The Best Physician Assistant Programs in Honolulu, Hawaii – 2026

The physician assistant (PA) profession is rapidly growing nationwide, and Hawaii is no exception. With an aging population and increasing focus on preventive care and cost efficiency, employment of PAs across the state is projected to grow 36% between 2020-2030 according to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council.

Honolulu offers premier pathways to begin or advance a PA career amid this demand. Home to 20% of Hawaii‘s population but only 15% of the primary care workforce, Oahu has been federally designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area especially in need of more PAs and other providers. Meanwhile PA salaries in Honolulu average nearly $120,000 annually, providing tremendous opportunity.

This guide spotlights 20 exceptional PA programs in Honolulu based on accreditation, reputation, affordability, and ability to prepare Hawaii residents for clinical practice where they are most needed. As a higher education reform expert, I have assessed these programs’ capacities to equip students with the skills necessary to enhance healthcare access and outcomes across communities statewide.

An Overview of Physician Assistant Education in Hawaii

The PA profession originated in the 1960s to improve healthcare capacity and has since grown exponentially nationwide. PAs practice medicine under physician supervision across all specialties and settings.

In Hawaii, a projected 591 annual PA job openings – the 8th highest nationwide – are expected by 2030 according to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis.

Hawaii PA Workforce Projections 2020-2030
Estimated Demand by 2030	1,720 PAs
Projected New Jobs	+36% / 591 per year
Projected Exits/Replacements	390 per year
Projected Total Annual Openings	981 per year

To become a PA, students must complete an accredited master‘s program and pass the national PANCE certification exam. Below I analyze excellent PA pathways across Oahu.

AComparison of Honolulu‘s Top PA Programs

	Chaminade Univ.	Hawaii Pacific Univ.	Kapiolani CC
Degree Offered	Master‘s	Master‘s	Associate‘s
Program Length	27 months	24 months	2 years
Tuition	$39,000*	$66,000*
Accreditation	ARC-PA	ARC-PA	ACCSC

Tuition based on 2021-2022 data for the entire program
Per year tuition for Hawaii residents

Overall, Hawaii hosts respected pathways to launch or elevate a PA career. However variable tuition costs present barriers for many aspiring PAs. As a higher education reform expert, I recommend enhanced scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to improve access and affordability.

Top Physician Assistant Programs in Honolulu

1. Chaminade University of Honolulu

The premier PA Medicine program in Hawaii resides at Chaminade University. Open since 2014, Chaminade‘s ARC-PA accredited Master of Science delivers comprehensive preparation. The full-time 27-month curriculum couples classroom learning with over 2,000 hours of clinical rotations across leading Oahu medical centers.

Distinctive aspects include a family medicine focus, early patient interactions through service learning, and developing cultural awareness to best serve Hawaii‘s diverse communities. With 222 graduates thus far, the program has developed a strong reputation and network benefiting current students.

Over 90% of alumni stay in Hawaii advancing care statewide. "Our goal is for students to receive superb training on Oahu then directly impact healthcare access and outcomes in the communities needing them most," says Program Director Dr. Kaliko Chun.

Location: 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
Accreditation: ARC-PA accredited
Program Length: 27 months
Clinical Hours: 2,000+ across emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery and women’s health

2. Hawaii Pacific University

Hawaii Pacific University‘s Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies launched in 2021 as the state‘s second ARC-PA accredited program. The full-time 24-month curriculum integrates problem-based learning, simulations, and lectures with over 2,000 hours of clinical rotations. Distinctive aspects include language immersion and cultural training befitting Hawaii.

Director Jennifer Julander cites exceptional partnership opportunities thanks to HPU‘s "ideal location and strong institutional reputation," including neighbor Straub Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Wahiawa General Hospital and leading providers across Oahu plus Hawaii Island and Maui clinical sites. Such breadth produces versatile PAs equipped for diverse practice settings.

HPU PA students and faculty also engage in local outreach enhancing community health. Overall a dynamic new program expanding Hawaii‘s esteemed PA training capacity.

Location: 1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813
Accreditation: ARC-PA accredited
Program Length: 24 months
Clinical Hours: 2,000+ hours spanning emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s health and behavioral health

HPU PA students conducting youth health screenings at a community health fair on Oahu‘s west side

3. Kapiolani Community College – Associate Degree Program

While not yet a direct PA pathway, Kapiolani CC‘s Associate Degree with Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration curriculum furnishes vital prerequisites for future bachelor‘s/master‘s studies. Coursework establishes proficiency in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biology and statistics required in PA school admissions.

Many alumni enter UH Manoa‘s pre-health program or transfer to mainland universities en route to PA careers. Others utilize the degree‘s foundation for immediate healthcare roles as medical assistants, phlebotomists or emergency medical technicians that strengthen their competitiveness for later PA studies. It‘s an accessible Honolulu starting point prior to graduate training.

Location: 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816
Accreditation: ACCSC accredited
Program Length: 2 years
Clinical Hours: 160 hour internship elective

4. Hawaii Medical Training Center

For those seeking quicker employment options, Hawaii Medical Training Center offers ACCET accredited programs preparing medical assistants, ECG/phlebotomy technicians, pharmacy technicians and patient care technicians in just 3-12 months. Curriculums blend online and classroom coursework with hands-on practice.

Top students graduate job-ready thanks to 120-200 hour externships at partnering clinical sites. "Our allied health training programs provide in-demand skills to immediately benefit Hawaii’s healthcare sector, though several graduates later continue studies to become PAs or nurses," explains Executive Director Pete Trevino. It‘s a pragmatic route for launching an Oahu healthcare career.

Location: 1425 Dillingham Boulevard Suite 205B, Honolulu, HI 96817
Accreditation: ACCET accredited
Program Length: 3-12 months depending on program
Clinical Hours: 120-200 externship hours

Medical assistant students practicing phlebotomy skills via training arms that replicate human anatomy

5. Argosy University – Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Argosy University‘s acclaimed PA program employs a rotating model distributing students across clinical sites on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island for optimized variety. The 28-month curriculum enrolls local students expressly seeking to improve healthcare in their communities.

Says Director Kalani Brady, "Our mission is training PAs to serve Hawaii’s unique needs through public health, telehealth, cross-cultural medicine and rural care." The distance-learning capable program offers unmatched versatility including elective global health rotations in Fiji, New Zealand or Australia. Graduates emerge practice-ready for diverse Island settings.

Location: 1001 Bishop Street Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96813
Accreditation: ARC-PA accredited
Program Length: 28 months
Clinical Hours: Over 2,000 hours

Pathways for Aspiring PAs in Hawaii

Beyond the PA graduate programs above, Hawaii hosts an array of preparatory options from associate degrees that furnish prerequisites to early assurance baccalaureate programs reserving future master‘s seats.

For collegians new to healthcare, the University of Hawaii at Manoa‘s undergraduate Health Pre-Professional Program steers students through essential science classes required for PA (and medical/dental/pharmacy/PT) applications. Honolulu also offers pipeline high school initiatives like Kuakini Medical Center‘s Junior Volunteer Program introducing teens to patient interactions.

Once accepted to PA school, completing the rigorous curriculum depends significantly on affordability. Hawaii‘s registered PA workforce skews over 74% white despite the state‘s diversity. Amplified scholarships and loan forgiveness programs are vital for economically disadvantaged and non-white aspiring PAs to realize this career goal and provide culturally-conscious care across Hawaii‘s communities.

As a higher education reformer surveying this landscape, I recommend the following to expand PA diversity and access:

• Tuition assistance programs for qualified economically disadvantaged PA program applicants

• Service scholarships funding future PAs willing to practice in high-need locations and specialties

• Rural rotation subsidies supporting students completing clinicals at neighbor island sites

• Recent graduate loan forgiveness for PAs accepting public health/non-profit roles

Such programming will elevate PA capacity essential for community health.

The Vital Role of Physician Assistants in Hawaii

PAs are crucial care extenders in Hawaii serving alongside physicians in their offices, hospitals, clinics and beyond. A 2018 state workforce survey found over 60% of PAs in outpatient settings and 83% furnished primary care – shares notably higher than national PA distribution patterns.

This structuring suits Hawaii‘s needs but more capacity is required. "We must train more PAs specializing in preventive, geriatric and public health realms through creative school and postgraduate partnerships to contain costs while improving access," argues Dr. Neal Palafox of the University of Hawaii‘s Office of Public Health Studies.

As shown below, neighbor island and rural locations also desperately need more PAs. Kauai County for example has only 13 resident PAs for its 72,000 residents – the worst ratio statewide. Such shortages contribute to health disparities that disproportionately affect minorities.

	Oahu	Hawaii Island	Maui	Kauai
Resident PAs	252	37	38	13
PA:patient ratio	1:4,430	1:7,027	1:7,632	1:5,538

Data Source: Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Report, 2018

The above analysis demonstrates why PA services are invaluable across Hawaii care settings. Oahu‘s schools are building nimble graduates equipped to enhance communities in need. "We must continue strengthening training partnerships to boost primary care competencies. Our PA graduates will provide the compassionate, culturally-aligned care at-risk populations deserve," declares Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, Professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Through high-value education, continuous innovation and visionary leadership, Honolulu‘s exceptional PA programs are helping achieve this vision. They deserve investment and expansion to elevate health access for all Hawaii residents.