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Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Choosing CSP for your PA program means you’ll be able to confidently provide high-quality care to patients upon graduation. CSP will ensure our PA graduates are practice-ready and can hit the ground running as impactful healthcare professionals.
Within the program, you will learn how to interact with patients to provide diagnoses, prescribe medications, treat various illnesses, and perform some minor medical procedures. Applicants for the program should desire to become empathetic care providers who are motivated to help patients address their conditions so they can live healthy lives.
We take a balanced approach to training PAs. First, students complete four semesters of classroom-centered medical and scientific instruction. Upon completing that portion, the program transitions into three semesters of clinical rotations which focus on nine specific areas of medical expertise, alongside two additional electives. Those valuable clinical rotations will help you gain practical experience in a supervised setting.
This program is a new offering that is seeking ARC-PA Provisional Accreditation and is not currently an accredited PA program.
BLS estimates a job growth for PA positions of 28% over the next decade.
Our world-class faculty use their decades of experience to nurture your success from the first day of class all the way to graduation— and beyond.
“Students will have the opportunity to advance into a remarkably human-facing career where they can have a profound impact on their future patients, their families, and the local healthcare communities they will serve.”
Dr. Van Hecke will lead CSP Global’s new Physician Assistant program, bringing 15 years of experience serving as a PA in various healthcare settings.
PAs are in high demand throughout the healthcare industry. As essential members of the diagnostic and care team for millions of patients, hospitals and medical clinics are increasingly turning to PAs for diagnosis and treatment of common ailments, patient education, and more.
CSP Global is extending the university’s catalog of healthcare-related degree programs that offer affordable, quality, focused academic programming that leads to practice-ready professionals in rewarding career fields.
Physician Assistants (PAs) have emerged as an essential part of the patient care team within hospitals, clinics, and medical specialty programs. They are licensed medical professionals who practice medicine in every medical specialty and medical setting. As trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered and team-based medical practice. PAs are able to diagnose and treat medical diseases and conditions, order and interpret medical tests, prescribe medications, and offer a wide range of treatment regimens for their patients.
PAs practice in every work setting, from hospitals and urgent care centers to outpatient offices and clinics, often serving as a patient’s primary care provider. They practice medicine in all medical and surgical specialties,including family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, gerontology, and more.
PAs are not medical doctors, but they serve in much of the same capacity within the training and licensure that covers their areas of expertise. They often work alongside MDs to ensure a continuum of care, depending on the scope of a patient’s individual needs. PAs require a specific graduate degree that is highly structured and standardized, so the scope of their patient care is consistent across healthcare organizations.
For more information on the PA profession please visit the American Academy of Physician Associates.
CSP Global is in the process of securing ARC-PA Provisional Accreditation and is not currently an accredited PA program.
The university has successfully obtained accreditation approvals for the PA program from both the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission. The PA program is scheduled to submit its Provisional Accreditation Application to the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) in March 2025, with a site visit planned for June 2025. The ARC-PA will make its accreditation decision during its September 2025 meeting, with official notification expected in October 2025.
During the ARC-PA accreditation process, the PA program is allowed to proceed with its application cycle, offering “conditional program acceptance” and “conditional program waitlist status” to applicants before the official accreditation decision is made. In the event that the PA program is not granted ARC-PA accreditation, any applicants who received a “conditional program acceptance” will be promptly notified. Additionally, any deposits submitted to secure a position in the inaugural cohort will be refunded.
CSP Global’s PA program is being led by leading healthcare industry professionals who know PA requirements inside and out. The requirements are highly standardized, so the university has a detailed plan to ensure compliance with all accreditation requirements. CSP Global has multiple programs in healthcare and medicine that are fully accredited, proven, and highly effective in developing practice-ready medical professionals. The PA program structure and staffing will directly reflect industry best practices and standards to prepare students for rewarding careers as Physician Assistants.
All prospective students who align meet the minimum requirements for admission and the technical standards are encouraged to apply. The PA program utilizes the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). CASPA is an online application service that facilitates the application process for our prospective PA students. For more information on the CASPA please visit https://caspa.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. The CSP PA program does not require prospective students to take or report an admissions exam (e.g. GRE, MCAT, PA-CAT, or CASPer).
Admissions Requirements:
Prospective Student Required Technical Standards for Admission:
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.
The PA program from CSP Global will include 7 consecutive semesters over a 28-month timeframe. Students will engage in four semesters of classroom-based medical and science instruction, followed by three semesters of clinical rotations. The clinical rotations will cover nine specific areas of medical care focus, including two electives to help students gain clinical practice experience and apply their medical knowledge in supervised clinical practice settings.
Much like nursing, PA roles are in extremely high demand across hospital and clinical settings. They are also in high demand regardless of region, including rural and metropolitan areas. PAs are increasingly relied on as a primary provider to patients for general medical issues, diagnosis, and treatment.
According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for PAs is expected to grow by 27-28 percent over the next decade, which is much faster than the rate of growth for occupations overall.