Program Spotlight

Program Spotlight: Eastern Virginia Medical School

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Location: Norfolk, VA

Number of students:  Around 85

Application Cycle:  CASPA and supplemental due by April of the previous year - March 1st for the following January, NOT rolling admissions

Interview dates:  July 

Start date:  January

Length of Program:  28 months

Public/Private:  Both!  

HCE:  No specific requirement, but recommended to have at least 1,000 hours of paid direct clinical experience

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 with a minimum B- in required courses

Shadowing:  Not required, but recommended to learn about the profession

The Good Stuff:

  • Must have all pre-requisites completed before your application will be complete
  • They offer consultations with admissions if you are not actively applying 
  • Interviews in the past consisting of 2 one-on-one interviews and a group interview with individual questions and a group scenario (no writing)

Program Link:  Eastern Virginia PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Yale University School of Medicine

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Location:  New Haven, Connecticut

Number of students: 36 

Application Cycle:  April - October 1st through CASPA with supplemental application (rolling admissions)

Interview dates:  Mid-October through November

Start date:  August

Length of Program:  28 months

Public/Private: Private

HCE:  No specific requirement, recommended to have minimum 6 months or 1,000 hours

GPA:  Minimum science GPA of 3.0

Shadowing:  Encouraged

The Good Stuff:

  • Suture practice in live animal labs 
  • Full anatomy cadaver dissection lab
  • Options for electives abroad in either Peru, Spain, or Uganda
  • Elective option of Spanish for Health Care Professionals
  • PA/MPH program can be done in 39 months
  • There's a required thesis paper 
  • Check out the "Virtual Fair" on their website if you are interested in the program
  • Can only have 1 prerequisite course in progress at time of application
  • They do not accept applications from physicians who have finished medical school but will accept students who were unable to finish medical school
  • They have already assumed the name of "physician associate" for the program

Program Link:  Yale PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: University of Southern California

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Location:  Alhambra, CA

Number of students:  60

Application Cycle:  April - November 1st through CASPA with supplemental application; recommended to apply by September 1st due to rolling admission

Interview dates:  Early fall-early spring

Start date:  Fall

Length of Program:  33 month

Public/Private:  Public, but no preference for California resident

HCE:  Preferred

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 overall; minimum 2.75 science

Shadowing:  Preferred

The Good Stuff: 

  • Information sessions are available
  • No class the first summer semester
  • At least one year of Spanish is required, but no organic chemistry requirement
  • GRE or MCAT can be submitted

Program Link:  USC Keck PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine

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Location:   North Chicago, Illinois

Number of students:  70

Application Cycle:  April - December 1st through CASPA (rolling admissions)

Interview dates:  September - February

Start date:  Late May

Length of Program:  24 months

Public/Private:  Private (no preference for Illinois students)

HCE:  Strongly recommended (average of students is 800 hrs)

GPA:  Minimum overall and science of 2.75 with minimum C is all prerequisite

Shadowing:  Strongly recommended

The Good Stuff:

  • Prerequisites are pretty basic - Biochem, anatomy/physiology, Psych, Microbiology.  And that's it!  There are some other recommended courses as well, but no biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, or any of that. 
  • There's an option to a diversity statement, separate from your personal statement, to tell them more about yourself and why you would be a good fit for the program. 
  • On the quarter system
  • Interviews are MMI style (Multiple Mini Interviews)

Program Link:  Rosalind Franklin University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Northeastern University

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Location:  Boston, MA

Number of students:  40

Application Cycle:  April - August 1st on CASPA (not rolling admissions)

Interview dates:  mid-October to mid-December

Start date:  Late August

Length of Program:  24 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Preference for >2,000 hours

GPA:  Overall and science GPA of 3.0 minimum.  Must have at least a B in all prerequisite courses

Shadowing:  Not required, but highly recommended

The Good Stuff:

  • All requirements must be done BEFORE applying 
  • GRE is NOT required
  • Biology and chemistry are not accepted from community colleges 
  • Biology and Chemistry must have been taken within 7 years of applying.  Anatomy must be taken within 5 years of applying. 
  • Must have a grade of B or better in prerequisite courses 
  • Lab is NOT required with anatomy and physiology 
  • 2-day interview with interactions with other students and faculty, tour, 3 one-on-one interviews

Program Link:  Northeastern University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: University of Kentucky

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Location:  Lexington, KY or Morehead, KY

Number of students:  40 at Lexington; `6 at Morehead

Application Cycle:  April - July 15th through CASPA with a Graduate School application through University of Kentucky

Interview dates:  First or second week of August

Start date:  January

Length of Program:  29 months

Public/Private:  Public

HCE:  In the past there has been a minimum 1000 hours, but for the upcoming 2016 cycle, there will be NO minimum requirement.

GPA:  From a source other than the UK website, 3.0, but this is not verified. 

Shadowing:  Minimum 50 hours

The Good Stuff:

  • There are opportunities for short term international trips to Ecuador and Mexico
  • Opportunities for international rotations to Kenya, Swaziland, and England (never heard of one in Europe, so that's kind of awesome)
  • Morehead is considered a more rural site.  There are times when Morehead students must attend the Lexington campus. 
  • You must meet the requirements for both the PA program and the University of Kentucky graduate school

Program Link:  University of Kentucky PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: South University (Tampa)

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Location:  Tampa, FL

Number of students:  24 (rumors of this increasing for 2016 cycle)

Application Cycle:  April 1st - August 1st through CASPA

Interview dates:  July-November

Start date:  January

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private: Private

HCE:  Recommended, but no specific requirement

GPA:  Minimum 2.8 overall; recommended science GPA of 3.0

Shadowing:  Recommended, but no specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Quarter system
  • Working is not recommended, but allowed up to 15 hours during the didactic year
  • Interview consists of 3 individual interviews, Behavioral style interviews, 10 people per interview session

Program Link:  South University - Tampa PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Midwestern University

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Location:  Downers Grove, Illinois or Glendale, Arizona

Number of students:  86 at Downers Grove and 90 at Glendale

Application Cycle:  April - October 1st through CASPA(Separate for each program)

Interview dates:  September - January

Start date:  June

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Preferred, but not required

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 science and overall GPA.  Must have at least a C in all coursework.  

Shadowing:  No requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Coursework must be completed by December of the year before matriculation
  • For the interview, be prepared to do a writing sample and have a small group interview with faculty, and no individual interviews

Program Link:  Midwestern University - Downers Grove PA Program  // Midwestern University - Glendale PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Stony Brook University

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Location:    Stony Brook, NY

Number of students:  44

Application Cycle:  April - by October 1st through CASPA with supplemental application (rolling admissions)

Interview dates:  3 separate dates with one in September, one in October, and one in November with invites going out pretty early (June/July)

Start date:  Late June/early July

Length of Program:  24 months

Public/Private:  Public (but no preference to NY residents)

HCE:  1,000 hours of direct patient care (up to 500 of these hours can be from clinicals done for a healthcare certification)

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 overall and science with a minimum C

Shadowing:  Up to 200 shadowing hours can count towards HCE requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • There are options for medical mission trips to Guatemala, Ecuador, Kenya, Nicaragua, or Haiti.  
  • Full cadaver dissection lab
  • Information sessions are held every other month
  • Interviews are two 20 minute interviews with 2 faculty in each.  
  • GRE is NOT required
  • Preference is given to students who have already met all of the requirements at time of application
  • They have a board review program 
  • Option for current PAs to complete an online program to obtain their Masters
  • During the didactic year, there are optional review sessions offered after class once a week. 

Program Link:  Stony Brook University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: South University (Savannah)

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Location:  Savannah, Georgia

Number of students:  70

Application Cycle:  CASPA April - August 1st

Interview dates:  June-October

Start date:  January

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  No specific minimum

GPA:  Overall 2.8 (required)/Science 3.0 (preferred)

Shadowing:  No specific minimum

The Good Stuff:

  • No minimum GRE requirements
  • They are on the quarter system
  • No preference to GA residents
  • Working is not encouraged, but students may work up to 15 hours/week
  • 2-day interview.  1st day is a tour and dinner with current students.  2nd day is the formal interview with a group session with the director of the program and 2 one-on-one interviews with faculty.  Really laid back.  They do a "behavioral style" interview.

Program Link:  South University, Savannah

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Shenandoah University

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Location:  Winchester, Virginia

Number of students:  42

Application Cycle:  CASPA April - January 15th with rolling admissions

Interview dates:  October - March

Start date:  July

Length of Program:  30 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Highly recommended, with no minimum requirement

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 overall and science, with minimum C in all courses

Shadowing:  Highly recommended, with non minimum requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • There is a plan to expand to Leesburg, Virginia in summer of 2016 for a starting class of 12 students
  • There are information sessions available, which are highly recommended.
  • Part of the technology fees include a laptop and an iPad
  • An "Admissions Booklet" is available through the SUPA website that provides everything you need to know if thinking of applying to this program

Program Link:  Shenandoah University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Rutgers University

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Location:  Piscataway, New Jersey

Number of students:  50

Application Cycle:  April - September 1st through CASPA and supplemental app (rolling admissions)

Interview dates:  June-December

Start date:  August

Length of Program:  3 years

Public/Private:  Public, but no preference to New Jersey residents

HCE:  Required, but no minimum hours

GPA:  Minimum overall and science GPA of 3.2; recommended to take courses within the last 10 years

Shadowing:  Required, but no minimum hours

The Good Stuff:

  • "3+3" programs - Rutgers works with many different universities in New Jersey to allow undergraduates to do 3 years of undergraduate work and gain their bachelors, and then complete the 3 years of PA school, for a total of 6 years of school. Students apply during their 2nd year and then must maintain a 3.2 GPA, finish their undergraduate degree, and successfully interview.
  • MPH/PA program - There is a 4 year joint Masters of Public Health and PA program available as well.
  • Part-time option - The part-time option is 4 years with part time classes for the first 2 years and then 2 years of full time clinicals.
  • GRE not required (unless applying to MPH program)
  • iPads are used in the clinical years
  • They have a live and online option of a PANCE/PANRE review that can be done for continuing education

Program Link:  Rutgers University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: UT Southwestern

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Location:  Dallas, Texas

Number of students:  48 in 2016; 54 in 2017; 60 in 2018

Application Cycle:  April - September 1st through CASPA

Interview dates:  September - January

Start date:  May

Length of Program:  30 months

Public/Private:  Public with preference to Texas residents

HCE:  "Strongly recommended"

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 overall and science

Shadowing:  Encouraged

The Good Stuff:

  • Impressive pass rates - 100% first time pass rate for the past 8 years
  • Full cadaver dissection lab
  • GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years
  • Interview process - 2-day interview with 10 mini-interviews
  • <10% of the class is out of state
  • Prerequisite courses must be completed before you matriculate, and must have been completed within the last 10 years
  • Encouraged to have experience volunteering with underserved populations
  • This program has by far the best and most thorough website I've seen for a PA program.  They seem extremely organized.
  • The tuition rates for this school are awesome.  In-state total is estimated around 33,000 and out of state is 76,000.
  • A blog post with an interview from a UTSW student.  And another one as well!  There are some others on this site as well.  
  • Here is a blog post from a previous student at UT Southwestern, and so if you're interested in this program, his site may provide some insight

Program Link:  University of Texas Southwestern PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Drexel University

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Location:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Number of students:  75

Application Cycle:  April - October 1st through CASPA

Interview dates: August - February

Start date:  Fall (September)

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Minimum 500 hours

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 with minimum B- for each course

Shadowing:  Recommended, but not required

The Good Stuff:

  • GRE is not required
  • It looks like there may be a part-time option, but there wasn't a ton of information about this except for to contact the program directly.  This makes it a 3 year program.
  • There is a cadaver lab, but PA students do not do any of the dissecting.
  • A 5-year undergraduate combined PA program is available.  Students must be accepted out of high school and maintain the expected grades and meet all requirements of PA school to be accepted.

Program Link:  Drexel University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Baylor College of Medicine

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Location:  Houston, Texas

Number of students:  40

Application Cycle:  April - Sept 1st CASPA and supplemental app

Interview dates:  Second week in January

Start date:  June

Length of Program:  30 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  No specific requirement

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 overall and science with a minimum C in each course

Shadowing: No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Information sessions available
  • The interview process is pretty specific with invites going out in December for January and then applicants being notified within a week after the interview
  • Here is a blog post of an interview with a Baylor student.  And another one as well!  

Program Link:  Baylor PA Program

Program Spotlight: University of Washington - MEDEX Northwest

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I've always heard a lot about this program, but never really researched it myself.  Out of everywhere I've looked at so far, this program has the most options as far as locations and different levels of degrees.

Location:  Seattle, Washington; Tacoma, Washington; Anchorage, Alaska; Spokane, Washington

Number of students:  Seattle (40-50); Tacoma (25-30); Anchorage (20-25); Spokane (25-35)

Application Cycle:  April - October 1st through CASPA w/ supplemental app

Interview dates:  October - January

Start date:  Online anatomy and physiology begins in March, and all students are required to be in Seattle in July

Length of Program:  8 quarters for Bachelor's (summer between years is given off for any other coursework); 9 quarters for Master's

Public/Private:  Public, with preference to students who want to work in the Washington/Alaska area

HCE:  2,000 hours of paid, hands-on clinical patient care (recommend 4,ooo)

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 with minimum B- in courses, and all courses must be complete at time of applying

Shadowing:  Recommended

The Good Stuff:

  • 4 different campuses
  • Bachelor's degree offered at Tacoma, Anchorage, and Spokane.  You have to apply to both University of Washington and the MEDEX program, and they give you time off between years to work on any classes you may need to complete outside of PA school
  • Master's degree offered at Spokane and Seattle - Students choose a focus in either Healthcare for Rural and Underserved Populations, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Academic Medicine and Specialty Practice, or Global Health.  This will be the focus of the capstone project.
  • Extended Masters degree - A mostly on-line option for PAs with a Bachelor's degree to obtain a Master's degree.  There are 2 weeks on campus at the beginning and 1 week at the end.  The importance of having a Master's versus a Bachelor's will depend on what state you are wanting to practice in.
  • 5 year Pharm-D/PA program - Apply to pharmacy school and start with that and then apply to PA school
  • Master's of Public Health option with Bachelor's students - The classes are completed during the summers and a few weekends throughout the 2 years in PA school.  This is not an option for PA students in the Master's program
  • The Master's program is now accepting Canadian students.
  • There are information sessions available, but you have to sign up!
  • It is recommended that course work be done within the last 5-7 years
  • About 50% males in all classes
  • The specific section on physicianassistantforum.com has a ton of information about this program

Program Link:  University of Washington MEDEX Northwest

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: University of Nebraska

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Location:  Omaha or Kearney, Nebraska

Number of students:  60

Application Cycle:  April - August 1st (for priority), but open until September 1st

Interview dates:  October - December, with notification in January

Start date:  August

Length of Program:  28 months

Public/Private:  Public

HCE:  No specific requirement

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 and minimum C (3.2 preferred)

Shadowing:  No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Preference is given to Nebraska residents
  • MPH dual degree program - A 40 month program that incorporates a Master's of Public Health degree in with the PA studies
  • Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) - The University of Nebraska is affiliated with the US Army to help active duty soldiers become PAs.  This looks like a pretty cool program, and the tuition is $0, so that's helpful!
  • Bridge program for PAs with a Bachelor's degree who would like a Master's - There's no travel, you get CME credit, and can take anywhere from 5 semesters to 5 years to complete the program.  A great option if state regulations change to require a Master's or a practicing PA moves to a different state.

Program Link:  University of Nebraska PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: University of Utah

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Location:  Salt Lake City, Utah

Number of students:  41

Application Cycle:  April - August 1 through CASPA w/ supplemental app

Interview dates:  Invites out in October for November intervies

Start date:  Early May

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Public, but no preference given to residents of Utah

HCE:  Minimum 2,000 hours

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 with minimum C in all courses

Shadowing:  Not required

The Good Stuff:

  • This interview with 2 current students in the program is a pretty good representation of most PA programs.
  • Coursework must be completed by the summer before matriculation (so while applying)
  • No GRE required
  • No specific requirement for Organic Chemistry
  • After 1 year, students may apply for in-state status
  • They offer information sessions
  • International rotation options in Thailand or Guatemala
  • The supplemental application is a time-limited form where you answer short essay style questions on the spot.
  • The interview process seems to be a little different here.  In October they send out either an interview invite, a waitlist for an interview, or rejections.  It's a 2-day interview with a group session and a test over medical terminology, anatomy, and other assorted subjects.

Program Link:  University of Utah PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: University of Colorado

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Location:  Aurora, Colorado

Number of students: 44

Application Cycle:  April - September 1st through CASPA w/ supplemental app

Interview dates:  September - October

Start date: Late May/early June

Length of Program:  3 years

Public/Private:  Public

HCE: No specific requirement

GPA:  Minimum 2.8, with at least a C in all coursework

Shadowing:  No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Specialized Tracks - They offer 4 different specific pathways that provide extra training in certain areas.  These must be applied for and are limited in the number of students accepted.  The pathways available are rural, global health, urban/underserved, leadership and education, pediatric critical and acute care
  • GRE must have been taken in the last 5 years, unless you have a graduate degree and have previously taken the GRE for that
  • At least 6 hours of Biology credits must be from the past 5 years and must be upper level
  • Out of state tuition is significantly more expensive, but after the first year you can possibly get resident status
  • They offer information sessions from January - April, with also usually one in November

Program Link:  University of Colorado PA program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

Program Spotlight: Quinnipiac University

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Happy Friday!  Just wanted to mention that I have no idea how to pronounce the name of this school, so if anyone has any insight please share.  And if you haven't noticed by now, I'm doing these pretty much by the US News and World Report's list of top PA programs.  If there's any information you're looking for in these reviews as well, please let me know so I can add it!

Location:  North Haven, Connecticut

Number of students: 71 (This number is from 2015, but the website states they accept 54, with about 20 being from the Pre-PA program)

Application Cycle:  April - September 1 through CASPA

Interview dates:  September - December

Start date:  Late May/Early June

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Minimum 2500 hours suggested (may consider if less)

GPA:  Cumulative and Science of 3.20

Shadowing:  Recommended, not required

The Good Stuff:

  • Does NOT require the GRE
  • They will accept pre-calculus or calculus in place of statistics
  • Coursework must be completed by December before matriculation
  • Entry-Level Master's Physician Assistant Program (ELMPA) - 4 years of undergraduate course work that get you a Bachelor in Health Science Studies, and if you meet requirements for the PA program, you are likely to be accepted after a faculty review.  They say it's not "guaranteed," but as long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA and have enough patient care hours, it seems like a great option.  This is not available to transfer students.  The curriculum looks pretty tough, but it's been developed to help you succeed in the PA program.

Program Link:  Quinnipiac University PA Program

For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)

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