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Admissions
Students can also enter the physician assistant profession through the on-campus program. Learn more about the Physician Assistant Studies On-Campus program.
Application
Application Opens
April 24, 2025
Application Closes
July 31, 2025
Application System
Apply through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
The application fee is set by CASPA.
Academic Standards and Prerequisites
- Qualified applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- They should have an overall GPA of 3.0 (based on 4.0) in all college level coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.0 (based on 4.0) in the prerequisite science courses designated below with an asterisk (*).
- See the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) site for definitions of these GPAs.
- Exceptions may be made (but are not guaranteed) for candidates who present compelling evidence of success in graduate coursework. If an applicant has an overall GPA of < 3.0, their application may still be reviewed/considered by our team if they have completed an entire masters or doctorate level program.
- Completion of graduate level courses without a diploma from said programs will not be considered, nor will graduate-level certificate programs. All admissions requirements must be completed by the deadline to start classes in the spring term.
Prerequisite Coursework
- Biology with lab designed for science majors, two semesters*
- Microbiology with lab, one semester*
- Chemistry with lab designed for science majors, two semesters*
- Anatomy with lab and Physiology*
- (This requirement may be met by taking either one semester of Anatomy with lab and one semester of Physiology or two semesters of Anatomy with lab & Physiology combined.)
- Statistics, one semester
- Medical Terminology, one semester for at least 1 college credit
- English Composition/writing, two semesters
- Psychology, one semester
There is no expiration date for prerequisite courses. Please review this detailed prerequisite rubric to ensure your courses satisfy our prerequisite requirements. If applicants still have questions after the self-assessment, they may request an unofficial prerequisite evaluation. To request an unofficial evaluation, please complete and email the following items:
- Completed PAS Prerequisite Rubric
- Refer to page 3 to provide detailed course description for the course in question
- Send the completed rubric to: PittPAHybrid@shrs.pitt.edu
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended will be required. Applicants are encouraged to discuss transcript concerns with the enrollment specialist prior to submitting their application to CASPA. All transcript evaluations will take place within CASPA. The program will reach out to the applicant if there are any concerns related to transcript requirements.
NOTE: The GRE General Test is not required for admission to the program.
Transcripts
Applicants are required to provide transcripts from all U.S. universities, colleges or other higher education institutions attended.
Admitted students will need to submit official transcripts to the SHRS Admissions Office prior to enrolling in classes.
Experience
A minimum of 500 hours of direct, “hands-on,” patient care experience is required by the admissions requirement deadline. Eligible experiences include work as registered nurse (RN), emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, medical assistant and physical or occupational therapy assistant.
Contact the PA enrollment specialist if you are unsure if your experience will satisfy this requirement.
Current Pitt Students: View this SharePoint Site for more information about local Pittsburgh shadowing, volunteering and other hands-on opportunities. Pitt Passport required.
Personal Statement
Students will only be evaluated by Pitt regarding the following statements in CASPA:
- A personal statement focusing on why the applicant wants to become a PA.
- An essay reflecting on the applicant’s lived experiences and how these experiences align with the mission of the Pitt PA Studies program.
Letters of Recommendation
Three (3) professional letters of recommendation are required for the application.
Please see examples of who can and should write these letters and content below:
- One (1) to Character Reference
- Evidence of leadership, integrity and humility, values honesty and equity among all person
- Authors: could be but are not limited to: peer, coworker, mentor, volunteer group or religious/spiritual leader
- One (1) from your PCE Supervisor
- Evidence of positive interactions of applicant within with in patient care setting, respectful of best practices/protocols, takes ownership of actions, has strong work ethic, and values wellness of patient and teamwork
- Superior who directly oversees your patient care hours who can specifically speak to your skills and patient interactions. Examples could be but are not limited to: current/past manager or assistant manager, department director, mentor, military superior
- One (1) from a prior Instructor
- Evidence of a dedication to learning, is driven, and disciplined to achieve good outcomes, sets high standards and willing to ask questions when unsure of materials
- A person who has been directly involved in teaching you in some capacity and can specifically speak to your ability to learn/be taught. Examples include but are not limited to: College of university instructor/professor, a certification or skills teacher, a superior who provided you on the job skills training, a military instructor.
Technical Standards and Skills
Students admitted to the program must review the Technical Standards for admission and graduation and submit a signed form at the time of matriculation verifying satisfactory performance of the essential skills.
Application Review Process
Application Review
The entire application (including prerequisite courses, letters of recommendation and statements) must be received and verified by CASPA no later than 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the deadline. Applications not verified or any required application materials not submitted by the deadline will not be considered and will disqualify the application.
The admissions committee will then rate and review all completed applications. The highest-rated applicants will receive invitations to online interviews in September. Applicants will be notified of a decision (offer of admission, waitlist, or denial) in October after all applicants have completed their interviews.
The application and admissions processes for the program does not favor specific groups or individuals based on their personal or social identities.
Admissions Decisions
Admissions decisions are made in accordance with these practices:
- Screening of Applications: Upon receipt of a verified application from the CASPA service, the Director of Admissions and the rest of the Admissions Committee (which includes the Program Director, all full-time faculty, select current students, and program staff), award points for certain applicant criteria and characteristics and the total points are used to decide who is invited to interview for a seat in the program. These criteria and characteristics include:
- Health care experience and level of experience – Higher scores are awarded for longer service and at higher levels of patient care
- Diploma and degree – While a bachelor’s degree is required, a graduate degree is scored higher
- Grade Point Averages (GPAs) – Higher undergraduate and specific prerequisite science GPAs receive higher scores
- Scoring of personal statements – Higher scores are awarded based on the strength of evidence of desire to be a PA, understanding of the role of a PA, demonstration of understanding of the program mission, evidence of how one’s background, qualifications, and/or identities match and/or support the mission, language and writing skills, and editorial care
- Letters of Reference – Scores are compiled from the quality of the letter and score provided by the recommender in CASPA
- Interviews: Interviews for seats in our program are performed and scored by the program director, faculty, and practicing PAs. They include the following parts and scoring:
- Individual interview – Higher scores are awarded based on the strength of demonstration of the following qualities:
- adaptability/stress management
- conflict management
- technical and professional knowledge/ability to learn
- approach to professional challenges
- Group interview – Higher scores are awarded based on the strength of demonstration of the following qualities:
- active/empathetic listening
- critical thinking skills
- leadership skills
- encourages/harmonizes
- self-awareness/cultural humility
- ethics and integrity
- Individual interview – Higher scores are awarded based on the strength of demonstration of the following qualities:
- Total Scoring and Final Review by Admissions Committee: After completion of the above, the committee reviews candidate scores, reviewer comments, and application information to decide who is accepted, waitlisted, and denied admission.
Other Requirements
- Individuals from Health Professions Shortage areas, underrepresented minorities in medicine and other minoritized communities are encouraged to apply. We welcome applicants of all abilities/disabilities, religions, marital statuses, familial statuses, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, veteran statuses, national origins, all ethnic and racial backgrounds, genetic information, and gender identities and expressions.
- Advanced placement, defined as a waiver of required coursework included in the PA curriculum for applicants to the program and/or a waiver of required coursework included in the PA curriculum for currently enrolled students in the program which results in the student advancing in the curriculum without completing required curricular components at the University of Pittsburgh, is not an option in this program.
- Admitted students will need to complete a background check.
- Admitted students will need to complete a background check.This includes a criminal background check, health assessment and drug screen.
- Matriculation as a student in the program is conditional upon these results.
- Failure to complete this process and submission of documents on or before the deadline given will result in forfeiture the admitted student’s seat.
- If a student declines to undergo this process, or if findings of a grievous nature are revealed, the offer of admission will be revoked. During enrollment, repeat background checks, health and drug screens will be required. If a student declines to undergo a background check, health assessment or drug screen while enrolled in the program or if findings of a grievous nature are revealed, this will be grounds for dismissal from the program.
- This program requires the student to complete portions of their education (e.g. clinical preceptorship, practicum) at facilities external to the University to meet requirements for graduation. Many of these external facilities require screening measures such as, but not limited to, background check, child abuse clearance, health appraisal, fingerprint-based background check and/or drug test prior to placement at the facility. The results of these requirements may limit and potentially eliminate placement options for the student which can, in turn, result in an inability to meet graduation requirements.
- Additionally, conviction of a misdemeanor, felony or felonious or illegal act may prevent the student from becoming credentialed and/or licensed to practice in the field.
International Student Information
The following requirements are necessary for applicants from outside of the U.S.
For questions about the international student requirements, please reach out to the SHRS Admissions Office.
Given the nature of the online format for the didactic year of the Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid program, all applicants and matriculants need to identify as U.S. citizens, have documentation of permanent residency or have dual citizenship status.
While an F-1 Academic Student Visa is permissible for in-person courses, this Visa only deems such students eligible for one online course per term, hence excluding participation in this hybrid format. International students are encouraged to pursue the University of Pittsburgh on-campus Physician Assistant Studies program, as an Academic Student Visa can be honored with residential training.
Academic Credential Evaluations
Students who have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States are required to provide an academic credential evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or World Education Services (WES), Inc. with their application.
- A course-by-course evaluation with GPA conversion is required.
- Evaluations are not required for degrees earned in the United States. If you have attended an English Canadian institution, please contact the SHRS Admissions Office.
- Individual SHRS programs may have their own specific Academic Credential Evaluation requirements.
Accreditation
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the University of Pittsburgh Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status.
It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-university-of-Pittsburgh-hybrid/.
