The mission of the Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program is to provide comprehensive physician assistant education in primary medical care with emphasis in pediatrics and to highlight the need for service to disadvantaged, at-risk, and medically underserved populations.

Goals:

1. To provide a physician assistant program that educates for excellence in primary care with an emphasis on primary care pediatric medicine.
   
   
2. To foster a commitment to serve underserved populations: disabled, minorities, women, rural communities, and the urban poor and through that service enhance the quality of medical care.
   
   
3. To work towards the development and promotion of a multicultural community that welcomes students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.
   
   
4. To contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge for the profession.
   
   
5. To maintain a mutually beneficial collaborative relationship with the University of Colorado, the Health Sciences Center, the School of Medicine, the Graduate School, the Department of Pediatrics and with our national network of training sites.
   
   
6. To contribute support and leadership to local, state and national professional organizations and service delivery systems.
   
   
7. To provide the academic opportunity for students to gain knowledge, clinical skills and attitudes appropriate for practicing physician assistants.
   
   
8. To provide the opportunity to earn a professional masters degree - MPAS-Pediatrics.