Duke's PA program is consistently ranked extremely high every year, and their standards and requirements reflect that. Here's some info if Duke is at the top of your list!
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Number of students: 88
Application Cycle: Opens in April. CASPA by Oct 1; supplemental application by Nov. 1 - priority if complete by August 15!
Interview dates: October - January (~240 invites) with rolling admissions
Start date: August
Length of Program: 24 months
Public/Private: Private
HCE: minimum of 1,000 hours of direct care by the time your application is complete (~1 year working full time)
Shadowing: No specific requirements
The Good Stuff:
- Diversity is encouraged!
- Technically no GPA requirement, but must have at least a C in all courses
- Although you are encouraged not to work, students may work up to 20 hrs weekly during the first year
- Pre-reqs must be COMPLETE by the December before matriculation
- Not good chances for college seniors (<5% of 2014 class) unless you have a ton of HCE
- International students must have 1 year (30 hours) of classes at a US college
- Prerequisites - doesn't specifically require Organic chemistry or labs with anatomy
- Relatively affordable at about 38,000 a year for tuition (similar to many public schools)
- Decision will come in the mail no later than March 1
- There's no specific time frame that prerequisites must have been taken in
- They lease computers to students to use during the program
- They offer Orthopedic and Surgical residency programs
Program Link: Duke PA Program
For the most up to date information on PA programs in one place, check out The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs. (Affiliate link)