Physician Assistant Studies, MS

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

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ASHS School Information and Policies   Length of Program Tuition and Fees Admissions

Minimal Technical Standards Graduation Requirements Curriculum Course Descriptions and Credit Values

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Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Common services provided by physician assistants include taking medical histories and performing physical examinations, ordering and interpreting lab tests, prescribing medications, assisting in surgery and counseling patients. Physician assistants are trained through an intense education program.

Because of their close working relationship with physicians, physician assistants are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. Upon graduation, physician assistants take a national certification examination developed by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Length of Program

The residential Physician Assistant Program is an entry-level, 26-month course of study that leads to a Master of Science degree upon successful completion. The curriculum includes 127 credit hours.

Tuition and Fees

Annual tuition rates are split and billed according to the scheduled semesters and are due on the first week of class. Most fees follow a similar billing schedule with a few exceptions. Rates are subject to change each academic year for all enrolled students. Delinquent balances incur penalties at a rate of 1.5% per month, totaling 18% annually.

For ATSU programs approved to certify for Title IV funding, a Cost of Attendance (COA) is available which provides estimated amounts for direct and indirect expenses for a period of enrollment. 

	Class of 2026, year 1	Class of 2025, year 2	Class of 2024, year 3
Tuition	$53,260	$53,260	$9,588
Student Technology Fee	$1,400	$1,400	$252
Medical Equipment & Lab Fee	$1,973

Admissions

Application Process

The ATSU-ASHS PA program participates in a centralized application processing service called the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Applications may be obtained through CASPA at www.caspaonline.org.

Please refer to the CASPA application instructions for specific details about completing the application, required documents, and processing time. Questions regarding the CASPA account may be directed to CASPA at 617.612.2080 or by email at caspainfo@caspaonline.org.

All other questions may be sent to Admissions at admissions@atsu.edu or 866.626.2878 ext. 2237.

Application Deadline

The CASPA application cycle begins in mid-April of the academic year preceding the year in which the applicant plans to matriculate. A completed application must be submitted to CASPA by September 1. Deadlines for secondary applications will be posted online and in CASPA. Program enrollment is based on a rolling admissions policy. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received, thus applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the residential Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program must meet the following requirements prior to matriculation.

1. Applicants are required to meet all ATSU and ATSU-ASHS general admission requirements.
2. The applicant must have achieved a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average overall and a minimum 3.00 cumulative science grade point average on a 4.00 scale.
3. Candidates accepted for admission to the ATSU-ASHS PA Program must have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accreditor (no equivalency will be accepted).
4. Applicants must successfully complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or higher prior to the program start date. All prerequisite coursework must be completed from a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accreditor (no equivalency will be accepted).
   1. Human Anatomy with lab (recommended that course be completed within 5 years of application date), minimum 4 semester (6 quarter) credits.
   2. Human Physiology with lab (recommended that course be completed within 5 years of application date), minimum 4 semester (6 quarter) credits.
      • If you have taken a combined Anatomy & Physiology course, you must have two or more semesters (each with lab) totaling 8 semester (12 quarter) credits.
   3. Microbiology (with or without lab; recommended that course be completed within 5 years of application date), minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) credits.
   4. General chemistry (with or without lab; recommended that course be completed within 5 years of application date), minimum 4 semester (6 quarter) credits.
   5. Biochemistry (with or without lab; recommended that course be completed within 5 years of application date), minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) credits.
   6. Psychology, minimum 6 semester (9 quarter) credits.
   7. College Statistics, minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) credits.
   8. English Composition, minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) credits.
   9. English elective, minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) credits.
   10. Medical Terminology, minimum 1 semester (1 quarter) credit.
5. Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation from professionals to CASPA. Please refer to the CASPA application instructions for specific guidelines and requirements for submitting letters of recommendation.
   1. The first letter should be from an employer or supervisor.
   2. The second letter should be from a healthcare practitioner (physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner).
   3. The third letter should come from a science faculty member.
6. Applicant must obtain a minimum of 1000 hours of patient care experience, sufficient to recognize the physical and psychological demands of dealing with patients and to appreciate the challenges and rewards of being a healthcare professional.
7. All applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to the Arizona School of Health Sciences, A.T Still University. See the ATSU-ASHS English Proficiency  section for more details.
8. Applicants are expected to be computer literate and experienced in word processing. All curricula require extensive computer usage. Accepted applicants are required to have a laptop computer prior to the first day of class. See the Minimum Technology Specifications  under the General Admission Requirements section.

Applicants are responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or email address. All requests for withdrawing an application must be done in writing via email, fax, or letter. Applicants are encouraged to check all email folders in the rare event our email is filtered into a spam or junk mail folder.

Applicants who are considered potential candidates may be required to visit ATSU-ASHS to participate in an applicant interview process.

Hometown Scholars

Hometown Scholars (HTS) are individuals who work or volunteer with a Community Health Center (CHC) anywhere in the U.S. This program grants an automatic admissions interview to HTS-endorsed applicants who meet all minimum requirements for entry to ATSU-ASHS’ PA program. If accepted and after successful completion of the didactic year in Mesa, AZ, the program sends HTS students to the endorsing CHC for clinical year training. If the endorsing CHC does not have a training partnership with ATSU-ASHS’ PA program, the student will be assigned to another CHC for clinical year training. For more information visit Hometown Scholars on the ATSU website.

P2P Scholars

P2P Scholars are individuals who attend an ATSU partner institution within the U.S. This program grants an automatic admissions interview to P2P-endorsed applicants who meet all minimum requirements for entry to ATSU-ASHS’ PA program. If accepted and after successful completion of the didactic year in Mesa, AZ, the student will be assigned to the CHC closest to their endorsing institution for clinical year training. For more information visit P2P Scholars on the ATSU website.

Still Scholars

Still Scholars are limited to students attending our partner institutions for Still Scholars (Saint Augustine University and North Carolina Central University). Applications must occur after the sophomore year of undergraduate training at one of those two institutions, but no later than August 1. After successful completion of the didactic year in Mesa, AZ, the program sends Still Scholar students to North Carolina to complete their clinical training. For more information visit Still Scholars on the ATSU website.

International Student Admissions

This program is approved by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program to issue I-20 paperwork to non-immigrant students in order to apply for an F-1 Visa.

Minimal Technical Standards

In addition to the technical standards established by the University that applies to all students, the program has established the following technical standards:

1. Students must be able to observe and participate in all demonstrations, visual presentations in lectures and laboratories, and computer assisted instruction. In addition, students must be able to observe laboratory evidence and microbiologic cultures, microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states.
2. Students must be able to observe patients accurately and completely, both at a distance and closely. This ability requires functional vision, hearing and somatic sensation.
3. Students must be able to problem solve, collect, organize, prioritize, analyze and assimilate large amounts of technically detailed and complex information within a limited time frame. This information will be presented in a variety of educational settings, including lectures, small group discussions, and individual clinical settings. Students must be able to analyze, integrate, and apply this information appropriately for problem solving and decision-making.
4. Students must be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and the spatial relationships of structures.
5. Students must have sufficient use of the senses of vision, hearing and smell necessary in order to elicit information, perceive nonverbal communications, and describe changes in mood, activity and posture in addition to the psychomotor abilities to allow the performance of all skills/tests in the physical exam. Students must be able to perform inspection, palpation, auscultation and percussion.
6. Students must be able to relate to patients and family members and establish an empathetic, professional and effective relationship with patients and families including not only speech but reading and writing.
7. Students are expected to be able to communicate the results of the examination to the patient and to their colleagues with accuracy, clarity, and efficiency in oral, written and electronic formats.
8. Students are expected to possess the ability to work collaboratively with all members of the healthcare team.
9. Students must have motor function sufficient to execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Such skills require coordination of gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and sensation.
10. Students should be able to manipulate equipment and instruments to perform basic laboratory tests and procedures required to attain curricular goals (e.g. needles, stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, tongue blades, intravenous equipment, gynecologic speculum, and scalpel).
11. Students must be able to transport themselves from one location to another in a timely fashion in order to facilitate patient care responsibilities and to receive educational training.
12. Students must have the emotional health to fully use their intellectual ability, exercise good judgment, and complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients.
13. Students must be able to tolerate physical, mental, and emotional stress in training and continue to function effectively.
14. Students must possess qualities of adaptability, flexibility and be able to function in the face of uncertainty. A student must have a high level of compassion for others, motivation to serve, integrity, and a consciousness of social values.
15. Students must possess sufficient interpersonal skills to interact positively with people from all levels of society, all ethnic backgrounds, and all belief systems.
16. Students must be able to accept criticism and respond by appropriate modification of behavior.
17. Students are expected to be able to display appropriate judgment in the assessment and treatment of patients. In addition, students must be able to learn and demonstrate the ability to recognize limitations in their knowledge, skills and abilities and to seek appropriate assistance with their identified limitations.
18. Students are expected to possess perseverance, diligence, and consistency to complete the physician assistant curriculum and enter into the practice of medicine as a certified and licensed physician assistant.

Graduation Requirements

To earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree, all residential students must:

• Complete all prescribed didactic and clinical courses and all requirements as listed in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies Residential Student Program Guide.
• Pass all courses and all comprehensive exams.
• Attend commencement activities.

Curriculum

The didactic curriculum in the PA program includes lecture, small-group study, hands-on skills, and didactic clinical experiences. The didactic year clinical experience program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to experience the real-life application of the information they are being exposed to in the didactic curriculum. The program is also a chance for students to emulate experienced providers as role models in the application of effective interpersonal skills and patient education techniques to patient care in preparation for transition to the supervised clinical experiences in the second year.

Courses