Direct Entry PA Programs
Updated July 11, 2026. Looking for the most current list of direct entry PA programs, BS/MS physician assistant programs, and high school direct entry physician assistant programs?
After a fresh review of official university and physician assistant program pages, I found 31 current direct-entry or accelerated undergraduate-to-PA pathways in the United States, plus 1 active affiliate-partnership pathway network that I list separately below.
These direct entry PA programs are designed for motivated students who want to move from high school or the undergraduate years into a physician assistant or physician associate program through a structured pathway. Depending on the school, that may look like a 3+2, 4+2, 3+3, BA/MS, BS/MS, or reserved-seat model.
For this update, I counted only programs that currently advertise one of the following:
- A true high school/freshman-entry PA pathway,
- A combined or accelerated BS/MS, BA/MS, or BS/MHS structure, or
- A reserved or conditional undergraduate-to-graduate PA route housed at the same institution.
I did not count standard pre-PA advising majors that still require students to apply later through the regular graduate admissions pool with no reserved pathway. In other words, if the current official page now reads more like "prepare to apply later" than "start here as a direct-entry or accelerated PA student," I removed it from the main list.
Most direct-entry physician assistant programs are still conditional. Students may need to maintain GPA thresholds, complete patient care hours, interview successfully, meet professionalism standards, or pass a formal progression review before starting the professional PA phase. An understanding of the physician assistant's role is still expected.
If you are comparing direct entry PA programs, pay especially close attention to whether a school offers true direct admission, only a guaranteed interview, or a competitive secondary review before the graduate phase.
Want to filter these instead of scrolling a table? Every program below also lives in my free Direct Entry PA Programs directory on PA School Finder, where each listing shows the program’s actual pathway model — 3+2, 4+2, or freshman entry — and, importantly, whether the seat is truly guaranteed or whether it only earns you an interview. Every entry is re-verified from the program’s official site each month.
31 Current Direct Entry PA Programs and Accelerated BS/MS Pathways
The table below includes the current schools I could verify as direct-entry, accelerated, or reserved-pathway physician assistant programs as of July 11, 2026.
| Program | State | Current pathway model | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | NY | Early-assurance BS/PA partnership | Eligible first-year ACPHS students can secure a seat in Albany Med's PA program before classes begin; interview and progression standards apply. |
| Chatham University | PA | Integrated degree / pathway admission | Highly qualified first-year applicants can enter Chatham's integrated health-science pathways, including PA-related accelerated progression. |
| College of Saint Mary | NE | 3+2 Pre-PA Pathway | Current pathway accepts high school seniors and transfers; guaranteed admission into CSM's MSPAS if progression benchmarks are met. Note: the official PA page states the program was placed on ARC-PA Accreditation-Probation in June 2025. |
| Commonwealth University | PA | 3+2 and 4+2 Pre-PA options | The Lock Haven campus still advertises a direct-admission 3+2 option plus 4+2 routes; interview and progression requirements apply. |
| D'Youville University | NY | 4.5-year BS+MS pathway | D'Youville's official page currently describes this as a 4.5-year physician assistant program. |
| Daemen University | NY | Dual degree BS/MS pathway | The official page lists a Natural Science-Health Science, B.S. / Physician Assistant Studies, M.S. dual degree. |
| DeSales University | PA | Accelerated Medical Studies to PA pathway | DeSales continues to market the Medical Studies undergraduate pathway that feeds its PA graduate program. |
| Duquesne University | PA | Freshman-entry five-year pathway | Duquesne still advertises freshman admission and guaranteed-style progression into its PA program if standards are maintained. |
| Elon University | NC | Accelerated pathway to PA | Elon continues to advertise an accelerated PA pathway for undergraduates, with competitive progression criteria. |
| Gannon University | PA | Five-Year BS in Health Science + MPAS | Gannon's official undergraduate PA page still lists the five-year BS in Health Science / Master of Physician Assistant Science option. |
| Hofstra University | NY | Freshman-entry dual degree | Hofstra still has a dedicated freshman applicants page for its PA Studies dual-degree pathway. |
| Thomas Jefferson University | PA | 4+2 dual degree | Jefferson's official page currently lists a 4+2 Health Sciences BS / Physician Assistant Studies MS dual degree. |
| Kettering College | OH | MPAS Direct Admission | Kettering still offers direct admit status for exceptional high school students; it is available only to freshmen and requires strict progression standards. |
| King's College | PA | Accelerated undergraduate-to-PA pathway | King's continues to advertise an undergraduate route that progresses into its physician assistant program. |
| Le Moyne College | NY | Direct-entry PA Studies pathway | Le Moyne still maintains a dedicated direct-entry physician assistant studies page. |
| Marquette University | WI | Accelerated degree program | Marquette's official page still describes a biomedical sciences major with an accelerated PA degree option. |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | MA | BS/MPAS pathway | MCPHS continues to list a BS in Premedical and Health Studies / MPAS pathway. |
| Mercy College of Ohio | OH | Pre-PA Direct Entry | Mercy's official page says direct-entry students are identified in high school and that admission into the direct-entry track is competitive. |
| New York Institute of Technology | NY | Life Sciences BS / PA Studies MS | New York Tech still lists a combined undergraduate-to-PA pathway. |
| Quinnipiac University | CT | Dual-degree BS / MHS in PA | Quinnipiac's official page currently describes an entry-level dual-degree BS in Health Science Studies / MHS in Physician Assistant. |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | NY | BS/MS Physician Assistant pathway | RIT still maintains an official Physician Assistant BS/MS program page. |
| Rutgers University | NJ | 3+3 BA/MS pathway | Rutgers still advertises a 3+3 BA/MS Physician Assistant pathway through Rutgers School of Health Professions. |
| Saint Francis University | PA | Accelerated PA Science pathway | Saint Francis still markets freshman-entry PA degree options through its physician assistant science pathway. |
| Seton Hall University | NJ | 3+3 dual degree | Seton Hall's current page describes a Biology BS / Physician Assistant MS dual degree, with graduate work beginning after the junior year for students in good standing. |
| Seton Hill University | PA | BS/MS direct-entry pathway | Seton Hill continues to advertise a BS/MS physician assistant pathway for first-year students. |
| Slippery Rock University | PA | SRU 3+2 pathway | SRU's official PA page still references its 3+2 pre-physician assistant route. |
| Springfield College | MA | Undergraduate-to-PA pathway | Springfield's current undergraduate PA studies page remains active and positions students for progression into the professional PA phase. |
| Union Adventist University | NE | Accelerated Pre-PA Biomedical Science (3+3) | Union still advertises a six-year accelerated pre-PA option and says its undergraduates receive preferred status when applying to Union's PA program. |
| University of Detroit Mercy | MI | Freshman-entry accelerated pathway | Detroit Mercy continues to market a freshman-entry physician assistant pathway with accelerated progression. |
| University of Evansville | IN | Accelerated undergraduate-to-PA pathway | Evansville's official physician assistant pathway page remains active for undergraduate applicants. |
| Wagner College | NY | BS/MS PA program | Wagner still maintains a dedicated BS/MS Physician Assistant Program page. |
Compare these programs side by side. The programs above are filterable on PA School Finder’s Direct Entry PA Programs page — compare them by GPA, GRE, prerequisites, tuition, and PANCE pass rate. Or use the free PA Program Match tool to narrow all 350+ accredited PA programs down to the ones that actually fit you.
Additional Direct Entry PA Program Partnership Pathway
Salus University still lists active physician assistant academic partnerships, including 3+2 and 4+2 arrangements plus guaranteed-interview agreements with selected undergraduate institutions. I did not add Salus to the main count above because these are partner-school pathways rather than a single campus-based direct-entry seat, but they are still worth knowing about if you are researching accelerated PA options and comparing similar direct entry PA programs.
Programs Removed From This Direct Entry PA Programs List
During this July 10, 2026 audit, I removed schools when the current official site now showed one of the following:
- a standard pre-PA or pre-health advising route that prepares students to apply later, but no longer advertises a true direct-entry seat or combined pathway,
- a graduate-only PA admissions page,
- an inactive, broken, or redirected legacy page, or
- an old arrangement that no longer appears on the current official site.
That group included legacy entries such as Arcadia, Butler, Drexel, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Marywood, Nova Southeastern Fort Myers, Penn College, Shenandoah, Stockton, University of the Cumberlands, the former USP/Saint Joseph's linkage, University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne, and Valparaiso. I also excluded any program page that now clearly reads as "prepare to apply later" instead of "enter an accelerated or reserved-seat PA pathway now."
How to Compare Direct Entry PA Programs
If your goal is to find the best direct entry PA programs for high school seniors, start by narrowing the list by state, pathway type, and how much progression risk you are comfortable with. A 3+2 or 4+2 structure can save time, but some programs still require a formal progression review before the master's phase begins.
Before applying, verify:
- Whether the pathway is truly direct admission or only preferred consideration,
- The minimum GPA and science GPA required to keep your seat,
- Whether patient care hours are needed before matriculation,
- Whether an interview is still required before the professional phase, and
- The program's current ARC-PA accreditation status.
If you spot a launch, closure, merger, renamed page, or pathway change, let me know in the comments. These programs change often, and I now re-check them against current official university pages before adding them here.
You may also like -
Long or Short – Does Your PA Program Length Really Matter?
Exploring the Impact of PA Program Duration on PANCE Success and PA Competence
In a time long, long ago, just before the release of the first iPhone, I graduated from the UMDNJ (now Rutgers) PA program.
It was a three-year PA […]- How to Find The Direct Patient Care Experience You Need to Become a Physician Assistant
Read on: But you may also be interested in my newest post Healthcare Experience Required for PA School: The Ultimate Guide
I could probably summarize this entire blog post with the following sentence:
"THE MORE HANDS-ON PATIENT […]
- The Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions
Physician Assistant school interviews are extremely challenging.
Here is a comprehensive list of forty-six high-frequency pa school interview questions you will likely encounter.
This list of the "Top 46 Physician Assistant […]
CASPA Personal Statement Help
We offer comprehensive, start-to-finish personal statement assistance or help to perfect a draft you already have. We have services to fit every budget.
Schedule a Live Recorded PA School Video Interview
We offer 60-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download, or share with family and friends. There is no better way to prepare!
Schedule an InterviewPre-PA Consulting and Advising
Our pre-PA coaching service consists of a 1-hour phone consultation focused on addressing your specific questions or concerns about becoming a PA and applying to PA school.
Hi my daughter wants an accelerated PA program NOT far from home. And not Seton Hall. We are in NJ. Any recommendations ?? She’s looking for a small town college feel. Not a big city!
What do think about/know about the program at St John’s University in Queens, NY?
Can a PA have an undergrad degree in PA and a masters in a related field and satisfy licensing requirements?
I have heard that the program there is changing.
which program are you referencing is changing, and do you know in what manner?
My daughter was accept to the PA undergrad. Program there but was told that the number of student will be getting into 3rd (the professional phase) year will be cut in half from 150 admitted to 75 students progressing to the 3rd year after interviews and progress check. It sounds really weird. I understand that some students won’t be able to handle the program or just decide or transfer but to put AA actual number limit does not make sense to me. Am I wrong?
Hi Anna,
It may simply have to do with the amount of preceptors and rotation sites they have available to students.
Stephen
Our daughter has been accepted to Springfield College (MA), Quinnipiac University (CT), and Hofstra University (NY). I’ve been researching these direct entry programs and it seems there is no rating on the entirety of a direct entry program. For example, I believe they require direct patient care hours to be accumulated so there is some level of understanding in the Graduate phases where they might be paired with prior EMT’s, nurses, etc. QU requires 1,000 hours prior to the beginning of the 4th year. Similarly Springfield requires 450 hours. Yet Hofstra only requires 50 hours. QU is “ranked” by US World and News Report as tied for the #5 ranking among the programs and S.C. and H.U. both rank as tied at #70. However Hofstra is a 5 1/2 year program and the other two are a full 6 years? Is there any way to compare the actual education, clinicals a student would get at any of the three? The rankings would leave you to believe QU – but even receiving the top aid amount, it is approximately $40K more for the same degree. Any advice in comparing these types of programs? Thanks so much for your time!!!
Hi Terry,
There is a lot of debate as to whether these ranking data have any validity whatsoever. This includes the US News and World Reports Ranking data which everyone quotes (even myself). I think the more important question to ask is how long has the program been accredited (do they have continuing accreditation or are they in probation, provisional or developing) and what are their PANCE pass rates? Then look at the tuition data and other factors such as location, length of program and class size (among others). If you want you could take the combined ranking of the undergraduate program and the graduate program add them together and come up with a useful comparison.
1. Springfield college: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/item/springfield-college/
– 27 months, 35 students, $114,000, continuing accreditation, 100% PANCE pass rate for the last 10 years
2. Quinnipiac: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/item/quinnipiac-university/
– 27 months, 54 students, $95,000, continuing accreditation, Five Year First Time Taker Average Pass Rate for Program: 98%, 100% last 3 years
3. Hofstra University: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/item/hofstra-university/
– 28 months, 50 students, $97,000, continuing accreditation, Five Year First Time Taker Average Pass Rate for Program: 94%, 97% the last 2 years
Stephen
Thank you very much – this gives us the final components to consider. For parents of high school students considering these direct-entry programs, I would strongly recommend a second visit through Hofstra’s “Up-Close” program. After our initial campus tour, we took home information to research, they have been unbelievably helpful. After doing more research and continuing to interact with their admissions people, they provided us an itinerary designed to meet with the departments or advisors we requested. It allows our daughter to sit in on classes, speak to others in the program and their staff has been incredibly pro-active and responsive in every step of the process.
I’ve been trying to get into a PA program for 5 years, but don’t currently work in the medical field. I’m thinking at this point going back and applying to some of these schools in order to reach that goal. Thanks for putting together this information.
My daughter is a junior in high school and interested in getting a dual degree PA. Are there any programs in Georgia or the southern US. She is extremely bright 4.0 GPA and already is dual enrolled in college courses with hopefully 2 years of college completed when she graduates high school. Please help direct us.
Hi Kathy,
There are four non-residency PA programs in Georgia. I would recommend contacting their admsissions department this week and learning what they offer: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/?s=&category=&location=414&a=true
Sometimes their PA program websites can be misleading (or dated) so it is best to contact them directly.
I wish you and your daughter the best of luck in your search!
Stephen
Is there a direct entry into BS/MS in PA in CA? I just found your website and think I miss the deadline .
Hi Ly,
Best thing to do is contact the program directly if the deadline is not clear on their website.
Stephen
I believe chatham University in Pittsburgh PA also has a guaranteed seat & 5 yr. program. Can you check & confirm? thanks. great site you have.
Hi Margaret,
I did some poking around on their website but if they do have a 2+ program they sure don’t make it obvious :-). It is probably best to give the admissions team a call to get all the details. These things can change as well from year to year.
Stephen
I love this site!!! Thank you for being so innovative and helping navigate through our options! My son wiuld love to start right out of high school but it looks to be so competitive!
Stephen,
FYI: Springfield College in Massachusetts has a direct admit into the professional and each undergraduate student is guaranteed a seat in the professional phase as long as all the minimum per-requisite requirements are fulfilled. We only accept 35 undergraduates into the freshmen class.
Hello Stephen,
This website has been extremely helpful as someone who is just beginning to explore PA options. Thank you for your creativity and mind set to help others interested in this filed.
I am a non traditional student in my 30’s with a very strong desire to become a PA. I am currently phlebotomist and have been actively conducting life insurance physicals for the past 3 yrs. I addition to having experience in the dental field as well as taking full care of my father for numerous years until his untimely passing. In your professional opinion would I be viewed as a desirable PA candidate and if so what would you recommend to be the best program for me in Pennsylvania as a non traditional student, mother, wife?
Thank you for your time in reviewing this message.
Hello Stephen,
First I would like to thank you for this amazing website you have here and all this amazing content. Your remarkable work made me choose becoming a PA, and I will always be thankful to you because of it.
What I would like to ask is about my situation. I a Brazilian student – athlete currently on my first semester as a Junior in college. I decided to become a PA during the Spring of my Sophomore year. I currently have a 3.4 overall GPA. But the problem is that I do not have any HCE or volunteer work at all. And this is the only thing that concerns me. Because I am a student – athlete, and not US Citizen it is quite hard to get HCE, my only option is volunteering and shadowing during summer but I am afraid that still might not be enough to get into PA school.
What is your opinion about my situation? What are good options for myself? Also, I have been considering transferring to a school that offers this dual degree, is that possible?
Thank you.
Hi Harben,
You have to work with what you have. I know I couldn’t have been a student athlete and found time to volunteer and work as well during the school year. So do what you can with your summers and find opportunities to gain experience however you can. You may simply consider spending a year after graduation working and then apply the following year. Many schools have cut their HCE hours and there are quite a few that have it listed as “recommended” or “preferred”. This is to allow qualified applicants like yourself a chance. But don’t stretch yourself too thin while in school, consider working for a bit upon graduation and consider applying to schools with less HCE hours if you want to apply right away. Many schools understand the difficulties student athletes face and will appreciate your high GPA and ability to hold it all together.
Stephen
Hi! are there any in ohio? I want to stay in state to take care of my dad.
Hi Shahood,
There are 13 PA programs in Ohio, you can reference the schools here: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/?s=&category=&location=395&a=true
I am not sure if any of these offer a direct entry program but spend some time on the individual program websites (there are links available on each program info page) and contact a few – you should be able to find the answer you are looking for.
Stephen
I have a MS degree with a science GPA of 3.7 and a BS with a GPA of 2.7. I am currently working as an ER scribe and a lot of shadowing/volunteer hrs. I am very interested in practicing medicine as a PA. What are my chances of getting into a PA school?
Hi Loreen, you have a wonderful science GPA that will offset your overall GPA of 2.7 and help to expand your options. You can search schools by overall GPA requirements on on my paschoolfinder website. Here is the general overall GPA page: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/cat/overall-gpa/ . As you can see there are 29 schools that don’t have an overall GPA minimum http://www.paschoolfinder.com/cat/no-minimum-overall-gpa/ and your science GPA will certainly meet any minimum requirements they may have.
You have a lot of great experience to support your case which will certainly work in your favor. So, get to work finding schools that match you as an applicant and assemble your “power pack” of applicant tools – i.e three very strong references along with a better than average personal statement. Wow the admissions team with your charm and understanding of the profession and your role in it… and yes, you have a good chance.
Hope that helps,
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
Thank you for doing an amazing job reaching out and making positive changes in so many PA lives. Your good attitude radiates in your website and gives us more opportunities, knowledge, and resourses. You bring PA profession to a new level.
Thanks ? Irene! You rock.
I don’t think Marquette in Wisconsin has direct admit any longer–Carroll in Wisconsin may.
It’s a great website. It’s very useful for my son’s BS/MS PA program application.
Thanks
Thanks Matt, and best of luck to your son!
Stephen
Are there any in md or dc?? Even northern Virginia?? Really don’t want to move out of state for a 5 year program
Hi Jamie,
There are 3 PA programs in MD: http://www.paschoolfinder.com/?s=&category=&location=390&a=true
and currently 0 in Washington DC. I would suggest following the links to the PA program websites in MD and seeing what they offer. If you still are not sure contact the PA programs directly and ask them if they have a direct entry or dual degree track.
Stephen
Just an FYI: the link for Seton Hill University in western PA leads to Seton Hall in New Jersey.
Hi Stephen,
Any idea if someone with a BA can apply for one of these programs? I have a BA in Political Science and want to change careers. Since I have to take the pre reqs anyway, I was thinking of applying to one of these programs and getting a BS but it might be better to just take them at a JC then apply for a masters program. What do you think? Any insight is appreciated! Thanks!
Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge has a 3+2 program too.
Thanks Thomas I will add it now