Physician Assistant, M.M.S.

Saint Louis University's Physician Assistant (PA) Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.) is a 27-month, year-round graduate program with a rigorous didactic and clinical curriculum providing a broad medical and surgical foundation.

The primary mission of the SLU PA program is to educate individuals to become competent, compassionate PAs dedicated to excellence in health care and the service of humanity.

The following are just a few of the ways the Saint Louis University PA program sets itself apart from other PA programs:

• A tradition of academic excellence, with first-time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average. Academic highlights include a full-dissection gross anatomy course, intentional sequencing of courses to promote a holistic understanding of the material, multiple hands-on laboratories and activities, and partnerships with health care systems in and beyond the metropolitan area, offering a wide range of clinical opportunities to students.
• A multilayered mentoring and support system, which pairs each matriculating student with three different mentors (a second-year student mentor, a faculty mentor, and a clinical mentor), and offers support and wellness services through the program and the University.
• A mission driven program with an emphasis on service to humanity, with mandatory community service hours and an optional service track for students who want to incorporate additional service and reflection into their PA school experience.
• A joint M.M.S.-PA/M.P.H. dual-degree option for students who are passionate about pursuing both PA and public health interests.
• An active branch of the national AAPA student academy, which takes part in or leads service, legislative and social activities.
• A dedicated, cohesive, supportive and experienced faculty and staff.
• Continuous national accreditation since 1973.

As one of the first universities in the country to offer a PA program, SLU maintains a tradition of academic excellence and has earned a national reputation as a leader in PA education. Educational facilities at SLU provide an exceptional learning environment and include a simulated medical office with eight exam rooms equipped with cameras for recording and reviewing student performance.

Traditional pre-PA tracks can be found in many Doisy College of Health Sciences (DCHS) programs. In addition, DCHS proudly offers the direct-entry PA Scholars option for eligible incoming freshmen interested in securing a spot in the SLU PA program upon graduation from a specific pre-PA degree program.

SLU also offers the M.M.S./M.P.H. dual-degree option for students who are passionate about pursuing both PA and public health interests.

Graduates of SLU's PA program are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).

Annual NCCPA PANCE Exam Performance Summary

SLU PA Program Attrition Rates

SLU PA Program Costs

Despite potential reasons for leaving the program, most fees are nonrefundable. Tuition refunds usually cannot be granted due to the timing and sequencing of our curriculum. If, however, a tuition refund is applicable, the student will be guided through this process. Information on withdrawal and tuition and fee refunds may be found at Student Financial Aid Services.

Curriculum Overview

SLU's PA curriculum offers a broad foundation in the medical and surgical disciplines. The principal faculty members of the PA program offer a breadth of background and experience in health care and education. In addition, area physicians, PAs, other health professionals, and content experts contribute to the PA program curriculum, along with other faculty within the University.

Clinical, Research and Service Opportunities

Clinical education is an essential component of SLU's PA program. Students begin their year of clinical education after completing four semesters of didactic education. Through clinical rotations in the major disciplines of medicine and surgery, PA students at SLU learn to integrate clinical knowledge and skills with active patient care. Saint Louis University is clinically affiliated with numerous hospital systems and practices.

PA students will be assigned to complete bistate St. Louis metro area rotations plus a maximum of three out-of-town rotations each year. These are at least 60 miles outside of St. Louis and are typically regional, within a five-hour drive of campus.

Saint Louis University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Act (NC-SARA), which allows students to complete a portion of their education in a different state.

Students may request clinical placements in locations where they have housing available, but this is not guaranteed. Students are responsible for transportation and housing.

In the clinical year, all clinical rotations are assigned. This means that the program assigns sites and preceptors for phase II and students are not responsible for developing their own clinical sites or finding their own clinical preceptors. However, after discussion with the director of clinical education, students may be allowed to initiate contact with potential new preceptors to allow the program to establish new clinical rotation sites.

Clinical Practice Experiences

PA students work with clinical preceptors and actively participate in patient care in six six-week and three four-week supervised clinical experiences in the following disciplines:

• Clinical elective: This is a student-choice rotation in terms of medical or surgical specialty/subspecialty. Specific clinical disciplines may be chosen based on student interests or what students believe would best augment their clinical knowledge and skills.
• Emergency medicine: This clinical experience explores patient assessment and management in an emergency department setting. It includes patient care for acute and emergent encounters, emphasizing focused patient assessment, diagnosis and emergent treatment.
• Evidence-based medicine clerkship: This is a student-choice rotation in terms of the medical or surgical specialty/subspecialty. The application of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice is prioritized and documented as a part of this experience.
• Family medicine: This clinical experience allows students to gain outpatient/ambulatory primary care experience in a community setting. It includes the care of patients presenting for chronic, acute and preventative visits across various age groups.
• Surgery: Students actively participate in a surgical practice that exposes them to concepts and principles that characterize the operating room and surgical patient care. They participate in pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care during this rotation.
• Internal medicine: During this clinical rotation, students participate in inpatient adult medical care. The rotation expands on the understanding of the complexities and interrelationships of disease processes, and their management.
• Pediatrics: This four-week clinical rotation includes assessing and treating infants, children and adolescents with attention to acute care visits, well-baby and well-child care, preventative pediatrics and parental counseling.
• Psychiatry/behavioral medicine: This four-week clinical rotation provides a foundational patient care experience across the spectrum of mental health. It includes outpatient or inpatient settings that allow for patient assessment, treatment and management of chronic and acute behavioral health conditions.
• Women's health: This four-week clinical experience encompasses the fundamentals of obstetrics/gynecology/women's health including pre-pregnancy, prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum and general gynecologic care.

Joanna May Service Scholars

Providing service in the community is one way that PA students live out Jesuit values during the course of their education. While all PA students are required to be involved in community service, the program offers an elevated service experience for those who wish to create a larger impact.

The Joanna May Service Scholars is an optional track for PA students who wish to provide stronger contributions within the community, as well as to reflect on the benefits that service provides individually and for the greater good. This in turn, encourages the development of future providers who are deeply rooted in service, consistent with the Jesuit value of being men and women for others.

JMSS members agree to complete 50 service hours throughout their time in the program and engage in two additional elements during the clinical year. First, students complete an Ignatian reflection essay that focuses on the impressions, observations and contemplation of their service experiences through the lens of Jesuit values. Second, students will showcase their involvement in the community through a method of their choosing, such as a video, presentation or skit, during the summer of the clinical year.

Upon completion of the program, service scholars earn a Distinction in Service and are recognized during their Master’s hooding ceremony.

Certification and Licensure

PAs are certified nationally and licensed by the state. After graduation from an ARC-PA accredited program, PAs can sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). The PANCE is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the nationally recognized certification organization for PAs. The NCCPA assures high standards in the profession and provides the patient/consumer with safeguards and the employer with evidence of competency. Saint Louis University PA program graduates have consistently performed above the national average on the PANCE.

National certification via the NCCPA is required for clinical practice as a PA. Certified PAs are also required to demonstrate continued competency via mandatory continuing education and successful completion of the national PA recertification exam every 10 years.

State licensure is also required for clinical practice as a PA. Specific requirements for licensure vary by state. Depending on state-specific requirements, the agreement between the PA and the collaborating physician (M.D. or D.O.) may be maintained with the state licensure documents.

Note: Many state regulatory and governing organizations will not grant a license, registration or other professional practice documents if one has been convicted of a felony, or in some cases, a misdemeanor. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the state licensing organization and the NCCPA for more detailed information before applying.

Careers

The PA profession is thriving with a positive growth outlook and high rankings on many "best careers" polls. PAs are employed across all medical and surgical specialties and work in hospitals, clinics and other settings. PAs obtain histories, perform physical exams, order diagnostic tests and imaging, interpret the results, diagnose and treat illnesses, counsel and educate patients, assist in surgery and prescribe medications.

Admission Requirements

Admission to SLU's PA program is highly competitive. Applicants who only meet minimum requirements are unlikely to be successful. 

Baccalaureate Degree

Applicants to SLU's PA program should possess or be on track to a baccalaureate degree earned by the May prior to matriculation. An exception may be considered if students will earn an August degree, have completed all prerequisites and have three credits or fewer to complete during the summer.

Sufficient GPA

Applicants must have a science GPA of least 3.00 and an overall GPA of at least 3.00. These are considered minimum GPAs, not competitive GPAs. Average GPAs of successful applicants are typically greater than 3.60.
Prerequisite coursework includes:

• Medical terminology (1-3 credits)
• Statistics (3 credits) *science-based statistics is preferred
• College chemistry I and II (8 credits)
• Organic chemistry I and II (6-8 credits)
• Microbiology (3-4 credits)
• Vertebrate or human anatomy (3-4 credits)
• Vertebrate or human physiology (3-4 credits)
• A combined Anatomy and Physiology I and II (6-8 credits) will be accepted in place of separate anatomy and physiology courses.
• Genetics (3-4 credits)

Students cannot transfer into the PA program. No advanced placement is allowed for any coursework, degree or experience.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the May prior to matriculation. All science prerequisite courses must be those for science majors. If offered, accompanying laboratories are highly recommended. Only grades of C or better are acceptable for prerequisite courses; grades of C- or below are NOT accepted and grades of B or better are preferred. Prerequisite coursework should be completed within seven years of application. Coursework at a four-year college or university is recommended. Typically, community college and online courses are accepted but not considered competitive (except medical terminology). 

The GRE general test is not required. However, if submitting scores, the SLU PA program GRE code is 4475. (Do not use the Saint Louis University code; a specific SLU PA program code must be used with the CASPA applications.)

Patient Care Experience

Applicants must have acquired the minimum hours of health care experience in order to advance for application review. PA program applicants must have acquired a minimum of 500 hours of patient care experience by the time they submit the CASPA application. Hours earned after this, regardless of when the file is reviewed by the PA admissions committee, are not considered. This experience varies and can be acquired on a full- or part-time basis. The program critically assesses the complexity of the position held and ranks applicants accordingly. Direct paid patient care experience requiring specialized training and/or certification is most competitive. Emergent or inpatient experience is typically ranked more highly than outpatient work or long-term care work, although successful candidates may have experience in any category. For example, a background as an RN or physical therapist would be ranked more highly than a scribe.  Examples of typical work experience include CNA, EMT, scribe, medical assistant, or patient care technician, but vary widely.  The average successful applicant has over 2,000 hours of healthcare experience.

Unless you are already closely working with a PA, shadowing a PA is important but is not considered health care experience. Only 100 student clinical hours (obtained while fulfilling the required components of an educational program or course) can count toward the 500 hours of health care experience needed. Volunteer hours are not considered competitive and often cannot be counted towards the 500-hour minimum. If volunteer hours are accepted, a maximum of 250 hours may count.

Background Check

Students admitted to the PA program are required to obtain a criminal background check and undergo drug testing prior to matriculation. A positive background check or drug screen could have significant consequences for the student, including forfeiture of any or all classes of clinical rotations and/or inability to complete the program. The potential to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) may also be impacted.

Additionally, many state regulatory and governing organizations will not grant a license, registration or other similar professional practice documents if there is a positive criminal background check or drug screen.

Application Process

Apply through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) between mid-April and Nov. 1. The SLU PA supplemental application, found in the CASPA Program Materials section, must also be completed during the same time frame. CASPA will not send your application materials without the completion of this section. Payment for the supplemental application processing fee of $45 is made by going to SLU Marketplace.

Applications completed and verified by CASPA will not be reviewed without the supplemental fee or appropriate fee waiver.

A limited number of processing fee waivers are available for applicants experiencing severe financial hardship. To be considered for a fee waiver, applicants must email a request to pasupplemental@slu.edu. The request should outline the reasons for the request and the nature of the financial hardship. Requests must be emailed by July 31 to be considered.

Letters of reference submitted to CASPA should be from people who know applicants well, either professionally or academically, such as a job supervisor, professor or academic adviser. Please note: the PA program requires three letters of reference, even though CASPA completes an application with only two.

Application Deadline

Applications are reviewed beginning June 1. It is highly recommended to submit all application materials by August 1, as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Applications for this program close November 1, meaning that applications must be completely VERIFIED by CASPA by November 1. Due to this verification process, it is recommended that applications are submitted to CASPA by October 15 to meet the November 1 deadline. Completed applications are reviewed in the order applications are received.

PA Scholars Program

Saint Louis University also offers the PA Scholars program. This is a competitive freshman direct-entry program into the PA program after completing a specified undergraduate degree from the Doisy College of Health Sciences and adhering to specified program criteria.

Requirements for International Degree Holders

Graduates of an international college or university, with the exception of Canadian institutions, must have a minimum of 30 credits, or 10 courses, of college coursework from an accredited US university or college and must meet all prerequisites. Full-time enrollment in a four-year institution is recommended, but community college coursework is accepted. In-person course work is preferred. The US coursework must include: Organic Chemistry I and II, Human Anatomy and Physiology (or A&P I and A&P II), and a minimum of three social/behavioral courses to include Psychology (with other options such as Sociology, Anthropology, History, etc.).

International medical graduates with 500 hours of health care experience outside of the United States must also acquire at least 250 hours of patient care experience in the United States by the time of application.

Applicants whose native language is other than English are required to take the TOEFL® Internet-based Test by Nov. 1. A combined minimum score of 100 is required, along with minimum component scores of 22-Reading, 22-Listening, 26-Speaking and 24-Writing. Scores should be submitted to CASPA and to the PA Program. The school code is R6629. The department code for health science is 0601.

Interview Process

Personal interviews occur between September and February. Four to six interview dates are scheduled with 16-20 applicants each date. Interviews for highly qualified applicants will be extended no more than 3-4 weeks prior to a scheduled interview date. It is not unusual for applicants to be invited much closer to the interview date. Interviews are conducted via Zoom or in person, depending on the preference of the applicant and space available. 

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

Net Price Calculator

Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The PA program offers several scholarships to students within the program. These include:

• The David Wagner Scholarship, a scholarship typically awarded to three students in their second or fifth semester of the program.
• The Joanna May Service Scholarship, offered each fall to a newly matriculating student who has demonstrated commitment to service.
• A Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship, offered each fall to a newly matriculating student who has demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• A housing scholarship, offered to students in the clinical year of the program who have unusual expenses for travel and housing during clinical rotations.

For more information about Saint Louis University scholarships and financial aid, please visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Saint Louis University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Saint Louis University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be June 2033. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-saint-louis-university/.

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
3325 Paddocks Parkway, Suite 345
Suwanee, GA 30024
770-476-1224
https://www.arc-pa.org

These program learning outcomes reflect outcomes specific to the University's Higher Learning Commission (HLC) assessment process:

1. Graduates will communicate with patients for effective clinical encounters.
2. Graduates will use the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate patient medical problems.
3. Graduates will demonstrate respect for patients and other medical professionals as a component of professionalism in medical practice.
4. Graduates will demonstrate core medical knowledge in the provision of patient care.
5. Graduates will apply the Jesuit value of cura personalis when treating patients.

Program Competencies

Students matriculating in the Saint Louis University PA program undertake a difficult, rewarding and life-changing journey. The SLU PA program competencies help prepare students for this responsibility and correlate with entry-level PA practice expectations. Students work toward attaining the program competencies as they progress through the curriculum.

A summative evaluation of each student occurs in the last few months of the program. It is an assessment that determines whether each student has met all program competencies and is ready for graduation and the transition from PA student to practicing PA-C.   

The competencies are interwoven with and complementary to our mission, goals, learning outcomes and instructional objectives and are fundamental to our program's curricular and operational framework.

SLU PA Program Competencies

Effectiveness in Meeting Program Goals

The SLU PA program has a long and rich history of excellence in didactic and clinical PA education. The program goals interact within the context of the program mission and broadly capture many of the details and components that come together to create our program's curricular and operational framework. Program competencies, learning outcomes and instructional objectives are interwoven as part of the support for this framework.

Information about our SLU PA program goals and success in meeting them is outlined here: Outline of SLU PA Program Effectiveness in Meeting Program Goals.

Withdrawal from any course or modification of the curricular sequence of the PA program is not permitted except as part of an approved leave of absence. If, for any reason a student needs to request a leave of absence, the student should schedule a meeting with the PA program director. The student will be guided through the University process for leave of absence and course withdrawal with help from program faculty and staff.

Despite potential reasons for leaving the program, most fees are non-refundable. Tuition refunds usually cannot be granted due to the timing and sequencing of our curriculum. If, however, a tuition refund is applicable, the student will be guided through this process as well. Information on withdrawal and tuition and fee refunds may be found at Student Financial Aid Services.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Program Notes

Phase I

The didactic phase of the PA program consists of four semesters of preclinical lectures, small group discussions, laboratory sessions and demonstrations. The student studies the basic medical sciences like anatomy and physiology, as well as applied behavioral sciences and clinical medicine. Educational material is presented through organ-system-based courses and population/discipline-based courses that support integrating complex disease processes with diagnosis and treatment. Rather than discrete courses in pathophysiology and physical examination, the curriculum integrates these components within the courses. Among other things, phase I coursework incorporates patient assessment, clinical documentation, risk assessment, interpretation of labs, diagnostics and imaging/studies and patient plan/management/treatment.

Phase II

The clinical phase of the PA program includes rotations in internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, emergency medicine, women’s health, family medicine, psychiatry/behavioral medicine and two rotations in clinical specialties of each student’s choice Z— clinical elective and EBM clerkship. The PA program assigns sites and preceptors for phase II. Students are not responsible for developing their own clinical sites or finding their own clinical preceptors. While working under the supervision of a clinical preceptor, students actively participate in the daily care of patients and will interact with patients of all ages, backgrounds and medical conditions.

Students are paired with a clinical preceptor and function as integral members of the medical or surgical team. They may also serve one-on-one with a preceptor, depending on the rotation. Students complete rotations in many different settings and sites for broad clinical exposure. This includes experiences in medically underserved, rural, urban, suburban and VA settings and in sites providing emergency, in-patient, outpatient and operating room experience. 

For additional admission questions please contact:

Julie Miller
Recruitment specialist
314-977-2570
dchs@health.slu.edu