Admission Requirements
The PA Program Admission Requirements were developed to be straightforward and attainable for prospective applicants. They are intended to serve as a guide for those interested in applying to the PA Program.
These are the minimum requirements for an application to be reviewed and evaluated by the EMU PA Program Admission Committee. All admission requirements must be met for an applicant to have a chance at being admitted. Simply meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee progression to the on-campus interview stage of the admissions process.
Applications
The PA Program requires a completed Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Application and an EMU PA Program Supplemental Application. The PA Program will not accept applications through any other means and does not accept the standard EMU Graduate School Application. Applications are available mid-April and must be completed by September 1 prior to the year an applicant seeks entry to the program.
CASPA - By September 1, all of the following must be received by CASPA:
- Application must be completed and submitted
- Appropriate application fee paid to CASPA
- Two letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts for all colleges/universities attended
For further information about a “complete” CASPA application, visit the CASPA webpage. CASPA applications that are not completed by September 1 will not be considered.
EMU PA Program Supplemental Application - This takes the place of the standard EMU Graduate School Application and is designed to provide a shorter and more straightforward process for the applicant. Standard EMU Graduate School applications are not accepted. The EMU PA Program Supplemental Application must include all required information along with necessary details for all pre-admission courses (including those in process or planned). Only courses listed on the EMU PA Program Supplemental Application will be evaluated for the pre-admission course requirements. Please note that the Eastern Michigan University Supplemental Application includes an application fee, payable by credit card. Each candidate should only submit the EMU PA Program Supplemental Application one time. The EMU PA Program Supplemental Application and fee must be completed and submitted by September 1. An application with incomplete information or not completed by September 1 will not be considered.
Bachelor Degree
A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university or appropriate international institution must be completed prior to matriculation. Candidates may apply while their degree is in progress, but degree completion, demonstrated by transcript evaluation, is necessary prior to matriculation into the PA Program.
Grade Point Average
A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required at the time of application. This GPA can be attained by any one of the following: cumulative undergraduate, a completed graduate or an overall GPA. These GPAs are calculated by CASPA. A cumulative undergraduate GPA includes all college courses taken prior to receiving a bachelor degree and undergraduate courses taken after receiving a bachelor degree (such as pre-admission courses). The overall GPA includes all undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate courses (not doctoral). It is the expectation that the average successful applicant has a GPA much higher than 3.0.
Pre-Admission Courses
All of the following pre-admission courses must be completed and fulfill all associated requirements prior to matriculation into the EMU PA Program. Visit the EMU PA Program Pre-Admissions Courses webpage for more detailed information, including deadlines for completion of courses.
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- General Chemistry with Lab
- Organic Chemistry with Lab or Biochemistry with Lab
- Microbiology with Lab
- Developmental/Lifespan Psychology
- Statistics
Letters of Reference
Two reference letters are necessary and up to three are accepted. There is no specific requirement regarding the credentials or background for the individuals who supply the letters of reference. However, a recommendation is to have references who are qualified to evaluate the applicant’s interpersonal skills and ability to meet the demands of a functioning physician assistant student and professional. Examples of those who are commonly supply letters of reference include: health care professionals (physicians, PAs, nurses, etc.), employment supervisor, science instructor or other college professor, or anyone qualified to evaluate the applicant’s potential for success as a graduate-level student and future physician assistant.
All letters of reference must be submitted through CASPA, in accordance with CASPA guidelines. CASPA will process an applicant’s application and deem it “complete” as long as two references are completed.
Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours
A minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience must be completed prior to application. Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours can occur in a volunteer or paid position in a wide range of health care settings. Visit Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours webpage for more information. Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours obtained after submitting the CASPA application may not be used.
Preference will be given to candidates with direct patient care experiences, particularly those that required specific training and/or licensure, higher levels of patient interaction and medical decision-making. Preference will also be given to candidates who have completed greater numbers of hours of experience.
Coursework Outside the US - International and Foreign Applicants
An international applicant is defined as a student who is either not a United States citizen or a student who has educational credentials (taken any college/university courses) from outside the United States. All applicants to the PA Program with non-U.S. post secondary educational credentials (taken any college/university courses) must submit an evaluation of all non-U.S. post-secondary education using Educational Perspectives (EP). EP is the only educational credential evaluation service that is accepted by EMU. A “Detailed” Report (course by course evaluation) is required and must be received by CASPA by the application deadline. This evaluation will be used to determine eligibility for admission to EMU, if the non-U.S. institution is recognized and provide a U.S.-equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA). A four-year bachelor’s degree from a Ministry of Education recognized or accredited institution is the minimum degree requirement for admission. Please visit the EMU EP webpage: http://www.edperspective.org/emich for details on how to submit the evaluation request and obtain an EP application form.
All applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL iBT examination. There are no exceptions. No other form of the TOEFL or other tests will be accepted. A minimum score of 95 on the TOEFL iBT is required for consideration for admission into the PA Program. Applicants must report their TOEFL scores on the CASPA application and an official TOEFL score report must be received by EMU by September 1.
All international applicants are expected to understand and meet all other eligibility requirements for admission to the PA Program and the Graduate School. For more information about the Graduate School requirements, please visit the International Student webpage. Applicants to the PA Program are not required to submit an EMU Graduate School Application and should refer to the PA Program Admissions Process page for application procedures. For questions about residency/visa or financial requirements, please contact the Office of International Admissions at international.admissions@emich.edu.
Technical Standards
All applicants must be aware of and are subject to the PA Program required Technical Standards. Open the Technical Standards pdf for detailed information.
Rules and Regulations
In addition to the above requirements, all PA Program students must agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the program. These can be found in the PA Program Student Handbook pdf.
Please keep in mind that the PA Curriculum is very rigorous. No advanced placement or advanced standing is granted and no transfer credit or credit for past work or other experiences are accepted.
Please visit the EMU PA Program website for more details: www.emich.edu/pa. EMU PA Program: 734-487-2843.
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