About this Program
³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's Master of Physician Assistant is ranked #35 nationally among 310 PA programs by U.S. News & World Report and is offered through the EVMS School of Health Professions on the campus of Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia.
The program prepares students to deliver patient-centered care across primary care, hospital medicine, surgical specialties, emergency medicine, and a wide range of clinical settings. Students train through the medical model of education with direct exposure to medical school faculty, clinical preceptors, and community-engaged learning opportunities across Hampton Roads.
Visit the department website for additional program info »
ARC-PA Accreditation
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is the central accreditor for PA programs in the United States. ARC-PA accreditation signals to applicants, employers, and credentialing bodies that a program meets rigorous national standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, clinical training, and student outcomes.
For PA prospects, ARC-PA accreditation matters for three practical reasons:
- PANCE eligibility. Only graduates of ARC-PA-accredited programs are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, which is required for state licensure as a Physician Assistant.
- State licensure. All 50 states require PANCE certification (and therefore ARC-PA accreditation of the originating program) as a condition of PA licensure.
- Employer recognition. Hospital systems, medical practices, and federal employers (including the VA Health System and military medical commands) require employees to hold PA-C credentials, which require ARC-PA accreditation of the originating program.
ARC-PA Accreditation
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is the central accreditor for PA programs in the United States. ARC-PA accreditation signals to applicants, employers, and credentialing bodies that a program meets rigorous national standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, clinical training, and student outcomes.
For PA prospects, ARC-PA accreditation matters for three practical reasons:
- PANCE eligibility. Only graduates of ARC-PA-accredited programs are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, which is required for state licensure as a Physician Assistant.
- State licensure. All 50 states require PANCE certification (and therefore ARC-PA accreditation of the originating program) as a condition of PA licensure.
- Employer recognition. Hospital systems, medical practices, and federal employers (including the VA Health System and military medical commands) require employees to hold PA-C credentials, which require ARC-PA accreditation of the originating program.
Program Highlights
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Ranked #35 nationally out of 310 PA programs by (2025 edition). Top-tier national position in a highly competitive field.
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ARC-PA accredited — the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant is the central accreditor for PA programs in the United States. ARC-PA accreditation is required for graduates to sit for the PANCE certification exam.
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Medical school campus instruction — the program is taught at the EVMS School of Health Professions on the campus of Eastern Virginia Medical School. Students train alongside medical students and faculty with direct exposure to hospital-based clinical medicine.
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Community-Engaged Learning program — every student completes community service paired with structured learning and reflection across the Hampton Roads region.
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EVMS School of Health Professions affiliation — the program joined ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ in the 2024 ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ-EVMS merger. The PA program retains its EVMS School of Health Professions home and the long-established EVMS PA program brand identity.
Application Process and Timeline
- 2025-2026 cycle opens: July 1, 2025
- CASPA application deadline: March 1, 2026
- All prerequisite courses completed: By March 1, 2026
- Application review: March - April 2026
- Interview invitations sent: March - May 2026 (rolling)
- Admission decisions: March - June 2026 (rolling)
- Bachelor's degree completion required by: July 1, 2026
- PA class entry: January 2027
Applications are submitted through CASPA (the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants), the application portal used by all ARC-PA accredited PA programs.
- Completed CASPA application
- Official transcripts from every college or university attended (sent to CASPA via Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, or mail)
- Two letters of reference
- Personal essay demonstrating in-depth understanding of the PA role
- Documentation of healthcare experience (not required but rewarded)
- Documentation of community service (rewarded)
- Any healthcare certifications (not required but rewarded)
- US citizen or US permanent resident (Green Card holder)
- Qualifying GPA of 3.20 or better on a 4.0 scale (see Admissions Guidebook for Qualifying GPA calculation)
- Bachelor's degree (or higher) completed by July 1 of matriculation year
- All 8 prerequisite courses completed at an accredited U.S. institution with B- or better, by March 1 of application year
- CASPer Test no longer required as of 2023-2024 cycle
Eight prerequisite courses are required. Each must be completed at an accredited U.S. institution with a B- or higher. Courses below have time limits as noted.
- Intro to Psychology: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- General Chemistry: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- College Math, Physics, OR Statistics: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Microbiology OR Cell Biology: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Advanced Psychology Course: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Anatomy AND Physiology (or A&P I AND A&P II): 4 semester credits each, Within 5 years of application deadline (2025-2026 cycle)
- 2025-2026 cycle opens: July 1, 2025
- CASPA application deadline: March 1, 2026
- All prerequisite courses completed: By March 1, 2026
- Application review: March - April 2026
- Interview invitations sent: March - May 2026 (rolling)
- Admission decisions: March - June 2026 (rolling)
- Bachelor's degree completion required by: July 1, 2026
- PA class entry: January 2027
Applications are submitted through CASPA (the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants), the application portal used by all ARC-PA accredited PA programs.
- Completed CASPA application
- Official transcripts from every college or university attended (sent to CASPA via Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, or mail)
- Two letters of reference
- Personal essay demonstrating in-depth understanding of the PA role
- Documentation of healthcare experience (not required but rewarded)
- Documentation of community service (rewarded)
- Any healthcare certifications (not required but rewarded)
- US citizen or US permanent resident (Green Card holder)
- Qualifying GPA of 3.20 or better on a 4.0 scale (see Admissions Guidebook for Qualifying GPA calculation)
- Bachelor's degree (or higher) completed by July 1 of matriculation year
- All 8 prerequisite courses completed at an accredited U.S. institution with B- or better, by March 1 of application year
- CASPer Test no longer required as of 2023-2024 cycle
Eight prerequisite courses are required. Each must be completed at an accredited U.S. institution with a B- or higher. Courses below have time limits as noted.
- Intro to Psychology: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- General Chemistry: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- College Math, Physics, OR Statistics: 3 semester credits min, No time limit
- Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Microbiology OR Cell Biology: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Advanced Psychology Course: 3 semester credits min, Within 10 years of application deadline
- Anatomy AND Physiology (or A&P I AND A&P II): 4 semester credits each, Within 5 years of application deadline (2025-2026 cycle)
Featured Courses
Requirements
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The 2025-2026 cycle will open July 1, 2025 with a deadline of March 1, 2026.
Admission to the Physician Assistant profession has become increasingly competitive over the years. The school evaluates applicants through four lenses: cognitive/academic, personal/non-cognitive, healthcare experience, and community service. -
- Completed the by March 1.
Following the online instructions, applicants must contact every college or university attended and request transcripts be sent directly to CASPA. Click for help sending your official transcripts.
- Citizenship: Applicants to the program must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents (Green Card)
- Qualifying GPA of 3.20 or better (on a 4.0 scale). See Admissions Guidebook for an explanation of Qualifying GPA
- Prerequisite Courses: All eight (8) prerequisite courses must be completed at an accredited U.S. institution with a B- or better grade by March 1. Except Anatomy & Physiology (OR A&P 1 and A&P 2), prerequisite courses must be equal to a minimum of 3 semester credits (5 quarter credits). Anatomy and Physiology must be equal to a minimum of 4 semester credits per semester (6 quarter credits per quarter).
Prerequisite coursework must be completed before the March 1st application deadline. Applications with outstanding prerequisite courses will not be eligible for review.
Required courses include:
- Prerequisite Courses with No Time Limit for Completion:
- Intro to Psychology
- General Chemistry
- College Math, Physics OR Statistics
- Prerequisite Courses that Must be Completed within 10 Years of Application Deadline:
- Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
- Microbiology OR Cell Biology
- Advanced Psychology Course
- Anatomy AND Physiology OR A&P I AND A&P II (2 courses required)** Time limit details below
- Prerequisite Courses with No Time Limit for Completion:
**Beginning in the 2023-2024 application cycle, Anatomy AND Physiology OR A&P I AND A&P II will need to have 4 semester hours / 6 quarter hours per semester and need to be completed within the following time frames:
2025-2026 application cycle: within 5 years of application deadline
- Application Deadline: March 1, 2026
- PA Class Entering: January 2027
- Within x Years of Application Deadline: 5
- Prerequisite Window: January 1, 2021 - March 1, 2026
- Completed the by March 1.
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- Bachelor's degree (or higher graduate degree) is required by July 1.
- Specifics regarding TOEFL for applicants with foreign education can be found in the Admissions Guidebook.
- Specifics regarding TOEFL for applicants with foreign education can be found in the Admissions Guidebook.
- Additional Testing:
- Beginning with the 2023-2024 cycle, the CASPer Test is no longer required.
- Specifics regarding TOEFL for applicants with foreign education can be found in the Admissions Guidebook.
- Patient Care and Healthcare Experience: Although not required to apply, patient care and healthcare experience is desirable and rewarded in the application review process.
- Licenses and Certifications: Although not required to apply, obtaining a certification in a healthcare field is often helpful in securing paid healthcare experience and is rewarded in the application review process.
- Volunteer Experience: Part of the school's vision is to be recognized as the most community-oriented school of medicine and health professions in the United States. Therefore, we reward applicants with a demonstrated commitment to community service.
- CASPA Letter of Reference: The school requires two (2) letters of reference.
- CASPA Personal Essay: The personal essay should be written at a graduate level and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the PA role and function.
- Technical Standards: Applicants to the program must be prepared to independently meet the technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Bachelor's degree (or higher graduate degree) is required by July 1.
Cost of Attendance
We believe in providing students with transparent and accessible information about the cost of attendance.
Review the estimated tuition rates current academic year (subject to change). Other fees are assessed for special services and certain academic programs. Non-resident rates are charged for anyone who is not a current Virginia resident, including international students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Master of Physician Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the central accreditor for PA programs in the United States. ARC-PA accreditation is required for graduates to sit for the PANCE certification exam and to be eligible for state PA licensure. ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
No. The M.P.A. is delivered on-campus only at the EVMS School of Health Professions in Norfolk, Virginia. PA programs require substantial in-person clinical training and laboratory work to meet ARC-PA accreditation standards. There is no online or hybrid version of this program.
The qualifying GPA minimum is 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. See the Admissions Guidebook for how Qualifying GPA is calculated.
Healthcare experience is not required to apply, but is rewarded in the application review process. Patient care experience (medical scribe, CNA, EMT/paramedic, medical assistant, nursing, military medic) is preferred over administrative healthcare exposure. Volunteer service in healthcare or community settings is similarly rewarded.
Applicants to the program must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents (Green Card holders). The program does not accept F-1 visa applicants. Applicants with foreign education should consult the Admissions Guidebook for TOEFL requirements and guidance on foreign credential evaluation.
Yes. ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ offers an Early Assurance Program for undergraduate students. Details and eligibility on the Early Assurance Program page.
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