriers in the coming years.

RRCC was awarded a $3.25 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration to provide scholarships to students in the Physician Assistant program over the next five years.  

"It's unbelievable, by not having that huge debt load it's going to be life changing for students," said Jennifer Seibert, Medical Director for the Physician Assistant program. "It's very competitive so we're really very proud."

RRCC is the only community college in the U.S. to confer its own Physician Assistant master's degree, and the program is one of only a few Physician Assistant programs in the state.  

Applicants for the federal grant had to demonstrate that the program previously achieved success with enrolling and graduating full-time students from disadvantaged backgrounds. RRCC's application overall earned a score of 105 out of 108 with reviewers praising RRCC's "compelling case of need with strong, program-specific data on disadvantaged enrollment, unmet financial need, and existing aid, and a clear commitment to primary care in rural/vulnerable communities."

Students at RRCC have a higher pass rate than the national average, often at 100%. In 2025, RRCC students had a 97% first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) – higher than the 91% national average that year.

The PA program is competitive and accepts 32 students in each cohort. More than half of the students are expected to be eligible for the scholarships.

The program at RRCC started in 1998 and runs for 27 months, preparing students to go into primary care.

The goal of the grant program is to increase diversity in the health professions and nursing workforce as well as improving healthcare access and quality to medically underserved communities.

RRCC's program sends students to get required practice hours at rotations in rural locations across Colorado and the West.  

Erika Iverson, a faculty member and grant project manager for the Physician Assistant program, said this award is going to further RRCC's program mission to prepare students in inclusive medicine to serve communities with high needs.

Healthcare professionals like physician assistants are in high demand, across the state and the country.