Preparing to Become a Physician Assistant
Please find information below on preparing for a physician assistant school at Colorado College.
Information shared here taken from the PAEA's Applying to a PA Program page.
CASPA Common Prerequisite Courses
Remember it is still recommended that applicants seek counsel from individual PA program admissions offices throughout the application process.
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Biology (general)
- Biology (microbiology)
- Chemistry (general)
- Chemistry (organic)
- English Composition/Writing
- Genetics
- Medical Terminology
- Psychology (general)
- Statistics
Information shared here taken from the PAEA's Applying to a PA Program page.
PA programs in the United States are located at medical schools and centers, hospitals, two- and four-year colleges and universities, and within the military. The programs consist of intensive classroom and laboratory study, as well as clinical practice.
Accreditation
To practice as a physician assistant/associate, you must first graduate from an accredited PA program. PA programs are accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), which maintains a list of all accredited PA programs.
Before applying
Most programs require health care experience prior to admission. Programs offering bachelor’s degrees typically require a minimum of two years’ college credit. Master’s-level programs typically require either a bachelor’s degree or appropriate undergraduate credit, with a minimum GPA.
While a specific degree is not always mandatory, required college-level courses typically include the following:
- basic sciences
- mathematics
- English composition
- medical terminology
- specialized science courses such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, physics, or computer sciences
Program Length
115 Weeks
PA education is similar to that of medical students, although shorter in duration — medical school education averages 155 weeks, and PA education averages 115 weeks.
27 Months Long
Most accredited programs are, on average, 27 months long. A few programs offer part-time education so that students who are changing careers can attend classes and continue to work.
Classes and Clinical Rotations
PA programs require students to complete 9-12 months of classroom studies, followed by 9-15 months of supervised clinical rotations.
Information shared here taken from the PAEA's CASPA Application Checklist. We also encourage you to take a look at their page on CASPA Application Tips.
Preparing and submitting your application
- Step 1: Before You Apply
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Read the Before Applying and Instructions and FAQ sections of the CASPA website.
- Step 2: Filling out Your Application
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- Create a CASPA application account.
- Complete the Personal Information section. This includes the Contact Information and Personal Data sections.
- Complete the Supporting Information section. This includes the Additional Information, Health Related Training, Narrative, and Work and Volunteer Experience sections.
- Complete the Academic History section. This includes the Tests section.
- If your program requires the GRE, enter your program’s GRE codes on the ETS website for official scores to be reported directly into CASPA.
- If your program requires the TOEFL, send the official paper TOEFL scores to CASPA.
- If your program requires other tests, send the results directly to the program.
- Complete the Institutions Attended section.
- Complete the Coursework section.
- Request that all official transcripts (US and English Canadian) be sent to CASPA.
- Send original foreign transcript evaluations to CASPA (if applicable).
- Complete the Evaluations section.
- Complete the Program Materials section. Before selecting your designations, make sure you have:
- Visited all applicable program websites to review specific admissions requirements.
- Visited all applicable program websites to review supplemental application requirements.
- Researched all program deadline requirements and determined that you are submitting before the deadline.
- Step 3: Review
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Review application for accuracy. Changes cannot be made once you submit your application.
- Step 4: Selecting the Programs
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Select all of the programs you want your application to be sent to. You can add programs but once you submit, you cannot remove programs.
- Step 5: Submission and Payment
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- Submit your application. Do not wait for CASPA to receive all of your materials before you submit your application.
- Pay the applicable fees related to your application designations. Print a hard copy of the payment receipt for your records.
After you have submitted your application
- Step 1: Checking Your Application Status
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Once you have submitted your application, check your application status often. You can check your application status at any time in the My Status menu in your application portal.
- Make sure at least two of the three letters of recommendation and all of your US and English-speaking Canadian transcripts have been received by CASPA.
- Step 2: Completion and Verification
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- Once your application is considered complete, CASPA will verify your application. This process can take up to four weeks once all your documents are received by CASPA.
- Once your submitted application and other materials are verified, CASPA will email your official application to your designated PA programs.
- Once verification is complete, CASPA is no longer involved in the process. When your programs make their admission decisions, they will contact you directly. CASPA does not monitor admissions decisions.
- Step 3: Applying to Additional Programs (Optional)
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- If you decide to apply to additional programs, you may add designations by logging into your application and selecting the Designations section.
Information shared here taken from the PAEA's Applying to a PA Program page.
In 2001, the PA Education Association (PAEA) launched the Centralized Application Service for PAs (CASPA). There are currently 300 accredited PA programs in the United States, and most of them participate in CASPA.
Applying to programs through CASPA allows applicants to complete a single online application and designate multiple programs to receive it. Before the application is sent to the programs, the CASPA staff verifies all submitted materials for completeness and authenticity.
Most programs have an admissions committee composed of faculty, staff, and often program graduates, who review the applications in depth following the preliminary screening by CASPA. References, personal remarks, understanding of the PA role, patient care experience, and college entrance exam test scores receive major consideration from most admissions committees.
For more information about CASPA, see our CASPA page.
Information shared here taken from the PAEA's Paying for PA School page. For information on the CASPA Fee Assistance Program, scholarships, and other resources, we encourage you to access that page directly.
PA school is demanding, and applicants will have limited time, if any, to work while attending school. The time to start researching financial aid options is when you begin researching PA programs.
The cost of PA school varies based on which program you choose to attend. When considering programs, be sure to include the total expenses for completing the program, including:
- Tuition
- Exams
- Books & supplies
- Room & board
- Required professional memberships (AAPA, etc.)
- Travel and lodging during clinical rotations
You may request cost and fee information from the schools you are interested in attending. Once you have that information, you should consider how you will pay for your education.
Funding sources
Money from federal loan programs may form the foundation of your financial assistance package. Many states also offer financial aid funding. Additionally, there are specialized scholarships, traineeships, and loan programs available to help pay for your education.
Remember to apply for scholarships and grants before you accept federal or state loans, and then only accept loans that you need. Work closely with your financial aid department — they will be able to inform you about special loans and scholarships for which you may be eligible.
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