Admissions Process
Admission to the Physician Assistant Program is granted through a competitive selection process. Classes begin each May. Anyone who is interested in admission to the next class and who anticipates fulfilling all of the entrance requirements by that time may apply. Applicants will file using the Centralized Application Service for the PA (CASPA).
Application Deadline
Applications are accepted from June 1 through December 1 for classes beginning the following May. Acceptance decisions are made as early as mid-September and continue until the class is filled. All applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible before the class fills.
Process
The most qualified applicants are offered interviews on the University of Saint Francis campus. Each interviewee will be given a brief orientation to the USF campus and PA program and will have interviews with admission committee members. At the interview, applicants will be expected to provide a written plan to fulfill all entrance requirements that have not been completed to that point.
After the interview, the admissions committee will review all of the application data and materials including evaluations from the interview. If the applicant is accepted into the PA program, it may be without reservation, or it may be contingent upon completion of all entrance requirements. It will be the responsibility of the applicant to fulfill the requirements according to the agreed plan.
We typically accept about 25 students into a class. Up to 5 seats can be filled via the BS/MS Entry Program. Interviewed CASPA applicants will be notified within two weeks of the interview about the admission committee's decision. If accepted, that seat is reserved for two weeks allowing the accepted applicant to respond indicating willingness to attend and submitting a $500 nonrefundable deposit (applied to tuition). This process will continue on a rolling basis until 25 seats are filled. The admission's committee will then build a "wait list". Individuals offered a wait list position will be offered a seat in the class if seats become available. An additional $500 nonrefundable deposit, also applied to tuition, will be due one month after acceptance.
Transfer credit/advanced standing
All courses contained within the PA curriculum must be completed prior to graduation without exception or exemption. No transfer credit or credit by portfolio will be accepted (No students are exempted from classes because of prior courses, training, or experience. i.e. there is no advanced standing.
Dismissal from program
Dismissal of students from the PA Program is under the jurisdiction of the Program’s Academic Review Committee. Causes of dismissal include but are not limited to: unprofessional behavior, breech of the Academic Honesty policy, unsuccessful remediation, unsafe patient practices, patterns of deficiencies, or failure of course, clinical rotation or progression standards. Failure to meet University rules and expectations is also cause for dismissal. Dismissal from the program does not necessarily equate to dismissal from the University.