Admissions

Admission Requirements

Keiser University’s highly competitive on ground only Master of Science in Physician Assistant program matriculates every January. The program is full-time and accepts 40 students per admission cycle. Applicants for admission to the PA program must come from healthcare backgrounds and successfully meet the following requirements:

• Baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum natural science prerequisite GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum general education prerequisite GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Minimum combined verbal and quantitative GRE score of 294
• Minimum 20 hours of Physician Assistant (PA) shadowing
• Minimum 100 hours of healthcare experience (HCE)
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
• The Physician Assistant Program requires an earned grade of C (2.0) or better in each of the following prerequisite courses:
  • College Math or higher (3 semester credit hours)
  • English Composition (3 semester credit hours)
  • Additional English or Literature (3 semester credit hours)
  • Humanities (3 semester credit hours)
  • Behavioral Sciences (6 semester credit hours)
  • Social Science (3 semester credit hours)
  • Medical Terminology (2 semester credit hours)
  • General Biology with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • General (Inorganic) Chemistry I with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • General (Inorganic) Chemistry II with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • Microbiology with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry (3 semester credit hours)
  • Anatomy with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • Physiology with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • Genetics (3 semester credit hours)

Admission Document Requirements

• Verified CASPA Application (with Program Materials) – Includes initial $179 CASPA application fee, $72 CastleBranch background check fee and results, official transcript(s) or original foreign equivalent evaluated by a NACES recognized agency showing successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university, official GRE scores, current resume which includes education and work experience, official pending or in progress prerequisite transcript(s) (if applicable), three letters of recommendation, personal essay, healthcare experience (patient care/health related) and PA shadowing experience. What is verification? Click here to learn more.
• Completed Keiser University Online Supplemental Application – Includes KU graduate application, $55 non-refundable application fee and university/program-specific disclaimers and policy forms.

Failure to provide all required documentation within 30 days of matriculation will lead to the student’s removal from class. The student will not be allowed to return until all outstanding documentation is received by the program.

Enrollment Requirements

• Signed Acceptance Statement (included in acceptance letter)
• $145 non-refundable Registration fee
• $1000 non-refundable Physician fee
• Official conferred baccalaureate degree transcript or original foreign equivalent and (if applicable) all official pending prerequisite transcripts
• Official GRE scores (included in CASPA application)
• Financial aid completion and/or approval

 Matriculation Requirements

• Completion of Sentry MD (immunizations, drug screen and physical) – Students must submit the following proof of immunity for all immunization to Sentry MD prior to matriculation:
• Active personal health insurance coverage throughout the entire program
• A satisfactory physical examination
• PPD (positive results will require the student to receive a chest x-ray and further evaluation) or QUANTIFERON blood test
• Hepatitis B vaccine and positive Hep B Ab
• MMR vaccine or immunity
• Varicella history or vaccination
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis vaccine
• 10 panel Drug Screen
• Influenza vaccine.
• Clear background check results (conducted by the program)
• Meet all program technical standards – Click Program Technical Standards.

Other Important Information

Degree

Baccalaureate degrees must be completed at a regionally accredited college/university. Foreign degrees must be evaluated by a NACES recognized agency. While it may be best that an applicant’s degree be health or science specific, a degree in any discipline is acceptable. Admission is based on undergraduate coursework only.

• National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES®)

GPAs

GPA calculations are based on undergraduate coursework only and are calculated as follows:

• Cumulative – Includes all coursework and is the cumulative, overall or career total GPA given once a degree has been conferred. Or if applicable, any post-baccalaureate credits and grades are added to the cumulative, overall or career total GPA. Then, the GPA is re-calculated. We will not grant grade forgiveness.
• Natural science prerequisite – Includes only credits and grades from the required eight natural science prerequisite courses which are then calculated together. We will grant grade forgiveness.
• General education prerequisite – Includes only credits and grades from the required eight general education prerequisite courses which are then calculated together. We will grant grade forgiveness.

Standardized Test(s)

Our GRE score requirement includes an applicant’s combined verbal and quantitative sections. The analytical section is highly recommended, but is not a part of our GRE score requirement. An applicant’s GRE must have been taken within five years of the application year. We will only consider scores from one attempt and we do not combine scoring sections from different attempts. Our CASPA GRE Code is 0284. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®) will not be accepted.

If an applicant is not fluent in English, the applicant must present a TOEFL® score of 500 or higher on a paper-based examination, a score of 173 on a computer-based examination, an internet-based score (iBT) of 61 or an IELTS™ score of 6.0 or higher. Applicants who are exempt from submitting a test of English proficiency are those from Canada (excluding Quebec), Bermuda, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Applicants who have previously attended a high school, college or university in the United States for more than two years and have earned a C or better in English courses may be exempt from an English proficiency exam. All applicants must be able to read, write and speak English fluently.

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE®)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS™)

In addition, we highly recommend that all applicants take the Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT). This is a specialized test designed to measure applicant knowledge in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. For more specific details on the PA-CAT; including the exam blueprint, sample questions, application fees, along with how and where applicants can register to take the PA-CAT, visit the website at https://www.pa-cat.com.

Shadowing

Shadowing hours with a practicing PA must have been completed within two years of the application year. Shadowing additional healthcare providers such as an MD, OD, NP, etc. are highly recommended, but not required and will not be accepted in lieu of PA shadowing.

Healthcare Experience (HCE)

HCE can include direct patient care experience and in-direct health related experience although direct patient care experience is preferred.

Some examples of direct patient care experience include: Emergency Medical Technicians, Dental Hygienists or Assistants, Surgical Technicians, Radiological Technicians, Phlebotomists, Athletic Trainers, Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Medical Assistants, Certified Physical Therapists or Assistants and Certified Occupational Therapists or Assistants.

Some examples of in-direct health related experience include: Scribe, Pharmaceutical Representative, Research Technician, Volunteer, Missionary.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

We require three LOR:

• One MUST be from a practicing PA (preferably the PA the applicant has shadowed)
• One MUST be from another practicing healthcare provider (i.e. PA, MD, OD, NP, etc.)
• One personnel/professional recommendation (i.e. a professor, supervisor, co-worker, etc.)

It is in an applicant’s best interest to seek recommendations from individuals who are well acquainted with them academically, professionally and/or personally. LOR from a relative is only acceptable if the person is a practicing healthcare provider.

Prerequisites

All coursework must be assigned a letter grade of C (2.0) or better. Coursework from another PA program, any graduate level coursework, Pass/Satisfactory grades, certificates of completion and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits will not be accepted. We will accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework. However, high school transcripts must be submitted as a part of the applicant’s CASPA application (see Program Materials section) for grade verification. Course acceptance is not based on test scores. Applicants with quarter units should pay special attention to our credit requirements. Credit conversions MUST meet our requirements.

Click here to review our Credit Conversion Chart.

Applicants may not have more than two pending or in progress prerequisites at the time of application submission. Natural science lectures that are separate from labs will be counted separately (example: MCB2000C (one course – combined lecture and lab; hence the “C”) vs MCB3020 and MCB3020L (two courses – separate lecture and lab). All other required prerequisite coursework MUST be completed with reported grade(s) prior to application submission. Applicants submitting a CASPA application with greater than two pending or in progress prerequisites overall will not be considered.

All coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited college/university. Foreign coursework must be evaluated by a NACES recognized agency. Due to the rapid evolution in basic sciences, natural science prerequisite coursework must have been completed within 10 years of the application year. Natural science labs must be completed on ground only. All natural science coursework must be human-based only. Mammalian, Animal or “Comparative” coursework will not be accepted. A complete sequence of A and P I with lab and A and P II with lab will be accepted to meet Anatomy and Physiology (with labs) requirements. General (Inorganic) Chemistry (with labs) must be a complete sequence as well. Behavioral science must be Psychology based. Sociology and Anthropology may not substitute as behavioral science and will only be accepted as social science.

Not sure if your course(s) meet our prerequisite requirements? We have provided a list of courses offered by Keiser University that meet our program’s prerequisite requirements. Please review our list of KU courses here. You may have taken course(s) that are the same or similar based on the course description(s).

Still not sure? In order to properly evaluate any course(s) in question, please email PAProgram@keiseruniversity.edu. Your email’s subject line must read ‘Prerequisite Course Evaluation’ and must include the following information below in a legible format:

List each separately:

Your name

Short narrative (explain why you want the course evaluated and what prerequisite requirement you want the course associated with)

College/university name

College/university location (city and state)

Accreditation type (regional or national)

Course title

Course code

Number of credits

Credit type (semester hours or quarter units)

Delivery format (on campus or online)

Course description

No links, attachments or syllabi. Please allow up to two business days for a response.

DISCLAIMER: Requirements are subject to change. Therefore, prerequisite course evaluations DO NOT guarantee an applicant has met our requirements nor does meeting the minimum requirements guarantee an interview.

Background Checks

Criminal background checks will be conducted before, during and after matriculation. The university reserves the right to deny an application. Additionally, should the student become involved in criminal activity after program acceptance, in which the initial criminal background clearance status becomes compromised, the student will be withdrawn from the program. The program and the university will not modify the curriculum for students who have an unsatisfactory criminal background status.

Health Insurance

All students must carry active personal health insurance coverage for the entirety of the program. Compliance is monitored through Sentry MD. Keiser University DOES NOT provide personal health insurance to enrolled students, but we do provide information to search for health insurance options independently. Please click https://www.insuranceforstudents.com.

Student Selection Factors

We utilize a rolling admission process which means that completed files are reviewed, interviews are scheduled, and applicants are accepted on a continuous basis. A completed file includes all admission document requirements. It is an applicant’s responsibility to ensure that this process is complete. An applicant’s completed file will receive only one full review. It is very likely that all available seats may be filled prior to our program deadline. Therefore, it is always best to apply as early as possible. Program interviews are by invitation only and applicants should keep in mind that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview.​

Students are selected by the PA Program Interview Committee based upon a combination of:

• In person (only) interview
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA
• Natural science prerequisite GPA
• General education prerequisite GPA
• Combined verbal and quantitative GRE score
• Quality and length of healthcare experience (HCE)
• Physician Assistant (PA) shadowing experience
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
• Knowledge and understanding of the PA profession
• Personal essay and writing assessment
• Undergraduate academic load
• Background check results

Keiser University reserves the right to accept up to 5% of applicants to a graduate program who do not meet appropriate entrance test scores and/or GPA but who request admission based on other criteria. An appeal letter and accompanying documentation should be addressed to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for Graduate Education; such requests will be reviewed by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for Graduate Education, program leadership, and others as appropriate. If the appeal is approved, a waiver letter is placed in the applicant’s academic file by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for Graduate Education or the appropriate designee.

Advanced Placement Policy

The Physician Assistant program does not grant advance placement. Each class will be an integral part of the academic experience and is necessary for success in this program. All students must successfully complete all courses required in our program.

Transfer Policy

Due to variations in PA program curriculum throughout the country, students from other PA programs will not be accepted for transfer. In addition, transfer of credits from other PA programs will not be granted.