Physician Assistant Studies Admission Requirements

Admission to the Northeastern State University Physician Assistant Studies Program is competitive. Applicants must meet all published admission requirements to be eligible for consideration. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission.

The Program uses a holistic admissions process and considers additional preferences and applicant attributes when selecting candidates for interview and admission.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor's Degree

Applicants must earn a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution within the United States prior to matriculation.

Prerequisite Coursework

All prerequisite coursework must:

• Be completed with a grade of C or better
• Be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States
• Meet the minimum semester credit-hour requirement listed below

Prerequisite courses completed outside of the United States are not accepted.

A single course cannot satisfy more than one prerequisite requirement.

Applicants may apply with outstanding prerequisite coursework if they communicate a clear and reasonable plan for completing the remaining courses.

After December 31 of the year preceding enrollment, applicants may have no more than two outstanding prerequisite courses, only one of which may be a science prerequisite.

All outstanding prerequisite coursework must be completed by August 1 of the year of matriculation.

If a course has a different title than a listed prerequisite, the Admissions Committee will review the course description to determine whether it sufficiently meets the prerequisite requirement.

Required Prerequisite Courses

Course	Minimum Semester Credit Hours
Microbiology with laboratory	4
General Chemistry I with laboratory	4
General Chemistry II with laboratory	4
Organic Chemistry I with laboratory	4
College Algebra or higher-level mathematics	3
Statistics	3
Psychology	6
Biochemistry*	3
Genetics*	3
Human Anatomy with laboratory*	4
Human Physiology with laboratory*	4

*Biochemistry, Genetics, Human Anatomy with laboratory, and Human Physiology with laboratory must have been completed within seven years of the application deadline. No exceptions are made to this requirement.

Combined Anatomy and Physiology courses may satisfy the Anatomy and Physiology requirements when Anatomy & Physiology I with laboratory and Anatomy & Physiology II with laboratory are completed for a minimum of 8 semester hours.

Applicants must complete a minimum of 6 semester hours of Psychology. Recommended courses include Introduction to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. Sociology and anthropology courses do not substitute for psychology courses. 

Academic Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be in good standing with all colleges and universities attended
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Have a minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

There are no exceptions to the minimum GPA requirements. Applicants who do not meet both GPA requirements are ineligible for admission and will be removed from further consideration.

Healthcare Experience

Prior direct, hands-on healthcare experience is not required for admission.

Applicants without prior healthcare experience remain eligible to apply.

Healthcare experience is, however, considered a positive attribute as part of the Program's holistic review process. Additional information is provided under Admissions Preferences and Holistic Review below.

Standardized Testing

The NSU Physician Assistant Studies Program does not require the GRE or another standardized admission test.

CLEP and Advanced Placement Credit

CLEP examinations may not be used to satisfy PA Program prerequisite requirements. Experiential learning experience is not an acceptable substitute for prerequisite requirements. 

Beginning with the 2025–2026 application cycle, Advanced Placement (AP) credit may be used only for the following prerequisite requirements:

• Mathematics — College Algebra or higher
• Statistics
• Psychology

Admissions Preferences and Holistic Review

Admission decisions are based on a holistic review of the entire application and interview.

Admissions preferences and favorable applicant attributes may strengthen an application but do not guarantee an interview or admission.

Admission Preferences

Preference is given to:

• Oklahoma residents
  • Defined as applicants who have a current address, permanent address, or attended school in Oklahoma
• Applicants from states near Oklahoma
  • These applicants receive preference over out-of-state applicants residing farther from Oklahoma
• Applicants who have completed all prerequisite requirements by October 1
• Eligible NSU students who qualify for the Guaranteed Interview Program
  • Eligible students who meet all published criteria and request this preference are guaranteed an interview, but not admission to the Program

Highly qualified non-resident applicants are strongly encouraged to apply and may successfully compete for admission.

Additional Attributes Considered Favorably

As part of the holistic review process, the Admissions Committee considers:

• Strong academic preparation, including GPA and rigor of coursework
• Healthcare experience
• Knowledge of the PA profession
• Extracurricular activities
• Professionalism
• Leadership
• Alignment with the NSU PA Program mission
• Maturity
• Critical-thinking skills
• Life-enhancing experiences
• Commitment to the PA profession
• Understanding of the rigor of PA education
• Strong letters of recommendation
• Background in a health professional shortage area or medically underserved area
• Rural background
• Economically disadvantaged background
• First-generation college student status

Academic Preparation

The Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant's academic record, including the overall GPA and science GPA as calculated by CASPA.

The Committee also considers the rigor and complexity of the applicant's undergraduate coursework and overall academic performance. Competitive applicants should demonstrate not only a strong academic record, but also evidence of the ability to succeed in the rigorous PA curriculum.

Meeting the minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission.

Healthcare Experience

Prior healthcare experience is not required for admission, and applicants without healthcare experience remain eligible and are encouraged to apply.

However, direct, hands-on patient care experience is considered a positive attribute in the holistic admissions process. The Admissions Committee considers both the amount and type of healthcare experience reported by the applicant.

Direct patient care experience may include positions that involve actively caring for patients in pre-hospital, hospital, clinic, or other healthcare settings. Medical scribe experience is also recognized by the Program as healthcare experience.

Regional and Mission Alignment

Consistent with the NSU PA Program mission, applicants with demonstrated commitment to northeastern Oklahoma, rural communities, medically underserved communities, and American Indian populations are viewed favorably.

Knowledge of the PA Profession

Applicants should demonstrate knowledge of the PA profession and an understanding of the PA's role within the healthcare system.

Applicants are encouraged to seek opportunities to learn about the profession through shadowing, healthcare experiences, interaction with practicing PAs, or other appropriate professional exposure. 

Service, Leadership, and Extracurricular Activities

The Admissions Committee considers an applicant's involvement in service, leadership, extracurricular activities, and volunteer experiences.

Experiences that demonstrate a commitment to serving rural communities, medically underserved populations, and American Indian populations, or other communities may strengthen an application.

Professional References

Three letters of recommendation are required as part of the application.

Applicants are encouraged to select professional references who can speak to qualities such as:

• Academic ability
• Professionalism
• Commitment to the medical profession
• Leadership
• Service

Instructions for submitting letters of recommendation are provided on the How to Apply page.

Guaranteed Interview Program

Eligible Northeastern State University students who meet the established criteria may qualify for a guaranteed interview with the NSU Physician Assistant Studies Program.

A guaranteed interview does not guarantee admission to the Program.

Learn More About the Guaranteed Interview Program