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Arizona School of Health Sciences
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Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant

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Admission Requirements : Native American Physician Assistant Track (NAPA) : Curriculum Guide/Student Handbook : Tuition and Expenses : Financial Assistance : FAQs : Accreditation

Admission Requirements

  1. Candidates accepted for admission to the ASHS PA Program will have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university prior to January 1 of the matriculating year.
  2. The applicant must have achieved a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average overall (3.00 recommended) and a minimum 2.75 cumulative science grade point average (3.00 recommended) on a 4.00 scale.
  3. Applicants are expected to be computer literate and experienced in word processing. All coursework requires extensive computer usage. Accepted applicants are required to purchase a notebook computer with the following technical standards prior to matriculation:

    Windows-based notebook computer:

    - Pentium IV or Better
    - Ethernet adapter
    - 1GB of RAM-2GB Preferred
    - 80GB hard disk
    - CD-R/DVD combo drive
    - Ethernet adapter
    - 802.11b/g compatible wireless network card
    - Windows 2000 Professional/XP Professional/Vista
    - Office 2007 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
    - Microsoft Internet  Explorer 7
    - Internet access via personal Internet Service Provider (ISP)
    - Personal printer

    Mac Notebook Computer:

    - G4 PPC (700Mhz or greater), any G5 PPC, or any Intel-based.
    - 2GB of RAM
    - 80GB hard disk
    - CD-R/DVD combo drive
    - Ethernet adapter
    - 802.11b/g compatible wireless network card
    - OS X (10.2 or greater)
    - Office 2008 for Mac preferred
    - Safari (1.3 or greater) or Firefox (1.5 or greater)
    - Internet access via personal Internet Service Provider (ISP)
    - Personal printer

  4. Reference letters must be sent directly to the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) from:

    - A science faculty member, academic advisor or employer

    - A healthcare professional (preferably a physician or PA)
    - Letters from an educational consulting service will not qualify
    - Letters of reference must be submitted for each application year
  5. Applicants are encouraged to obtain patient care experience, sufficient to recognize the physical & psychological demands of dealing with patients and to appreciate the challenges and rewards of being a healthcare professional. 
  6. Applicants must successfully complete all prerequisite courses prior to matriculation with a grade of "C" or higher.
  7. Applicants who are considered potential candidates must visit ASHS to participate in an applicant interview process.

Prerequisite courses

Applicants must have completed the following courses prior to matriculation:

  • Human Anatomy and Human Physiology - one-year lecture with lab *
  • Microbiology *
  • General Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
  • Statistics
  • College Algebra or higher
  • English: two courses including at least one composition or literature course
  • Social Sciences: minimally a 100 level course providing an understanding of human behavior (e.g. general psychology, sociology, abnormal psychology, psychology of aging, political science, etc.)
  • International applicants earning a degree from a foreign institution must consult the international student application requirements or ASHS College Catalog PDF for more information.

* recommended within five years of application date