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 or Zoology with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • General (Inorganic) Chemistry I and II with labs (8 semester credit hours)
  • Microbiology with lab (4 semester credit hours)
  • Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry (3 semester credit hours)
  • Anatomy and Physiology with labs (8 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 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
• 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™)

Shadowing

PA shadowing 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 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, Pharmacy Representative, Research Technician, Volunteer, Missionary.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

We require three LOR. The first letter must be from a practicing PA; preferably a PA an applicant has shadowed. The second letter must be from a practicing healthcare provider of any field such as another PA or an MD, OD, NP, etc. The third letter can be a personal recommendation from 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

Pass/Fail credits will not be accepted. Also, 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.

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. Anatomy and Physiology coursework must be human-based only. No “Comparative” courses. 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.

Not sure if your course(s) meet our prerequisite requirements? Please review our list of KU courses here.

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:

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

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

The Physician Assistant program does not grant advance placement. All students must successfully complete all courses required in our program.