PA schools with the easiest admission requirements can help you to quickly secure an admission status and begin your education as a physician assistant. In this article, we have listed some of the easiest PA schools to get into in 2022.
It is a popular fact that getting admitted into PA schools can be a difficult venture due to the high competition. Nevertheless, these easiest PA schools to get into can make that a different story for you as they offer applicants less cumbersome admission requirements.
A career as a physician assistant can prove to be a profitable one for you.
Recently, the US news stated that the Physician Assistant job was the second best Job in healthcare after Nurse practitioner jobs, with over 40,000 jobs available and an average salary of about $115,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicted a 37% increase in the physician assistants profession within the next ten years.
This will place the PA profession amongst the fastest growing medical field careers.
Below are some things you should know about these PA Schools with the easiest admission requirements.
Table of Contents
What is a PA School?
A PA school is an institution of learning where mid-level health care professionals known as physician assistants are trained to diagnose diseases, create and implement treatment plans and give medications to patients.
Some people compare PA schools to Nursing Schools or Medical Schools but they are not the same and should not be confused with each other.
Physician Assistants work under the supervision of physicians/ doctors and also collaborate with other medical professionals.
Physician assistant education in PA schools takes less time than a regular medical degree in medical schools. One interesting thing also is that physician assistants’ education doesn’t require any advanced residency training.
However, you may be expected to renew your certification within specified durations which differs from country to country.
Many people believe that the educational model of the PA (Physician Assistant) school was born from the accelerated training of physicians that was used during World War II.
Steps on How to become a PA
Now that you know what a (Physician Assistant) PA school is, it is important to know how to become a Physician Assistant. Here are some steps we’ve suggested to help you out.
- Acquire necessary prerequisites and healthcare experience
- Enroll into an accredited PA program
- Get Certified
- Acquire a state license.
Step 1: Acquire necessary prerequisites and healthcare experience
PA Programs in different states might have varying prerequisites, but we’ll show you some of the most common ones.
You may be expected to complete a minimum of two years of college study in basic and behavioural sciences or premedical studies.
Also you may need previous practical experience in healthcare and patient care.
Step 2: Enroll into an accredited PA program
Some PA assistant Programs may take a duration of about 3 years after which you may receive a master’s degree.
During your study, you’ll learn about various medical related fields like anatomy, physiology, biochemistry etc.
In addition to this, you will engage in clinical rotations in fields like family medicine, Paediatrics, Emergency medicine etc.
Step 3: Get Certified
On graduation from your PA program, you can then proceed to take a certification exam like PANCE which stands for Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam.
Step 4: Acquire a state license
Most countries/states won’t allow you to practice without a license. After you graduate from PA school, it is advisable to get licensed in order to practice.
Acceptance Rate at PA schools
The acceptance rate for different PA programs in different countries may vary. For example, it was estimated that the acceptance rate of PA schools in the USA is about 31% which is slightly lower than that of medical schools at 40%.
If your PA School is in the United States, then you may want to check out the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Program Directory to get an in-depth understanding of their acceptance rates and other requirements.
List of the best PA Schools with the easiest admission requirements in 2022
Here is a list of the 10 easiest PA schools to get into in 2022:
- Western University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant School
- University of New England Physician Assistant School
- South University Physician Assistant School
- Missouri State University Physician Assistant Studies Graduate Program
- Barry University Physician Assistant School
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant School
- University of Utah
- Loma Linda University Physician Assistant School
- Marquette University Physician Assistant School
- A.t. Still University of Health sciences central coast campus Physician Assistant School
10 Easiest PA Schools to Get Into in 2022
#1. Western University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant School
Location: Pomona, CA campus 309 E. Second St.
The Western University Of Health Sciences Physician Assistant School request for the following requirements:
- Bachelors degree from an accredited US school.
- Minimum Overall GPAs of 3.00 in prerequisites
- Records of ongoing community service and involvement
- Access to a laptop or computer.
- Proof of Legal U.S. Residency for international students
- Meet the PA Program’s Personal Competencies for Admission and Matriculation
- Show proof of Health Screenings and Immunizations.
- Criminal History Background Check.
#2. University of New England Physician Assistant School
Location: Hersey Hall room 108 at 716 Stevens Ave, Portland, Maine.
Check out the following requirements of the University Of New England Physician Assistant School.
- Completion of Bachelor’s Degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution
- A Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, as calculated by CASPA
- Prerequisite Coursework requirements
- 3 letters of evaluation submitted through CASPA
- Direct patient care experience of about 500 hours.
- Personal Statement or essay.
- Interview.
#3. South University Physician Assistant School
Location: South University, 709 Mall Boulevard, Savannah, GA.
These are the admission requirements requested by the South University Physician Assistant School below:
- A Complete CASPA online Application. Submission of school transcripts and GRE scores.
- Previous bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. school
- Overall GPA as calculated by the CASPA service of 3.0 or more.
- Biology-Chemistry-Physics (BCP) science GPA of 3.0
- GRE general exam score
- A minimum of 3 reference letters with one from a medical professional
- Clinical experience
#4. Missouri State University Physician Assistant Studies Graduate Program
Location: National Ave. Springfield, MO.
Admission Requirements at the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Studies Graduate Program include:
- Electronic Application at CASPA
- All necessary official transcript
- 3 letters of recommendation (academic bor professional)
- GRE/MCAT score
- Previous degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or its equivalent for international students.
- A minimum grade point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
- Pre-professional prerequisite coursework completed before resumption of program.
#5. Barry University Physician Assistant School
Location: 2nd Avenue, Miami Shores, Florida.
For Successful admission into the Barry University Physician Assistant School, candidates should have:
- Any bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Overall and Science GPA which is equal to or greater than 3.0.
- Prerequisite coursework.
- Not more than 5 years old GRE score. GRE score is recommended over the MCAT.
- Official transcript from previous college submitted through CASPA.
- Proof of previous experience in healthcare.
#6. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant School
Location: Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL.
These are the admission requirements of Rosalind Franklin University Of Medicine And Science Physician Assistant School:
- A bachelor’s degree or other degrees from accredited institutions of higher education.
- An overall and Science GPA of at least 2.75 on a scale of 4.0.
- GRE Score
- TOEFL
- Letters of recommendation
- A Personal statement
- Patient care experience
#7. University of Utah
Location: 201 Presidents Circle Salt Lake City, Ut.
Here are the requirements for admission into the University Of Utah:
- A bachelor’s degree from accredited institutions.
- Verified Prerequisite coursework and transcript.
- Calculated CASPA GPA of at least 2.70
- Experience in the healthcare sector.
- CASper Entrance exams (GRE is not accepted)
- English proficiency test.
#8. Loma Linda University Physician Assistant School
Location: Loma Linda, CA.
Requirements for admission into Loma Linda University Physician Assistant School are as follows:
- Previous Baccalaureate Degree.
- Minimum grade point average of 3.0.
- Prerequisite coursework in specified subjects (science and non-science).
- Experience in Patient care
- Recommendation letters
- Health screening and immunization.
#9. Marquette University Physician Assistant School
Location: 1710 W Clybourn St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Some requirements for admission into Marquette University Physician Assistant School includes the following:
- Minimum CGPA of 3.00 or more.
- At least 200 hours of patient care experience
- GRE score (might be optional for seniors and graduate applicants.)
- Recommendation letters
- Altus Suite Assessment which includes a CASPer test of 60 to 90 minutes and a 10 minute video interview.
- Personal interviews.
- Immunization requirements.
#10. A.t. Still University of Health sciences central coast campus Physician Assistant School
Location: 1075 E. Betteravia Rd, Ste. 201 Santa Maria, CA.
The following are the admission requirements for a PA program at ATSU:
- Submitted proof of completed baccalaureate education.
- Cumulative Grade point average of at least 2.5.
- Successful completion of specified prerequisite courses.
- Two references with letters of recommendation.
- Patient care and medical mission experience.
- Volunteering and community service.
Requirements To get into a PA School
Here are some of the requirements to get into a PA School:
- Previous coursework
- Grade Point Average (GPA)
- GRE scores
- CASPer
- Personal Essay
- Letters of recommendation
- Screening interview
- Proof of Extracurricular activities
- English proficiency scores.
1. Previous coursework
Some PA schools may request for previous course work in either upper or lower level undergraduate courses and other prerequisite courses like Chemistry, Anatomy and physiology with lab, Microbiology with lab, etc. However, this may not always be the case.
2. Grade Point Average (GPA)
According to previous data from PAEA the average GPA of students admitted to PA schools was 3.6.
From the list of accepted students an average of 3.53 science GPA, 3.67 non-science GPA, and 3.5 BCP GPA was recorded.
3. GRE scores
If your PA school is in America, you’ll need to sit for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Your PA school may accept other alternative exams like MCAT, but it is wise to check for the accepted test scores through the PAEA database.
4. CASPer
This is an online test that most PA institutions use to examine applicants eligibility for professional programs. It is totally online with real life problems and scenarios you’re expected to solve.
5. Personal Essay
Some schools will request that you write a personal statement or essay about yourself and ambition or reason for applying to the school. You’ll need to know how to write a good essay to ace this particular requirement.
Other requirements may include:
6. Letters of recommendation.
7. Screening interview.
8. Proof of Extracurricular activities.
9. English proficiency scores. You can also go for Top non IELTS schools that allows you to study without IELTS in Canada , China, Australia and other countries around the world.
Note: Requirements of P.A schools may be similar to requirements for medical schools in Canada, U.S or any part of the world.
However, you must carefully confirm what the requirements of your PA school are to make your application strong and relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions About PA Schools
1. Is it hard to get into PA schools?
To be honest, PA schools are difficult to get into. There’s always great competition for admission into PA schools.
However, these PA schools with the easiest admission requirements can make the process much easier. You can also check out our previous resource on how to get into schools even with a bad grade to get some useful insight.
2. Can I get into a PA school with a GPA of 2.5?
Yes, it is possible to get into a PA School with a GPA of 2.5. However, to stand a chance at getting admitted, we suggest you do the following:
- Apply to PA Schools that accept low GPA
- Pass your GRE test
- Acquire patient healthcare experience.
3. Are there Online Entry Level Physician Assistant Programs?
The answer to this is Yes.
Certain Schools like:
- The Touro College and University System
- University of North Dakota
- University of Nebraska Medical Centre
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Offer entry level physician assistant programs online. However, you should be aware that most of these programs are not comprehensive.
What this means is that they may not include the relevant clinical experience and patient care experience.
For this reason, they might be the easiest PA schools to get into, but you won’t get the experience needed to become a state licensed physician assistant.
4. Are There Physician Assistant Schools with Low GPA Requirements?
A large percentage of physician assistant programs specify their admission GPA requirements.
Nevertheless, some PA schools like; University of Utah, A.T. Still University, Central Coast, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science etc accept applicants with a low GPA, but your PA School application will need to be strong.
5. What Physician Assistant Program can I get Into Without GRE?
A Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test is one of the most common PA school requirements. However the following PA schools don’t require a GRE score from applicants.
- John’s University
- Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
- Bethel University in Minnesota
- Loma Linda University
- Springfield College
- University of La Verne
- Marquette University.
6. What Courses can I study before attending PA school?
There is no specific course to study before attending PA schools. This is because different PA schools will request different things.
Nevertheless, PA School applicants are advised to take on healthcare related courses, Anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, chemistry etc.
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