The prerequisites are as follows:

Anatomy & Physiology I w/ lab (4)
Anatomy & Physiology II w/ lab (4) 
General chemistry I w/ lab (4)
General chemistry II w/ lab (4)
Organic chemistry OR Biochemistry (3)
Microbiology w/lab (4) 
Statistics (3)
Biological science w/lab (8)

Recommended:

i. Medical Terminology (1)
ii. Psychology (3) 
iii. Genetics (3)
iv. Immunology (3)

We strongly recommend that coursework be recent, at least within the last 10 years.

All prerequisite courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better and be completed prior to matriculation.  Applicants must have an overall science GPA of at least 3.0 and an overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The program encourages applicants who possess academic and/or personal achievements, healthcare, or patient care experiences, shadowing and/or volunteerism.

We accept all forms of credit (Term, Quarter and Semester) for pre-requisite coursework. However, number of attempted credits, as calculated by CASPA, must meet the minimum credit requirement for each pre-requisite course. Please note, credits awarded in CASPA may differ from those awarded by your institution’s credit system. 

The 2023 cohort will begin in Graduate Term I; August 21, 2023. 

The MPAS program is 8 terms for a total of 24 months.

There are 48 seats available each year.

Yes. We welcome applicants from all over the United States.

Estimated Cost of Program

Tuition: $99,296
Fees:    $2,900
Estimated additional costs: $3,175 

Estimated Total Cost of Program: $105,371
 
Please refer to our website for more information on tuition and fees. 

We are located at 14455 West Van Buren Street, Goodyear, AZ 85338.
Just 19 miles west of downtown Phoenix.

All prerequisite courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better and be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants must have an overall science GPA of at least 3.0 and an overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

No. Eligibility is determined by CASPA’s calculations for overall science GPA.  The minimum GPA requirement is firm.

Yes, you may have two prerequisites outstanding at the time of application. If accepted into the MPAS program, you must complete the outstanding prerequisites before matriculation into the program with a “B” or better.

We strongly recommend that coursework be recent, at least within the last 10 years. Otherwise, you may want to consider taking a refresher course. 

With the exception of Organic chemistry, and Biochemistry all science prerequisites must have a lab component. 

No. All prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university and you must have received a letter grade for the course work.

Yes.

No, we do not make college recommendations. We do require that the institution be regionally accredited.

You may apply through CASPA before receiving your bachelor’s degree. However, if accepted into the program, a bachelor’s degree must be completed and confirmed before matriculation.

We do not specify what your degree is in. We take applicants from all different fields of study. 

We do not require that you have health care experience. However, we highly recommend shadowing a PA.

No

Shadowing is not required, but highly recommended. We recommend candidates have a solid knowledge of the PA role and this is enhanced with shadowing a PA. 

We do not provide a shadowing service. If you do not already know a PA, you may consider asking a local health care provider.  A local medical office or area hospital may be able to recommend a practicing PA. Make sure to first obtain permission from the PA and be aware that you may also need permission from the hospital or clinic, as there are strict patient privacy (HIPAA) issues involved.

Yes, you may apply to our program. Applicants with foreign transcripts must have their transcripts evaluated and sent to CASPA. While the University agrees to review the evaluation for possible transfer credits, we reserve the right to accept or deny credits based upon the results of the evaluation. Fees are the responsibility of the student. Acceptable agencies for use are those who maintain a professional membership with AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) or NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) and include but are not limited to: World Education Service (WES), Center for Educational Documentation (CED), Foundation for International Services (FIS), or AACRAO International Education Services (IES).

No

Yes, if you were born outside of the United States and did not graduate from a United States high school, you will be required to submit internet-based TOEFL (iBT) scores with your application.  There are no exceptions to this requirement, including having attained upper-level education in the United States. A minimum total score of 100 (with at least 25 in each section) is required. 

Transcripts should be submitted to CASPA. Please do not submit your transcripts to our program.

No.

No.

We accept applications through CASPA, the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants website. Please visit our Admissions page for further information on applying to our program.  

Yes, we require three (3) letters of recommendation.  We cannot specify from whom, but we do suggest they be from professional people that know you well.

The Franklin Pierce MPAS Hybrid program does not have an application fee. Please refer to the CASPA website for their fee information.

The 2022-2023 application cycle will open on July 26, 2022. 

The deadline for the 2022-2023 application cycle is December 1^st.  Please note that your application must be deemed “Verified” by CASPA on December 1st.  Keep in mind that this does not mean simply “submitted.” You may want to inquire of CASPA when they recommend submitting your application to ensure they have ample time to review it and give a status of “Verified.” 

Applicants can update their CASPA application with classes they have completed. Please do not send us your transcripts. We look at grades directly on your CASPA application. 

We ask that applicants DO NOT call for status updates. We have a high volume of applications to review and cannot give updates over the phone. Applicants are updated via email when their application is received. Interview invitations are also sent via email.

We assess and review applications as they are received. Once our Admissions Committee completes the review process for all verified applications, decision letters, including invitations for interviews, are sent to applicants. 

Once your  verified application has been received by the program, you will be notified via email as to the next steps in the application process. We anticipate that interviews for the 2022-2023 application cycle will be held between January - March 2023.

No. The interview will be virtual. 

Yes. If you were placed on the waitlist or were not accepted, you are eligible to reapply the following year.  However, you will be required to go through the entire application process again. We anticipate that interviews for the 2022-2023 application cycle will be held between January-March 2023.

On-campus housing is not available. We are able to provide information on local housing options to applicants who are accepted into our program. 

No. The MPAS Hybrid program is full-time coursework. 

No.

The Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Hybrid Program has applied for Accreditation-Provisional status with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Hybrid Program anticipates matriculating its first class in November 2022, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the June 2022 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. In the event that the program does not achieve accreditation all students who have deposited a seat in the program will receive a full refund. The program will not accept the class until which time provisional accreditation has been granted.

Due to the intensity and rigor of the curriculum, working while enrolled is not recommended.

The second year consists of 12 months of clinical training. This provides students with hands-on learning in a variety of rural and community clinics, hospitals, and private practices under supervision of a clinical preceptor. Clinical preceptors may be Physician Assistants, MDs, DOs, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Clinical Social Workers/psychologists. 

There are seven (7) required rotations and two (2) elective rotations. 

Primary Care (5 weeks)
Internal Medicine (5 weeks)
Emergency Medicine (5 weeks)
General Surgery (5 weeks)
Mental Health (5 weeks)
Women’s health (5 weeks)
Pediatrics (5 weeks)
Elective rotation (5 weeks)
Elective rotation (5 weeks)

*Every effort is made by the clinical team to secure clinical rotation sites near the students’ home. 

The clinical team will determine clinical assignments. The primary responsibility of the program is to ensure a quality clinical experience and education. Students are not required to provide their own clinical sites or preceptors for any required rotations. Although preferences are considered, the program does not guarantee personal preference can be accommodated.

The Franklin Pierce MPAS Hybrid Program has affiliations with clinical sites throughout the United States with a majority in Arizona and Texas. While on rotations, students must be prepared to travel to an assigned site if necessary.

Housing and transportation are the responsibilities of the student. The program may assist in identifying housing near the assigned site. The program does not guarantee students will be able to remain near their homes or families for the duration of the clinical year.

There are four (4) on-campus immersions throughout the 24-month program. On-campus immersions typically last one (1) week and give students the opportunity for the following experiences: 

Meet with faculty and peers in-person
Practice skills labs
Standardized patient experiences
Validation skills testing
Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
Guest speakers
Workshops
Interprofessional activities
*Travel arrangements and accommodations are the responsibility of the student. However, the program may be able to secure discounted rates at nearby hotels. 

No. While each of the PA programs have the same sponsoring institution, they are completely separate PA programs. You must submit separate applications in CASPA. 

The Arizona PA Program is hybrid, which means that the 12-month didactic year is delivered online and there are four (4) required on-campus immersions throughout the 24 months of the program.

The 12-month clinical year provides hands-on learning clinical experiences and may be with any of our preceptors located in the United States.

Arizona campus: (623) 925-4907
Admissions coordinator:  Pam O’Brien azpaadmissions@franklinpierce.edu