Admission to the PA Program

CASPA APPLICATION submit your UToledo Graduate Admission Fee

Admission Requirements

The Physician Assistant Program will admit students each Fall Semester (August of each year) only. The next application cycle opens on April 25, 2023, and closes September 1 of the year prior to enrollment. Please note: If you applied to the program in a previous year, you will need to create a new account when submitting an supplemental application.

Early submission of online CASPA and online UToledo Supplemental Application is encouraged. Interviews will be conducted remotely starting July and continue through October. The program offers rolling admissions.

The program has made a few changes to the admission requirements for the 2023/2024 cycle:

Applicants must have earned at least a Bachelor level degree with a cumulative 3.20 grade point average and a 3.20 science grade point average.
A Genetics prerequisite course is no longer required.
AP (Advanced Placement) courses for the Math/Stats and Psychology prerequisite courses will be accepted. AP courses are not accepted for any of the science prerequisite courses.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE LICENSURE
Completion of The University of Toledo ARC-PA accredited PA Program meets the educational degree requirements to apply for Physician Assistant licensure in all states with the exception of Wisconsin. More information can be found on The University of Toledo State Authorization website.

To be considered for the Physician Assistant Program, candidates must comply with all of the following:

1. Completion of all admission requirements to CASPA (Centralized Application Services for Physician Assistants) by SEPTEMBER 1. CASPA applications must have a complete date on or before the deadline date. A complete date is given when an application is e-submitted, at least two letters of reference are completed, and all transcripts and payments have been received by CASPA and attached to the application. Documents should be sent several weeks prior to this date to ensure items arrive on time.

CASPA applications must include:

Completed and submitted application form
CASPA application fee paid
At least three letters of recommendation submitted
Verified transcripts for all colleges/universities attended

Please note: All communication from the program will be sent to the email address listed on your CASPA application.

2. Applicants who have completed any of their previous undergraduate or graduate training internationally must fulfill the requirements of the UToledo College of Graduate Studies for international students.

The UToledo PA Program requires applicants to provide foreign transcript evaluation from one of the accepted credential evaluation agencies: ECE or WES. The evaluation will be at the applicant's expense.
In addition to the requirement for regular admission, all students from non-English speaking countries must achieve satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (unless the international applicant has graduated from a US accredited college or university).
All international applicants must demonstrate they have adequate financial resources for their graduate education before admission.
The TOEFL score requirements and a copy of the financial statement form are available for viewing, TOEFL requirements.

3. Submission of the UToledo application fee by SEPTEMBER 1.
The UToledo Application fee is $45.00.

Applications will not be reviewed until the CASPA is completed , UToledo Application fee is submitted, and Casper scores are in.

4. Applicants must have earned at least a Bachelor level degree with a cumulative 3.20 grade point average and a 3.20 science grade point average. For those accepted into the UToledo PA program and entering in August, the Bachelor level degree must be completed by June 15th. The program uses all CASPA calculated GPAs.

5. Applicants are strongly recommended to take the PA-CAT.

The program will accept PA-CAT results from the previous two application cycles.

The PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test) is 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, visit their website at www.PA-CAT.com

Step 1: Go to PA-CAT to register, pay and schedule your exam date for the PA-CAT.
- Ensure University of Toledo PA Program is selected as the institution to receive your score report in your PA-CAT Score Portal. You can access your PA-CAT Score Portal at PA-CAT.
- It is recommended that you take the PA-CAT exam early in the application cycle (March-June 2022) to be considered for early admission, but no later than August 31^th, 2022. The PA-CAT score deadline September 10^th, 2022. PA-CAT score is required prior to interviews. Interviews begin in June 2022 and will be conducted until seats are filled.
Step 2: Study for the PA-CAT with resources provided by Exam Master. Access instructions are included in your registration confirmation.
The following YouTube link provides instruction to register for the exam, how to schedule the exam appointment, and how to release scores to PA Programs: https://youtu.be/-bTXrHEes5U

PA-CAT Study materials provided by Exam Master include:

- Two 120 Question PA-CAT Practice Exams
- Eight 50-Question Subject Exams
- Pre-Matriculation Success Course

PA-CAT Covered Subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, and Statistics.

6. CASPER - Altus Suite - admissions assessments of non-cognitive skills

All applicants are required to complete Altus Suite as part of their application for the 2022/2023 admissions cycle. The program will accept Casper results from the previous two application cycles.

To complete Altus Suite visit TakeAltus.com to create an account and complete the following assessments:

Casper: 60-90 minute online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT)
Snapshot: 10-minute one-way video interview with standardized questions

7. Preference will be given to candidates who:

Are underrepresented medical minorities, veterans, first generation college, and economically disadvantaged
Attend four or fewer colleges/universities within the last eight years of admission into the program (veterans are exempt)
Successfully completed at least eight of ten program prerequisites on the first attempt within the last eight years

Receiving a grade below C or 3.0 is considered unsuccessful completion.

For example: unsuccessful completion of the same course twice

Prerequisite Courses

You must have the listed credit hours for all of the prerequisite courses. There are no exceptions to this rule and a waiver will not be offered for any of the prerequisites courses for any applicant. The prerequisite courses must have a letter grade on the transcript. Pass/fail grades will not be acceptable.

The following Minimum Prerequisites must be completed with a grade of "C" or better (exception: Anatomy and Physiology courses must have grades of B- or better):
1. Human Anatomy and Physiology: 6 semester credit hours
> May be taken as Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anatomy & Physiology II or as separate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology Courses
> If you take a 5 credit hour Human Anatomy and Physiology course, you will be required to take an additional combined Human Anatomy & Physiology course or a separate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology course to meet the remaining requirement
> Taking a lab or labs with these courses is strongly recommended

2. Inorganic Chemistry or General Chemistry with Lab
> Course must be at least 3 credit hours with an additional credit hour for the lab

3. Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry with Lab
> Course must be at least 3 credit hours with an additional credit hour for the lab
> May be taken as a combined Organic/Biochemistry course with a lab

4. Microbiology with Lab
> Course must be at least 3 credit hours with an additional credit hour for the lab
> Microbiology course must be taken through the Biology Department

5. Psychology: 6 semester credit hours
> Introductory Psychology and Lifespan Psychology are highly recommended
> Psychology courses must be taken through the Psychology Department
> We will not accept a Psychological Statistics course for this requirement

6. College Algebra, Statistics or any Higher Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
> Course must be taught by the Math or Statistics Department
> We will accept Psychological Statistics courses taught by the Psychology Department

7. Medical Terminology: 1 semester credit hour
> There must be a letter grade assigned to this course and listed on the transcript.
> Candidates may instead choose to take and pass a Medical Terminology test offered by the UToledo PA Program prior to matriculation. The test is taken at UToledo in the PA department. Candidates who choose to take the proficiency test and who do not pass the test, will be required to participate in a self-study program and retest or satisfactorily complete a medical terminology course at an accredited college or university on or before June 15th.

Seven of the prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the summer semester. Only three courses are allowed to be in progress at the time of interviews.

AP (Advanced Placement) courses for the Math/Stats and Psychology prerequisite courses will be accepted. AP courses are not accepted for any of the science prerequisite course.

All prerequisite coursework identified above must be current within eight (8) years of admission to the program. For those who apply for entrance into the UT PA Program, all prerequisite coursework must have been completed eight years prior to enrollment in the fall of the matriculating year. For example, a student admitted for the PA class starting in Fall 2023 must have completed all prerequisites between Fall 2015 and June 15, 2023.

All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher (exception: Anatomy and Physiology courses must have grades of B- or better). For courses where separate grades are assigned for lecture and laboratory sections, the candidate must receive a grade of "C" or higher for BOTH the lecture and lab.

For applicants enrolled at institutions that use a quarter system, credit hours are converted such that five (5) quarter hours = three (3) semester hours.

For applicants enrolled at institutions that utilize a point system for course grades, the program will accept a 3.0 as a B and 2.0 for a C. Any grade lower than 2.0 is unacceptable.

Formal healthcare experience, shadowing of PAs or other healthcare providers, or patient contact hours are not required. The program does not expect a "required" number of shadowing hours. However if you decide to shadow a PA for a shift, it will confirm or provide you with an experience but is not necessary for admission to the program.

Prior to matriculation, candidates must present evidence that they are currently trained in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) according to American Heart Association standards (CPR training from other organizations will not be accepted). The Basic Life Support (BLS) training must be maintained throughout the program of study.

The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences value added groups (current Ohio residents, graduates of The University of Toledo, non-traditional, underrepresented in medicine and veterans) are given some degree of preference.

The UToledo PA Program does not provide advanced placement or advanced standing for any students.

Admission Selection Process

Candidates for interviews will be selected from those with completed applications (both CASPA and UToledo PA Supplemental Application and Prerequisite Form) who meet the minimum entrance requirements and have completed or have a plan to complete all prerequisites by June 15 of the enrollment year. Candidates selected for interviews will be notified via email starting in September. Interviews will be conducted starting in September and go through December. We are now offering rolling admissions.

The selection process is highly competitive and merely meeting minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission to the program. There are many factors involved in the selection process, including but not limited to cumulative undergraduate or completed graduate grade point average, cumulative science grade point average, personal experiences, writing sample, reference letters, familiarity with the PA profession and the University, oral communication skills, professionalism, problem solving and teamwork.

Based upon a point scoring system with holistic consideration of each candidate, the Admissions Committee may recommend one of the following:

Acceptance: Candidates with the highest scores (based upon the candidate's completed CASPA application and interviews) will be recommended to the UToledo College of Graduate Studies for acceptance. The number of candidates recommended for acceptance will be determined annually by the PA Program class size. Following interviews, candidates are informed of acceptance by the end of April. An applicant may be receive conditional acceptance, as described below.
Alternate/Waiting List: Individuals who interviewed but did not receive an offer of a seat in the class may be placed on an alternates list until the class is filled. Immediately following interviews, and the initial selection, candidates are placed on the alternate list and subsequently selected when a seat is declined. This will occur beginning in April and is usually completed by the end of July. Candidates not admitted from the alternate list must reapply if they wish to be considered for the following year.
Non-Acceptance: Candidates not accepted will be notified via email. Candidates who are not accepted are informed at the end of the selection of candidates beginning July 1st. Candidates wishing to be considered for the following year must reapply.

Admission Under "Conditional" Status

An applicant must complete the general admission requirements specified above. Circumstances which may result in a conditional admission include:
> An applicant with a Bachelor's degree in progress (must be completed by June 15th). An official transcript with the degree posted must be received prior to matriculation into the program.
> An applicant who has any prerequisite courses to complete at the time of application may be admitted with conditional status, with a clear understanding that remaining prerequisites must be satisfactorily (grade of c or higher) completed by June 15th for matriculation into the Program. Official transcripts or other appropriate documentation will be required.

Note: Government subsidized financial aid is not available for students admitted under conditional status.

Technical Standards for Admission

Our objective is to increase the opportunities for persons with disabilities, while maintaining the expectation that all students achieve the goals of the Program. The technical standards for admission establish the expectations and abilities considered essential for students admitted to the Physician Assistant Program in order to achieve the level of competency required for graduation and ultimately practice as a physician assistant. All students admitted to the PA Program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following abilities:

must have the mental capacity to assimilate and learn a large amount of complex, technical and detailed information, to solve clinical problems, and synthesize and apply concepts and information from various disciplines in order to formulate diagnostic and therapeutic plans;
must have the ability to maintain composure and emotional stability during periods of high stress;
must have the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients from different social and cultural backgrounds and develop effective professional rapport with patients and co-workers;
must have the ability to record examination and diagnostic results clearly, accurately and efficiently;
must have adequate sensory function to fulfill minimum competency objectives for palpation, percussion and auscultation necessary to perform a physical examination;
must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination to use standard medical/surgical instruments and possess sufficient control of the upper extremities to meet the physical requirements for training and for performing a safe physical examination;
are expected to learn and perform common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (e.g., blood drawing, suturing) and interpret the results;
are expected to have the degree of coordination of motor skills necessary to respond to emergency situations quickly and appropriately.

Candidates are urged to ask questions about the program's technical standards for clarification and to determine whether they can meet the requirements with or without reasonable accommodations. Questions may be directed to the Program Director or Office of Student Disability Services. Revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary before any accommodations may be made in the learning environment or in the Program's procedures. Information about disabilities is handled in a confidential manner. Reasonable accommodations will be made to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These require program and institutional approval. Requests for accommodations must be submitted in writing, allowing sufficient time prior to matriculation for action on these requests pursuant to Policy 01061, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability.

Individuals selected for admission to the program must undergo a general physical examination and provide evidence of up-to-date immunization prior to the start of classes in the first year and again just prior to the beginning of clinical rotations in the second year. In addition, students are required to maintain health insurance and liability insurance coverage if planning to practice, volunteer or shadow outside of their student role. Further information is contained in the College of Graduate Studies Handbook and will be reviewed in detail at orientation.

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Physician Assistant Studies