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Admission Requirements for the MS in Physician Assistant Studies

CASPA Verified Application Deadline: January 15  

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the following admission requirements to be eligible to apply for admission to the PA program. All requirements must be met prior to CASPA verified application deadline (January 15, 8:59 pm PST / 11:59 pm EST).

Note: Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview.

Applicants must have a) bachelor’s degree or b) an accelerated health professional doctorate (e.g., PharmD) that did not include awarding of a bachelor's degree:

  • A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US or Canadian Institution of higher learning.
  • An accelerated health professional doctorate (e.g., PharmD) that did not include awarding of a bachelor’s degree.
  • If degree was obtained outside the U.S., see the International Applicant page for foreign degree requirements.

Applicants must have the following:

  1. Minimum Overall (Cumulative) GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by CASPA.
  2. Minimum Overall Science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by CASPA.

No exceptions will be made. Applicants not meeting the GPA requirements will be ineligible for admission and removed from further consideration.

All prerequisite academic coursework must be completed by the application deadline. However, there is a provision for a maximum of two prerequisite requirements that can be outstanding at the time of submission, if the applicant can demonstrate a clear plan to complete coursework prior to August 1 of matriculation year and maintain the GPA requirements. Plans must be submitted in the Questions section of our CASPA page.

Each course must be completed:

  • With a minimum grade of a C (2.0 GPA) as calculated by CASPA.
    • Pass/Fail grades are not accepted for prerequisite coursework with exception of COVID pandemic exception: noted below.
  • At a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.
    • Prerequisite courses taken from foreign institutions will not be accepted (no exceptions).

Prerequisite coursework cannot be fulfilled with courses from:

  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  • Military training
  • A college or university located outside the U.S. or Canada

IMPORTANT:

  • It is highly recommended that all prerequisite courses are taken in-person to best prepare applicants for the rigors of PA school. However, if that is not possible, courses may be taken online (except for those requiring labs), provided they are equivalent to courses taught in a traditional educational setting. 
  • Prerequisite courses that require a lab must be taken in-person.
  • A single course cannot satisfy more than one prerequisite.

Required Prerequisite Courses and Minimum Credits / Hours

Required Courses Course Examples Min. Credits / Hours Semester Min. Credits / Hours Quarter
Statistics The following courses will meet this requirement: Introduction to Statistics, General Statistics, Behavioral Statistics, Biostatistics, or equivalent.

Not satisfied by calculus.
3 5
Psychology The following courses will meet this requirement: Introduction to Psychology, General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Lifespan Psychology

Not satisfied by Sports Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Sociology, or Anthropology.
3 5
Microbiology with lab* In-person lab required

The following courses will meet this requirement: Principles of Microbiology, General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Microbiology for Health Professions

Not satisfied by Cell/Molecular Biology or Bacteriology.
3 5
Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab* In-person lab required

The following courses will also meet this requirement: Human Anatomy, Human Gross & Micro Anatomy/Physiology

Not satisfied by survey or introductory A&P or any animal A&P courses.
4 5
Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab* In-person lab required

The following courses will also meet this requirement: Human Physiology, Human Gross & Micro Anatomy/Physiology

Not satisfied by survey or introductory A&P or any animal A&P courses.
4 5
Genetics* Dedicated upper-level course intended for science majors that covers topics such as Mendelian genetics, inheritance, alleles, and pheno/genotypes. Satisfied by Human Genetics, Genomics, Epigenetics, Genetic Epidemiology.

Not satisfied by molecular and/or cellular biology courses.
3 5
Organic Chemistry* Satisfied by at least two of the following courses: Organic Chemistry I, Organic Chemistry II, Organic Chemistry III, Bioorganic Chemistry, Structure & Bonds, Structure & Reaction.

Not satisfied by General Chemistry, survey or intro courses, Biochemistry. Lab not required.
3 5
Biochemistry* Dedicated upper-level biochemistry course or specifically intended for future healthcare professionals/pre-medical students. Also satisfied by Biological Chemistry, Biomolecules, Metabolism, Physical Biochemistry, Physiological Chemistry, or Cellular Biochemistry.

Not satisfied by survey courses, General Chemistry, Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, or Molecular Biology.
3 5

*Science courses must be intended/designated for “science majors.”

COVID pandemic exception: Prerequisite courses that have S, P/F, or C grades or required labs be taught online between March 2020 and December 31, 2021 with a clear notation on the official transcript regarding a COVID or Global Pandemic Provision will be accepted. If a transcript is clearly marked that a COVID pandemic exception applied to a course after these dates, please contact the program for a case-by-case evaluation.

All applicants must have a minimum of 500 qualifying PCE hours completed by the application deadline and 1,000 qualifying PCE hours completed by August 1. 

  • The PCE minimum must be completed before the application deadline.
  • PCE hours are direct hand-on paid positions with the exception of work as an EMT or paramedic when emergency services are provided on a volunteer basis.
  • Hours obtained as a student (for credit) or for certification will not count toward the 1,000-hour minimum requirement.

Further information regarding acceptable types of PCE and how they will be scored can be found under Applicant Selection Criteria.

Three letters of recommendation are required. They must be submitted through the Evaluations section of the CASPA application before the application deadline.

Only three letters will be reviewed. If more than three letters are submitted, you must indicate in the Questions section of our CASPA page, which three you want the admissions committee to review.

Letters of recommendation from friends and family will not be accepted. The following types of references are encouraged, supervisor, PA, other healthcare provider (APRN, MD, DO).

Technical Standards for Enrollment

All accepted students must be able to meet and successfully perform the Technical Standards of the Program.

The School of PA Medicine does not discriminate based on race, age, sex, color, disability, or national or ethnic origin in administering its educational policies, admission policies, employment, promotion and compensation policies, scholarship, and loan programs, or other University-administered programs and will make good faith efforts at providing reasonable accommodation as required. However, the Program reserves the right not to admit or register students who cannot meet the Technical Standards or who would constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of others.

PA Program applicants or students who have questions regarding these technical standards or who believe they may need to request reasonable accommodation in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact someone from Disability Resources Email: ada@northwestu.edu or Phone: 425-889-5227.

Note: revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary before any accommodation(s) may be made in the learning environment or in the PA Program’s procedures. Information regarding disabilities is handled in a confidential manner.

Want to Know More?

Applicant Selection Factors
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Deanna Matzen

Questions about the PA program?

We would love to answer any questions about the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program that you may have.

Deanna Matzen

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