Physician Assistant Admissions Process

All students matriculating into the CSP PA Program must have a minimum of a bachelor degree (in any area of study), from an accredited college or university, or an appropriately certified foreign institution.

Applicants may apply in the year prior to their bachelor degree is awarded and receive a conditional acceptance before the degree is conferred. The degree must be awarded before starting the PA program, demonstrated by submission of an official transcript (unofficial may serve as temporary placeholder, if the awarded degree is reported on the document, until an official transcript is available).

Unless a bachelor degree is in process, official transcripts, from an accredited college or university stating the conferral of a bachelor degree, are required and must be submitted through CASPA. Additionally, submit all official transcripts from institutions where required prerequisite coursework was completed (if different from bachelor degree college or university) through CASPA.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application, as calculated by CASPA, and at the time of starting the PA program.

• Human or Animal Anatomy – One semester, associated lab encouraged
• Human or Animal Physiology – One semester, associated lab encouraged
  • Cannot use a single semester of a combined Anatomy and Physiology course to fulfill both prerequisites.
  • Combined Anatomy and Physiology courses, within a sequenced course series, may be used to fulfill both prerequisites, but each course is then required (one will count for Anatomy and the other for Physiology).
• Microbiology – One semester, associated lab course optional
• Biochemistry – One semester, associated lab course optional
• Statistics – One semester

All prerequisite courses must be of the upper-divisional offering (200 level or greater) at the college or university where they are completed. Applicants may apply with no more than two remaining prerequisite courses in-progress or yet to be completed and receive a conditional acceptance before these prerequisite courses are completed. The courses must be completed before starting the PA program, demonstrated by submission of an official transcript (unofficial may serve as temporary placeholder, if the course completion or final grade are reported on the document, until an official transcript is available).

The CSP PA Program does not award advanced placement into the PA Program. Post-secondary enrollment options (PSEO) or advanced placement courses cannot be used toward prerequisite course completion. No prerequisite courses, additional relevant education, or past work experience will substitute for content within the professional component of the program.

Applicants must record a minimum of 500 hours of direct patient contact experience, at the time of application.

Direct patient contact experience hours can be obtained through volunteer and/or compensated opportunities and must be verifiable. Shadowing hours do not count toward direct patient contact experience hours. Examples of roles or jobs that demonstrate acceptable direct patient contact experience hours includes: nursing roles, EMT-P, EMT-B, sonography, radiology tech, emergency department tech, personal care assistant, phlebotomist, laboratory tech, dietitian, physical therapy roles, chiropractor, dental roles (dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant), and medical scribes. Additional sources of direct patient contact experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation through CASPA. Letters of recommendation can be professional, academic, or personal. Letters of recommendation cannot be submitted from an immediate family member.

The CSP PA Program does not require any graduate standardized admissions tests for admission, including but not limited to, the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, PA-CAT, or CASPER.

Anatomy – Human or animal, one semester, associated lab encouraged

Physiology – Human or animal, one semester, associated lab encouraged
CSP offerings: BIO315 & BIO316 Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II

Microbiology – One semester, associated lab course optional
CSP offerings: BIO300 Microbiology

Biochemistry – One semester, associated lab course optional
CSP offerings: CHE328 Biochemistry I

Statistics – One semester
CSP offerings: MAT340: Advanced Statistics or PSY380: Research Methods with Statistical Applications

Yes, accepted students to the CSP PA Program must complete a criminal background check through Certiphi. Results must be released to the CSP PA Program prior to matriculation, and the cost of this process will be borne by the accepted student. Accepted students are required to disclose all past or present charges, convictions, dismissals, deferred judgments, and expunged records related to a misdemeanor or felony. They are also obligated to disclose any additional charges and convictions that occur following completion of the initial criminal background check. Admission to the program may be revoked if misrepresentations or omissions from the application are discovered in the background check.

Prior to the clinical phase, CSP PA Program students are required to complete a drug screening through LabCorps and a criminal background check through Certiphi (as described above). Results of both screenings must be released to the CSP PA Program by the deadline provided and progression into the clinical phase will be determined based on the results. The cost of this process will be borne by the student.

All applicants to the CSP PA Program must complete and submit all components of the CASPA application per their guidelines and instructions.

For the most updated information, regarding CASPA costs, please refer to their website. As of January 2025, CASPA charges applicants $179 for the first program applied to and an additional $56 for every subsequent program applied to.

CASPA offers a limited number of fee-waivers for applicants. Please refer to CASPA’s website for more information.

The CSP PA Program has no supplemental essays or supplemental application. There is no additional cost or supplemental application fee to apply to the CSP PA Program.

Prospective students from medically-underserved communities (as defined by HRSA), first-generation college students, Concordia University undergraduates and alumni, and active military or veterans in good standing are encouraged to apply.* Prospective students from these groups, who submit a complete application to the program and meet the program admission requirements and technical standards, will automatically receive an interview.

National data shows that matriculated PA students have an average undergraduate GPA of 3.6 and approximately 3,200 hours of patient care experience.* Competitive applicants are able to clearly express their motivation to become a PA, highlighting a strong sense of purpose or calling to be a patient-centered, empathetic medical provider committed to serving their community and improving the health and wellness of their patients.

*PA Education Association, By the Numbers: Program Report 36: Data from the 2021 Program Survey, Washington, DC: PAEA; 2023 DOI: 10.17538/PR36.2021.

A non-refundable, $1,000, deposit is required from each applicant within one week of being offered admission. Submitting this deposit confirms acceptance into the CSP PA Program and secures a seat in the cohort. The deposit will be applied toward the first-semester tuition.

In the event the CSP PA Program is denied Provisional Accreditation from the ARC-PA and newly accepted students have paid the $1,000 deposit, this WILL be refunded.

The Concordia University – St. Paul (CSP) Physician Assistant (PA) Program is designed to prepare students for licensure as a Physician Assistant (PA). Our curriculum is structured, upon graduation, to meet the requirements framed by the Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates from the PA Educational Association and set forth by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), and the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. The CSP PA Program is currently seeking Provisional Accreditation status from the ARC-PA.

All graduates of the CSP PA Program will be eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Successful completion of the PANCE is a requirement for PA licensure in most states.

The CSP PA Program curriculum, and successfully obtaining national certification through the NCCPA, meets the updated educational requirements for professional licensure as a Physician Assistant in all 50 states (AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MS, MO, MN, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY). Licensure requirements for Physician Assistants may vary from state to state, and it is important for students to be aware of the specific requirements of the state in which they intend to practice.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review the licensure requirements of the state in which they plan to practice and contact the respective state medical board or licensing authority for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

The CSP PA Program is committed to supporting our students throughout their educational journey, including guidance on licensure preparation. Our faculty and staff are available to assist students in understanding licensure requirements and navigating the application process. It is important to note that obtaining a license to practice as a Physician Assistant is separate from completing an educational PA program. Licensure decisions are made by the individual state medical boards or licensing authorities based on their individual criteria. If you have any questions or require additional information regarding licensure, please feel free to contact our Program Director, Dr. Eric Van Hecke at [email protected].