Are you considering a career as a Physician Assistant (PA)? Choosing the right PA program is a crucial step in your journey towards becoming a qualified and successful PA. To help you navigate through the numerous options, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of the best PA schools across the United States. Each program offers unique features, prerequisites, and requirements that could be the perfect fit for your educational and career goals.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what makes each of the best PA school stand out, their prerequisite degree requirements, GPA expectations, GRE scores, English proficiency needs, and specific course prerequisites. Additionally, we’ll delve into details such as healthcare experience requirements, application processes, recommendation guidelines, and program-specific highlights such as mission statements and unique educational approaches.
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Duke University
- Emory University
- George Washington University
- Northeastern University
- Northwestern University
- Oregon Health and Science University
- Rush University College of Health Sciences
- Rutgers University School of Health Professionals
- Stanford University
- University of Alabama-Birmingham
- University of Colorado
- University of Florida
- University of Iowa
- University of Utah
- Prerequisite Degree Requirements: To apply to Baylor, you must have a bachelor’s degree from a United States’ regionally accredited college/university.
- Minimum GPA: Overall science: 3.2; overall GPA: 3.2.
- GRE: Not required.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: For non-native English speaking international applicants:
- Internet-based test: must score at least a 20 on each section.
- Computer-based test: must have a total score of at least 213 with at least a 21 in the Listening Comprehension section.
- Prerequisite Course Requirements: All prerequisite courses must be passed with a C or better. Science prerequisites must be courses for science majors and not older than seven years. Non-science courses cannot be older than ten years. AP coursework is never accepted. Lab prerequisites must have been completed in person, except for labs completed online between Spring 2020 and Fall 2021.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: Baylor does not require patient experience, healthcare experience, and/or shadowing hours, but does encourage them. They are not mandatory for admittance or application review, but are weighed in the holistic application review.
- Application Review Process: Baylor’s PA program runs a four stage admissions process beginning with an administrative review of your application to make sure you’ve submitted all required documents and pass the minimum GPA requirements. Applications that pass this stage are submitted to the PA Program’s faculty for a holistic, scored review of your application. Competitive candidates are invited to the third round for admissions interviews. Baylor interviews a maximum of 150 candidates per year. Candidates interview with three faculty members who assess, among other qualities, their communication and critical thinking skills, leadership abilities, and professionalism. All interviewed candidates are then scored by all admissions committee members and the top 40 are given offers of admission.
- CASPA: Yes
- Application Fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not); Supplemental Application fee of $50.
- Other Requirements: Must pass a criminal background check.
- First year: $91,405.32
- Second year: $88,693
- Third year (fall semester only): $46,065
- Graduation Rate: 98.3%
- Retention Rate: 99.2%
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 97%
- Job Placement or Advanced Training at Graduation Rate: 100%
- Prerequisite Degree Requirements: Duke requires a bachelor’s degree from a Commission on Colleges of a Regionally Accredited Organization is required. Applicants with degrees from outside the U.S. must complete thirty semester hours of study at a U.S. college/university before applying.
- Minimum GPA: No minimum GPA requirement; however, the minimum GPA for the cohort entering in Fall 2023 was 2.9.
- GRE: Required for all applicants, scores must be from no earlier than January 2020 and reported directly from ETS to CASPA. Lowest total GRE score accepted for Fall 2023 was 291, with most scores between 305 and 319.
- Prerequisite Course Requirements: Must be completed within the last 10 years with no more than two outstanding courses, completed by December 31st of the year prior to starting the program. All courses must be passed with at least a C, and no AP courses are accepted.
- Duke recommends biological science courses such as genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, embryology, immunology, and histology. These are not required but beneficial.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: A minimum of 1000 hours of direct patient care is required, to be completed by May 1 of the application year. All hours must be completed by May 1 of the application year. Exceptions are not accepted. Updated hours after CASPA submission are not accepted. For more detail on what types of experience do and do not count see the Duke program site.
- Recommendation Requirements: At least three recommendation letters, including one from a healthcare professional detailing patient care experience.
- CASPA: Yes
- Application Fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application, $61 if not); Supplemental Application fee of $60. Fee waivers available for active military or veterans and those qualifying for a CASPA fee waiver.
- First year: $91,233
- Second year: $87,414
- Graduation Rate: 98.5%
- Retention Rate: 97.8% in 2021, 98.9% in 2022 and 2023
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 93%
- Job Placement Rate at Graduation (Class of 2022): 93.3% employed as PAs or in training programs
- Prerequisite Degree Requirements: To apply to Emory’s PA program a bachelor’s degree from a Commission on Colleges of a Regionally Accredited Organization is required. Applicants with degrees from outside the U.S. must complete twenty-four semester hours of full-time study at a U.S. or Canadian college/university before applying.
- Minimum GPA: Must have at least a 3.0 science GPA and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
- GRE: Not required.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: Required for applicants whose first degree is from a non-US school and/or who are non-native English speakers. Minimum score of 93 with a speaking score of 26, scores must be sent directly from ETS.
- Prerequisite Course Requirements: Must be completed by end of December preceding matriculation, preferably within 10 years of applying. Online courses accepted if from accredited institutions, must be completed with at least a C grade and taken from a North American accredited institution. No Pass/Fail courses accepted.
- Recommended but not required: Microbiology and Genetics.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: At least 2,000 hours of direct and “hands-on” patient care experience, paid or volunteer, must be completed before applying. In addition, Emory strongly recommends non-patient care community volunteer hours and PA shadowing hours; these hours do not count for the 2,000 hours of patient care experience and should be reported separately.
- Application Review Process: Applicants are urged to apply early as interview slots are typically filled by July 1. Applicants who qualify for an interview are scheduled according to their application submission date. An interview waitlist does exist.
- Recommendation Requirements: Two letters of recommendation required, including at least one from a healthcare professional the applicant has worked with.
- CASPA: Yes.
- Application Fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application, $61 if not); Supplemental Application fee of $75.
- Other Requirements: Criminal background check upon acceptance; must meet program’s technical standards.
- Year 1: $59,118
- Total estimated cost of attendance: $136,816
- Graduation Rate: 94% in 2019; 98% in 2020 and 2021.
- Retention Rate: Not reported.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 91%
- Job placement or advanced training at graduation rate: Not reported.
- Prerequisite Degree Requirements: George Washington requires completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Conditional admissions require submission of official transcripts post graduation, but pre-program matriculation.
- Minimum GPA: Minimum cumulative and science GPAs must be 3.2 or higher. GPA is calculated using completed coursework at time of application by CASPA; updates to GPA post application submission are not allowed.
- GRE: Not required or considered in application.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS generally required for non-U.S. citizens. Score requirements: TOEFL: 250 computer based, 100 internet based; PTE: Overall score of 68; IELTS: Overall band of 7.0 with no individual band below 6.0.
- Prerequisite Course Requirements: Courses must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or accredited English language Canadian university within 10 years of applying. All courses must be 3 semester credits or 4.5 quarter credits and completed with a B- or higher. Applicants may have no more than two outstanding prerequisite courses at the time of application and all courses must be completed prior to matriculation.
- One semester of Anatomy; One semester of Physiology or a combined Physiology and Anatomy course over two semesters.
- Two semesters of Chemistry for science majors, with one semester being either Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry. Completing both courses before enrolling is strongly recommended.
- One semester of Psychology with Abnormal or Developmental Psychology recommended. One semester of Statistics.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: Requires 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience, completed prior to application. Hours from shadowing, training, educational, or internship programs are not accepted.
- Application Review Process: All CASPA applications must be verified by October 1, with GW recommending submission at least 4 weeks before this date. Interview invitations issued between September and December.
- Recommendation Requirements: Three letters of recommendation required through CASPA, preferably from healthcare professionals and academic instructors.
- CASPA: Yes
- Application Fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application, $61 if not); Supplemental Application fee of $60. Fee waivers available for eligible applicants.
- Other Requirements: Adherence to technical standards, international applicants must have transcripts evaluated by an approved agency; no credits transferred.
- PA Year 1: $100,346
- PA Year 2: $73,010
- PA/MPH Year 1: $100,621
- PA/MPH Year 2: $100,346
- PA/MPH Year 3: $73,010
- Graduation Rate: 100% for class of 2021; 90.5% for class of 2022; 95.2% for class of 2023.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 97% in 2021; 98% in 2022; 97% in 2023.
- Prerequisite Degree Requirements: A bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited institution.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by CASPA. Northeastern accepts overall bachelor’s degree GPA, GPA associated with a master’s or doctoral degree, or a post-baccalaureate-associated GPA so long as it consists of at least 30 credit hours. The program also requires a minimum of 3.0 in science coursework whether as a part of a bachelor’s, graduate, or post-baccalaureate associated hours. A higher overall and science GPA is preferred and the program weighs grades, the difficulty of courses, and the balance of difficulty across your transcript. The ability to get high marks in multiple difficult courses at the same time is highly valued.
- GRE: Not required or considered for admission.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: At least a 100 on the internet based TOEFL exam within two years of applying.
- Prerequisite Course Requirements: Courses must be completed prior to applying with a grade of B or better. Pass/Fail is not accepted except in limited COVID-19 related circumstances. AP, IB, and non-credit courses are not accepted. No advanced standing will be awarded. Certain prerequisites may be waived for applicants holding doctoral degrees at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. All prerequisites must be completed in the 10 years before application.
- Two biology courses along with one biology lab; Two chemistry courses along with one chemistry lab; Anatomy and Physiology; Statistics.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: Northeastern prefers applicants with at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience. Applicants with over 1,800 hours will receive even stronger consideration. Applicants with less than 1,000 hours of patient care experience will not be disqualified, but will need to have very strong performance in the rest of their application.
- Application Review Process: There are no rolling or early admissions for Northeastern’s PA program. The program runs a three phase process: review of CASPA applications, personal interviews, and final selection. Applications are reviewed holistically with attention paid to academic performance, recommendations, experience, mission alignment, and overall quality and expression of values and goals in written materials. Every year around 200 applicants are put forward for interviews; these interviews include 1 on 1 sessions with members of the Admissions committee, alumni, and faculty. The final selection decisions are made via holistic review of all interviewed candidates.
- Recommendation Requirements: At least two letters must be related to clinical experience and speak to your patient care abilities.
- CASPA: Yes
- Application Fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application, $61 if not); Northwestern Application fee of $75.
- Other Requirements: Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers Certification. A laptop computer for taking exams in class. After admission the student must pass a criminal background check. Travel to clinic sites during the program is required. International students must submit a certified and evaluated degree transcript from an approved agency. Northeastern students must also meet Technical and Immunization requirements.
- First year tuition: $56,550
- Second year tuition: $56,550
- Overall 2-year estimated tuition cost: $113,100
- Graduation Rate: 100% in 2021, 92.3% in 2022, 94.2% in 2023.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 97% over the six year period 2018-2023.
- Job Placement or Advanced Training at Graduation Rate: In the class of 2023, 42.9% of respondents had a job offer at the time of graduation. 100% of respondents from the class of 2022 had secured employment within one year of graduation.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: NW applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited, or equivalent, institution. Degrees can be in process as long as the applicant will graduate before the PA program’s matriculation date.
- Minimum GPA: Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and minimum 3.0 science GPA. Competitive applicants to Northwestern will generally have GPAs higher than 3.3 and will have taken rigorous science courses.
- GRE: The GRE is not required or reviewed in the application process.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: Applicants who received their bachelor’s degree from non-English speaking U.S. or Canadian institutions must submit TOEFL scores. Minimum scores for the internet based test are: 84 overall, 20 each in the listening, reading, and writing sections, and 24 in the speaking section.
- Prerequisite courses: Biochemistry; Microbiology; Statistics; Medical Terminology; Anatomy & Physiology.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: A minimum of 1,000 direct patient care hours must be completed before application. Applicants with less experience will not be evaluated; most competitive applicants have more hours of clinical experience. Shadowing is encouraged, but does not satisfy the minimum patient care hours. Beyond just listing your patient care hours, be sure to detail your experiences, the skills you’ve learned, and any progression in your responsibilities over time.
- Application review process: Applications are reviewed holistically and uses a rolling admissions process.
- Recommendation requirements: At least three recommendations with one being from a healthcare professional who, ideally, has supervised you doing patient care in a clinical setting. You can submit up to five recommendations, but there is no inherent value in submitting more recommendations than three. Submit the best possible recommendations that can speak to the depth and breadth of your skills and experience.
- Does Northwestern use CASPA? Yes.
- Application fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not); Northwestern Application fee of $50.
- Other requirements: The Northwestern supplemental application includes three mandatory essays and one optional essay; these are in addition to the personal statement that is part of the CASPA application.
- For 2024: Tuition, $53,937; total estimated cost of attendance, $94,433
- For 2025: Tuition, $53,937; total estimated cost of attendance, $93,333
- Total estimated cost of attendance: $187,766
- Graduation Rate: Class of 2020 94.4%; Classes of 2021 and 2022 97.2%.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: Five year pass average from 2019-2023 was 98% for first time takers.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution completed by the end of the fall term prior to matriculation. No specific major required.
- Minimum GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all undergraduate coursework. Minimum 3.0 GPA in biology, chemistry, and/or physics coursework. This is not limited to prerequisite coursework and includes all coursework in biology, chemistry, and/or physics courses that was human, animal, and/or medically related.
- GRE: Not required.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: TOEFL or IELTS is required for applicants who do not speak English as their first language.
- Prerequisite courses: Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab; two foundational biology courses, labs recommended but not required; two chemistry courses, labs recommended but not required; Microbiology with lab; General or developmental psychology; Statistics or biostatistics.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: 2,000 minimum hours of health care experience. Shadowing hours, training hours, or hours completed as part of an academic program do not count towards the patient care hours requirements. While non-direct patient care hours are accepted, the committee prefers hands-on patient care and recommend applicants have at least some of their hours in this modality.
- Application review process: Once submitted the application is verified by CASPA which can take up to two weeks. After verification the admissions committee will perform a holistic evaluation of the application and issue interview requests for a pool of applicants. Interviews are requested throughout the rolling admissions process and conducted September through December. Final class selection is completed by mid-February of the following year.
- Recommendation requirements: Three letters of recommendation. Additional recommendations are not required or encouraged unless they speak to a specific area not addressed in other letters. OHSU does not have requirements on who letters must be from, but encourage applicants to submit letters from a PA or MD, an academic recommender like a professor or advisor, and a work supervisor.
- Does Oregon Health and Science University use CASPA? Yes.
- Application fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not); OHSU fee of $70.
- Other requirements: International applicants must have their transcripts verified and evaluated by an approved service. While international health care experience performed in the 10 years prior to application can count towards the patient care requirements, OHSU strongly recommends that international applicants complete some patient care in the U.S. prior to applying. Immunization, background check, drug testing, and technical standards must be met in order to matriculate.
- Year 1: $93,636
- Year 2: $93,636
- Graduation Rate: 95.3% in 2021. 97.6% in 2022. 100% in 2023.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: 91% first time taker pass rate from 2019-2023.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: Rush requires a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university.
- Minimum GPA: You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in science coursework and overall. Rush deems applicants with higher GPAs as more competitive. GPAs of 3.3 are considered competitive and 3.5 are considered highly competitive.
- GRE: Not required.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: The TOEFL is required if English is not your native language.
- Prerequisite courses: Anatomy; Physiology; or a combined two-course Anatomy and Physiology course sequence; Biochemistry; Microbiology with a lab preferred, but not required; Psychology or equivalent behavioral science course; Statistics.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: Rush has a minimum direct, hands-on patient care requirement of 1000 hours. Applicants with 1500 hours of experience will be considered competitive and 2500 hours are considered highly competitive.
- Application review process: The admissions cycle runs on a rolling basis with candidates being accepted during each interview wave. This means that a class could fill up before the end date of the application cycle. Applicants are strong encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration.
- Recommendation requirements: Three letters of recommendation are required by Rush, with at least one being from a PA, physician, or other type of healthcare professional and one being from a college level academic instructor.
- Does Rush use CASPA? Yes.
- Application fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not). If selected for the interview round, the applicant must complete a supplemental application and pay a fee of $40.
- Other requirements: International applicants must submit a transcript evaluation by World Education Services or Education Credentials Evaluators. All admitted students must be able to meet technical standards, pass a health evaluation, drug testing, and a criminal background check.
- Graduation Rate: Since the first Rush graduating class in 2013, 95% of students have graduated from the PA program.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: In 2021, 100% of first time takers from Rush passed the PANCE exam. In 2022, 92% passed and in 2023 100% passed.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: For students not already enrolled at Rutgers institution looking for a 3+3 option, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required. The majority of students are admitted directly to the Master’s program. Rutgers values diversity in order to best meet the needs of the diverse patient population the institution serves. As such, it recruits applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups in the medical and health sphere, veterans, applicants who speak a language other than English (with a particular emphasis on Spanish), and applicants who come from economically and environmentally disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Minimum GPA: The program has a minimum GPA requirement of 3.2, but applicants whose GPA falls below this threshold and believe they have a compelling case for consideration can submit a letter of explanation for their grades as part of the CASPA application. For applicants at or above the 3.2 GPA threshold, Rutgers encourages but does not require a letter of explanation for their academic performance history.
- GRE: The GRE is not required, but scores are considered as part of the holistic admissions process.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: The program accepts the TOEFL iBT test for international students. All international students must have their transcripts evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Service recognized agency.
- All prerequisite courses must be completed by the spring semester prior to their matriculation. Prerequisite courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. Competitive applications will not include more than two outstanding prerequisite courses and all outstanding prerequisites must be accompanied by an explanation of how the student plans to complete them. If prerequisites were completed longer than 10 years before application, the program strongly recommends the applicant take refresher courses.
- Prerequisite courses: English composition; General Psychology; Statistics, with a preference for Applied Statistics or Biostatistics taught in a Psychology, Math, or Biology department; Human Anatomy; Physiology; Microbiology; Biochemistry; six to eight credits of additional upper level biology courses.
- Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours: Patient contact experience is required, but the program has not set a minimum number of hours requirement. Highly competitive candidates will be able to show direct and hands-on patient care experience. Applicants need to be able to show familiarity with the physician assistant field, most notably through PA shadowing. Like patient care experience, there is no set minimum number of shadowing hours required. The admissions committee wants to see well rounded applicants with a strong understanding of PA work and a proven dedication to the community. In the class of 2020 the median number of patient care hours were 972, shadowing experience was 93.5 hours, volunteer hours were 306, and overall median healthcare experience hours were 576.
- Application review process: There are over 1400 applicants for 50 seats making Rutgers a highly competitive program. In the first application review phase, the admissions committee looks for candidates who demonstrate the ability to excel with a rigorous course load of science classes, healthcare experience to date, a demonstrated commitment to community service, and knowledge and familiarity with the physician assistant profession. Top candidates are put forward to the interview round, conducted June through December. The interview process is designed to evaluate applicants’ communication skills, motivation and experience, and a clear trajectory for how the PA degree fits with personal career goals. Up to 300 applicants are interviewed for each matriculating class of 50.
- Recommendation requirements: Three letters of recommendation are required. Most competitive applicants have at least one recommendation from a PA, physician, or other health care provider.
- Does Rutgers use CASPA? Yes.
- Application fees: CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not). A $50 supplemental application fee is also required.
- Other requirements: All post-secondary transcripts are required. A well written and error free personal statement is also required.
- The estimated cost of attendance for residents is $98,133
- The estimated cost of attendance for nonresidents is $144,075
- Graduation Rate: The class of 2021 saw 94% of students graduate. 96% graduated in the class of 2022 and 100% graduated in the class of 2023.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The five year first time pass rate is 99%, one of the highest rates in the country. Rutgers has a 100% ultimate pass rate on the PANCE from 2013-2022.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: The only absolute program requirement is that applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university or a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. school and an equivalent bachelor’s degree from a recognized university outside the United States.
- Minimum GPA: While there is no minimum GPA, the overall average GPA of admitted students is 3.65 cumulative and 3.62 in science courses.
- GRE: Taking either the GRE, MCAT, or PA-CAT is highly recommended, but not required. The PA-CAT is preferred, but all verified applications will be reviewed despite standardized test inclusion. Admitted applicants who have not taken the PA-CAT may be asked to take the test prior to matriculation – this will not impact their admission offer. The mean quantitative GRE score for admitted students is 69.44%, for the verbal it is 77.09%, and overall is 78.93%.
- Prerequisite courses: One semester/quarter of General or Human biology; one semester/quarter of Microbiology; at least one semester/quarter each of Human Anatomy and Physiology or a combined two semester/quarter Anatomy and Physiology course; one semester/quarter of General Chemistry or Biochemistry; one semester/quarter of Organic Chemistry; one semester/quarter of General Statistics or Biostatistics; one semester/quarter of General Psychology. Applicants are also recommended to take at least three additional upper division bioscience courses. A course in Medical Terminology, particularly for applicants without healthcare experience, is recommended.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university is required for admission to the program.
- Minimum GPA: Applicants must have a cumulative and science GPA of at least 3.0 for admission.
- GRE: GRE scores from a test taken within five years of applying are required. The program notes that recent strong GRE scores can make applicants with advanced degrees more competitive than applicants with similar advanced degrees but old GRE scores.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: International applicants must meet the minimum English proficiency scores of either 6.5 on IELTS, 80 on TOEFL, or 53 on PTEA.
- Prerequisite courses: 8 semester hours of Biology for science majors; 3-4 semester hours each of Anatomy and Physiology; 3-4 semester hours preferably with a lab of Microbiology; 8-9 semester hours of general Chemistry, recommended with labs; 3-4 semester hours of Statistics; 6 semester hours of psychology covering General Psychology and either Development or Abnormal Psychology; 2-3 semester hours of Medical Terminology.
- Resident tuition is estimated at $69,425
- Non-resident tuition is estimated at $163,070
- Graduation Rate: In 2020 100% of the class graduated. In 2021 the graduation rate was 95%.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The five year first time PANCE pass rate is 91%.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required prior to matriculation; any major is accepted as long as you meet prerequisite requirements.
- Minimum GPA: Applicants must have a cumulative and science GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants offered interviews and admissions often exceed these minimums. Those who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be considered regardless of the quality of the rest of their application.
- GRE: The GRE is not required for admission.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: International applicants who do not speak English as their first language or who did not complete a degree at an institution teaching in English must take the TOEFL exam.
- Prerequisite courses: 8 semester hours in Chemistry must be completed before application, must be General Chemistry or above and one chemistry class must have a lab. 14 semester hours of biology, including 6 hours of upper division biology completed within 5 years of application, and 3 hours each of Anatomy and Physiology must be completed before application. One biology course must have a lab and biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, and microbiology are recommended. Prior to matriculation, applicants must complete: a General Genetics course (which cannot also count to biology course requirements); 6 semester hours of Psychology with a preference for General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and/or Developmental Psychology; and a Statistics course.
- $70,821 for resident tuition for the full three-year program.
- $153,345 for non-resident tuition for the full three-year program
- Graduation Rate: 100% in 2021. 95% in 2022. 98% in 2023.
- Attrition Rate: 2% over the last three cohorts.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The five-year first-time PANCE pass rate is 94%.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. International degrees are not accepted and no exceptions will be made to this policy.
- Minimum GPA: There is no minimum GPA requirement. The range of GPAs for admitted students in the most recent class was 2.86-4.0 cumulative and 2.97-4.0 science.
- GRE: Required. The range for combined GRE scores for the most recent admitted class was 299-329, 145-168 Verbal, and 147-169 Quantitative. Writing scores ranged from 3.0-6.0.
- Prerequisite courses: Human Anatomy and Physiology, including lab; Microbiology with lab; a complete sequence of General Chemistry with labs; Introduction to Statistics; and Medical Terminology.
- In state didactic year: $74,959
- Out of state didactic year: $108,305
- In state clinical year: $57,238
- Out of state clinical year: $84,781
- Graduation Rate: In 2021 the graduation rate was 95%. It was 93.5% in 2022 and 2023.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The University of Florida’s five-year first-time PANCE pass rate is 97%.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree in order to be admitted.
- Minimum GPA: A 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.2 minimum science GPA is required.
- GRE: No longer required.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: Required for non-native English speakers. Must be taken within two years of applying to the program. Can be waived if you have a Master’s or Doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. institution.
- Prerequisite courses: A complete sequence in General Biology (if taken at a community college must be at the general level); Physiology course; at least three more upper level Biology or Zoology courses. Cell Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Pharmacology are highly recommended. A complete course in Inorganic Chemistry is required; if taken at a community college must be at the general, not introductory level. At least one semester of Organic Chemistry is required. An introductory/general Biochemistry course is required to be completed at the time of application. A Statistics course is also required.
- The current cost of attendance for resident tuition and fees is $54,573.25
- The current cost of attendance for non-resident tuition and fees is $103,229.75
- Graduation Rate: The graduation rate was 100% in 2020, 92% in 2021, and 96% in 2022.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The five-year first-time PANCE pass rate for the University of Iowa is 98%.
- Job placement or advanced training at graduation rate: 100 job placement rate with an average starting salary of $115,000.
- Prerequisite degree requirements: The University of Utah requires a BS, BA, or BAS from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or Canada. Foreign degrees may be accepted with equivalency evaluations and a minimum of 30 hours of U.S. based coursework including 20 hours of prerequisite material.
- Minimum GPA: A cumulative 3.0 GPA is required of all students. The only exception to this rule is for applicants with a science GPA of 3.5 or above for the most recent 30 hours of coursework. All coursework, including repeated courses, is counted in your GPA calculation and most competitive applicants have higher than the minimum GPA.
- GRE: The GRE is not accepted or considered, but the program does require the CASPer exam.
- English Language Proficiency Requirements: All applicants who do not speak English as their native language must score at least an 80 on the internet TOEFL exam (550 written, 230 computer).
- Prerequisite courses: Four semester credits of Human Anatomy, with lab; four semester credits of Physiology. You may substitute a combined Human Anatomy and Physiology course of eight semester hours for the individual courses. Four semester credits of Biology, Microbiology is strongly recommended; eight semester credits of Chemistry. It is recommended that applicants have coursework that supports working with populations from diverse backgrounds and fosters cultural competency.
- Resident tuition and fees per semester is estimated at $11,738.90
- Non-resident tuition and fees per semester is estimated at $21,812.45
- The average PA student at the University of Utah takes on approximately $100,000 in debt to complete the program.
- Graduation Rate: The class of 2021 had a graduation rate of 100%. The class of 2022 had a rate of 92.6%. And the class of 2023 had a rate of 100%.
- PANCE First Year Pass Rate: The five-year first-time PANCE pass rate for the program is 90%.
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Baylor College of Medicine
Location: Houston, Texas
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Anatomy with lab; Physiology with lab OR Anatomy & Physiology I/II with lab; Microbiology with lab; Genetics; General Chemistry I and II, both with lab; Organic Chemistry with lab; Psychology or Sociology;Expository Writing or English Composition; Statistics with ANOVA.
Application Details
Program Information
The program receives about 1200 applications each year and admits 40 students. The mean GPA for the admitted cohort was 3.7. Program length is 30 months with no distance learning or part time options.
Estimated Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
All rates are averages over the three year period from 2019-2021.
Duke University
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Anatomy, Physiology (lab preferred but not required); Combined Anatomy and Physiology (at least 6 semester or 8 quarter credit hours); Microbiology; Other Biology course of choice; Second Other Biology course of choice; Chemistry course of choice with lab; Second Chemistry course of choice with lab; Statistics.
Application Details
Program Information
The Duke PA Program lasts 24 months, divided into pre-clinical and clinical phases. In 2023, the program had 4618 applications opened, 3069 verified, 245 interviewed, and 90 accepted. The majority of admitted applicants had GPAs between 3.6 and 3.9 and between 2376 and 5285 healthcare hours. College seniors and recent graduates comprised 7% of admitted students.
Estimated Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
Graduation and PANCE Pass rates are averages over the five-year period from 2019-2023.
Emory University
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Choice of Biology course with lab (4 semester/4 quarter hours); Chemistry course with lab (8 semester/12 quarter hours); 2nd Chemistry course of choice with lab (4 semester/4 quarter hours); Human Anatomy (3 semester/4 quarter hours); Physiology (3 semester/4 quarter hours); Combined Anatomy and Physiology class will be accepted as long as it has a minimum of 6 semester or 8 quarter hours; Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (3 semester/4 quarter hours).
Application Details
Program Information
No transfer credit is accepted and the program is only offered on a full-time basis. The program lasts 7 semesters and for the class entering in Fall of 2024 there were 2,958 applications. Of those 1282 applications were completed and 212 interviews were conducted; the final total class size is 54. Maximum entering class size is 60. The average GPA for accepted students is a cumulative 3.6 and 3.65 in science courses.
Estimated Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
George Washington University
Location: Washington DC
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Application Details
Program Information
GW offers a two-year PA program and a three-year PA-MPH program with no part-time options. Admitted class sizes are typically up to 70 students. For the class of 2024, the average GPA was 3.77 overall and 3.75 in science courses; the average direct patient contact hours were 2,356.
Cost of Attendance (2024-2025)
Performance Metrics
Northeastern University
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Application Details
Program Information
The program matriculates 52 students every fall. There is no part-time option; the program runs as a full-time day program. Class formats mix large general lecture, small group discussion sections, and simulation labs. Students take interdisciplinary courses with other health science students at Northeastern. Northeastern has adapted their program to help support students who want more of a specialist, rather than generalist training, to support graduates with newly emerging developments in PA work. The program meets the educational requirements for licensure in every U.S. state, making graduates a highly mobile workforce.
Cost of Attendance (2024-2025)
Performance Metrics
Northwestern University
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All prerequisite coursework must be completed within 7 years of the application date. You can have up to three outstanding prerequisite courses up until December 31 of the year before matriculation. Only one prerequisite course can be completed between January and May 30th of the matriculation year. All prerequisites must be completed with at least a C grade, or a Pass grade from an institution that designates a Pass as equivalent to a C. There is no prerequisite lab coursework and courses can be taken in person or online. Coursework Exercise Science, Kinesiology, and Nutrition departments may not be accepted and should be verified through the program.
Application Details
Northwestern PA Program Information
Once your CASPA application is confirmed it will be reviewed by the admissions committee; applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Applications are first evaluated based on a holistic review looking at things like prior academic performance, patient and health care experience, written materials, recommendations, and all around experience. Select candidates will be advanced to an interview round for more evaluation. Northwestern operates on a rolling admissions process which means that time between application submission and interview can differ greatly from candidate to candidate. Applicants not selected for interviews will be notified at the end of interview season in December. The average overall and prerequisite GPA for currently enrolled students was 3.77; the average science GPA was 3.75. For admitted students in the classes of 2024 and 2025 there was an average of 4,344 hours of patient care experience.
Cost of Attendance (2024-2025)
Performance Metrics
Oregon Health and Sciences University
Location: Portland, Oregon
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Prereq courses can be upper or lower division and must be taken at a regionally accredited community college or university. Most competitive applicants will have more science courses than those required for admission. All applicants must have at least 30 semester or 40 quarter credits in biology, chemistry, and/or physics courses related to human, animal, and/or medical science. Only Anatomy and Physiology must be completed within a specific timeframe (in the 5 years prior to application). All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better; unless specified AP and IB courses are not accepted. Online coursework from regionally accredited institutions is acceptable, but not preferred. Pass/No Pass courses where a pass equals a C grade are currently accepted, but letter graded classes are preferred. For international applicants certain courses must be taken at a U.S. regionally accredited institution. OHSU also has a list of highly recommended coursework to prepare an applicant for PA school.
Application Details
Oregon Health and Science University PA Program Information
Average overall GPA for admitted students has been 3.5; average biology, chemistry, and/or physics course GPA for admitted students has been 3.4. OHSU looks for applicants who match the program’s mission, including applicants with proven leadership experience, a commitment to understanding the importance of DEI in healthcare, and a commitment to serving underserved populations. Competitive applicants exceed the minimum requirements in most cases. Successful applicants average around 4000 hours of patient care experience. OHSU utilizes rolling admissions and encourages applicants to apply early (prior to July). The program is full time. In 2023 there were 1322 applications, 175 interviews, and 41 admissions offers.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
Rush University College of Health Sciences
Location: Chicago, IL
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Prerequisites are recommended to be taken within seven years of application; anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and biochem must be taken during this seven year period. Applicants can have up to two outstanding prereqs at the time of application.
Application Details
RUSH PA Program Information
Military veterans, first generation students, recommended RUSH Bachelor of Science undergrads, and applicants from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are given priority consideration. Students admitted into classes graduating between 2021 and 2025 have had a median GPA between 3.5 and 3.6 and over 3,500 patient care hours. The program is full time and lasts 30 months with the first 12 months consisting of a mix of lecture, small group discussions, and training. The rest of your time is spent in clinical rotations to prepare students for a variety of PA job settings and duties. Classes during your first year are a mix of in-person and online. Clinical rotations take place in and around Chicago and outside employment is prohibited.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Tuition is $13,307 per term with potential 2-5% annual increases.
Performance Metrics
Rutgers University School of Health Professions
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Application Details
Rutgers PA Program Information
Rutgers offers a self-assessment questionnaire that can help applicants judge their competitiveness and readiness for the program. The program prides itself on having a rigorous curriculum that consists of a longer than typical 33 months, including a first year experience grounded in extensive basic science coursework. The 33 month program timeframe also features longer rotations in some specialties and vacation time during both the educational and clinical phases of the program. Most classes are taught by doctorally prepared instructors. Students can be part-time for the first two years of the program and maintain outside employment, although most classes are offered during daytime hours. The final two years of the program must be completed while in full-time status. The program features small group learning, simulations, and clinical opportunities in domestic and international settings.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
Stanford University
Location: Palo Alto, California
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
There are no strictly required prerequisite courses for the Stanford PA program, but prior preparatory coursework can demonstrate the candidate’s ability to succeed in the program. Applicants are strongly urged to complete all preparatory courses before application; courses older than 10 years at the time of application or in progress will not be considered by the committee. The program strongly prefers courses taken in person. As the preparatory coursework is recommended but not required, no waivers or alternate courses will be considered by the committee.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
Like other areas of the application, Stanford has no set minimum requirements for patient care or healthcare experience. However, the program recommends at least 500 hours of clinical experience with a strong preference for direct human patient care in a medical setting. The program also encourages applicants to detail any research experience they have with an emphasis on research that aligns with the program’s mission, goals, and/or research specialities. Volunteer experience is also strongly desired by the program, particularly applicants whose volunteer experience shows dedication to underserved populations and alignment with the program’s mission. The average number of clinical experience hours for admitted students is 3128, the research hours average is 992, and the volunteer hours average is 447.
Application Review Process
The program utilizes a semi-rolling admissions process where once an application is verified by CASPA it begins the program’s review process. All applications that reach complete status by the deadline will be evaluated. There is no particular advantage to applying early. Applicants who move past the initial review phase will be invited to an interview via email anytime between late August and October.
Recommendation Requirements
Three recommendations are recommended and up to five are accepted by Stanford’s PA program. The program highly prefers letters from physicians, PAs, and academic instructors who can speak to the applicant’s academic and patient care potential, but will also consider letters from employers, colleagues, and mentors.
Does Stanford use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not). There is no additional application fee.
Other Requirements
Applicants are advised to include the personal statement included in the CASPA application which should tell the committee why the candidate wants to join the PA field. Applicants to the program are considered without regard to their country of origin; undocumented and applicants who have been granted DACA status are eligible for admission. Applicants must be able to satisfy the program’s technical standards.
Stanford PA Program Information
A self-assessment tool is available to applicants who are encouraged to use it at the beginning of their application process. The program lasts nine quarters with one summer break. An innovative content delivery system for didactic classes, a state of the art simulation lab, and exceptional clinical anatomy experiences are all features of the Stanford program. Students receive mentoring and support from clinically practicing PAs; PA students will also take clinical coursework with medical students. During their clerkship students will work in rotation across Stanford Medical and other California sites. The program culminates in a capstone project and students picking a leadership track from Community Health, Clinical Research, Medical Education, Health Services and Policy Research, and Healthcare Administration options.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
The estimated cost of attendance for an academic year is $84,957. Standard tuition for the program is $19,582 for a quarter. Quarterly fees are estimated to be $600 for the first quarter and $350 for additional quarters.
Graduation Rate
In 2021 and 2022 the program had a 100% graduation rate. In 2023 the graduate rate was 96.4%.
PANCE First Year Pass Rate
In the time span since 2020, the program boasts a 97% first time PANCE pass rate.
University of Alabama-Birmingham
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. based institution. No advanced placement or credit for prior learning is granted. Transfer credits are not given. A minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0 along with grades of C or better in each prerequisite course is required. Applicants with fewer than 9 outstanding prerequisite credits in January of the admission year will be considered for admission; all prerequisites must be completed before starting the program.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
There is no requirement for healthcare experience, but it is preferred and recommended that applicants have experience in healthcare settings providing either direct or indirect patient care. The breadth and depth of experience will be considered in application evaluation.
Application Review Process
Applications are reviewed from May to October with interviews conducted in October and November. Decisions are made in December and admitted students have between January and March to complete their graduate school applications. Orientation requirements must be completed between the months of April and August.
Recommendation Requirements
Three letters of reference are required.
Does UAB use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not). $75 for the program’s supplemental application fee. Students accepted into the program will pay another $50 domestic/$60 international fee for the UAB graduate school application.
Other Requirements
Applicants must pass technical standards, a criminal background check, and receive medical clearance to start the program. International applicants must submit evaluated transcripts using either World Education Services, Education Credential Evaluators, or Josef Silney and Associates, Inc.
UAB PA Program Information
The program at the University of Alabama, Birmingham is the second oldest PA program in the United States. UAB has admitted classes of between 59 and 71 students the last four cycles with half or more of the admitted students being from Alabama. The average science GPA has ranged between 3.5 and 3.7 during that time; the average cumulative GPA has been between 3.6 and 3.7. During the same span, the average patient care experience by admitted students has ranged between 2500 and 3500 hours completed. Students may work during the didactic phase of the program, although it is recommended they do not; students are forbidden from working during the clinical phase of the program. The program lasts 27 months.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
University of Colorado
Location: Aurora, CO
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; Pass/Fail classes are not accepted. Online courses and labs from accredited schools are accepted, but IB and AP courses do not satisfy prerequisite requirements. Applicants in Colorado and Wyoming can consult this advisor list to find help with course planning. Science prerequisites must be completed at a U.S. university, with courses completed at Canadian colleges individually evaluated.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
The program does not require healthcare experience for admission, but it does make applicants more competitive. Students admitted over the last three classes had a median of between 1500 and 2000 patient care hours depending on the year. This is separate from median shadowing, volunteer, and health related hours, generally totaling in the hundreds of additional hours.
Application Review Process
The program runs on a rolling admissions process where applications generally begin to be reviewed in June. Small numbers of admissions offers are made after each Interview Day.
Recommendation Requirements
Three recommendations are required with no specific types of recommenders required. The program urges applicants to submit letters from a variety of people who know them well and can speak to the applicant’s desire to become a PA.
Does the University of Colorado use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not).
Other Requirements
Only accepted international applicants will need to submit evaluated and verified transcripts.
University of Colorado PA Program Information
The program lasts 36 months and begins each summer semester beginning in early July. A full time program, students are strongly discouraged from working outside of the program. Classes typically happen between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday, but program obligations occur at all times and days of the week. For the first two years of the program most clinical rotations are in the Denver/Front Range area; in the third year rotations occur throughout Colorado with a mandatory one month long rural rotation. Specialized tracks include Global Health, Care of the Hospitalized Adult in a Novel Graduated Experience, and Pediatric Critical and Acute Care Longitudinal Experience. The program receives close to 2000 applications per year and admits 44 students. The program is particularly invested in training PAs to serve underserved populations and in rural areas.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the semester of the year you apply; one non-science and one science prereq may be outstanding at the time of application. Microbiology must be taken within five years of application and all other prerequisite courses must be taken within ten years. A grade of C or better is required for all prerequisites. Online classes that meet program standards will be accepted, but preference is given to in-person classes. The program recommends taking more biology, chemistry, and social science courses, particularly those with medicine focuses.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
UF requires 1000 hours of direct patient care to be completed before August 1 of the year you are applying. Health Related Experience is also asked for, but without minimum hour requirements. Florida also recommends applicants have volunteer service, PA shadowing, mentoring, and leadership experience.
Application Review Process
140 applicants will be invited to interview every year. Interviews stretch over two days and begin in August and continue through December. Applications are evaluated holistically and interviews extended to those applicants who demonstrate an ability to meet the difficulty of the program and become a successful practicing PA. During interview weeks the admissions committee will meet to review candidate scoring and may offer admissions decisions to top candidates. In December any remaining seats are filled from the pool of remaining interviewees.
Recommendation Requirements
Three letters of recommendation are required with one being from a licensed clinical care provider. Supervisors in the healthcare field and people who have observed you working with patients for at least six months are strongly recommended. Competitive applicants will have letters that speak to their clinical and patient care experiences.
Does the University of Florida use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not). $30 supplemental University of Florida application fee.
Other Requirements
All applicants must take the CASPer U.S. Professional Health Sciences Test with scores received before the application deadline. Admitted students must meet technical standards.
University of Florida PA Program Information
Transcripts are evaluated to see performance trends with the program preferring candidates who show the ability to take full course loads of rigorous content with consistent performance over time. Between on average about 1200 prospective students have completed applications over the past three years. Each year the school matriculates a class of 60. The program is a full time continuous 24-month program with classes beginning in late June. Of the nearly 2500 graduates of the program over two-thirds have remained in the state of Florida to work. The program consists of an academic year followed by a clinical year and finishing with a capstone project.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All prerequisite courses must be taken for a letter grade except under limited particular circumstances. Successful applicants typically take 2-3 upper level Biology or Chemistry courses per semester in their last two years of college. The majority of their upper level classes are completed at 4-year institutions and few are taken online.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
A minimum of 1000 direct patient care experience is required.
Application Review Process
CASPA verified applicants have their applications reviewed holistically and the most competitive prospective students are invited to in-person interviews at the University of Iowa between July and December. All applicants will be told of their application’s status by March 1. Interview invites are extended based on the student’s overall academic performance, the breadth and depth of their healthcare experience, personal narrative, and recommendations. After interviews designed to evaluate the applicant’s communication skills, knowledge of the PA profession, personal goals, and professionalism, 25 candidates are selected to fill in the incoming class. Admissions are done on a rolling basis and some candidates will hear back from the school on a decision within two weeks of their interview. At the end of the interview weeks, any remaining spots will be filled from the interview pool.
Recommendation Requirements
Three letters of recommendation are required. One must be from a college level academic reference that you took a course or did research under. One must be from a healthcare supervisor you worked under directly; this cannot be someone you shadowed under. The third can be from any appropriate reference, no friends or family, that can speak to your ability to succeed in the program.
Does Iowa use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not).
Other Requirements
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply to the program. Medical graduates from schools outside the U.S. must complete a full year of science coursework in the U.S. within two years of applying to the program.
University of Iowa PA Program Information
The program is highly competitive, admitting only 25 students per year. The class that entered the program in 2023 had a cumulative average GPA of 3.85 and science GPA of 3.80 with an average 2438 hours of healthcare experience and an additional 453 hours of research experience. The average GRE scores were 157 quantitative, 156 verbal, and 4.6 written. The program lasts 28 months and is particularly strong in training PAs to work with underserved populations and in rural communities. The program’s core competencies are defined as Mechanisms of Health and Disease, Clinical and Professional Skills, and Medicine and Society.
2024-2025 Cost of Attendance (includes tuition, fees, living expenses, and more)
Performance Metrics
University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All prerequisites must be completed at the time of application submission. Online and community college coursework is accepted, but all classes must be taken for a letter grade. Prerequisite courses must receive a letter grade of C or better with no exceptions given. Anatomy and Physiology courses that were taken before the 2017 academic year began must be retaken.
Healthcare Experience and Shadowing Hours
A minimum of 2000 hours of healthcare experience is required to be completed before the application deadline. All forms of healthcare experience are accepted, but direct hands-on care is preferred. The most competitive candidates exceed the minimum experience requirements. Experience is subject to verification by the University of Utah.
Application Review Process
The program looks for applicants that align with its mission and goals. Applications are evaluated based on academic performance, health care experience, CASPer scores, the quality of the personal narrative, and other background factors. The University of Utah gives preference to Utah residents, military veterans, people with Southern Utah residency in the recent past, experience with medically underserved populations, and strong science GPAs (above 3.5) and strong healthcare experience (over 10,000 hours). Students invited to interview will do so in-person and will be given a test of basic anatomy, medical terminology, and physiology during the interview. Offers of admission are based on the highest interview scores. All accepted applicants must apply to the University of Utah Graduate School after acceptance and receive admission.
Recommendation Requirements
Letters are reviewed, but do not contribute to the application scoring rubric.
Does the University of Utah use CASPA?
Yes.
Application Fees
CASPA fee ($184 if first application through CASPA, $61 if not).
Other Requirements
Must meet technical standards, pass a criminal background check, be able to attend with a laptop, pass drug testing before the clinical year, and comply with immunization requirements.
University of Utah PA Program Information
The University of Utah program is the oldest continually accredited program in the Western United States and has a strong emphasis on mission-based curriculum. Faculty have decades of clinical experience and have gained national recognition for excellence in teaching. The program features the “Friday Clinic” in the first year’s third semester which pairs students with locally practicing PAs and physicians to see patients. The program features tutorial groups, a master’s project, and extensive community engagement. There are no online classes and the program runs on a fulltime basis.
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