Back
  • Overview
  • Women-Focused Education
  • Success Stories
  • Ranking & Recognition
  • Your Ursuline Blueprint
  • Facts & Stats
  • Our Heritage
  • Virtual Tour
  • Around Cleveland
  • Overview
  • Undergraduate Admission
  • Graduate Admission
  • Online Admission
  • Transfer Admission
  • For International Students
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • Scholarships

  • Overview
  • Accelerated
  • Course Catalogs
  • Academic Support Svcs.
  • Career Svcs.
  • Academic Partnerships
  • Registrar
  • Our Faculty
  • Women Entrepreneurs + Innovators
  • Healthcare
  • Overview
  • Campus Life
  • Residence Halls
  • Student Activities
  • Personal Counseling
  • Orientation
  • Career Services
  • Women's Center
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Campus Ministry
  • Commencement
  • Policy on Sexual Misconduct
  • Harassment and Discrimination Policy
  • Overview
  • Tuition & Costs
  • Net Price Calculator
  • Financial Aid
  • Scholarships
  • Student Service Center
  • Aid Policies and Forms
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • Undergrad Textbooks
  • Bursar
  • Donate Online
  • Ways to Give
  • Planned Giving
  • Gifts of Stock and IRA Rollovers
  • Scholarships
  • Annual Fund
  • The Impact of Giving
  • Donor Recognition
  • Overview
  • Get Involved
  • Support for Young Scholars
  • Alumni Stories
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Alumni Resources
  • Update Your Information
  • Board
  • Photos & Videos
  • Events at Ursuline
  • Overview
  • Hours
  • Find...
  • Need Help?
  • Reserve a Study Room
  • Article Request
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • Library Guides
  • Archives
  • Library Events
  • How Do I?
  • FAQs
  • Policies
  • Overview
  • History
  • Photos & Videos
  • Overview
  • Mission & Vision
  • Institutional Learning Outcomes
  • History
  • 150th Anniversary
  • Leadership
  • Strategic Partnership
  • Employment
  • Marketing & Communication
  • Consumer Information
  • Back
  • Overview
  • How to Apply
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • For Admitted Students
  • Overview
  • How to Apply
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • For Admitted Students
  • Overview
  • Degrees
  • Certificates
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • How to Apply
  • Cost & Aid
  • For Admitted Students
  • Overview
  • How to Apply
  • Dual Admission
  • Community College Transfer
  • For Transfer Counselors
  • For Admitted Students
  • Connect with a Counselor
  • Overview
  • Admission Requirements
  • English Language Proficiency
  • International Financial Aid
  • Immigration Status
  • Visit Campus
  • Overview
  • Find an Undergraduate Program
  • Core Curriculum
  • Internships
  • Overview
  • Find A Program
  • Overview
  • UCAP at a glance
  • Online Start Dates
  • Professional Certificates
  • Other Online Programs
  • Find a Program
  • Overview
  • Overview
  • Online Teaching License Renewal
  • Career Training Courses
  • Personal Development Courses
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Au Pair
  • Overview
  • Academic Coaching
  • Advising
  • Disability Services
  • Alternative Credit Options
  • Overview
  • Student Organizations
  • Community Engagement
  • Welcome Week
  • Overview
  • Career Coaching
  • For Employers/Recruiters
  • Overview
  • Undergraduate
  • Accelerated/UCAP
  • Graduate
  • Overview
  • Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • UCAP Online Program
  • Federal Work Study
  • Loans
  • How to Apply for Aid
  • Appeals
  • Resources
  • Need help?
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Overview
  • Scholarships for Undergraduates
  • Scholarships for Transfer Students
  • Scholarships for International Students
  • Scholarships for Graduate Students
  • ROTC Scholarships
  • Welcome + Overview
  • Our Sponsors
  • 150th Anniversary Timeline
  • Portraits of Ursuline College People
  • 150th Celebration Photos
  • Office of the President
  • President's Council
  • Deans and Academic Leadership
  • Board of Trustees
  • Overview
  • FAQs
  • News and Updates
  • Our Alignment
  • Statements of Support
  • Your Feedback
  • Media Inquiries
  • Overview
  • Job Opportunities
  • Benefits
  • Overview
  • For the Media
  • Brand Guide
  • Contact
  • Overview
  • Accreditation
  • Campus Security Policies, Crime Statistics and Crime Log
  • Data Request
  • Consumer Complaint Process
  • Education Unit Completer Reporting Measures
  • COVID Testing Data
  • HEERF Report
  • Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosures
  • Title IX Compliance
  • Home / Academics / Find a Program / Master of Medical Science (MMSc) Physician Assistant / Admission Requirements | Ursuline - Liberal Arts College in OH

    Master of Medical Science (MMSc) Physician Assistant

    More program details

    Apply Now Visit Ursuline Find a Program Request Info

    Master of Medical Science (MMSc) Physician Assistant Admission Requirements

    Physician Assistant Admission

    To be eligible for consideration for admission in the Ursuline College Master of Medical Science (MMSc) program, applicants will need to create an account with the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). There is no supplemental application; all applications must be submitted through CASPA.

    • Program cohorts start in January of each calendar year.

    Application and admission into PA programs are competitive; not all applicants who meet Ursuline College minimum criteria will receive an interview invitation. An interview is required prior to admission to the program.

    All prerequisites do not need to be completed at the time of CASPA application but must be successfully completed before students matriculate in the program.

    Questions?

    If you have questions, reach out to PAadmissions@ursuline.edu at any time.


    Application and Deadlines

    • CASPA opens the last Thursday in April annually. The admissions window for Ursuline College will be from the time CASPA opens in April until October 1st.
    • Only CASPA verified, complete applications received by October 1st will be considered for the application cycle.
    • The PA program selects candidates to interview between May and December. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, with some offers being made soon after the interview or after all interview dates have been completed.

    Official College Transcripts

    • All official transcript(s) for baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited, U.S.-based institution and any additional undergraduate or graduate academic coursework whether credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Transcript(s) must be forwarded directly to CASPA. A baccalaureate degree must be conferred prior to beginning the program.
    • Once received by CASPA, the transcript verification may take up to four weeks.

    GPA and Prerequisite Courses

    • Minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA must be at least 3.0.
    • Exceptions may be made (but are not guaranteed) for candidates who present compelling evidence of success in graduate coursework. This means that if an applicant has an overall GPA of < 3.0, their application may still be reviewed/considered by our team if they have completed an entire masters or doctorate level program.
    • The prerequisite courses listed are minimum requirements. Candidates must have completed one semester of each of these prerequisite courses, with a grade of C or better in each course, prior to enrollment in the physician assistant program. All prerequisites do not need to be completed at the time of CASPA application but must be successfully completed before students matriculate in the program.
    • Pass/Fail classes will not fulfill prerequisite requirements; a letter and numerical grade must be submitted to fulfill the requirements. Advanced coursework will be considered as part of the admissions process. AP course credits can satisfy prerequisite requirements. In-progress courses that will be completed prior to the program start date are to be listed in CASPA and will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
    • All prerequisite courses must have been completed within 10 years.
      • General Chemistry I & II
      • Organic Chemistry
      • Biology I & II
      • Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Medical terminology
      • Psychology
      • Statistics
      • English

    Three Recommendations

    • Three recommendations utilizing the required recommendation form or standard recommendation letter format must be submitted directly to CASPA. One reference is required from each category:
    • A person holding the PA-C, MD or DO designation and who also holds a current license to practice under that designation.
    • A college or university professor where the candidate has been a student in one or more of the classes taught by the faculty member OR an additional person holding the PA-C, MD or DO designation.
    • A reference of your choice of someone who has knowledge of your work ethic, academic record, volunteer work or other activities and can comment on your ability to succeed in the physician assistant program.

    Direct Patient Care Experience

    • Ursuline College’s Physician Assistant program does not require candidates to have direct patient-care hours or shadowing hours to be admitted. While not required, candidates should still include any patient-care related experience (paid or volunteer) in their CASPA applications.

    Mission Aligned Preferences for Interview

    • Aligned with our mission to educate socially conscious healthcare providers and our vision to develop leaders in medicine who serve diverse communities, Ursuline College's PA Program prioritizes interview opportunities for qualified candidates who demonstrate connections to underserved populations, military service, first-generation college status, and graduates of Ursuline College. Granting an interview does not equate to acceptance into the program.
    • Mission aligned preferences:
      • High school HPSA
      • Military Veterans
      • First-Generation College Student
      • Ursuline College Graduate

    Seat Deposit and Advanced Placement Policy

    • Those who are offered a seat in the program will have 14 days after an admission offer to respond and provide a non-refundable deposit of $750 to secure a seat in the class.
    • Advanced Placement Policy (A3.13c)
      • The Ursuline College Physician Assistant Program does not offer advanced placement. All coursework in the Ursuline College Physician Assistant Program must be completed in sequence.

    Additional Considerations for PA Candidates

    Immunizations and Health Standards (A3.07a)

    • Within 2 months of matriculation into the program, all students are required to have a health surveillance/physical examination form completed by a healthcare provider.
    • The Ursuline College Physician Assistant Program is committed to providing a safe environment for the education of its students. Students, faculty, and staff in the healthcare setting are vulnerable to communicable diseases.

    The PA program requires the following vaccines consistent with current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Recommendations:

    Hepatitis B

    About Hepatitis B Vaccination | CDC

    If you don’t have documented evidence of a complete hepB vaccine series, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to hepatitis B (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) then you should

    Get a 3-dose series of Recombivax HB or Engerix-B (dose #1 now, #2 in 1 month, #3 approximately 5 months after #2) or a 2-dose series of Heplisav-B, with the doses separated by at least 4 weeks.

    Get an anti-HBs serologic test 1-2 months after the final dose.

    See Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the ACIP.

    Influenza

    About Seasonal Flu Vaccination and Preventable Disease | CDC

    Get 1 dose of influenza vaccine annually.

    Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

    About Measles Vaccination | CDC

    If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to measles or mumps (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination), get 2 doses of MMR (1 dose now and the 2nd dose at least 28 days later).

    If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to rubella, only 1 dose of MMR is recommended. However, you may end up receiving 2 doses, because the rubella component is in the combination vaccine with measles and mumps. For HCWs born before 1957, see the MMR ACIP vaccine recommendations.

    Varicella

    About Chickenpox Vaccination | CDC

    If you have not had chickenpox (varicella), if you haven’t had varicella vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to varicella (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) get 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 4 weeks apart.

    Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap)

    About Pertussis Vaccination | CDC

    Get a one-time dose of Tdap as soon as possible if you have not received Tdap previously (regardless of when previous dose of Td was received).

    Get either a Td or Tdap booster shot every 10 years thereafter.

    Pregnant HCWs need to get a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy.

    Tuberculosis

    All U.S. health care personnel should be screened for TB upon hire (i.e., preplacement). TB screening is a process that includes:

    • A baseline individual TB risk assessment.
    TB symptom evaluation
    • A TB test (e.g., TB blood test or a TB skin test)
    • Additional evaluation for TB disease as needed

    For More Information:
    Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers | CDC
    Testing & Diagnosis | TB | CDC

    Health information is maintained by CastleBranch, the PA program only has access to confirmation of completion.

    Procedure

    • All students at Ursuline College PA program must provide proof of prior immunization for influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and hepatitis B consistent with the most current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for healthcare professionals.
      • Students who cannot provide adequate documentation of prior immunization or physician-diagnosed diseases (as indicated by serologic evidence) by the start of the Ursuline College PA program must complete all immunizations with documentation prior to August 1stof didactic year in anticipation of clinical rotations.
    • Documentation of the results of tuberculosis testing according to the following protocol:
      • Students will need to provide proof of completing two-step Tuberculosis test and then one-step for subsequent years after that, or IGRA Blood Assay with appropriate follow-up for positive tests.
      • A two-step TB test involves two PPD skin tests performed one to three weeks apart, with each of the 4 steps documented. Each TB test requires two visits as each test must be read 48-72 hours after it is placed.
      • In the event PPD is positive, a chest x-ray or evidence of symptom review by a healthcare professional shall be submitted.
    • Any student who has not been appropriately immunized or who fails to receive annual screening may be delayed entering the clinical phase of the program.
    • For students seeking an exemption for COVID-19 (clinical phase requirement) or influenza vaccinations (annual requirement), the program will instruct the student on the appropriate procedure.

    Technical Standards

    • The Ursuline College Master of Medical Science (MMSc) Physician Assistant Program requires that all students demonstrate the technical skills needed to complete both the didactic and clinical phases of the program. The following skills are necessary to effectively evaluate and treat patients: critical thinking, interpersonal communication, technologically proficient and intact visual, auditory and motor skills.
    • Students who are unable to demonstrate the required technical standards needed to complete the PA curriculum may be dismissed from the program. As required by the Federal Disabilities Act, the PA program will make every attempt to provide students with necessary accommodation.

    Minimum Technical Standards

    Observation

    Candidate must acquire information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in lectures and laboratories. Candidates must be able to evaluate patients accurately and assess their relevant health, behavioral, and medical information. Candidates must be able to obtain and interpret information through a comprehensive assessment of patients, correctly interpret clinical data, accurately evaluate patients’ conditions and responses, as well as develop a diagnostic and treatment plan. Vision, hearing and touch or the functional equivalent is required.

    Communication

    Candidates must exhibit interpersonal skills to enable effective caregiving of patients, including the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively in English, with all members of a multidisciplinary health care team, patients, and those supporting patients, in person and in writing. Candidates must be able to clearly and accurately record information and accurately interpret verbal and nonverbal communications.

    Motor & Sensory Functions

    Candidates must have adequate physical endurance, motor function and sensory ability to be able to provide and/or direct the:

    • Provision of general care and emergency treatment to patients.
    • Performance of routine physical examination and diagnostic maneuvers.
    • Performance of treatment maneuvers, which may include lifting, transferring of patients, and assisting during. ambulation while assuring their own safety as well as the safety of the patient.
    • Elicitation of information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and movement of limbs.
    • Candidates must meet applicable relevant safety standards for the environment and follow universal precaution procedures.

    Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative-Abilities

    Candidates must effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand the complex information required to function within the health professional programs of the SOM. Problem solving is a critical skill that requires conceptual integrative and quantitative thinking abilities. Candidates must also be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships, the spatial and functional relationships of structures, and to analyze and apply this information for problem-solving and decision-making. Candidates must be able to effectively participate in educational activities either online or in person, individually and in small groups in all learning environments. They must have the ability to organize, prioritize, analyze, and evaluate detailed and complex information individually, in small groups, in clinical settings and within a limited time frame both in person and via remote technology. Candidates must be able to learn, participate, collaborate, and contribute as part of a team.

    Behavioral and Social Skills

    Candidates must exercise good judgement and promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients. A candidate must have the emotional health to fully use their intellectual ability, exercise good judgement, and to complete all responsibilities attendant to the evaluation and treatment of patients. They must be honest, able to self-assess own mistakes, respond constructively to feedback and assume responsibility for maintaining professional behavior. The skills required include the ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function-effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the practice of their profession.
    A candidate must be able to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with faculty, patients, families, caregivers and colleagues. A candidate must be able to tolerate physical and emotional stress, maintain alertness and wakefulness, and continue to function effectively. They must have a high level of compassion for others, motivation to serve and integrity. They must behave in an ethical and moral manner consistent with professional values and standards. A candidate must possess sufficient interpersonal skills to interact positively and sensitively with all people.


    Criminal Record and Drug Screening

    • Candidates with a criminal record that has not been expunged or sealed are not eligible for enrollment in the Ursuline College PA program.
    • All students who enroll in the PA program are required to complete a program specified background check which includes both a civilian and a federal background check through the Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation (BCI&I). A package will be provided to all students who enroll. Students will also be required to complete both the civilian and federal background checks in preparation for clinical rotations. The cost of these services is included in the comprehensive program cost/fees.
    • Ursuline College is committed to maintaining a drug-free educational environment and to ensure that students provide safe, high quality healthcare services. All students will be subject to substance use testing as part of the pre-enrollment and pre-clinical health requirements.
    • As a guest in the healthcare facilities, students will be subject to the policies of the agency, which may include random urine testing. If drug or alcohol usage is detected in clinical settings, students will be tested at the clinical agency, in accordance with agency policies. Detection of drug or alcohol usage while in the clinical setting will result in dismissal from the PA program.

    Health Insurance

    • Students enrolling in the PA program must provide their own personal health insurance for the duration of the program. Proof of insurance will be required within 2 months of matriculation. Neither the University nor clinical affiliates cover student health-related incidents.

    Employment Recommendation and Clinical Site Solicitation

    • Employment while in the program is highly discouraged for all physician assistant students. The 24-month program comprised of lectures, laboratories and clinical rotations is a rigorous and demanding curriculum that requires a significant commitment to study and work within the program, leaving minimal opportunity for part-time employment.
    • The program does not require students, prospective or enrolled, to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.
    • Students may make requests regarding a potential clinical site or preceptor. However, the program, with the guidance of the Clinical Coordinator, is responsible for vetting all locations and preceptors and making final decisions according to program policies.

    Clinical Participation Requirements

    • As a guest of the healthcare facilities that provide clinical experiences, students are subject to the policies of the facility, which include meeting the following standards for safety, immunization, and health standards. Since clinical experience is an essential element of the PA program, the inability to work directly in patient care may result in the student not continuing in the program.

    The PA program requires the following vaccines consistent with current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations:

    Hepatitis B

    About Hepatitis B Vaccination | CDC

    If you don’t have documented evidence of a complete hepB vaccine series, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to hepatitis B (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) then you should

    Get a 3-dose series of Recombivax HB or Engerix-B (dose #1 now, #2 in 1 month, #3 approximately 5 months after #2) or a 2-dose series of Heplisav-B, with the doses separated by at least 4 weeks.

    Get an anti-HBs serologic test 1-2 months after the final dose.

    See Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the ACIP.

    Influenza

    About Seasonal Flu Vaccination and Preventable Disease | CDC

    Get 1 dose of influenza vaccine annually.

    Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

    About Measles Vaccination | CDC

    If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to measles or mumps (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination), get 2 doses of MMR (1 dose now and the 2nd dose at least 28 days later).

    If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to rubella, only 1 dose of MMR is recommended. However, you may end up receiving 2 doses, because the rubella component is in the combination vaccine with measles and mumps. For HCWs born before 1957, see the MMR ACIP vaccine recommendations.

    Varicella

    About Chickenpox Vaccination | CDC

    If you have not had chickenpox (varicella), if you haven’t had varicella vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to varicella (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) get 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 4 weeks apart.

    Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap)

    About Pertussis Vaccination | CDC

    Get a one-time dose of Tdap as soon as possible if you have not received Tdap previously (regardless of when previous dose of Td was received).

    Get either a Td or Tdap booster shot every 10 years thereafter.

    Pregnant HCWs need to get a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy.

    Tuberculosis

    All U.S. health care personnel should be screened for TB upon hire (i.e., preplacement). TB screening is a process that includes:

    • A baseline individual TB risk assessment.
    TB symptom evaluation
    • A TB test (e.g., TB blood test or a TB skin test)
    • Additional evaluation for TB disease as needed

    For More Information:
    Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers | CDC
    Testing & Diagnosis | TB | CDC

    Health information is maintained by CastleBranch, the PA program only has access to confirmation of completion.

    Covid-19

    Procedure

    • All students at Ursuline College PA program must provide proof of prior immunization for influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, COVID-19 and hepatitis B consistent with the most current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for healthcare professionals.
      • Students who cannot provide adequate documentation of prior immunization or physician-diagnosed diseases (as indicated by serologic evidence) by the start of the Ursuline College PA program must complete all immunizations with documentation prior to August 1stof didactic year in anticipation of clinical rotations.
    • Documentation of the results of tuberculosis testing according to the following protocol:
      • Students will need to provide proof of completing two-step Tuberculosis test and then one-step for subsequent years after that, or IGRA Blood Assay with appropriate follow-up for positive tests.
      • A two-step TB test involves two PPD skin tests performed one to three weeks apart, with each of the 4 steps documented. Each TB test requires two visits as each test must be read 48-72 hours after it is placed.
      • In the event PPD is positive, a chest x-ray or evidence of symptom review by a healthcare professional shall be submitted.
    • Any student who has not been appropriately immunized or who fails to receive annual screening may be delayed entering the clinical phase of the program.
    • For students seeking an exemption for COVID-19 (clinical phase requirement) or influenza vaccinations (annual requirement), the program will instruct the student on the appropriate procedure.
    • Updated annual health surveillance/physical examination form completed by a healthcare provider.
    • Updated annual drug screen.
    • Updated background check and Ohio BCI with fingerprinting (once within 5 years).
    • Students enrolling in the PA program must provide their own personal health insurance for the duration of the program. Neither the University nor clinical affiliates cover student health-related incidents.
    • Professional Liability Insurance provided through AAPA.
    • Additional requirements determined and provided by the program or our clinical affiliates including, but not limited to, OSHA, HIPAA, BLS, and EMR training.