Prospective Students
Frequently Asked Questions
- About the Program
What is the length of the program and what degree is awarded?
The program is 30 consecutive months. It begins in May and ends 30 months later in November. A Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree is awarded.
Is UT Southwestern's Physician Assistant program ranked by U.S. News & World Report?
Yes, the program is ranked #8 in the nation by US News and World Report for "America's Best Graduate Schools 2025".
What is the most recent five-year Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) first-time pass rate?
For the past five years, 97% of students passed the PANCE on their first attempt, meeting or exceeding the U.S. national average each year. Read the official UTSW MPAS Program Exam Performance Summary Report.
What are the UT Southwestern PA Program Goals and Outcomes? Is your program accredited?
Please see the program home page for listed program goals and outcomes along with accreditation information.
Can I attend this program part-time?
No. Due to the fixed sequence of the didactic curriculum, all students must enroll on a full-time basis.
Can I work while enrolled in the program?
It is recommended that students do not work while enrolled in the program. It is the policy of UT Southwestern that attendance, assignments, deadlines, class schedules, clinical duties, performance standards, or other course or degree requirements will not be altered to accommodate a student who chooses to accept outside employment while enrolled in the UT Southwestern PA Program.
- Academic Performance
Students enrolled in the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions are expected to meet certain academic standards and exhibit professional and ethical behavior. Academic performance and professionalism are monitored on an ongoing basis by department faculty and administration. The assignment of grades; distribution of progress reports; designation of academic warning, probation, and dismissal; requirements for withdrawals; and the procedures for grade grievances, academic decisions, and appealing academic decisions are set forth in EDU-502 Academic Decisions - School of Health Professions.
In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for a student to be placed on an administrative leave of absence by UT Southwestern for academic reasons. This is considered a non-medical leave of absence. For example, if a student fails a prerequisite course and cannot progress in the curriculum, the student will be placed on an administrative leave of absence by the Program until the course is offered again as set forth in EDU-120 Non-Medical Leaves of Absence.This academic decision will result in deceleration of the student to the next enrolled cohort.Satisfactory performance and progress in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies is defined as follows:
Didactic Phase:
- Completing the PA required course sequence as stipulated.
- Achieving a minimum grade of 70%/“C” or “Pass” in each course, with the exception of MPA 5509 - Clinical Medicine I, MPA 5510 - Clinical Medicine II, and MPA 5511 - Clinical Medicine III, in which minimum grades of 80%/ “B” must be achieved.
- Maintaining a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.75.
- Completing remediation plans as assigned.
- Demonstrating acceptable clinical competence appropriate to the curriculum sequence. Clinical competence includes, but is not limited to, clinical judgment, technical and psychomotor skills, interpersonal skills and attitudes, and professional behavior. Clinical rotation performance considers all required components as described in each course syllabus.
Clinical Phase:
A student may advance to the Clinical Phase when all of the following criteria have been met:
- All course work in the didactic phase of the curriculum has been completed in good academic standing with a grade of “A”, “B”, or “C” in every letter grade course (with the exception of MPA 5509 – Clinical Medicine I, MPA 5510 – Clinical Medicine II, and MPA 5511 – Clinical Medicine III, in which minimum grades of “B” must be achieved).
- A grade of “Pass” is achieved for Pass/Fail designated courses.
- A student has maintained a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.75.
- Application and Admission
What is the application deadline?
September 1.
Is a supplemental application required?
No supplemental application is required.
May I apply and interview even though I lack required credits?
No. All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the time of application.
Is there a time limit on the required coursework?
Time limits: All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the past 10 years from the date of anticipated matriculation.
What is the advanced placement policy for the program?
With the exception of undergraduate-level courses that meet the University of Texas credit transfer criteria, (such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credit awarded for undergraduate course credits toward a bachelor's degree), advanced student placement, or waiving of required or department courses are not available for applicants to the physician assistant program. All students must complete all required courses, even if medically related courses have been taken in a previous academic setting.
- Competitiveness of the Program
How many candidates are accepted to the Department of Physician Assistant Studies?
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program maximum cohort size is 60 students.
How many applications are received and how competitive is acceptance?
The UT Southwestern Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program receives a large volume of completed applications annually. The Program has received > 2000 applications for the past three years. Applications are welcome regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.
What are the characteristics of an ideal candidate for your program?
An ideal candidate has a strong work ethic and embodies the program's vision and mission with a commitment to primary care practice and diversity in the workplace. They will have a combination of life, work, and academic experience that demonstrates their ability to perform under the demands of a challenging academic and professional program.
What are my chances of getting accepted into the program?
A variety of people with various backgrounds apply to the program each year, and a variety of applicants are accepted. There is no way to say who will or will not be admitted, nor can any guarantee be made about anyone's admittance. A good strategy is to present yourself as well as possible on paper and during the in-person interview.
- Curriculum
What does the curriculum consist of during each phase?
The didactic curriculum is designed to provide students with basic science knowledge, concepts of health care and disease, as well as medical history and physical examinations skills. Didactic courses are primarily in person with occasional online or hybrid sessions.
The clinical curriculum includes rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, infectious disease, a clinical elective, and a primary care preceptorship. Clinical courses are conducted in person, with possible telemedicine experiences.
Does the program require students to provide or solicit their own clinical sites or preceptors?
No, students are NOT required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. Clinical site identification, coordination, evaluation, and review is the sole responsibility of the PA Program. Students may make suggestions regarding potential clinical sites. However, ALL decisions regarding clinical sites are at the complete discretion of the program.
How far must I travel to complete my clinical rotations?
The UTSW PA Program partners with clinical sites and preceptors within and outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to administer the program’s clinical curriculum. All clinical site placements are subject to preceptor and site availability, which varies throughout the clinical phase. Clinical site placement decisions are not determined based upon a PA student’s residential address.
A student may be assigned at most two core clinical rotations located > 60 miles from UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Is housing provided for clinical rotations outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex?
Yes, housing is provided for students assigned to core clinical rotations at clinical sites > 60 miles from UT Southwestern Medical Center.
May I complete any clinical rotation outside of the state of Texas?
The only two clinical rotations that can be completed outside of the state of Texas are: MPA 5428 Clinical Elective and MPA 5832 Primary Care Preceptorship. If a student seeks to complete either of these clinical rotations at an out-of-state clinical site, suitability is determined by the program. Any additional costs for an out-of-state-rotation will be incurred at the student’s expense.
- GPA
How important is an individual's GPA in getting an interview and how do I make myself more competitive?
A required minimum cumulative and science GPA is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. All required courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better. As with other universities or colleges, higher GPAs make a more competitive candidate. Science grades above a "C" are more competitive. The goal is to be competitive and academically prepared to successfully handle the demands of the program's curriculum.
However, the admissions committee does not base its decision solely on grade point averages. The Committee completes a holistic evaluation of the application packet. Therefore, the quality and quantity of academic preparation, strong letters of recommendation, prior "hands-on" health care experience, community service activities, leadership evidence, and awards are all part of the evaluation process.
- GRE & PA-CAT
Must I take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required of applicants who have a U.S.-acquired Master's degree or higher. All other applicants are required to submit GRE scores to the UTSW registrar as part of the application process. There is no minimum GRE score required for admission. Scores from the GRE general examination must be received by the September 1 application deadline. Applicants may choose to submit scores from a previously taken examination if within the past five years.
In order for my GRE scores to be sent to the Physician Assistant Department at UTSW, what is the GRE code?
UT Southwestern Medical Center's institutional and departmental GRE Code is 6686.
Is the PA-CAT exam required?
No.
- Housing
Is housing available on the UT Southwestern campus?
Yes. The Medical Center has a complex that provides 282 apartments. For information, call 214-956-9300 or visit Campus Housing.
- Immunizations
Prospective and enrolled Physician Assistant students must follow immunization requirements as set forth in EDU-107 Immunization and Infectious Disease Prevention Requirements. While enrolled, students must also provide annual documentation of TB screening and Influenza vaccination and any other documentation as required by the institution.
Additional policies relevant to these requirements include the following:
EDU-107 Appendix A - Clinical Student Immunization and Screening Requirements
EDU-107 Appendix B Non-Clinical Student Immunization and Screening Requirements
- Interviews
Do you interview candidates for your program and what is the format?
Yes. After reviewing applications, the Admissions Committee invites the most competitive applicants to the PA program for an in-person interview.
In-person interviews include the following: (a) "Meet and Greet" event with faculty, staff, students, and alumni, (b) Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) comprised of 10 stations on a range of topics, (c) campus tour, (d) financial aid presentation
The UT Southwestern Department of PA Studies “Meet and Greet” and “Interview Day” dates for the 2026-2027 are forthcoming.
- Prior Health Care Experience
I already have a medical degree from another country. Do I have to complete all required coursework?
All candidates are required to complete all of the admission requirements, including the GRE, even if you have earned a medical degree in another country. Please refer to the International Applicants section of the program website for more information.
Is it beneficial to have health care experience prior to application to the PA program?
Yes, hands-on patient care experience is beneficial, see Pre-Admission Clinical Experience for more information.
Where can I find Physician Assistant shadow opportunities?
You can visit Physician Assistant Shadow Online for PA shadow opportunities.
- Program Completion Requirements and Deadline
A student must complete all program requirements for graduation within five consecutive years from the original date of matriculation. Requirements for completion of the program are detailed under Curriculum.
- Remediation
The remediation process is designed to help faculty identify and assist students who experience academic or professional difficulty.
Didactic Phase:
During the didactic phase, all students will be required to complete a remediation plan for all MPA course exams wherein they fail to achieve a grade of 70% / “C” with the exception of a minimum grade of 80%/B on all Clinical Medicine exams. A student who requires more than two remediation plans during a semester will be referred to the Committee on Student Progress for an in depth review of their academic performance since matriculation.
Clinical Phase:
During the clinical phase, students must complete a remediation plan to be eligible for the one allowed "retake" of an End of Rotation (EOR) examination. Any subsequent failure of an EOR exam, failure of a preceptor evaluation or other clinical rotation requirements will require repeat of the rotation in its entirety.
Other requirements deemed in need of remediation, i.e., summative evaluation activities, professionalism, will be addressed within an individualized remediation plan.
- Student Grievances
UT Southwestern Medical Center is fully committed to providing learners with clear pathways and processes for bringing forward concerns and complaints and to resolving complaints using reasonable, fairly administered, and well-publicized policies and procedures as set forth in EDU-102 Learner Complaints and Resolution.
UT Southwestern is committed to maintaining a working, educational, and training environment that is free from Sexual Harassment in compliance with Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) and the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE Act), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and Clery Act as set forth in ETH-153 Title IX Sexual Harassment: Formal Grievance Policy.
- Total Cost of Attendance
What is the cost of the program?
The total estimated cost of the 30-month UT Southwestern Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program is:
- $160,575 for Texas residents
- 205,935 for non-Texas residents
Please see our Costs and Financial Support page for further detail.
What are the PA program policies and procedures for refunds of tuition and fees?
No refund will be made until the expiration of 12 class days after the beginning of classes. A matriculation fee may be deducted from the refund to students who withdraw. Students may appeal a refund within one year after official withdrawal. Please see EDU-303 Tuition and Fees and the school catalog for more information.
