Direct Entry and Dual Degree BS/MS Pre-Physician Assistant Programs

Direct Entry PA Programs There are 41 direct entry, dual degree BS/MS Physician Assistant (PA) programs in the United States. These programs offer the opportunity for early provisional acceptance to exceptional high school students wishing to accelerate their academic and career paths to become physician assistants. Application for the program is usually made during the senior year of high school. Most often accepted applicants go on to complete a five-year (3+2) Bachelor of Science program in biological sciences/Master of Science program in physician assistant studies. There are multiple variations on this theme which are reflected on the pre-physician assistant program websites which I have linked to below. The BSHS/MSPA Programs are rigorous and admission is highly competitive. Successful applicants are typically strong students academically, especially in the sciences. Often, to be considered for admission, the applicant should be a high school senior in the top 10% of his or her class with an SAT score (Critical Reading and Math) of 1220 or higher with a Math score of 570, or a Combined ACT score of 24 or higher. Healthcare experience is not required but is of benefit. An understanding of the role of the physician assistant is expected. This direct entry admission option to the PAprograms are often (although not always) available only to first-year students. 41 (and growing) Direct Entry and Dual Degree BS/MS Pre-Physician Assistant (PA) Programs The following table and legend were last updated 03/2019.If you are aware of additional programs offering pre-professional, dual degree or direct entry BS/MS programs please let me know in the comments section below. Programs labeled competitive may require that the student reapplies for entry into the professional or graduate phase of the PA program or interview or obtain the recommendation of their program. Generally, it means that acceptance into the professional phase is not guaranteed upon successful completion of the pre-professional phase. Name of Program and MS/BS Weblink State Pre-Professional Phase (years/degree) Competitive Process for Advancement (yes/no) Professional Phase (years/degree) Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences NY Three years No Offering a 28-month Physician Assistant program leading to a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Arcadia University PA Four years/ bachelors degree in majors such as biology, chemistry, or psychology No Two years/ Master of Medical Science Butler University Closed to new applicants Chatham University PA Highly qualified first-year applicants to Chatham University are eligible for guaranteed or preferred admission to Chatham's integrated undergraduate and graduate degree programs Yes 24 months / Masters of Physician Assistant Studies College of Saint Mary NE 3 + 2 program Three years/ Bachelor of Science in human biology Yes Two years/ Master of Medical Science DYouville College NY 4.5 years, combined pre-professional and professional phase/Bachelor of Science No Master of Science Daemen College NY Four to five years, combined pre-professional and professional phase/ no single degree conferred No 33 months/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science and Master of Science in PA Studies upon completion of all requirements DeSales University PA Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Medical Studies No Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies Drexel University PA Three years/ bachelors degree Yes 27 months/ Master of Health Science Duquesne University PA Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (5-year complete program) No 27 months/ Master of PA Studies Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University LA Early admission will be considered after completion of 3.5 years of biology-human medicine curriculum / Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology-Human Medicine Track Yes 26 months /Master of Medical Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies Gannon University PA 3 + 2combined pre-professional and professional phase (5-year complete program) No Master of PA Science Jefferson University PA Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science No 25 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies Hofstra University NY Three years No 28 months/dual degree: Bachelor of Science in PA Studies/Master of Science in PA Studies Kettering College OH 3 + 2 program Three years/ Bachelor of Science in human biology Yes Two years/ Master of PA Studies Kings College PA 3 + 2 program Three years/Bachelor of Science in Medical Studies No Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies Le Moyne College NY Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts Yes Two years/ Master of Science Lock Haven University PA Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science; prepares students for application to a number of PA programs across the country and to the LHU PA program Yes Two years/ Master of Health Science Marquette University WI Two years/ Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences Yes Three years/ Master of PA Studies Marywood University PA Three years (sometimes two)/bachelor's degree Yes 27 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston MA 30 months/ Bachelor of Science in Premedical and Health Studies Yes Two years/ Master of PA Studies New York Institute of Technology NY Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences Yes Three years/ Master of Science in PA Studies Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT) PA One year of pre-professional preparation recommended at Penn College (one of PCTs academic schools)/Bachelor of Science 27 months at PCT/Option for a Masters in Health Science available through Nova Southeastern University in Florida Quinnipiac University CT Four years/ Bachelor of Science in Health and Science Studies No 27 months/ Master of Health Science Rochester Institute of Technology NY Two years Yes Three years/ Combined Bachelor of Science/ Master of Science in PA Studies Rutgers NJ 3 + 3 program Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts Yes Three Years Master of Science Salus University (pre-professional phase completed at Brigham Young University in IdahoandWestern New England University) PA Three years/bachelors degree from BYUI Yes Two years/Master's of Medical Science in PA Studies Seton Hall University PA 3 years / Bachelor of Sciences in Biology Yes 3 year Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Seton Hill University PA 2.5 years No 27 or 29 months/ Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science upon completion of the program Slippery Rock University PS 3 years Bachelor of sciences Yes 2 year Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Springfield College MA 33 months/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science Yes 27 months/ Master of Science St. Francis University PA Physician Assistant Science Program, B.S. in Health Science + Master of Physician Assistant Science (5-year) Yes Master of Physician Assistant Science (2-year) Stockton University NJ Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) No Master of Physician Assistant Studies (2-year) Union College (UC) NE Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in biology, chemistry, or psychology; or Bachelor of Science in international rescue and relief; prepares students for application to a number of PA programs across the country and to the UC PA program Yes 33 months/ Master of PA Studies University of Detroit Mercy MI Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Biology Yes Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies University of the Cumberlands KY Three years as pre-PA biology major/ Bachelor of Health Science Yes Two years/ Master of Physician Assistant Studies University of Evansville IN Three years as pre-PA biology major/ Bachelor of Health Science Yes Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies University of the Sciences (USP) PA Three years Yes Three Years Master of Science -Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Graduate PA Program University of St. FrancisFt. Wayne IN After completing a bachelor's degree, students move directly into PA master's degree curriculum with no additional application process No 27 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies Valparaiso University IN Three years / Bachelor of Science in Health Science degree Yes Two years / Master of Science in Physician Assistant Wagner College NY Three years Yes Three years/ Bachelor of Science/ Master of Science in Advanced PA Studies and a PA Certificate of Completion Legend and Notes: Programs labeled competitive may require that the student reapplies for entry into the professional or graduate phase of the PA program or interview or obtain the recommendation of their program. Generally, it means that acceptance into the professional phase is not guaranteed upon successful completion of the pre-professional phase. Degrees earned for completion of the pre-professional phase are frequently not awarded by the programs until students successfully complete the first year of the professional phase or upon graduation from the programs professional. Do you have an opinion about direct entry PA programs or a PA program update you would like to share? If so, just let me know down below in the comments section below. You may also like -Does PA Program Length Matter? In a time long, long ago, just before the release of the first iPhone, I graduated from the UMDNJ (now Rutgers) PA program. It was a three-year PA program with a nearly 100% PANCE pass rate. At the time, Rutgers was one of the best []2017 Physician Assistant Program Tuition and Cost Comparison Table 2017 Physician Assistant Program Tuition and Cost Comparison Tuition and cost data of resident andnonresidenttuition including length and duration of all US PA programs. 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