Admission Requirements

Requirements

Degree

• Baccalaureate Degree from a U.S. regionally accredited College or University.

Grade Point Average

• The following GPA are required:
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 (Undergraduate) or Overall Graduate GPA of 3.0 (only for applicants holding an earned graduate degree).
  • Prerequisite GPA of 3.2. 

Prerequisite Coursework

• A minimum grade of "C" or better is required for prerequisite coursework.
• Prerequisite coursework MUST have been completed no more than 10 years prior to matriculation. Courses must have been completed after January 1, 2016.
• CLEP (College Level Examination Program) or AP (Advanced Placement) course credit may not be used or substituted to meet prerequisite requirements.
• Experiential learning is not substituted for prerequisite coursework.
• Online courses from regionally accredited institutions are accepted.
• Courses only offered pass-fail by the college or university due to COVID 19 (Spring 2020 through Spring 2021) will be accepted and will not contribute to the calculated GPA or Pre-Requisite GPA. Pass-Fail courses will not be accepted if there was an option to choose pass-fail or graded. If it is not clearly stated on the transcript a letter will be required from the college or university to confirm that pass-fail was the only option.
• Degree and prerequisite coursework taken outside of the U.S. is not accepted (regardless if made equivalent by a U.S. institution).
• Applicants may have one (1) outstanding course at the time of the application deadline. For the 2025-2026 cycle, the outstanding course must be completed by the end of Spring Semester (May 31, 2026).
• Completion of a Medical Terminology course is strongly recommended for success in the program.

Direct Patient Care Experiences

• Applicants are expected to have hands-on, direct patient care experiences in a healthcare setting.
  • A minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care experience in a healthcare setting must be completed prior to application.
  • Direct patient care experiences in a healthcare setting will be evaluated based on the type of experience and the number of hours.
  • Quality of prior health care experience will be taken into consideration; favorable healthcare settings include:
    • Direct health care experience serving disadvantaged populations
  • Examples of direct patient care experiences in a healthcare setting may include but are not limited to:  EMT, Medical Scribe, Paramedic, Medical Assistant, Nurse, Surgical Technician, Athletic Trainer, Physical Therapy Aide, Medical Corpsman, and volunteer hours in a hospital or nursing home where there was direct contact with patients.
  • Applicants will submit verifiable information regarding their direct health care experiences.  

Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation are required.
• Letters should be from physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, research mentors, professors or volunteer coordinators/supervisors who had direct interaction with the applicant within the last 5 years and can attest to their qualities, strengths and suitability for a career as a physician assistant.
• Letters must not be from a family member or peer.

Personal and Supplemental Statements

• Personal and Supplemental Statements

Residency

• US Citizens.
• Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States: Applicants who are legal permanent residents of the U.S. will be required to provide a copy of their permanent resident card ("green card") prior to admission. Note: Permanent residency status "pending," is not eligible for admission.

Transfers of credits or Admission with Advanced Standing

• Transfer credit or admission with advanced standing from another PA program is not accepted.
• No advanced standing, or transfer credit is given to foreign medical school graduates. All learners admitted to the PA program must take all courses with their cohort.
• All of the curricular components of the program are required for graduation and must be completed at the Ithaca College Master of Science in Physician Assistant Program.