Master of Physician Assistant Studies Admission Requirements

North Central College considers students for admission into the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program who possess academic leadership and ethical qualities necessary to become occupational therapists.

North Central College School of Graduate and Professional Studies uses a rolling admission process. Completed applications are reviewed throughout the admission cycle. Interviews are conducted and admission decisions are made until the class is filled. To be competitive, students are advised to complete their application as early as possible. Please refer to the MSPAS website for details and updates on how to apply, the Physician Assistant program curriculum and frequently asked questions.

Application Process and Admission Requirements

1. The following criteria will be required for admission to the North Central College Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) submitted to CASPA:

• Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university that is regionally accredited prior to enrollment
• CASPA application fee
• Official academic transcripts
• Minimum science and undergraduate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by CASPA
• Health care experience with Direct patient contact health care hours: minimum 750
• PA shadowing hours: minimum 30
• Three letters of recommendation, one preferably from a PA-C
• Personal statement and on-campus interviews
• GRE or PA-CAT scores are highly recommended but not required
  • Use GRE code 4789 to send scores directly to CASPA for verification
  • GRE and PA-CAT scores must be within 5 years of admission

2. Prerequisite Coursework:
   1. Each course may only satisfy one prerequisite. The program will honor credentialed online lecture-based coursework but no online laboratories.

* May use two combined courses in Anatomy and Physiology with labs

3. Application Review and Interview Decisions​​​​

North Central College’s MSPAS program is dedicated to recruiting diverse and highly qualified students, as such, the MSPAS program employs a holistic approach to admissions. The program makes admission decisions in accordance with clearly defined and published practices of the institution. Special application requirements and considerations are notable to the MSPAS program. The MSPAS program offers two selective pathways to admission:

• Selective Internal PA Admissions Pathway (SIPAAP)
• Standard Admissions Pathway

The North Central MSPAS program follows a holistic admission process and is committed to accepting a diverse group of qualified individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The program selects students who reflect varied social, economic, ethnic, educational, and healthcare experience backgrounds. The program seeks students who excel in leadership, service, scholarship, communication, intellectual capacity, and interpersonal skills. Please refer to the MSPAS Website for details and updates regarding the MSPAS Program Application Review and Interview Decisions.

The Admissions Committee will meet monthly to review completed and verified applications. Candidates will be notified regarding interview dates starting in July, and proceed accordingly until all slots for all interview days are filled. When candidates visit our North Central Campus in historic downtown Naperville, they can expect a warm welcome that reflects our relationship-based program, campus tour, financial aid briefing, and participate in both group and multiple mini-interviews to assess pre-professional competencies. A representative of the Admissions Committee will communicate with the candidate following the in-person interview to let them know of their status. As the program employs rolling admissions, it will offer notification of acceptance throughout the interview season. Students who are placed and wish to remain on the waiting list may receive notification of acceptance up to the day before classes begin.

International Applicants

For the 2021-2022 cohort, the program is only accepting applicants with Bachelor degrees from a U.S. regionally or nationally accredited college or university.

Transfer Credit or Advanced Placement

North Central College will not accept transfer credits or advanced placement courses for any matriculating student. Although graduate coursework from other institutions may correspond to various courses offered in the MSPAS curriculum, they will not be considered for substitution.