Physician Assistant Studies Admission Requirements

BOTH the CASPA application and the Kean University CAS supplemental application MUST be completed and "verified" by the deadline in order for the application to be fully reviewed

Deadlines – Priority Deadline January 15, 2024, Regular Deadline April 1, 2024

• Apply Now through CASPA
• Submit the required Kean University CAS Supplemental Application

Meeting or exceeding the admission requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission to the program.  Applications are being accepted through CASPA.

• Baccalaureate degree (or foreign equivalent) from an accredited institution.
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended (this includes transcripts that reflect transfer credit)
• Minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Prerequisite minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Healthcare Experience of a minimum of 250 hours (can be fulfilled by volunteering, shadowing PAs/Physicians, work as medical scribe, physical therapy aide, patient care technician, pharmacy technician, ophthalmology technician, or EMT). All candidates considered for admission must have spent at least 20 hours of the 250 required hours shadowing or working with a certified PA. 
• GRE General Exam – competitive candidates are those who achieve scores approaching 40th percentile and above in each test area. MCAT scores cannot be substituted for GRE.  The CASPA GRE code is 3150.
• Three letters of recommendation – one should be from a course professor and one must be from a PA-C that you either worked with or shadowed
• Professional Resume or CV
• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores or Duolingo score report. English Test is required of all international students.
• Personal interview – it is expected that interviews will be granted to candidates who exceed admission criteria. Being granted an interview with the Admissions Committee does not guarantee admission to the PA Program.
• $75.00 supplemental application fee (non-refundable)

Prerequisite courses: qualified candidates required to have a C or better in each prerequisite course. Qualified candidates will not have more than two grades of C in their prerequisite courses. Prerequisite courses must be on-campus courses in the US.

• Human Anatomy*
• Human Physiology*
• General Biology*
• Microbiology*
• General Chemistry I and II* 
• Biochemistry (or combined Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry)
• Statistics (or Calculus)
• General Psychology (or Developmental, Abnormal Psychology)
• Medical Terminology**

*All science courses, except Biochemistry, must have a laboratory component; Human Anatomy and Human Physiology may be taken as a combined course, i.e., Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. All prerequisite courses must be taken within the past 10 years of application. Acceptable substitutes for Human Anatomy include – Functional Anatomy, Comparative Anatomy, and Vertebral Anatomy. Acceptable substitutes for Human Physiology include Systems Physiology, Mammalian Physiology.

AP credit is acceptable as meeting the math (calculus or Statistics) biology or general chemistry requirements, contingent on successful passage of the AP examination (minimum score of 4 out of 5). An official transcript from the College Board must be submitted to the University if accepted into the program. No more than two courses with AP credits will be considered.

**Medical terminology may be taken as an on-line course.

Preference given for candidates who display:

• Strong academic background (as evidenced by highly competitive GPA, no repeated courses, course withdrawals, or incompletes)
• Ability to manage rigorous coursework (as evidenced by overcoming challenging life experiences; challenging semesters with high-level science courses; strong time management skills)
• Willingness to undergo intensive PA curriculum
• Varied healthcare experiences

In alignment with Kean University’s and the PA Studies program missions, we value diversity in our students and encourage candidates to apply who are

• underrepresented groups in medicine,
• first generation college students, and/or
• from an economically disadvantaged background.

For the 2024/2025 admission cycle, the PAS Program will accept hybrid/online prerequisite courses for taken during the following semesters:  Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021. Students must have a grade for these courses; P/F grades will not be considered. Courses prior and subsequent to these dates must be on campus courses in the US.