FAQ - Physician Assistant Program

Current information regarding the NSU PA Program's ARC-PA accreditation status is available on the Program's Accreditation page.

No. The NSU PA Program does not require a supplemental application. However, applicants are required to pay a separate NSU PA Program application fee after their CASPA application has been verified. 

Yes. Applicants may apply with allowable outstanding prerequisite coursework as described on the Admissions Requirements & Preferences page.

Applicants should carefully review the requirements regarding the number and type of courses that may remain outstanding and the deadlines for their completion.

Yes. Applicants may complete either:

• A stand-alone Human Anatomy course with laboratory and a stand-alone Human Physiology course with laboratory, or
• Anatomy & Physiology I with laboratory and Anatomy & Physiology II with laboratory for a minimum of 8 semester hours.

No. A single course may not be used to satisfy more than one NSU PA Program prerequisite requirement. 

Most prerequisite courses do not have a recency requirement. However, Biochemistry, Genetics, Human Anatomy with laboratory, and Human Physiology with laboratory must have been completed within seven years of the application deadline. 

If a course is intended to fulfill a prerequisite but has a different title, the Admissions Committee will review the course description to determine whether the course sufficiently meets the prerequisite requirement.

CLEP examinations may not be used to satisfy PA Program prerequisite requirements.

Advanced Placement (AP) credit may be used only for the prerequisite areas identified on the Admissions Requirements & Preferences page.

CASPA calculates applicant GPAs according to its own policies and procedures. Questions regarding CASPA GPA calculations should be directed to CASPA.

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

PA Program prerequisite courses must also be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

The Program does not award advanced standing or advanced placement based on medical education or coursework completed outside of the United States.

Applicants should review the Admissions Requirements & Preferences page for complete eligibility requirements.

For additional information for international applicants to Northeastern State University, please review NSU's International Admission Graduate College page. 

Applicants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status may apply to the NSU PA Program through CASPA and are evaluated through the same admissions process as other applicants.

The NSU PA Program follows Northeastern State University’s institutional policies regarding admission. Questions regarding institutional admission or eligibility should be directed to the NSU Graduate College.

Because physician assistant licensure requirements vary by state, applicants with questions regarding future licensure eligibility should contact the medical or licensing board in the state where they intend to practice.

No. The NSU PA Program does not offer advanced placement or advanced standing. Students admitted to the Program must complete the full PA curriculum.

No. Prior healthcare experience is not required for admission.

However, direct, hands-on healthcare experience is considered a positive attribute as part of the Program's holistic admissions process.

Learn More About Admissions Preferences

Applicants interested in gaining patient care experience may consider opportunities that involve direct interaction with and care of patients in pre-hospital, hospital, outpatient, or other healthcare settings.

Examples may include experiences such as:

• Emergency medical services
• Patient care or nursing assistant roles
• Phlebotomy
• Home health care
• Other positions involving direct patient care

Applicants should select experiences that provide meaningful exposure to patient care rather than focusing solely on accumulating a particular number of hours.

No. PA shadowing is not an admission requirement.

However, applicants are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the PA profession. Shadowing, speaking with practicing PAs, healthcare employment, and other professional exposure can help applicants develop a better understanding of the PA's role within the healthcare system.

Applicants interested in connecting with a PA may review available prospective-student mentorship or shadowing resources offered by the Program.

PA Mentorship/Shadowing Resource

You might also consider utilizing this resource: pashadowonline.com. Note, these are not online shadowing hours. This is an online platform that may help you find someone in your area that is willing to allow students to shadow in person.

No. The NSU Physician Assistant Studies Program is a full-time program and does not offer a part-time curriculum.

No. The PA Program is not offered as a distance-learning program.

No. The Program does not accept transfer students or provide advanced standing. All applicants must apply through the regular admissions process and, if admitted, complete the full PA curriculum.

The Program admits one cohort of 20 students each year.

The incoming cohort begins the Program in early October.

Applicants should review How to Apply for the current application and admissions timeline.

Applicants who are unable to matriculate with the cohort for which they were accepted relinquish their seat and must reapply through a future application cycle.

No. Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. The NSU PA Program is responsible for securing supervised clinical practice experiences and qualified preceptors for students.

No. Meeting the minimum admission requirements establishes eligibility for consideration but does not guarantee an interview or admission.

The Program uses a holistic admissions process when selecting applicants for interview and admission.

No. Eligible students participating in the Guaranteed Interview Program are guaranteed an interview only. Participation does not guarantee admission to the PA Program.

Because of the time demands and rigor of PA education, employment while enrolled in the Program is discouraged.

Students should be prepared to prioritize the academic and clinical requirements of the Program.

Deceleration is the process of starting the curriculum over. Students may be offered deceleration as an alternative to dismissal. Students who are decelerated in the didactic phase are required to take all courses in the didactic curriculum again, even if a course was successfully completed during its first attempt. Students who are decelerated during the clinical phase are required to take all courses in the clinical curriculum again, even if a course or clinical rotation was successfully completed during its first attempt. The Student Progress Committee will determine on a case-by-case basis who will be offered deceleration and if a student having taken a leave of absence will be required to repeat courses or not.

The NSU PA program does not allow students to reduce the number of courses taken per semester in order to reduce the course load overall.

Technical Standards describe the nonacademic abilities required to participate in and successfully complete the PA curriculum. Prospective students are encouraged to review the Program's Technical Standards before applying and should contact the appropriate University office with questions regarding accommodations. 

All students offered a position in the program must clear a criminal background check prior to matriculation. Information regarding how to complete the background check will be provided in the summer prior to the start of the program. Failure to complete or clear a criminal background check will result in the program rescinding the offer of admission. 

Additional background checks may be required by clinical sites during the Program.

Yes. Drug screening is required before matriculation and will be repeated prior to the onset of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs).

Students may be subject to random drug screenings any time during the didactic and supervised clinical practice experience phases. 

Healthcare facilities and clinical training sites may require students participating in clinical education to meet background screening, drug screening, immunization, and other eligibility requirements.

Yes. Students must meet the Program's published immunization and health-screening requirements before participating in applicable educational activities. Accepted students receive instructions regarding required documentation and deadlines. 

Students who successfully complete all Program requirements are awarded the Master of Science (MS) in Physician Assistant Studies degree.

Graduates who meet applicable eligibility requirements are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Licensure requirements are established by individual licensing jurisdictions, and graduates are responsible for meeting the requirements of the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice.

Information about financial aid, eligibility, and available resources is available through NSU Student Financial Services.