Our Program
The Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) Program prepares the student to assume the roles and duties of a physician assistant after they have successfully passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.
The Physician Assistant Program consists of acceptance as a graduate student at the University of Findlay, being accepted into the MPA Program, and completion of all required professional-level courses and demonstration of specified competencies.
The program begins in August of each year and continues for seven semesters (a total of 28 months), including summers. The first four semesters involve classroom instruction using various instructional modalities including lecture, demonstration, small and large group activities, and seminar-type class work. Other clinically-related, out of the classroom activities are integrated into the didactic phase.
During the last three semesters, each student will train full-time at various clinical sites. Each student is provided with the required clinical experiences in family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, women's health, general surgery, emergency medicine, and psychiatry/mental health. During this phase of his or her educational experience, the student will be expected to travel to off-campus sites to complete the required clinical work. A clinical experience in an area of interest is also required.
At a minimum, to be eligible for admission into the physician assistant program the applicant must fulfill all the following requirements:
- Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or first-professional doctorate-degree, specifically when no baccalaureate degree was offered (e.g., PharmD. etc.).
- Have an overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all college or university course work completed
- Submission of documentation demonstrating or providing the resources to calculate the following minimum GPAs:
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 from all colleges or universities attended;
- A minimum science GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 as calculated and reported by CASPA;
- A minimum non-science GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 as calculated and reported by CASPA;
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 for all program-specific prerequisites and no more than two grades of “C”; (Specific Prerequisite Courses)
- Have completed the
Specific Prerequisite Courses with no final grade in any course less than a "C" either at the time of application or prior to entering the program.
- There is no requirement for health care experience, and having no health care experience will not disqualify any candidate.
- Those with health care experience as reported to CASPA will be given preference in the admission process based on type and amount of experiences.
- Those with greater number of hours in a skilled position will be awarded more admission points than those with fewer hours in a less skilled position (Recommended Shadowing).
- Successfully complete all program specific prerequisites.
- Courses successfully completed within the last five years are recognized as ideal
- Courses completed 10 or more years prior to application to the program are generally considered to have exceeded the program statutory limits
- Courses that fall within the ten or more year limit include:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Medical terminology
- We do not require the GRE
The UF PA program does not accept any transfer credits or advanced placement into the program for any coursework, including coursework completed at other PA or medical programs. A rare exception may exist if a student may be relocating due to a change in accreditation status with his/her physician assistant program. In such instances, an exception may be made allowing a student to receive admission and credit for coursework from another institution on a case-by-case basis entirely at the discretion of the UF PA program after discussion with the ARC-PA. In such instances, individuals receiving credit for coursework completed elsewhere must satisfactorily demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for students already enrolled in the UF PA program at that same level. Students in this situation may be assigned additional work to be completed over the remainder of their time in the program to make up for any deficiencies noted.
Prerequisite courses taken at other colleges or universities may be deemed equivalent to courses taken at The University of Findlay by the Office of the Registrar and/or the PA program chair. Grades below a "C" are not acceptable for meeting program-specific coursework requirements. If an applicant has more than two grades of a "C" in any of the prerequisite courses, the application will not be processed further.
Any coursework in progress after submission of the CASPA application must be completed with a “C” or higher and maintain the required minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in order to be eligible for admission into the program.
Health Care Experience
- No absolute type or number of hours is required
- The amount and type of health care experience will be used in the decision-making process for admission into the program
- May include volunteer and/or paid health care experiences, or shadowing
- It must occur in an area in which patient care is being delivered
- Health care experiences are reported to CASPA
International Students
If an applicant is not a U.S. citizen, a minimum score as listed below on one of the TOEFL exams or the IELTS must be achieved:
- 100 on a verified Internet-based (IBT) (minimums of 25 in speaking and 25 in writing)
- 8.0 overall minimum band score on an International English Testing System (IELTS)
Additionally, if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen or if the student has non-U.S. school transcripts the University's Office of International Admissions and Services requires additional specific documentation.
All applicants, including those who have non-U.S. school transcripts, must submit a minimum of 20 semester hours (30 quarter hours) of undergraduate, graduate or professional college program course work obtained at an accredited college or university in the United States.
Physical Examination Requirement
Applicants must provide evidence of a current physical examination including documentation of immunizations due at the time of entry into the PA program. The health form will be provided after acceptance into the program. Applicants must also provide evidence of health care insurance at the time of entry into the PA program.
Background Check
Applicants will undergo a background check prior to entry to the PA program. Specific instructions concerning this requirement will be provided upon acceptance into the MPA program. Certain findings of a background check could result in the seat of the class being revoked. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants with felony convictions should check with their state PA-licensing agency to determine if such a conviction could result in denial of licensure after graduation.
Technical Standards
All applicants and enrolled students must meet or exceed the technical standards which describe the expectations and abilities in order to achieve the level of competency required for graduation and ultimately practice as a physician assistant. By clearly identifying these key attributes it is anticipated that persons with disabilities will have increased opportunities while maintaining the expectation that all students achieve the goals of the program. The complete listing of the
Technical Standards is encouraged to be reviewed. Submit a signed form acknowledging your ability to meet the technical standards.
The University of Findlay's physician assistant program only accepts applications through CASPA. All official post-secondary transcripts must be sent to both CASPA and t he University of Findlay. The PA program requires a supplemental application (see
Application Process).
A personal interview will be granted to those applicants who are deemed to be the most highly qualified for a position in the class.