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PANCE Performance

To become a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C), a graduate from an accredited program must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).  The PANCE is provided by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc. (NCCPA) and is the only certifying organization for PAs in the United States.

Five-Year PANCE First-Time Pass Rates by Class (2020-2024)
Class of UNC Pass Rate National Pass Rate
2020 94% 95%
2021 100% 93%
2022 100% 92%
2023 100% 92%
2024 100% 92%
Our detailed PANCE Report

Attrition Rates

Attrition rates by class (2022-2024)
Class of 2022 Class of 2023 Class of 2024
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA) 20 20 20
Entering class size 20 20 20
Graduates 19 17 19
Attrition rate* 5% 15% 5%
Graduation rate** 95% 85% 95%

* Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.
** Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.