Admissions

• Applications will be accepted beginning August 1, 2024.
• Complete the online application for graduate admission to Pfeiffer University for the M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies program.
• Qualified candidates are eligible to be invited for an on-campus interview.
• All applicants will receive a final notification regarding their application status by January 15th.

Each applicant will be evaluated on the following criteria. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview or acceptance. Most competitive applicants meet or exceed the minimum requirements.

• Baccalaureate Degree from a regionally accredited College or University.
• Recommended Overall Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher.
• Recommended Prerequisite Grade Point Average of 3.2 or higher.
• Trends U60 GPA (Last 60 credit hours).
• Minimum of 500 hours of Direct Patient Care Experience
• Minimum of 24 hours of Shadowing a Physician Assistant
• Letters of Recommendation
• Personal Statement
• CASPer®Test Score
• Performance during the interview

Interview Process

Applicants are considered for an on-campus interview based on the strength of their application in meeting or exceeding the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program requirements as compared against the applicant pool.

• Admissions Committee Members will lead interview teams. If necessary, program instructional faculty may be asked to participate in the admissions interview process.
• Notification of an interview will be sent to the applicant’s email submitted on the Pfeiffer University application.
• An interview is required for admission.
• Interviews will occur once the program has received permission from the ARC-PA to accept a cohort for January 2025 matriculation (Institutional notification should occur in October 2024.)
• All applicants should understand that acceptance into a physician assistant program is an extremely competitive process. An interview does not constitute or guarantee acceptance.

Interview day will include all of the following activities:

• Individual interview
• Campus tour of the Center for Health Sciences
• Q & A with current students

Interviewed applicants will be notified by email of the Admissions Committee decision shortly after the interview.

Post-Acceptance Requirements

Conditional acceptance is contingent on:

Each applicant accepted into the program must pay non-refundable $1000 seat/orientation fee. Seat deposits are not refundable. Upon acceptance and receipt of seat/orientation fee, the following conditions must be met and completed by the stated deadlines to matriculate into the program.

• Background Check
• Drug Screen
• Immunization History/Verification
• Physician Examination
• HIPPA/OSHA Certification
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification
• Technical Standards

Background Checks

• All students who have been offered conditional acceptance must complete a criminal background check prior to matriculation.
• All matriculated students must complete a second criminal background check upon completion of the didactic phase of the program.
• Additional criminal background checks remain at the discretion of affiliated hospitals or clinics and/or the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program.
• A student may be prevented from progressing in the program’s didactic phase, being promoted to the clinical phase of the program or being recommended for graduation if the results of the criminal background check prohibits a student from rotating in affiliated hospitals or clinics. Therefore, the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program reserves the right to withdraw offers of conditional acceptance if criminal or other negative legal histories are uncovered during the background check.
• The Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program encourages candidates to verify with the State licensing board in which the wish to practice determining whether their background may be a barrier to future licensing. North Carolina State Laws on Physician Assistant Licensure and Practice

Required Drug Screen

• All students who have been offered conditional acceptance must successfully pass an initial chain of custody drug screen prior to matriculation.
• All matriculated students must complete and successfully pass a second chain of custody drug screen upon completion of the didactic phase prior to entering the clinical phase of the program.
• Additional chain of custody drug screens and “for cause” testing for any student suspected of being under the influence of unlawful drugs or alcohol during their course of study remains at the discretion of affiliated hospitals or clinics and/or the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program.
• A student may be prevented from progressing in the program’s didactic phase, being promoted to the clinical phase of the program, or being recommended for graduation if the student fails a chain of custody drug screen. Therefore, the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS program reserves the right to withdraw offers of conditional acceptance if the candidate fails the initial chain of custody drug screen.

Required Physical Examinations and Immunizations

• A comprehensive physical examination by a licensed medical provider must be completed indicating that the conditionally accepted applicant is free of infectious disease and has been medically cleared for admission.
• The Student Health Packet includes instructions and the following forms:
  • Medical History
  • Physical Examination
  • Immunization Verification*
  • Chain of Custody Drug screen
  • Presentation of a valid CPR for Healthcare Providers certification
• All applicants must meet the program’s Technical Standards.

*Student immunization requirements are based on the Centers for Disease Control Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers.

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in withdrawal of the conditional acceptance offer.

Many universities allowed students to change the grading of courses to Pass/Fail during the pandemic. As such, the admissions committee has approved the Pass/Fail option for the following prerequisite courses taken during the Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021 only.

• Psychology
• Statistics
• Medical Terminology

Please note that pass/fail coursework will not factor into the GPA calculations.

Pfeiffer University students and alumni who meet or exceed program requirements will be granted an interview.

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited College of University prior to matriculation. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 is recommended.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended are required and must be sent to Pfeiffer University for review and verification.
• No specific degree is required.

The following GPA is recommended:

• Overall GPA of 3.0
• Prerequisite GPA of 3.2
• Trends U60 GPA (Last 60 credit hours)

Most competitive applicants meet or exceed the minimum requirements.

All applicants must take the CASPer® Assessment in order to be considered for an interview. CASPer® is an online open-response situational judgment test (SJT) that helps determine behavioral tendencies of applicants pursuing people-centered professions. For more information regarding the CASPer ® test, dates, fees or to create an account please visit: acuityinsight.app.

• Applicants are responsible for CASPer® test fees.
• There is no minimum CASPer® score required.
• Only the CASPer® assessment is required. The Snapshot and Duet assessments are not required.

The GRE and PA-CAT are not admissions requirements.

• The following are REQUIRED courses and MUST be completed from a regionally accredited institution. A prerequisite GPA of 3.2 or higher is recommended.
• Please note that all prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to matriculation.
• Competitive applicants meet or exceed the 3.2 minimum requirement.

• Requisite coursework MUST have been completed no more than 7 years prior to matriculation. We strongly recommend that applicants refresh any prerequisite course older than 5 years.
• One course cannot be used to satisfy multiple prerequisites.
• Experiential learning is not substituted for prerequisite coursework.
• Online courses and labs from regionally accredited institutions are accepted.

North Carolina Community College Equivalents

Please use the chart below to plan your prerequisite pathway.

• Applicants are expected to have in-depth, 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. Twenty-four (24) hours of shadowing a physician assistant is required.
• Examples of direct patient care experiences in a healthcare setting may include but are not limited to: EMT, Paramedic, Medical Assistant, Nurse, Surgical Technician, Athletic Trainer, Physical Therapy Aide, and Military Medical Corpsman.
• Applicants who meet the twenty-four (24) hours of shadowing and exceed the direct patient contact minimum of five hundred (500 )hours are deemed more competitive.
• Unfortunately, we are not able to assist students and applicants in obtaining their healthcare-related experiences.
• Direct Patient Care Experience/Shadowing Verification Form

If you have a question regarding your patient care or shadowing experience, please email Deidra Harwood at deidrda.harwood@pfeiffer.edu

• 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 and can attest to his/her qualities, strengths and suitability for a career as a physician assistant.
• References from friends, family members and relatives are not appropriate and will not be accepted.

A personal statement is a required component of the admissions process. Applicants are asked to write a brief statement expressing their desire to become a physician assistant. This should be written at a graduate level and reflect a comprehensive understanding of the PA role and responsibilities.

• All degree and prerequisite coursework must be completed in the United States regardless if the applicant has completed them in another country.
• Foreign graduates must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  The program will not allow applicant to substitute an English course or certificate in place of TOEFL scores. Pfeiffer University requires TOFEL scores of 550 PBT, 213 CBT and 80 IBT.Refer to the Pfeiffer University Academic Course Catalog (Graduate Catalog) for additional information.
• Foreign graduates must meet program requirements, selection factors and follow the same application process through CASPA.
• Applicants must meet the Pfeiffer University MS-PAS  Program Technical Standards.

• The program does not accept advanced placement (AP) credit from high school for prerequisite coursework.
• The program does not grant advanced placement in the program based on previous educational experiences.
• Transfer credit or admission with advanced standing from another PA program is not accepted.
• All of the curricular components of the program are required for graduation and must be completed.