Program Admission
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
Students must apply to both the EMU Graduate School and CASPA
The PA Program requires a completed Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Application and an EMU Graduate Application. The PA Program will not accept applications through any other means. The CASPA application cycle opens in late-April and applications 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:
- A complete application
- All appropriate CASPA application fees
- Two letters of reference
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- Official GRE scores
For further information about a “complete” CASPA application, visit the CASPA Applicant Help Center (help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center).
CASPA applications that are not completed by September 1 will not be considered.
EMU Graduate Application: Please note that the EMU Graduate Application includes an application fee, payable by credit card. The EMU Graduate Application and fee must be completed and submitted by September 1.
If you are an international or foreign degree applicant, you must also submit your official TOEFL score and course-by-course degree evaluation by an EMU approved service (see section on “International Applicants” below)
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 (as evaluated by one of the four approved evaluation services) 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 undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4 point scale is required at the time of application. 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). It is the expectation that the average successful applicant has a GPA much higher than 3.0. Although graduate work will be considered in the evaluation of a prospective student’s application, GPA for admission will be based solely on undergraduate coursework.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
The GRE revised General Test or GRE General Test is required and plays a significant role in applicant evaluation. CASPA must receive your official scores prior to September 1 in order for your application to be complete. The EMU PA Program’s GRE Institution Code is 3646. Please note that this code differs from the code used for other EMU programs.
The Educational Testing Service will only send official score reports from the most recent five years. For GRE tests taken more than five years ago, individual/personal score reports or copies of official score reports may be accepted by the EMU PA Program; please contact the PA Program for more information. There is no minimum GRE score necessary for admission.
Pre-Admission Courses
All of the following pre-admission courses must be completed within 10 years prior to May enrollment with a grade of B- or better. Applicants must 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.
- Human Anatomy
- Human Physiology
- General Chemistry with Lab
- Organic Chemistry with Lab or Biochemistry with Lab
- Microbiology with Lab
- Developmental/Lifespan Psychology
- Statistics
Letters of Reference
Two letters are required and up to five are accepted. We recommend applicants obtain references from individuals who are qualified to evaluate their intellectual abilities, 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 supervisors, science instructors or other college professors.
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
Clinical experience is preferred but not required for applicants. Preference will be given to candidates with direct patient care experiences, particularly those working as nurses or corpsmen with 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. Clinical hours logged must be completed prior to application; Clinical Experience / Health Care Hours obtained after submitting the CASPA application will not be considered. Clinical Experience / Health Care hours obtained outside of the United States health care system will not be considered.
Coursework Outside the U.S.
Applicants to the EMU PA Program who have studied abroad and have greater than fifteen college/university credits at non-U.S institutions must submit an evaluation of all non-U.S. post-secondary education using one of the four approved evaluation services outlined on the International Graduate Admissions webpage (emich.edu/international/graduate/graduate-checklist.php). A course-by-course report is required and must be received by CASPA and EMU by the application deadline, September 1. This evaluation will provide a U.S.-equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) and be used in conjunction with coursework completed within the U.S. to determine the applicant’s GPA and eligibility for PA Program admission.
International Applicants
An international applicant is defined as a student who is either not a United States citizen or a student who has educational degrees obtained outside the United States. All applicants to the PA Program must submit an evaluation of all non-U.S. baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate education using one of the four approved evaluation services. A course-by-course report is required and must be received by CASPA and EMU by the application deadline. This evaluation will provide a U.S.-equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) and be used in conjunction with coursework completed within the US to determine the applicant’s GPA and eligibility for PA Program admission.
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 have an official score report sent to EMU TOEFL school code 1201 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 Graduate Admissions webpage (emich.edu/international/graduate/graduate-checklist.php). For questions about residency/visa or financial requirements, please contact EMU 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: emich.edu/pa or call 734.487.2843
Degree Requirements: 103 hours
In order to complete the PA Program and graduate, a student must satisfactorily complete each course set forth in the Program’s curriculum outline (below), attain supervised clinical practice experience benchmarks and successful completion of the program Summative Evaluation. In addition, a student must be in good academic standing after completing the required curriculum and meet University guidelines.
Students in this program are granted a waiver of the University requirement that “Graduate Students may not enroll in more than 15 hours for any semester.”
