PA Program
Admissions
In This Section
How to Apply
Penn State College of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program uses Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and adheres to CASPA's Admissions Code of Conduct.
Before beginning your CASPA application, please review the program admissions requirements. All verified CASPA applicants will receive via email, and must submit, a Penn State Physician Assistant secondary application to receive full admissions consideration. There is no application fee to complete your Penn State PA secondary application.
The verified CASPA application deadline is Dec. 1.
The Penn State secondary application deadline is 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) Dec. 15.
Locating Self-Service:
Step 1: Upon successful login, select Classic Home from the Nav Bar (three horizontal lines in top right of screen)
Step 2: From Classic Home, Select Self-Service twice:
Physician Assistant Secondary Application Guide
General Information
Navigating between pages is done using the Previous and Next arrow links at the bottom of each page.
Note: Moving between pages does not automatically save the content on that page. Be sure to save before leaving the application.
Saving will allow you to leave the application prior to completion and return later.
Important information is included in special notes which are located near related sections, and are preceded by an asterisk (*).
Section l – PERSONAL DATA
Personal Data from your CASPA application will be pre-populated this top section.
Indicate your veteran’s status in the bottom section.
Note: If yes is indicated for veteran’s status, additional information will be requested.
Section ll – STANDARDIZED EXAMS
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
Enter the GRE test date in mm/dd/yyyy format or use the calendar icon to select the date.
Enter the appropriate scores in the boxes for each test component.
If you need to add additional GRE tests, click the Plus (+) icon in the GRE section to add an additional row.
Alternate Scores
Complete this section, if appropriate.
Select the Alternate Test type.
Click the lookup magnifying glass next to the Alternate Test field.
Click on the correct test in the list displayed.
Complete the remaining fields.If you need to add additional tests, click the Plus (+) icon in the Alt Test section to add a row.
TOEFL Scores
This section is completed by international applicants.
Select the Test Type from the drop down list.
Complete the remaining fields.
Note: The Speaking score field will be greyed out if a Computer Based or Internet Based test type is selected.
Section lll – ACADEMIC REVIEW
Be sure to read important information at the top of this page within the application.
Click the lookup magnifying glass next to the School Id field.
Select the School Attended for the course, in the list displayed. TIPS:
Keep the parameters broad.
We recommend entering just the State abbreviation (i.e. NY) of the location of your school.
Sort alphabetically to locate your school.
Click on School Name in the list
Alternately, you can:
Enter part of the school name.
Click the Look Up button.
Adjust your search term until you locate the school.
Click on School Name in the list.
Click the lookup magnifying glass next to the Semester field.
Select the Semester the course was taken.
Complete the remaining fields.
Section lV – STATEMENT OF ACCURACY
Enter your initials into the Signature of Applicant field.
Click the Submit button when the application is complete.
This publication is available in alternative media upon request.
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
Key Dates
Nov. 20
Date by which you are strongly encouraged to complete your CASPA application, which allows sufficient time for CASPA processing.
Dec. 1
Firm deadline by which your primary application must be CASPA-verified to be considered for a May start in the program.
Dec. 15
Firm deadline by which your secondary application must be completed.
Admissions Details
Advanced Placement Policy A3.12c
The Penn State College of Medicine PA Program is a full-time academic program administered in a sequential fashion that builds from courses completed in the prior term. The program does not award credit for experiential learning or advanced placement, nor does the program accept transfer credits.
Preference Factors A3.12a
In alignment with the PA Program’s mission and goals, a cornerstone of the program is to enroll an academically qualified student body from a variety of lived experiences.
To accomplish this goal, the PA Program gives interview preference to the following:
Applicants from a rural or federally designated underserved community
Applicants from educationally or economically disadvantaged regions
Applicants who are first generation in college
Applicants who are veterans or active duty military
Applicants who are Pennsylvania residents
Applicants who are Penn State graduates
Applicants who are Penn State Health employees
General Application Requirements A3.12b
Applicants to Penn State College of Medicine must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or have official DACA status. International candidates are not eligible.
All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with completion of all academic requirements from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college/university. Health science majors are preferred; however, this is not a mandatory requirement for application or admission. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
For applications to be screened by the admissions committee, applicants must complete the program’s secondary application and have a verified CASPA application that includes:
Personal/biographic information, experiences, achievements, and certifications
Academic history with official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
CASPA-calculated overall cumulative GPA of > 3.0
CASPA-calculated overall science GPA of > 3.0
Completion of the GRE (no minimum score requirement): GRE school code 0900
In lieu of the GRE, applicants may provide MCAT, PCAT, or DAT scores
MCAT (old version) 29 or MCAT (new version) 505 required
PCAT total score 75th percentile rank or higher
DAT total score of 18 or higher
Three letters of recommendation
Completion of the release statement
Submission of personal essay
All applicants must agree to abide by the CASPA Professional Code of Conduct and the CASPA Admissions Code of Cooperation.
Incomplete applications will not be considered or screened by the admissions committee.
Following completion of the CASPA application for admission, each applicant must submit a secondary application to receive full consideration by the admissions committee. There is no application fee associated with submission of the secondary application.
Candidates should have a CASPA-calculated overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a CASPA-calculated overall science GPA of at least 3.0. A minimum of 500 hours of healthcare experience (paid or volunteer) is required for admission. Hours as a personal trainer or lifeguard are not accepted by the program.
Pre-Requisite Course Requirements:
General Biology
Anatomy and Physiology (two semesters or one semester each)
Microbiology
General or Principles of Chemistry
Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry
General Psychology
Statistics or Biostatistics
English Composition (two semesters, or two writing intensive courses)
Online courses from regionally accredited institutions are accepted. AP credits accepted by the undergraduate institution can satisfy general biology, general chemistry, psychology, statistics, and English composition courses. Anatomy, physiology, and microbiology should have a 5-year currency for completion, which may be waived for applicants who have been working full-time in the healthcare field since completion.
AP and CLEP credit accepted by the undergraduate institution can be used to satisfy pre-requisite requirements for general biology, general chemistry, general psychology, statistics, and English composition.
Three pre-requisite courses have a five-year currency:
Anatomy / A&P I
Physiology / A&P II
Microbiology
This currency requirement will be waived for any applicant who has been working full time and continuously in the healthcare field since completion of coursework.
Healthcare and Patient Care Experience Hours A3.12d
Applicants must have a minimum of 500 healthcare experience hours (paid or volunteer) prior to matriculation into the PA program. These hours can be in progress or planned during the application and interview cycle. While the program is flexible in accepting a wide variety of hours to help satisfy the 500-hour requirement, hours as a personal trainer or lifeguard are not accepted.
For admissions related questions, please contact 717-531-0003, ext 285595, or PSUPAProgram@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
The Penn State PA Program has early assurance programs with the following institutions:
Franklin and Marshall College
Hampton University
Lebanon Valley College
Lincoln University
The Early Assurance program allows students to apply to the PA Program during their junior year of undergraduate coursework. Early Assurance applicants have the opportunity to be granted admission at the completion of the Early Assurance process, forgoing the entire CASPA application process as a senior.
Information regarding this program is available by request. Students at these institutions should speak directly to their pre-med, pre-health, or pre-PA advisors to discuss requirements and eligibility.
Admissions decisions will be made in accordance with clearly defined and published practices of the institution and program as noted above.
The PA Program at Penn State College of Medicine has updated its admissions policies, understanding COVID-19 may have impacted your educational experience.At this time, we have updated our policies as follows:
GREs continue to be an admissions requirement. This remains unchanged.
We have never had a minimum GRE requirement and the range of an acceptable score varies. This can be viewed on our .
While our grading preference remains taking a letter grade for courses, the Penn State PA Admissions Committee revised its grading policy for courses taken in the Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 semesters to accept Satisfactory or Pass grades in lieu of letter grades for both pre-requisites and other courses. Again, our preference is that a candidate reports a letter grade, but if your school did not give you the option to take a letter grade, we will accept Satisfactory or Pass grades for all courses, including pre-requisites, during these two semesters.
We do not have a minimum letter grade requirement for individual pre-requisite courses; this remains unchanged.
We have always accepted online courses and labs, including sciences, from regionally accredited institutions; this remains unchanged.
You will be given the option to detail any academic, professional, personal hardships faced because of COVID-19 by way of an Impact Essay within CASPA.
Healthcare hours required to matriculate remains at a minimum of 500 hours; many virtual experiences are accepted towards the minimum requirement.
The 2025-2026 admissions interview cycle will be conducted virtually.
We are confident that what has been developed for this year's interview experience will enable candidates to experience the Penn State PA Program virtually to the best extent possible while also providing candidates ample opportunity to share who they are.
Our admissions committee will learn a great deal before a request to interview is offered based on all aspects of the CASPA and secondary applications. Our committee takes great pride in reading and reviewing each candidate's file prior to interviewing.
It is the goal of the PA admissions committee to provide a seamless, safe and informative experience from the candidate’s current location.
Interview sessions provide a personalized experience with the program and involve the following activities:
Program director interview
Faculty/staff/alumni panel
Program presentation
Current student session
Preference Factors
In accordance with the PA Program's mission and goals, a cornerstone of the program is to enroll an academically qualified, diverse in thought student body, with special consideration for those from rural backgrounds with a passion for advancing rural healthcare, first generation in college, veterans and active duty, Pennsylvania residents, Penn State graduates, Penn State Health employees, and those from federally designated underserved areas and educationally or economically disadvantaged regions.
Equal Opportunity, Non-Discrimination and Campus Safety
Penn State College of Medicine is an equal-opportunity employer and accepts all qualified applications regardless of their gender, ethnic origin or religious background.
The College of Medicine is also committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination and harassment.
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and Pennsylvania Act of 1988 require that crime statistics for Pennsylvania colleges and universities be made available to applicants upon request.