Admissions, Physician Assistant Studies MSPAS

Prerequisite courses can be completed at any regionally accredited college or university in the US, including community colleges.

Online credits are acceptable provided the courses still meet any laboratory requirements and are offered by a regionally accredited U.S. institution.

The MSPAS program does not accept advanced placement or transfer credit for required curricular components. No credit will be awarded to students for prior work experience. We do not accept CLEP or Advanced Placement (AP) credits to fulfill prerequisite courses.

A minimum 35 of the required 39 prerequisite credits (including associated labs) must be completed by the end of December in order to be considered for the following June start. All prerequisites must be completed by the end of May. An official transcript reflecting a grade of “C” or better must be provided before classes start the first week of June. Students accepted before all prerequisite coursework has been completed will be accepted on a provisional basis.

• Minimum overall GPA of 3.2 (as calculated by CASPA)*
• Minimum overall BCP (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) GPA of 3.2 (as calculated by CASPA)*
• 2 Biology classes with labs**
  • Two semesters of general biology (I and II; 8 credits) will fulfill the requirement. Upper-level biology courses can also be used towards fulfilling the biology requirement. To satisfy the requirement, the biology courses must include lecture and lab.
• Microbiology
• Genetics
• 2 Chemistry classes with labs**
  • Two semesters of general chemistry (I and II; 8 credits) will fulfill the requirement. Courses in organic chemistry and biochemistry can also be used towards fulfilling the chemistry requirement. To satisfy the requirement, the chemistry courses must include lecture and lab.
• 2 Anatomy & Physiology classes with labs
  • Two semesters of human anatomy and physiology (I and II with lab; 8 credits) or human anatomy (with lab; 4 credits) and human physiology (with lab; 4 credits). We prefer that these courses be designed specifically for biology/pre-medical majors. These courses must include all body systems. Animal physiology or exercise physiology courses are not preferred.
• 1 class Psychology; Intro to Psychology or Abnormal Psychology. If AP credit has been awarded for Intro to Psychology, an upper level Psychology course will be acceptable.
• 1 college-level math class; Statistics preferred
• Minimum 250 hours of direct, hands-on patient care experience. (See FAQs for more detail on acceptable forms of patient care experience.)
• PA shadowing is required (no minimum total of hours)
• Three letters of recommendation

_{*All CASPA calculations are considered final. Admission to MSPAS programs is highly competitive and a much higher GPA than the minimum is normally required for admission.}

_**Upper-level (300/3000 level or above) Biology and Chemistry coursework is preferred. Stronger candidates will have more than the minimum prerequisite science courses. Some examples are Cell Biology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Immunology and Pathophysiology

Johnson & Wales University has temporarily revised its prerequisite policy in response to the many institutions that have instituted non-traditional grading during the Spring 2020 semester. This temporary policy allows the acceptance of prerequisite courses with non-letter grades (P/F, S/U) earned during the Spring 2020 semester.

The Physician Assistant Program Admissions Committee reviews applications. Preference for interview invitation is given to students with:

• Higher GPAs (cumulative, BCP)
• Rigorous science curriculum (upper level courses exceeding the minimum prerequisites)
• More patient care hours and quality of the patient care hours (more clinical decision making)
• More PA shadowing hours
• Higher quality personal statements
• Stronger references, stronger mission match
• Qualification for a guaranteed interview through our articulation agreements. (See below.)

Qualified candidates are offered an on-campus interview to assess interpersonal and communication skills, as well as overall commitment to a career as a PA.

After each interview day, qualified candidates will be offered acceptance into JWU’s PA program.

Preference for admission to the program is given to interviewed applicants that best demonstrate knowledge of the PA profession, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a strong commitment to the mission of the PA program.

Candidates who are not offered admissions after the interview may be placed on a wait list. Students who are selected from the wait list will be notified immediately of their acceptance.

In order to accept an offer for admission, an applicant must make a $1,000 non-refundable tuition deposit to JWU. This deposit will hold the applicant’s place in the class. The total deposit fee will be applied to the cost of tuition once the student matriculates.

Before matriculation, accepted applicants must:

• Obtain a physical exam and provide documented proof of program- and university-required immunizations as listed in our Accepted Student Guide, which is emailed to all accepted students. Program immunization requirements are based on current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for health professionals.
• Students may also be required to meet the physical examination requirements of the facility or facilities providing clinical education in connection with the program. These facilities may have specific requirements in addition to JWU’s requirements.
• Provide proof of a negative national criminal background check performed by the program-approved agency. These are required by clinical training sites and state licensing boards. Students will be subject to drug screens as required by clinical training sites. These are both costs to the student and paid directly to the screening agency.
• Provide documented proof of a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers certification.

This information must be presented prior to registration. Matriculation is subject to completion of these requirements and submission of appropriate documentation.

To participate in JWU’s PA program, each student — with or without reasonable accommodations — must be able to safely and effectively meet the program’s technical standards.

Technical standards, as distinguished from academic standards, refer to those physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities that a student must be able to perform in order to be admitted, to progress satisfactorily, and to graduate from the program and subsequently enter clinical practice.