Direct Entry PA Programs
There are 44 direct-entry, dual-degree BS/MS Physician Assistant/Associate (PA) programs in the United States.
These programs offer early provisional acceptance to exceptional high school students who wish to accelerate their academic and career paths to becoming physician assistants.
Application for the program is usually made during the senior year of high school.
Most often accepted applicants go on to complete a five-year (3+2) Bachelor of Science program in biological sciences/Master of Science program in physician assistant studies.
The websites for pre-physician assistant programs, linked below, showcase multiple variations on this theme.
The BSHS/MSPA Programs are rigorous, and admission is highly competitive. Successful applicants are typically strong students academically, especially in the sciences.
Healthcare experience is not always required but is beneficial. An understanding of the physician assistant's role is expected.
This direct entry admission option to most PA programs is often (although not always) available only to first-year students.
44 (and growing) Direct Entry and Dual Degree BS/MS Pre-Physician Assistant (PA) Programs
We strive to keep the following table and legend up to date. If you have knowledge of additional programs offering pre-professional, dual degree, or direct entry BS/MS programs, please share in the comments section below. Your input will help keep this information accurate and helpful for others!
Programs labeled “competitive” may require that the student reapplies for entry into the professional or graduate phase of the PA program or interview or obtain the recommendation of their program. Generally, it means that acceptance into the professional phase is not guaranteed upon successful completion of the pre-professional phase.
| Name of Program and MS/BS Weblink | State | Pre-Professional Phase (years/degree) | Competitive Process for Advancement (yes/no) | Professional Phase (years/degree) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | NY | Three years | No | Offering a 28-month Physician Assistant program leading to a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. |
| Arcadia University | PA | Four years/ bachelor's degree in majors such as biology, chemistry, or psychology | No | Two years/ Master of Medical Science |
| Butler University | IN | Four years/ bachelor's degree | Yes | 24-month MPAS degree |
| Chatham University | PA | Highly qualified first-year applicants to Chatham University are eligible for guaranteed or preferred admission to Chatham's integrated undergraduate and graduate degree programs | Yes | 24 months / Masters of Physician Assistant Studies |
| College of Saint Mary | NE | 3 + 2 program
Three years/ Bachelor of Science in human biology |
Yes | Two years/ Master of Medical Science |
| D'Youville College | NY | 4.5 years, combined pre-professional and professional phase/Bachelor of Science | No | Master of Science |
| Daemen College | NY | Four to five years, combined pre-professional and professional phase/ no single degree conferred | No | 33 months/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science and Master of Science in PA Studies upon completion of all requirements |
| DeSales University | PA | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Medical Studies | No | Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Drexel University | PA | Three years/ bachelor's degree | Yes | 27 months/ Master of Health Science |
| Duquesne University | PA | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (5-year complete program) | No | 27 months / Master of PA Studies |
| Elon university | NC | 3.5 years + 2 | Yes | 24-month / Master of PA Studies |
| Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University | LA | Early admission will be considered after completion of 3.5 years of biology-human medicine curriculum / Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology-Human Medicine Track | Yes | 26 months /Master of Medical Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies |
| Gannon University | PA | 3 + 2 combined pre-professional and professional phase(5-year complete program) | No | Master of PA Science |
| Jefferson University | PA | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science | No | 25 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Hofstra University | NY | Three years | No | 28 months/dual degree: Bachelor of Science in PA Studies/Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Kettering College | OH | 3 + 2 program
Three years/ Bachelor of Science in human biology |
Yes | Two years/ Master of PA Studies |
| King's College | PA | 3 + 2 program
Three years/Bachelor of Science in Medical Studies |
No | Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Le Moyne College | NY | Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts | Yes | Two years/ Master of Science |
| Lock Haven University | PA | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science; prepares students for application to a number of PA programs across the country and to the LHU PA program | Yes | Two years/ Master of Health Science |
| Marquette University | WI | Two years/ Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences | Yes | Three years/ Master of PA Studies |
| Marywood University | PA | Three years (sometimes two)/bachelor's degree | Yes | 27 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston | MA | 30 months/ Bachelor of Science in Premedical and Health Studies | Yes | Two years/ Master of PA Studies |
| Mercy College of Ohio | OH | Four-year Pre-PA Biology major | Yes | 28-month Master of PA Studies |
| New York Institute of Technology | NY | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences | Yes | Three years/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Nova Southeastern University | FL | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences | Yes | 27 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT) | PA | One year of pre-professional preparation recommended at Penn College (one of PCT's academic schools)/Bachelor of Science | Yes | 27 months at PCT/Option for a Master's in Health Science available through Nova Southeastern University in Florida |
| Quinnipiac University | CT | Four years/ Bachelor of Science in Health and Science Studies | No | 27 months/ Master of Health Science |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | NY | Two years | Yes | Three years/ Combined Bachelor of Science/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Rutgers | NJ | 3 + 3 program
Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts |
Yes | Three Years Master of Science |
| Salus University (pre-professional phase completed at Brigham Young University in Idaho and Western New England University) | PA | Three years/bachelor's degree from BYUI | Yes | Two years/Master's of Medical Science in PA Studies |
| Seton Hall University | PA | 3 years / Bachelor of Sciences in Biology | Yes | 3-year Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies |
| Seton Hill University | PA | 2.5 years | No | 27 or 29 months/ Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science upon completion of the program |
| Shenandoah University | VA | 3 years Bachelor of sciences | Yes | Direct admit 5 high school seniors to their PA program every year. They also reserve a PA Program slot for 5 undergrads from their PrePa program of study each year. |
| Slippery Rock University | PS | 3 years Bachelor of sciences | Yes | 2-year Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies |
| Springfield College | MA | 33 months/ Bachelor of Science in Health Science | Yes | 27 months/ Master of Science |
| St. Francis University | PA | Physician Assistant Science Program, B.S. in Health Science + Master of Physician Assistant Science (5-year) | Yes | Master of Physician Assistant Science (2-year) |
| Stockton University | NJ | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) | No | Master of Physician Assistant Studies (2-year) |
| Union College (UC) | NE | Three years/ Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in biology, chemistry, or psychology; or Bachelor of Science in international rescue and relief; prepares students for application to a number of PA programs across the country and to the UC PA program | Yes | 33 months/ Master of PA Studies |
| University of Detroit Mercy | MI | Three years/ Bachelor of Science in Biology | Yes | Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| University of the Cumberlands | KY | Three years as a pre-PA biology major/ Bachelor of Health Science | Yes | Two years/ Master of Physician Assistant Studies |
| University of Evansville | IN | Three years as a pre-PA biology major/ Bachelor of Health Science | Yes | Two years/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| University of the Sciences (USP) | PA | Three years | Yes | Three Years Master of Science - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Graduate PA Program |
| University of St. Francis–Ft. Wayne | IN | After completing a bachelor's degree, students move directly into the PA master's degree curriculum with no additional application process | No | 27 months/ Master of Science in PA Studies |
| Valparaiso University | IN | Three years / Bachelor of Science in Health Science degree | Yes | Two years / Master of Science in Physician Assistant |
| Wagner College | NY | Three years | Yes | Three years/ Bachelor of Science/ Master of Science in Advanced PA Studies and a PA Certificate of Completion |
Legend and Notes:
- Programs labeled “competitive” may require that the student reapplies for entry into the professional or graduate phase of the PA program or interview or obtain the recommendation of their program. Generally, it means that acceptance into the professional phase is not guaranteed upon successful completion of the pre-professional phase.
- Degrees earned for completion of the pre-professional phase are frequently not awarded by the programs until students successfully complete the first year of the professional phase or upon graduation from the program’s professional.
Do you have an opinion about direct entry PA programs or a PA program update you would like to share? If so, please do so in the comments section below.
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Hi! I’m a high school senior interested in an accelerated PA program. I have a 30 act (I’m hoping to boost it to an 32/33 after retaking it) and a 4.8 weighted gpa (pretty much all As honors/AP science and math). I have good leadership positions and a few science related extracurriculars but I don’t have any health care experience or PA shadowing or anything like that. I was wondering if I would be a strong applicant as is, or if my lack of healthcare experience would be a problem. If so, would getting some PA shadow hours or some other healthcare or volunteer hours between now and submitting applications in the fall be enough to make me a strong candidate?
Thanks!
Can you please advise what should to look for a in Direct-Admit PA program? Aside from length of the program, what are key things a HS Senior so look for when comparing schools?
Hello, is this applicable to international students that have a pre-professional degree in human biology? Can such person go straight into the professional phase?
Hi Stephanie! I am going to refer you to this post written by Shynar Johnson who is a consultant with us an IMG from Kazakhstan who is currently in PA school: https://www.thepalife.com/how-to-become-a-pa-for-international-medical-graduates/
If you have additional questions I would recommend booking a 1-hour consultation with Shynar. She is amazing!
Stephen
Are any of these programs opened to non-high school students? From what I keep finding, direct programs seem to be catered to current high-school students.
It’s hard to say Gloria as this will be specific to each program. If you’re a non-high school student interested in these programs, you should consult with individual institutions about the availability of this opportunity and program requirements.
Stephen
Hi there, I’m a pre-health adviser at Clarkson University NY and would appreciated it if you would add our Direct Entry BS/MS-PA program to your list, please! Accepted students complete their 4 yr undergraduate degree at Clarkson and, assuming academic requirements are met, matriculate directly into the 2 yr PA program. Students accepted into the program are currently eligible to receive up to $20,000 in scholarships for each of the undergraduate and graduate phases respectively.
https://www.clarkson.edu/undergraduate/physician-assistant-studies
Hello, are there any schools that offer this in California around San diego area? Please help, I am a highschool graduate and had obtained pharmacy technician license in a trade school. I want to be a PA but not sure what I have to do first, also looking for something that is direct entry so I can just focus only onto to my route becoming a PA and not being competitive with others.