APPLY VIA CASPA *
*Application Opens July 1, 2024


Application Process

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Augusta University participates in the Centralized Application System for PA programs (CASPA). To learn more about the centralized application process and apply online, please visit the CASPA website at CASPA | Applicant Login Page Section (liaisoncas.com).

A new class of Physician Assistant (PA) learners enters in May of each year and graduates after 27 months of continuous full-time study. Applications for the PA class entering in May 2025 will be accepted beginning July 1, 2024.

Applications are considered for interview as soon as they are complete. To be considered for an interview, applications must include:

  1. Completed and verified CASPA application & fee, including the Augusta University section.
  2. Completed Augusta University supplemental application and paid nonrefundable application fee ($25). This fee has to be paid before THE application can be processed. You will receive an email from Augusta University’s Admissions Office on how to set up your SLATE portal.
  3. Official transcripts from every regionally accredited US college and university attended.
  4. Three completed letters of recommendation, with at least one from a certified PA.
  5. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) score report sent directly to both CASPA and AU (GRE school code 5406). Please allow at least 15 days for us to receive test scores. The application is incomplete without the GRE or PA-CAT scores.

Enrollment is limited to 48 learners/class year. Interviews are generally conducted between the end of August and the beginning of December of each admissions cycle. It is in the prospective learner's best interest to complete and submit all application materials as early as possible. Completed CASPA applications will continue to be accepted until the deadline of 11:59 pm on November 1, 2024.

Please note that the Augusta University application is incomplete until the non-refundable $25 supplemental fee is received. Your application will not be processed without this fee. This is done through the email link you will receive from the University’s Admissions Office (not the PA program) to set up your SLATE portal. If you have questions about setting up your portal or fee, please contact the Admissions Office at: 706-737-1632.


Admission Pre-Requisites and Requirements

Statistically, our program accepts more Georgia residents due to the high number of in-state applications received.

Admission is based on undergraduate college coursework including the overall, transfer, and math/science grade point averages. Other criteria include personal interviews, assessment of the applicant's motivation and the possession of the personal qualities needed to successfully complete the program. Prior to enrollment, the applicant will be evaluated on:

  1. A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all previous undergraduate college work and an average of at least 3.0 on all undergraduate math and science courses.
  2. Completed 90 semester hours of prerequisites at an accredited college or university.
  3. Completion of either the GRE (GRE School Code: 5406) or the PA-CAT exam.
    • GRE Exam: A minimum combined GRE score of 290 from the verbal and quantitative sections is needed for full admission. The individual results of the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the general GRE exam must be provided.
    • PA-CAT Exam: A specialized test designed to measure applicant knowledge in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. For information about the PA-CAT and to schedule your exam:
      • Go to PA-CAT to register for your PA-CAT exam.
      • Ensure Augusta University PA Program is selected as the institution to receive your score report in your PA-CAT Score Portal. To select Augusta University PA Program as a score receiving school, log into your PA-CAT Score Portal.
      • It is recommended that you take the PA-CAT exam early in the application cycle for early admission consideration, but no later than October 20 to ensure that your scores are processed before the deadline. The PA-CAT score deadline is November 1.
  4. Completion of CASPer Test. It is recommended for applicants to have this completed before interviewing. We are not able to make decisions on acceptance without this score. Please note decisions on your status as an applicant may be delayed until results are received.
  5. Observed physician assistants in a minimum of 3 different PA clinical settings with a minimum of 100 shadowing hours combined.
  6. A suggested minimum of 100 hours of hands-on health care experience or healthcare-related activities (paid or unpaid). The most competitive applicants have direct "hands-on" patient healthcare experience.
  7. Participation in community service and volunteer activities. This can be either health care or non-health care related.
  8. Three references that focus on the applicant's generic abilities for clinical work rather than just their academic ability, one of which is required to be from a physician assistant that indicates PA contact. Having at least one reference from a physician assistant from each of the clinical settings observed by the applicant is highly recommended.

Interviews are by invitation only. The 2024 Interview Cycle will include opportunities for both in-person and virtual interviews. Interviewees will need to be available for activities between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the day of the interview, regardless of format.

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit official TOEFL scores. A minimum TOEFL score of either 250 on the computer-based exam (cBT), 600 on the paper exam (pBT), or 100 on the internet based exam (iBT), with 26 in the speaking component. Applicants must take the TOEFL by October 15 to be considered for admission the following year.

The Admissions Committee selects the applicants who seem best qualified for the program from among those who apply and submit all required documentation. Applications and all associated supporting documentation must be received by the Office of Academic Admissions by November 1 in order for an application to be considered complete. Earlier application is highly encouraged.

Prerequisites for the Master of Physician Assistant Program

The prerequisite courses required to apply to Augusta University Master of Physician Assistant Program comprise a core curriculum divided into seven categories. The courses acceptable to meet the requirements of each category are listed below.

A

Essential Skills (9 semester hours)

  • English Composition I (3 hours)
  • English Composition II-Literature based (3 hours)
  • College Algebra, Mathematical Modeling, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus or Calculus (3 hours)

B

Professional Skills (4-5 semester hours)

  • Critical Thinking
  • Creative Writing
  • Ethics
  • Health and Wellness
  • Economics
  • Speech

C

Humanities and Fine Arts (6 semester hours)

  • Ethics
  • Fine and Applied Arts
  • Foreign Language
  • Speech, Oral Communications
  • World Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Drama, Art or Music Appreciation
  • Logic
  • Electives in Humanities and Fine Arts

D

Science, Mathematics and Technology (10-11 semester hours)

  • Additional courses in science, mathematics or technology to meet this requirement.

E

Social Sciences (12 semester hours)

  • United States History
  • Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Group Process
  • Social Problems
  • Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

F

Courses Required for Major (34 semester hours)

  • Biology I and II - Labs Required (8 hours) *
  • General Chemistry I and II - Labs Required (8 hours) *
  • Organic Chemistry I - Lab Required (4 hours) *
  • Microbiology - Lab Required (4 hours) *
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology - Lab Required (4 hours) *
  • Statistics (3 hours) *
  • General Psychology (3 hours) *

G

Guided Electives for Major (15 semester hours)

  • Guided electives in any basic science which may include: Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (strongly recommended), Comparative Vertebrae Anatomy, Organic II, Histology, Biochemistry, Evolution, Human Growth and Development, Abnormal Psychology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Embryology or Physics **

* These courses are MANDATORY.

** Students may take any other science course to satisfy the remaining hours in this section.

Transfer Credit Policy

There is no advanced placement, transfer of credit (except for 90 semester hours of prerequisites at an accredited college or university) or credit for experiential learning allowed. Previous medical professions course work will not be accepted toward completion of the MPA degree. It is important that our students are exposed to specific course content. To ensure this, only courses taught within our curriculum are accepted for credit toward graduation. The Augusta University Physician Assistant program does not have a program in which foreign-trained physicians or medical graduates are given advanced placement or preference in admission decisions. For additional information, please see the Office of Academic Admissions' Transfer Credit Policy.

Criminal Background Check

Criminal background checks will be conducted on conditionally accepted applicants prior to their enrollment in participating programs in the College of Allied Health Sciences. Final admittance is conditional on a satisfactory criminal background report which must be completed and approved prior to matriculation. Additional information regarding this policy may be found here.

Guiding Principles in GPA Calculation

Augusta University does not honor grade forgiveness at another institution. All grades from all courses attempted and earned are included in all of our transfer GPA calculations and evaluations for admission.

Credit by Exam (AP/CLEP) may be accepted, but grades are not earned, therefore they cannot be calculated in the GPA considered for admission.

The Physician Assistant Program at Augusta University does not accept Health Science based science courses as equivalent for prerequisite science requirements. While the Transfer Equivalency Guide for students transferring into an undergraduate program at AU may indicate that a health science based science course will transfer in as an undergraduate science equivalent course, the PA Program will not accept this course.

All science prerequisite coursework is expected to be at the level of what would be required for a science major in an undergraduate program. Remedial or introductory level coursework will not be accepted. For example, BIO 1101 & 1102 at Augusta University are introductory science courses that non-majors can take. BIO 1107 & 1108 are the first sequential Biology courses in a science major curriculum. In this example, the PA Program would not accept BIO 1101/1102 as meeting the prerequisite of Principles of Biology I/II, but BIO 1107/1108 would be accepted.


CASPer Test - Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics

All applicants to the Master of Physician Assistant Program at Augusta University are required to complete CASPer for the 2024-2025 Admissions Cycle.

CASPer is an online test which assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program and will complement the other tools that we use for applicant screening. In implementing CASPer, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. Augusta University encourages applicants to sign up for the earlier CASPer test dates to ensure that we receive results before our interview process begins in late August.

How to complete the CASPer in Altus Suite

To take Altus Suite, you will be responsible for securing access to a laptop or desktop computer with webcam and audio capabilities and a reliable internet connection with an internet speed of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of at least 2 Mbps. You will require the following for both account creation and completing Altus Suite:

  • Government-issued photo ID (English/French) for account validation
  • Valid email address (the same one you will use to submit your application)
  • Desktop or laptop computer
  • Working webcam
  • Working microphone
  • Reliable high-speed internet connection
  1. Please go to Take Altus to sign up for Altus Suite for CSP-10101 – U.S. Professional Health Sciences, under your specific country, and register using your piece of government-issued photo ID.
  2. Select a CASPer test date. You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times, which have been pre-arranged/approved by your program(s) in accordance with their admissions timelines. Please note that these are the only testing dates available for your CASPer test based on your program selection(s). There will be no additional tests scheduled. Please use an email address that you check regularly and that you have used for your application; there may be updates to the test schedule.
  3. Important: To account for identity verification and payment processing timelines, ensure that you register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.
  4. Ensure you have selected Augusta University for distribution before the posted distribution deadline. Likely, there will be no additional tests scheduled, but the most up-to-date information can be found by browsing the Test Dates and Time on Take Altus.

Please direct any inquiries on Altus Suite to Support@altus.as. Alternatively, you may use the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your screen on the Take Altus website.

Accommodations

If you require testing accommodations for Altus Suite, you will need to submit the Accommodations Request Form signed by you and your qualified professional 3 weeks in advance of your desired test date. More information regarding accommodations can be found here.

CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years will therefore be expected to re-take it.


Licensure Disclosure Statement

Students of the Augusta University Physician Assistant Program may obtain a license in Georgia and/or South Carolina after successfully passing the National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistant (NCCPA). This examination administered is by the NCCPA. The Augusta University Physician Assistant Program was able to determine Licensure eligibility for other states.

Licensure Eligibility by State