Pennsylvania

Program Spotlight: Salus University

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Location:  Elkins Park, Pennsylvania

Number of students: Approximately 50

Application Cycle:  April to the following March 1 through CASPA

Interview dates:  Beginning in September with weekly acceptances until the class is full

Start date: Fall

Length of Program:  25 months

Public/Private: Private

HCE: Minimum 300 hours

GPA: Minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.0; C or greater in prerequisites, and must be completed in the last 10 years

Shadowing: Minimum 20 hours, multiple disciplines recommended

The Good Stuff:

  • 2 separate 3+2 undergraduate affiliate programs with Brigham Young University - Idaho and with Western New England University

  • GRE required within the last 3 years

  • Prerequisites may be in progress when applying, but must be completed before matriculating

  • Cadaver lab

Program Link:  Salus University PA Program Website

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)

Program Spotlight: Marywood University

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Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Number of students: Approximately 40

Application Cycle: CASPA by November 1st, unless you are a Marywood student and then you may apply internally

Interview dates: August - October

Start date: May

Length of Program: 24 months

Public/Private: Private

HCE: 500 hours minimum

GPA: Minimum 3.0 overall and in science prerequisites (must be completed in last 7 years)

Shadowing: No specific requirement

The Good Stuff: 

  • You can choose a clinical focus for rotations - orthopedics, hospitalist, emergency medicine, or general surgery
  • Post-bacc program to become eligible for PA school
  • Pre-PA program - if you meet certain requirements, you can either have a guaranteed interview or guaranteed acceptance! 

Program Link: Marywood 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)

Program Spotlight: Arcadia University

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Location: Glendale, PA or Christiana, DE

Number of students:  100

Application Cycle:  CASPA with rolling admissions due by October 1st; if Arcadia student - August 1st

Interview dates:  June - December/January

Start date: Summer (May)

Length of Program: 2 years

Public/Private:  Private

HCE: Minimum 200 hours

GPA:  Recommended 3.0 or better; may make an exception for applicants with "exceptional" clinical experience (RN, OT, PT, PharmD) for >3 years

Shadowing: No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • Option of international rotations to Nicaragua
  • Dual MPH program available (3 years) - at Glenside campus only
  • Pre-PA 4+2 program
  • Full cadaver dissection lab
  • Simulation training 
  • Includes attendance to a national PA conference in tuition
  • Courses must have been completed within 10 years
  • One-on-one interviews

Program Link:  Arcadia 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)

Program Spotlight: Desales University

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Location: Center Valley, PA

Number of students: 80 (about 30 come from the undergraduate program)

Application Cycle:  April - December 1st through CASPA with rolling admissions

Interview dates:  July - January

Start date:  August

Length of Program:  24 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Minimum 500 hours (volunteer or paid) by matriculation, international experience does not count

GPA:  Overall and science GPA > 3.0

Shadowing:  No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • 2 options for admission - Apply after completing an undergraduate degree, or applying as a Medical Studies major to Desales University and doing 3 years with guaranteed admittance to the PA program (with completion of all requirements and an interview)
  • GRE requirement will be waived if MCAT score is > 30
  • Desales alumni are given an interview if they meet minimum requirements
  • Participants in the Yellow Ribbon Program - financial benefits for veterans and military 
  • Cadaver lab
  • Clinical time during first year/didactic
  • Free clinic that is a requirement for students to participate in
  • Interview - writing assignment, 2 one-on-one interviews
  • The school is a Catholic university

Program Link:  Desales University 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)

Program Spotlight: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Philadelphia)

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Location:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (with distant campus in Suwanee, GA)

Number of students:  55

Application Cycle:  April - December 1st through CASPA (with an application fee to PCOM) with rolling admissions

Interview dates:  September - February

Start date:  June

Length of Program:   26 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Minimum 200 hrs direct patient contact

GPA:   Overall and science GPA of 3.0, with minimum C in all prerequisites

Shadowing:  No specific requirement

The Good Stuff:

  • GRE is NOT required
  • Organic chemistry not specifically required
  • A blog post about a student's first week at PCOM.  (The author put Pennsylvania instead of Philadelphia, so just ignore that.)

Program Link:  PCOM - Philadelphia

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)

Program Spotlight: Duquesne University

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Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Application Cycle:  December 1st 

Length of Program:  3 years of undergraduate and 27 months of PA education

Class Size: 40 students

GPA:  Minimum 3.0

HCE: No requirement

Shadowing: Recommended, but not required

 

The Good Stuff:

  • This program is unique because it is a 5-year program that you start as college freshman with 3 years of prerequisite coursework, and then completion of the PA program.  
  • Service learning is incorporated into the curriculum. 
  • Must take SAT or ACT
  • The program has agreements set up with LaRoche College, St. Vincent College, and Westminister College that allow students to start at their schools and then transfer into the PA program after the third year.  

Program Link:  Duquesne University 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)

Program Spotlight: Drexel University

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Location:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Number of students:  75

Application Cycle:  April - October 1st through CASPA

Interview dates: August - February

Start date:  Fall (September)

Length of Program:  27 months

Public/Private:  Private

HCE:  Minimum 500 hours

GPA:  Minimum 3.0 with minimum B- for each course

Shadowing:  Recommended, but not required

The Good Stuff:

  • GRE is not required
  • It looks like there may be a part-time option, but there wasn't a ton of information about this except for to contact the program directly.  This makes it a 3 year program.
  • There is a cadaver lab, but PA students do not do any of the dissecting.
  • A 5-year undergraduate combined PA program is available.  Students must be accepted out of high school and maintain the expected grades and meet all requirements of PA school to be accepted.

Program Link:  Drexel University 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)

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