PA Program Admission
transforming students into compassionate medical professionals who are dedicated to exemplary patient care
The Physician Assistant Program is committed to increasing the number of physician assistants of African-American, Latino, and other ethnic backgrounds, whose communities have historically been under-served. It also encourages representation for individuals and families living in the communities in which they practice. As such, its mission and goals are consistent with those of the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program/CUNY School of Medicine.
Physician Assistant
Physician assistants are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Physician assistants work in a variety of medical settings, ranging from family medicine and primary care to sub-specialty surgery. P.A.s practice in-patient, out-patient and emergency medicine. The CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program is a mission-driven program, attracting students with a commitment to providing excellent care to those in greatest need. One of the oldest P.A. Programs in the country, over 900 physician assistants have graduated from the P.A. Program.
P.A. Program Admission
In evaluating candidates for admission into graduate programs, CUNY will not disadvantage students who present P (pass) or CR (credit) grades in their transcripts for courses taken during Spring 2020 – regardless of whether their school imposed the flexible grading policy on all students or gave them the choice to opt-in. In addition, CUNY will not disadvantage students whose pre-requisite courses were transitioned to virtual during the pandemic.
Online hybrid courses, taken before Spring 2020, will be accepted towards the fulfillment of the core prerequisite science courses. The online laboratory components, taken before Spring 2020, will not be accepted. Due to COVID-19, 2020-2021-2022 online courses and laboratory components will be accepted. Spring 2023 and beyond laboratory components must be taken in-person.
Our Physician Assistant (P.A.) Program is a 28-month upper division program leading to a M.S. degree and certification as a Physician Assistant. It was one of the first baccalaureate degree-granting physician assistant programs in the country.
Our program is designed to prepare highly qualified and compassionate healthcare professionals to work alongside physicians in a variety of medical settings. We take pride in our commitment to increasing diversity and representation in the field of medicine, and we prioritize academic excellence, community service, and interprofessional collaboration.
If you are interested in applying to our program, here is some important information to keep in mind:
Admission Requirements:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree
Minimum cumulative undergraduate and prerequisite GPA of 3.0 - Completion of prerequisite courses
Healthcare experience (highly recommended) - Strong letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Completion of CASPer
Application Process:
- We accept applications through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
- Applications open on July 1st and close on January 15th
- We do not have rolling admissions, but we encourage you to apply as early as possible
- Selected applicants will be invited to participate in an interview process
Program Information:
- Our program is 28 months long, with a curriculum that includes classroom instruction, laboratory experience, and clinical rotations
- Our clinical rotations are in a variety of settings, including primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, and more
- Our faculty is made up of experienced and passionate healthcare professionals, who are committed to providing our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in their careers
- Our program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
We hope that this information is helpful to you as you consider applying to our program. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] We look forward to hearing from you!