Admission Information

Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.) in Physician Assistant Studies

Admission Cycle (2026-2027)

Table 1. Key Admission Activities and Timeline

Activity

Dates

Start of Cycle - CASPA Portal Opens

April 30, 2026

CASPA Verification Deadline

November 1 (on or prior to this date)

Initial Application Screening

 

June to December; or ongoing until all seats are filled (rolling admissions)

Evaluation - Application, Supporting Materials, and Preferential Criteria Review

June to December; or ongoing until all seats are filled (rolling admissions)

Interviews

August to December; invitations are sent ≥ 2 weeks prior to interview date

Invitees have 2 business days to accept

Decisions and Outcomes: (by program)

Selected or Conditional (seat offer)

Wait-list, Not Selected

 

Within 1 week after interview

Within 2 weeks after interview

Offer Acceptance / Decision (by applicant)

≤ 72 hours of date notified

Seat Deposit - $1,500

≤ 72 hours of offer accepted

End of Application Cycle

All seats are filled; candidates may be offered a seat from the waitlist up until the 1st day of class.

Classes Start

May 2027

Admissions Overview

The primary focus of the recruitment and admission process is to select students who fulfill the mission, vision, and goals of the PA program. We seek candidates who will make meaningful contributions to the program, institution, and ultimately community as future members of the PA profession. Admission decisions are made in accordance with defined and published practices of the institution and program. Prospective students are considered using holistic approaches to balance diverse measures of cognitive attributes (e.g., GPA) and noncognitive (e.g., leadership, self-awareness) characteristics in the admissions process.

Individuality and the potential to succeed in the PA profession depend on many traits, skills, and factors. Our program strives for inclusion and promotion of these valuable, inherent strengths. Learners of all walks of life are supported throughout their educational journey across our competency-based educational curriculum.

Application and Admissions Process

The program follows a standard, rolling admissions process (i.e., applications are processed and admission offers are made until all program seats are filled). Several phases occur during the annual admissions cycle, with key activities and dates highlighted in Table 1. Steps for applying to the program include completing the following:

  • Step 1: Initial Application submitted via CASPA Portal
  • Step 2: Reply within the stated timeframe to accept/decline an interview offer
  • Step 3: Attend the interview (as invited and accepted by the applicant)
  • Step 4: Reply within the stated timeframe to accept, decline, or request deferral on a Seat offer (as applicable)

The overarching phases of a candidate’s progression through the admissions process are listed below and expounded upon in subsequent sections. These phases include:

  • Phase I: Initial Screening – the application submitted to CASPA along with any supporting or program materials are reviewed for completeness and meeting the minimum admission requirements.
  • Phase II: Evaluation – the application receives a secondary review to evaluate the strength of the application and quality of the materials submitted, such as for program preference scoring (see Preferential Criteria). This phase examines evidence primarily of cognitive attributes and preliminarily, non-cognitive characteristics.
  • Phase III: Interview – the application is competitively scored where candidates from Phase II may receive an offer to interview. Based on the strength and timing of application, top candidates will proceed to this phase for an in-person interview. Performance during the interview is scored and contributes to a candidate’s progression to the next phase. This phase examines evidence primarily of non-cognitive characteristics.
  • Phase IV: Selection – the candidate and application are holistically reviewed, as a culmination from the prior phases of evaluation. Highest ranking candidates are Selected and Offered a Seat for initial program admission. This phase examines evidence of cognitive attributes and non-cognitive characteristics.
  • Phase V: Pre-program Requirements – the candidates who accept a Seat and have paid the Deposit are considered a pre-matriculant at this time and must complete final preparatory, or pre-program, requirements for successful matriculation to start the program. A list of the pre-program (pre-matriculant) requirements, instructions, and a timeframe for completion are provided.

Details regarding the minimum admissions requirements, preferential criteria, submission of complete application materials, pre-matriculant requirements, and other helpful information can be found in the following sections.

Minimum Admission Requirements

Prospective student applicants must meet all minimum admission requirements. For applicant ease, these are organized below according to the core sections encountered on the CASPA application:

Personal Information

  • United States (U.S.) citizenship
    • Native, naturalized, or other permanent status
  • English Fluency Exam (as applicable)
    • A minimum literacy score/level is required if English is not the primary language (i.e., non-native), demonstrating at least advanced proficiency:
      • TOEFL score ≥ 4
      • IELTS score ≥ 0
      • The Language Company level ≥ 9
      • LADO International College level ≥ 8
      • iTEP score ≥ 5
      • Duolingo score ≥ 100

Academic History

  • Baccalaureate degree completed, and awarded by a U.S. regionally accredited college, university, or institution*
  • Cumulative undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.0
    • Using a 4.0 scale; calculated by CASPA

Supporting Information

  • Two (2) Letters of Recommendation (LOR) - professional
    • One (1) from a PA
    • One (1) from a supervisor
  • Experience and Types
    • Healthcare experience (HCE) ≥ 500 hours, direct patient care (paid or unpaid)
    • PA shadowing experience ≥ 8 hours
    • Leadership experience
    • Volunteer experience
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) or long-form résumé

Program Materials

  • Personal statement
  • Supplemental statement - program mission
  • Pre-requisite courses
    • All final course grades are ≥ “C” *
    • All courses are completed
      • at a U.S. regionally accredited college, university, or institution
      • in the specified timeframe** (within 5 and 10 years; see Table 2)
      • with no more than one (1) non-science pre-requisite course is outstanding at the time of application*
    • Pre-requisite courses GPA ≥ 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale; calculated by CASPA)

 

Table 2. Pre-requisite Course Requirements

 

Pre-requisite Courses

Total Credits

Lab Component

≤ 5 years**

≤ 10 years**

 

Science

1

Anatomy and Physiology I

4

X

X

--

2

Anatomy and Physiology II

4

X

X

--

3

Microbiology

3-4

X

X

--

4

General Chemistry***

4

X

--

X

5

Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (recommended)

4

X

--

X

 

Non-Science*

6

Medical Terminology

1-3

--

--

X

7

Psychology – Developmental, or Abnormal, or similar course beyond introductory behavioral or social science level

3

--

--

X

8

Statistics***

3

--

--

X

 

Total

      25 credits (minimum)

 *Allowable to be in progress with no more than one (1) pre-requisite non-science course outstanding at the time of application and must be completed by February 1. Due to COVID-19, P/F grades will be accepted for prerequisite courses when there were no choices available to the student for a graded option, except for Medical Terminology; a letter from the respective institution indicating the final grade earned may be required for verification purposes. All requirements must be completed and verified by the program and prior to starting classes, including but not limited to, submission of an updated official transcript. Genetics is recommended, though not required.

** Timeframe limits are based on when the pre-requisite course was completed and application submitted. Applicants who have remained clinically active in a healthcare (or related) field may request a “Waiver” of the time limitation up through the last ten (10) years. Additionally, a rationale of exceptional circumstances related to the time limitation can be provided to the program via the Waiver. Additional documentation may be required to verify clinically active time and/or circumstances.

***May be completed as advanced placement (AP) courses in high school with credit reported on the transcripts in CASPA.

Complete Application and Materials

Complete applications are eligible for initial screening when all portions of the application are filled in with the necessary information and fields required by the program. This receives subsequent review and is verified by CASPA. When these conditions are met, the application is considered “complete” and may proceed with the initial screening phase.

The program requires the following materials for the application:

  • CASPA Verified by Priority Deadline: all sections of the CASPA application are finished, electronically submitted, and verified by priority deadline listed on the program website; reviewed in the order they are received and verified by CASPA.
  • U.S. Citizenship: meets the permanent citizenship requirement, providing legal documentation as required for verification.
  • English Fluency Exam (if applicable): demonstrates the minimum performance literacy score/level if English is not the primary language (i.e., non-native). If verification is required, documentation may be requested by the program for review and approval.
  • Official Transcripts*: shows baccalaureate degree awarded, all completed pre-requisite courses, grades, credits (or units). Final transcripts must be submitted to the program for review and approval in addition to meeting any allowable outstanding requirements designated by the program prior to starting classes.
  • Baccalaureate Degree and GPA:* verified by official transcripts; degree is awarded by a U.S. regionally accredited institution of higher education and undergraduate cumulative GPA is at least a 3.0 at the time of application.
  • Letters of Recommendation: based on professional relationships and submitted within the CASPA application, with one (1) by a PA and one (1) by a supervisor. Letters need to describe the specific applicant's potential for success in PA school, the profession, and beyond. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all letters of recommendation are received by CASPA.
  • Experiences and Types: each of the four (4) types of experiences and the number of hours (when applicable) must be specified in the CASPA application – health care experience, PA shadowing experience, leadership experience, and volunteer experience. Note that experience hours cannot be updated once the CASPA application has been completed.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): applicants are required to submit a long-form résumé, also known as a “CV.” This catalogs details about your educational background, employment history, experience types, certifications/licensure, awards / recognition, membership and involvement with professional organizations. While this list is not all-inclusive, these are some examples of what to include on an updated CV to better support your application.
  • Personal and Supplemental Mission Statements: all CASPA applicants require submission of a personal statement; however, a supplemental statement is also required in the CASPA portal by the PA program where the prospective student specifically addresses how they align with the program’s mission.
  • Pre-requisite Courses and GPA:* all courses are completed with a minimum grade of “C”, at a U.S. regionally accredited institution of higher education, in the specified timeframe, and pre-requisite courses GPA is at least a 3.0 at the time of application. Labs completed in an online format are generally not accepted as meeting the pre-requisite course list; in the event of an exceptional circumstance for this occurring, a “Waiver” request must be submitted to the PA program for review and final approval, otherwise, the requirement will be considered unmet. Review of a waiver, however, does not guarantee the request will be granted.

Submissions to CASPA that are missing any of the required elements of the application will be considered “incomplete” and are ineligible for further review. See Table 1 for key activities and timelines.

*Note: Allowable to be in progress with no more than one (1) pre-requisite non-science course outstanding at the time of application and must be completed by February 1. Minimum GPA is met and maintained through to program start. All requirements must be completed and verified by the program and prior to starting classes, including but not limited to, submission of an updated official transcript. Failure to meet all admission requirements as specified through the PA program website and via program communications may result in disenrollment, rescindment of accepted seat, forfeiture of seat deposit and/or tuition and fees incurred to-date.  

Preferential Criteria

After the initial screening phase, applications are evaluated for meeting certain program preferences. With the aim to recruit and prepare future clinicians to meet the mission of the PA program and institution, and the healthcare needs of rural and underserved communities, thirteen (13) preferential criteria are included in the evaluation of applications. Meeting one or more of the program preference criteria enhances the competitive nature of a candidate’s application.* Applications meeting one or more of the listed preferences can only strengthen the application.

 The program’s preferential criteria are outlined as follows:

Recruitment Mission Factors

  1. FSU graduate (includes anticipatory alumnus status prior to matriculation)
  2. FSU-to-FSU PAthway applicant
  3. Veteran (If former service, submit a copy of DD-214; must be honorable discharge)
  4. Bilingual status is ≥ advanced proficiency
  5. Permanent address is in the state of Maryland
  6. Permanent address is in a designated HPSA, MUA, or rural area
  7. Permanent address is in Maryland’s Western Region counties - Frederick, Washington, Allegany, or Garrett County
  8. Regional institution graduate (non-FSU), located within 120 miles of Frostburg, Maryland
  9. Supplemental personal mission statement illustrates the applicant’s alignment with the program’s mission to serve rural and underserved patient populations in the primary care setting

Academic Performance

  1. Higher pre-requisite course GPA

Experience Types

  1. Patient Care Experience: direct patient care responsibility requiring advanced education, certification, or licensure in a healthcare (or related) setting. Examples include, but are not limited to: EMT, Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist, Nurse, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Hospital Corpsman, Medic, Chiropractor, Athletic Trainer, Dietician, or Exercise Physiologist
  2. Leadership Experience: performs activities of a role consistently for > one (1) year
  3. Volunteer Experience: performs activities of a role on a consistent basis - two (2) hours per week or ninety-six (96) hours – in the span of one (1) year

*Application information and/or materials are seemingly, or in-actuality, embellished or misrepresented to manipulate the admissions process for personal gain, or if submission of written portions - expected to be the original work of the prospective student - appear to be generated using artificial intelligence (AI), will result in ineligibility for further admission consideration.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

CASPA calculates the GPAs used by the program, which are not round-up. Any courses completed at an institution using a quarter credit system must be converted to semester credit hours. If transcripts have a quarter credit system, this is converted and calculated by CASPA, though we ask applicants to ensure accuracy when entering this information into the Portal application.

All repeated course grades are counted in the CASPA GPA calculation (i.e., factors in the attempted credits). However, repeated science courses completed after the priority deadline will not be considered. For information on how CASPA calculates GPAs, please go to their website, on the Frequently Asked Questions web page.

Advanced Placement

Currently, the program does not offer advanced placement. The program’s curriculum must be completed in its sequenced order, beginning with the didactic phase (“didactic year”) and then clinical phase (“clinical year”).

Technical Standards

Technical Standards are required for matriculation throughout progression in the program. Along with meeting other program requirements, such as academic standards, all candidates must be able to independently, with or without reasonable accommodation, meet the program’s technical standards and continue to meet (or maintain) these standards through the duration of the program. These technical standards have been developed in consideration of the demands of didactic and clinical phases as a student of graduate health sciences and future successful clinical practice as a PA. This is ensured as a program requirement prior to starting classes and is monitored over the duration of the program.

International Students, Foreign Medical Graduates, and English Literacy/Fluency

International Students: Currently, international prospective students seeking an F1 Visa are not eligible for consideration due to the SEVP approval requirements for FSU programs at USMH.

Foreign Medical Graduates: Non-U.S. (“foreign”) -educated applicants must have transcripts from all prior higher educational institutions. Any non-U.S. transcripts require an evaluation of each course taken and associated GPA(s) for equivalence. Evaluation must occur prior to submitting the CASPA application by one (1) of the following organizations: World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). This process can take several months and must be submitted along with all other required application materials by the application deadline.

English Literacy and Fluency: Having advanced proficiency (fluency) of the English language (literacy) is required to meet the educational components and rigor of the program. International students who have not graduated from an accredited college or university in the U.S. and whose native language is not English, must achieve a passing score on at least one (1) of listed fluency exams (see Minimum Admission Requirements). This requirement additionally applies to individuals whose first or primary language is not English.

Applicant scores must be ≤ two (2) years from the time of application. If you choose to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam for a re-take to remain current, we recommend that you take the exam at least six (6) months in advance of the semester’s start. Please provide updated verification as it is available and as requested by the program, including prior to being permitted to start classes.

Waiver Eligibility

Waiver eligibility generally relates to pre-requisite courses and the time limitation for completion. Applicants who have remained clinically active in a healthcare (or related) field, or in the case of exceptional circumstances, can submit a waiver for program consideration via email providing the rationale and any associated documentation (as requested/needed by the program for verification). The primary reasons for submitting a waiver are in the following circumstances:

Time limitation window:

  • Science pre-requisite courses, up to a maximum of the last ten (10) years:
    • Anatomy and Physiology I, II
    • Microbiology

One (1) allowable outstanding course:

  • Non-science pre-requisite course, outstanding at the time of application

Other:

  • FSU-to-FSU Pathway student (See the program’s specific pathway admissions page for more information)

The Interview

Interviews are conducted in-person at the program, located in Hagerstown, Maryland. Applicants are invited to interview based on the strength of their CASPA application, materials, and meeting the program's preferential criteria (Phase II: Evaluation).

Selected applicants will be notified via CASPA portal email. Those selected for an interview are required to respond within the timeframe provided in Table 1, otherwise, the offer to interview may be forfeited and the program will move on to the next competitive candidate.

Around or at the time of interview, the applicant may be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement related to the interview content (e.g., questions), admissions process, and confidentiality of others.

Interview days span 6-8 hours, involving Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) stations, group interactions, and a writing sample. Lunch and light refreshments are provided. Professional attire is required and expected for the day of interview. Late arrival may result in forfeiture of the interview and is determined at the discretion of the program. 

The attributes evaluated during the interview include: 

  • Integrity and Self-Reflection
  • Ethics
  • Empathy
  • Knowledge of the PA Profession
  • Collaboration & Teamwork
  • Adaptability
  • Written Communication
  • Professionalism

Key admission activities and notification timelines are included in Table 1.

Communication Between Applicants & the Program

Applicants will receive communication and updates regarding their application status through CASPA. Thus, keeping contact information up to date on the portal is important for sending and receiving timely correspondence.

Contact the program directly if there is an exceptional circumstance where you have secured a Seat (w/deposit) and request deferral to the subsequent year’s incoming cohort. This cannot be guaranteed, though the request will be reviewed by the program and may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Other Program Requirements and Pre-matriculant Status

If offered a Seat, applicants are provided with a list of Other Program Requirements due during the pre-matriculation period (i.e., after acceptance of Seat, deposit and prior to being permitted to start the program, i.e., pre-matriculation). These are necessary verifications that can impact a potential student’s ability to participate in certain learning activities, health care training procedures, clinical rotations, future licensing, board certification, and practice. Thus, would render a student unable to fully meet the program learning outcomes for successful graduation.

These “Other” requirements include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Health Immunization records / vaccination verification
  • Healthcare physical exam w/certification by a primary care provider
  • Criminal background check
  • Drug screening
  • Child abuse clearance (if applicable, e.g., if current or past resident of Pennsylvania)

The inability to perform, participate in, and successfully pass these required clearances will be denied admission to the program. All Seats reserved with a deposit are still considered as a ‘conditional offer’ until ALL Other Program Requirements are completed during the pre-matriculant period (prior to being permitted to start program classes). Any tuition and fees incurred may be forfeited accordingly.

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