Important Qualities When Picking PA Programs to Apply to

1) Requirements of the Program:

• Admissions departments will only look at an application if the applicant meets the minimum requirements. For example, don’t apply to a school with a minimum requirement of a 3.0 GPA if you have a 2.9.

• You should make sure to check what pre-requisites the programs you are interested in require. For instance, some schools may require Genetics while others may not. This same situation may also apply to classes like Organic Chemistry 2 and Biochemistry.

• If you have any questions about a specific program and their prerequisite requirements, you can always email the school and ask. 

• You should review the GRE and the PA-CAT requirements. Make sure when creating a list of schools to confirm the tests they require are the ones you plan on taking/have taken. You will not be able to substitute a GRE score for a school who requires the PA-CAT and vice versa.

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2) Location:

• This may seem like common sense, but don’t apply to programs if you can’t see yourself living in that school's location. If you can’t stand cold weather or dread the idea of living in Chicago, don’t apply for schools there.

• In-state vs. out-of-state tuition can be very different in terms of costs, so depending on the price you want to pay, this could be an important factor.

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3) Reasons for School Selection:

• When building a list of possible schools to apply to, it’s important to conduct research on factors that are of most importance to you.

• This could include tuition costs, class size, duration, etc. 

• This is an easy way to narrow down your list of schools to ones that you have more of a desire to go to.

• Start dates are important to check as well. Some programs, such as South University, start in January. Make sure that these start dates would work for you.

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4) Accreditation Status:

• When applying to PA school, applicants should focus more on applying to accredited schools. The ARC-PA ensures complaint standards for PA programs, and graduating from an accredited program is REQUIRED to sit for the PANCE exam to receive state licensure. 

• Difference types of accreditation statuses exist:

  • Accreditation-Provisional: Granted for a new PA program. Limited to no more than 5 years after matriculation of the first class

  • Accreditation-Continued: For programs that meet standards. The best option when applying to PA schools.

  • Accreditation-Probation: For programs not fully compliant of standards. Lasts two years, but can be extended if the program is making progress in the right direction.

  • Accreditation-Withdrawn: No longer in compliance with the ARC-PA requirements. Would not be able to sit for the PANCE exam and become a PA if in this program.

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5) PANCE Pass Rates:

• When making a list, it may be smart to look at the PANCE pass rates for the last graduating class as well as over the past 5 years. 

• Negative PANCE pass rates can influence accreditation status as well as the potential candidates entering the program.

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6) Cadaver Labs:

• Several options exist for cadaver labs depending on the PA program. For instance, some programs may give students previously dissected cadavers, some programs may allow students to dissect their own cadavers, and other programs may just use models. 

• Learning from a cadaver, especially one that you can dissect yourself, can be a very valuable experience and one you may want to factor into your decision.

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7) Clinical Rotations:

• Different schools may have different rotations and number of elective rotations, so if you are interested in more elective rotation options, you may want to consider checking the number of electives a program offers.

• Some schools may not be as involved in helping students find rotation sites, which can be stressful for students. Try and research how helpful the program is at securing clinical sites, and the distance they are willing to send students for rotations