Physician Assistant Entry Level Masters Program: Application Requirements

Important Note before Proceeding:
Applications will not be reviewed by the Physician Assistant Program until all official transcripts and supporting documents are received by CASPA. It is the responsibility of each applicant to contact CASPA (not the PA Program Office) directly to verify the receipt of all application materials and the current status of his or her application.

Specific Requirements

• A minimum combined grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 grading scale
• Three completed reference forms
• Clearly documented types of volunteer/paid patient contact (a minimum of 500 hours is required)

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required

An applicant whose native language is not English needs to submit scores from the combined TOEFL and TSE examination unless the applicant is a graduate of a U.S. college or university. The minimum required score for the IBT (Internet Based Testing) is 79 and a minimum score of 26 is required for the speaking component.

In addition to a thorough review of all supporting documents, candidates are evaluated for their ability to handle the high demands of training, commitment to people-oriented service and familiarity with the physician assistant's role. After review, the most promising applicants are invited for a personal interview.

Eligible candidates are typically invited to interview during the months of September, October, November, December, January and February.

The Physician Assistant Admissions Committee meets approximately one to two weeks after each interview session. The Committee reviews the full application file for each applicant who was interviewed and then formulates and submits its recommendation to the Program Director for action. All applicants will receive notification regarding their status by the end of March, but many will be offered seats following their interviews and subsequent Admissions Committee meetings.

The Drexel University Hahnemann Physician Assistant Program does not currently grant advanced standing for coursework completed at other educational institutions.

Prerequisite Courses
Applicants must have completed 90 semester hours as indicated. Only completed coursework with grades of C (2.0) or higher, verifiable on official transcripts, is acceptable.

Additional electives may be taken from the following disciplines: natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, mathematics (including statistics), and computer studies.

Strongly recommended electives include:

• Genetics
• Nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Foreign languages
• Critical thinking
• Introduction to pharmacology
• Abnormal psychology
• Sociology
• Death and dying
• Ethics
• Philosophy
• Medical Terminology
• Options for Completing Distributional Requirements

Before entering the PA Program, students may complete courses at Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions or transfer course credits from other accredited colleges or universities if grades of C (2.0) or higher were earned. Distributional requirements may also be completed through CLEP examinations.