Admission
Completing the Path
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) program is the graduate portion of the program and is a two-year professional program. This program serves as an extension of the 3-year Valparaiso University undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS) program and is the culminating phase of the 5-Year Physician Assistant Program (3+2) model. Students currently enrolled in a Valparaiso University degree or those who have earned a Valpo degree are eligible to apply for admission into the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) program if they meet all listed graduate admission requirements.
The MSPA Program does not accept graduate transfer students nor grant early entry.
The Valparaiso University PA Program does not participate in the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
Graduate Admission
To be eligible for admission to the graduate phase of the program, students must meet one of the following requirements:
- Valparaiso University students enrolled in the Health Science Program (BSHS) who will complete their degree prior to the start date for the MSPA Program.
- Valparaiso University students who will complete their Valpo degree and who have met all prerequisite requirements prior to the start date for the MSPA Program.
- Alumni of Valparaiso University who have earned their Valpo degree and who have met all prerequisite requirements prior to the start date for the MSPA Program.
Available Seats. The Valparaiso University PA Program is a high-demand area of study, and there are 45 seats available for each incoming graduate class. Students who were not admitted into the 5-Year PA Program with a direct entry seat will be considered for admission to the MSPA Program once a year in December, pending available seats.
Applicants will complete a University application, which includes a personal statement and an interview. The Valpo MSPA Program Admission Committee will review all applications to the MSPA graduate phase of the 5-Year Physician Assistant Program.
Preference will be given to students who are either enrolled in the BSHS degree or who have completed the BSHS degree; however, this does not guarantee acceptance in place of a non-BSHS degree applicant.
Items in the applicant’s file that demonstrate maturity, leadership, commitment to a career in healthcare, and service to others would also strengthen the case for admission.
Applicants will complete a University application, which includes a personal statement and an interview. The Valpo MSPA Program Admission Committee will review all applications to the MSPA graduate phase of the 5-Year Physician Assistant Program.
Preference will be given to students who are either enrolled in the BSHS degree or who have completed the BSHS degree; however, this does not guarantee acceptance in place of a non-BSHS degree applicant.
Items in the applicant’s file that demonstrate maturity, leadership, commitment to a career in healthcare, and service to others would also strengthen the case for admission.
BSHS degree applicants will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Overall cumulative GPA
- Overall lab science GPA
- Overall health science GPA
- Interview
- Three letters of reference
- At least one letter of reference must be from a healthcare professional who can comment on the applicant’s abilities and performance in a clinical setting
Preference is given to students who demonstrate higher achievement in GPA (overall, science, & health science), maturity, leadership, commitment to a career in healthcare, and service to others.
Applicants who are not enrolled in, or have not achieved, the BSHS degree must meet (or must demonstrate they will meet) the prerequisite degree, coursework prerequisites, and pre-admission clinical experience for the MSPA Program.
Application submissions must include:
- Official academic transcripts from Valparaiso University
- Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Overall lab science GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Competitive applicants typically have an Overall GPA and a Science GPA of 3.40 or higher
- Three letters of reference
- At least one letter of reference must be from a healthcare professional who can comment on the applicant’s abilities and performance in a clinical setting.
- Minimum of 132 hours of direct patient care or healthcare experiences documented prior to the start of the MSPA Program.
- Direct patient care experiences include both paid and unpaid work in a health field where you are directly responsible for a patient’s care, for example actively working with patients as a nurse, paramedic, EMT, CNA, physical therapist, occupational therapist, etc.
- Healthcare experiences include both paid or unpaid work in a health field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care, but still have patient interaction, for example administering food or medication, taking vitals, obtaining record-keeping information, shadowing (PA preferred), working as a scribe, medical assistant, etc.
Coursework Prerequisites
Official transcripts must show that the following prerequisites have been completed.
- Applicants will be considered if prerequisites are still in progress or planned; however, all prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the start of the MSPA Program.
- To be considered for admission, all prerequisite coursework must be completed no earlier than 10 years prior to the application cycle deadline.
- Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
| Course Prerequisite | Minimum Semester Hours | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy & Physiology with Lab | 6 | Content may be divided into separate anatomy and physiology courses |
| Microbiology with Lab | 4 | |
| Biology | 7 | In addition to anatomy and physiology |
| General Chemistry with Lab | 8 | |
| Organic Chemistry I with Lab | 4 | |
| Statistics | 3 | |
| Behavioral and Social Sciences | 6 | Psychology, Sociology, or Anthropology |
| Medical Terminology | 1 |
More Information
The Valparaiso University physician assistant program is a rigorous curriculum in which students acquire the general knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors required for the practice of medicine. The Valparaiso University physician assistant program considers it essential for all physician assistant graduates to have the ability to function in a variety of clinical situations and to provide a wide spectrum of patient care. Essential Functional Eligibility Requirements (Technical Standards) are defined as the attributes considered necessary for students to complete their education and training and subsequently enter clinical practice. An individual must be able to independently demonstrate capabilities to meet these minimum standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, for successful completion of degree requirements. Reasonable accommodation will be offered for persons with disabilities in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Specific Essential Functional Eligibility Requirements have been adopted for admission, promotion, and graduation from the PA program.
Students must possess the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. They must have functional use of the senses of vision, hearing, equilibrium, and taste. Their exteroceptor (touch, pain, and temperature) and proprioceptor (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibratory) senses must be sufficiently intact to enable the student to carry out all the activities required to complete the functions described in the Technical Skills document.
Students who are applying to the College of Nursing and Health Professions will be required to complete supervised clinical practice experiences to fulfill the requirements of their field of study and degree. The vast majority of hospital systems, hospitals, clinics, and medical offices require students to submit documentation of a completed vaccination series (including COVID-19) to meet their requirements to enter their facilities and attend a clinical practice experience. This policy is mandated by the clinical site.
The student accepts all responsibility that, if there are no clinical sites available by May 1 prior to each student’s clinical year to meet all rotation requirements for the entire clinical year for an unvaccinated student (including COVID-19), the student would not meet the requirements for successful completion of the degree. The student assumes all financial responsibility for their decision.