Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant Pathway

GPA PROGRAM

*Continued enrollment in the GPA program is contingent upon successful completion of the following requirements:

Application Requirements (completed prior to beginning undergraduate coursework):

• Submit LMU online undergraduate application. Recommended programs: Biology, Chemistry, Medical Laboratory Science (BS)
• Submit Undergraduate Admission requirements: ACT/SAT scores- minimum 24 or 1180 and official transcripts
• Submit GPA Program Application (including reference letters)

Undergraduate Benchmarks/Requirements (to be completed during undergraduate coursework):

• The student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.3 to remain in the program
• Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher on the first attempt. (We do not accept prerequisite courses with a grade of "C-", "D", or "F". This will be cause for dismissal from the GPA program).  Retakes are not permitted.

• Patient Contact / Shadowing

  • Patient Contact Hours: A minimum of 150 hours of verifiable direct patient care must be completed in either a volunteer or paid capacity. The admissions committee recognizes direct patient care experience to include: Directly taking vitals, taking or recording patient histories, assisting in surgeries, procedures such as drawing labs, giving injections, etc. Medical assistant, physical therapist/PT aide/assistant, respiratory therapist, occupational therapist, EMT/paramedic, LPN, RN, NP, CNA, nurse's aide, phlebotomist, medical corpsman, pharmacist assistant, hospital social worker, psychologist, x-ray tech, ER tech, peace corps volunteer, clinical health education, athletic trainer, hospice (if experience includes direct patient care), dietician, scribe, dental assistant/hygienist. Others may be considered if emailed with detailed information.
  • Shadowing- A minimum of 40 hours of verifiable time must be completed shadowing a Physician Assistant (PA) with at least 20 of those hours spent shadowing a PA in a primary care setting (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics or Emergency Medicine/Urgent Care).

  Part of the application includes:

  • Complete the CASPA and supplemental application. Students are also required to complete CASPer and Snapshot.
  • Complete a successful interview process (student must display professionalism and emotional maturity)
  • Letters of recommendation:
    • Applicants are also required to submit two required letters of reference which should be submitted to CASPA. References should be as follows: At least one letter/reference must be from a physician assistant (PA). A second letter must be from an additional physician assistant, or physician, dentist, podiatrist, or optometrist, academic advisor, science/mathematics professor, or current/recent employer. An applicant can only be considered for an alternate and not for full acceptance until letters are received.

Required Technical Standards, Competencies, and Admission Requirements (to be completed, if accepted, prior to matriculation into the PA program):

• Medical Clearance (includes technical standards)
• Background Check
• Drug Screen

GPA Program Application