Physician Assistant Studies

Admission Requirements

The PA Program Admission Requirements were developed to be straightforward and attainable for prospective applicants. They are intended to serve as a guide for those interested in applying to the PA Program.

These are the minimum requirements for an application to be reviewed and evaluated by the EMU PA Program Admission Committee. All admission requirements must be met for an applicant to have a chance at being admitted. Simply meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee progression to the on-campus interview stage of the admissions process.

Applications

The PA Program requires a completed Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Application and an EMU PA Program Supplemental Application. The PA Program will not accept applications through any other means and does not accept the standard EMU Graduate School Application. Applications are available mid-April and must be completed by September 1 prior to the year an applicant seeks entry to the program.

CASPA - By September 1, all of the following must be received by CASPA:

• Application must be completed and submitted

• Appropriate application fee paid to CASPA

• Two letters of recommendation

• Official transcripts for all colleges/universities attended

Bachelor Degree

A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university or appropriate international institution must be completed prior to matriculation. Candidates may apply while their degree is in progress, but degree completion, demonstrated by transcript evaluation, is necessary prior to matriculation into the PA Program.

Grade Point Average

A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required at the time of application. This GPA can be attained by any one of the following: cumulative undergraduate, a completed graduate or an overall GPA. These GPAs are calculated by CASPA. A cumulative undergraduate GPA includes all college courses taken prior to receiving a bachelor degree and undergraduate courses taken after receiving a bachelor degree (such as pre-admission courses). The overall GPA includes all undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate courses (not doctoral). It is the expectation that the average successful applicant has a GPA much higher than 3.0.

Pre-Admission Courses

All of the following pre-admission courses must be completed and fulfill all associated requirements prior to matriculation into the EMU PA Program.

• Anatomy

• Physiology

• General Chemistry with Lab

• Organic Chemistry with Lab or Biochemistry with Lab

• Microbiology with Lab

• Developmental/Lifespan Psychology

• Statistics

Letters of Reference

Two reference letters are necessary and up to three are accepted. There is no specific requirement regarding the credentials or background for the individuals who supply the letters of reference. However, a recommendation is to have references who are qualified to evaluate the applicant\xc2\x92s interpersonal skills and ability to meet the demands of a functioning physician assistant student and professional. Examples of those who are commonly supply letters of reference include: health care professionals (physicians, PAs, nurses, etc.), employment supervisor, science instructor or other college professor, or anyone qualified to evaluate the applicant\xc2\x92s potential for success as a graduate-level student and future physician assistant.

All letters of reference must be submitted through CASPA, in accordance with CASPA guidelines. CASPA will process an applicant\xc2\x92s application and deem it \xc2\x93complete\xc2\x94 as long as two references are completed.

Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours

A minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience must be completed prior to application. Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours can occur in a volunteer or paid position in a wide range of health care settings. Visit Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours webpage for more information. Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours obtained after submitting the CASPA application may not be used.

Preference will be given to candidates with direct patient care experiences, particularly those that required specific training and/or licensure, higher levels of patient interaction and medical decision-making. Preference will also be given to candidates who have completed greater numbers of hours of experience.

Coursework Outside the US - International and Foreign Applicants

An international applicant is defined as a student who is either not a United States citizen or a student who has educational credentials (taken any college/university courses) from outside the United States. All applicants to the PA Program with non-U.S. post secondary educational credentials (taken any college/university courses) must submit an evaluation of all non-U.S. post-secondary education using Educational Perspectives (EP). EP is the only educational credential evaluation service that is accepted by EMU. A \xc2\x93Detailed\xc2\x94 Report (course by course evaluation) is required and must be received by CASPA by the application deadline. This evaluation will be used to determine eligibility for admission to EMU, if the non-U.S. institution is recognized and provide a U.S.-equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA). A four-year bachelor\xc2\x92s degree from a Ministry of Education recognized or accredited institution is the minimum degree requirement for admission.

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL iBT examination. There are no exceptions. No other form of the TOEFL or other tests will be accepted. A minimum score of 95 on the TOEFL iBT is required for consideration for admission into the PA Program. Applicants must report their TOEFL scores on the CASPA application and an official TOEFL score report must be received by EMU by September 1.