SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE(SIUC)

PREREQUISITES FOR THE MASTER OF SCIENCE

IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM (MSPA)

(Please note: This information is subject to change)

 

Admission Criteria:

All applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School.

Applicants to the one year Master’s Completion Program must have a Bachelor’s degree from an ARC-PA accredited college or university PA Program and certification as a PA.  Applicants to the seven semester Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program should hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university by the time of matriculation to the graduate PA program. The Master’s Program is 26 months long.  The first year is completed on campus in Carbondale.  The subsequent months are spent at a rotation site determined later in the program.  Other requirements are listed as follows:

 

1.         The applicant must have successfully completed the following prerequisite courses or their equivalents: 

  

·         All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the spring term prior to matriculation.  No more than two prerequisite courses can be taken in the spring semester prior to matriculation.

 

·         Only grades of “C” or better will be accepted for transfer.  Grades of “C-“ or below will not transfer for credit. Grades of “C” in the support courses below will lower your support course cumulative GPA significantly.

 

                              Required Prerequisites at SIUC or the Equivalent:

 

à         Allied Health 105 (Medical Terminology-2 hours) or proficiency,

à         Chemistry 140a,b (8 hours);

à         Psychology 102 or Child Psychology 301 or Psychobiology 302 (3 hours);

à         Physiology 310 (5 hour or equivalent);

à         Physiology 301 [Survey of Human Anatomy (cadaver)-3 hours];

à         Microbiology 201 (4 hours);

à         Zoology 115 or Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Evolution 200A (General Biology for science majors-3 hours);

à         Statistics: Math 282 or higher (you may also substitute any of the following from SIUC – ABE 318, ATS 386, ESPY 365,  HCM 365, HED 326, IMS 365, PSYC 211, or SOC 308 );

à         English Composition 101 (3 hours);

à         Introduction to Oral Communication 101 (3 hours);

à         Basic Cardiac Life Support HED 334 or Certification in CPR (can be taken at a community college or area hospital). Please send a copy of your card along with your application materials.

 

·         Physiology should be completed preferably within the last five years.

 

·         Pharmacology (PHSL 420A/B at SIUC) is highly recommended before matriculation. Check to see if there are prerequisite courses.

 

2.         The cumulative grade point average (GPA) for your Bachelors must be at least 2.8 (A = 4.0).  Prerequisite course GPA must be at least a 3.0 (A = 4.0). All grades in completed support classes, if not included in the Bachelors, should be forwarded as soon as possible to the PA Program Advisor after each semester ends.

 

3.         Applicants should have significant health care experience, with preference given to candidates with at least 2000 hours of documented work. This experience can be in conjunction with shadowing a licensed, certified, practicing Physician Assistant.  Combinations of experience may vary and can be full-time or part-time, as an employee or volunteer.  Preference will be given to those applicants with credentialed experience in providing direct patient care.

 

4.         Applicants must submit test scores from either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).  These scores must be no more than ten years old and should be submitted with the PA Program application.

 

5.         Applicants will be evaluated on the overall submitted application package, academic potential, motivation, familiarity with the PA role, level of maturity, oral and written communication skills, inter-personal skills, and potential for success in the SIUC PA Program and the PA profession.  Preference will be given to applicants from rural or medically underserved areas.

 

6.         Students are highly encouraged to be proficient in the use of computers before matriculation to the program, especially with software applications such as Microsoft Word.

 

7.         The application process is open once per year; beginning on April 15th and ending on December 1st.  You should complete the generic online Grad School information form when applying to the PA Program at www.siu.edu/gradschl. Please make sure that if you are transferring in course work, do so by October 1st.  This will assure transcript evaluation, as well as grades and grade point averages being posted before campus holidays.  The program utilizes rolling admissions, thus applicants are encouraged to apply early in the process. No application will be processed after the deadline of December 1st, or in the absence of the $45.00 application fee. (fee subject to increase)

 

*Application accepted through CASPAonline.org only*

 

- Application does not guarantee admission to the PA Program -

-  Since this information is periodically updated, always use the official  website below -

 

Please contact the SIUC PA Program for a final list of prerequisites and other information.  Also, check online periodically at http://mccoy.lib.siu.edu/~paprogram for updated information as it is released.  Our academic advisor can be contacted at  pa_advisement@siumed.edu  

 

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

 

ld7/06;fjk4/07;fjk3/08