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.
Do any of this schools offer and distance learning component? Like completely all of the didactic work online and clinicals closer to your home? I am a LPN so I am interested in getting my bachelors and then pursing PA but would love to do it in a dual enrollment program.
Hi Kimberly,
You will have to check with schools that you are interested in directly to find out what distance learning options are available. Things have changed drastically since COVID-19 and because schools have had to get creative this past year it has opened many avenues up for what was previously “non-traditional” learning. The Yale School of Medicine is the only accredited online program that I am aware of but there are others in the pipeline.
Stephen
I think NJIT has one too or its joined with Rutgers I’m not sure
What should a international high schooler student do for entering the PS program?
Hi Roshani! Is your goal to attend an undergraduate University in the US and then apply to a US PA school or finish all your pre-PA studies in your home country and then apply to a US PA program?
Stephen
Hello,
I am trying to find information if Rutger’s University is a direct admit program 3 + 3
Hi!
Although I am a native Floridian, I am a foreign medical graduate. I have 15 years of medical experience. I also am only lacking of 12 credits to complete a Bachelors degree in biomedical sciences. I already solicited an evaluation of my overall studies from Joseph Silny and Associates and am so wanting to be able to become a physician assistant. Can you please give me some advice on how to achieve this. The shorter the term is better but I would do almost anything.
Hi Jon, sounds like you are well on your way to this goal. First of course you will have to complete your bachelor’s degree in the US and have it in hand. You may even be able to transfer some of your foreign medical credits – was this the point of your evaluation with Joseph Silny and Associates?
Once you have this under your belt you will want to check off the rest of the boxes.
Here is my quick list of down and dirty PA school applicant recommendations:
Shadowing: I recommend Pre-PAs have one hundred hours of shadowing experience across various specialties.
GRE: I recommend a score of 300 + (150 + 150) overall, 3.5 in writing, and > 50% in each section.
GPA: Most schools require 2.7 – 3.2. The average for acceptance is around 3.5. The focus is on science and overall GPA
Create an account with CASPA if you haven’t already the sooner, the better: https://caspa.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
Healthcare experience versus patient care experience:
Patient Care Experience (PCE): Experiences in which you are solely responsible for a patient’s care. For example, prescribing medication, performing procedures, directing a course of treatment, designing a treatment regimen, actively working on patients as a nurse, paramedic, EMT, CNA, phlebotomist, physical therapist, dental hygienist, etc.
–Healthcare Experience (HCE): Both paid and unpaid work in a health or health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care but may still have patient interaction; for example, filling prescriptions, performing clerical work, delivering patient food, cleaning patients and/or their rooms, administering food or medication, taking vitals or other record-keeping information, working as a scribe, CNA (depending on the job description), medical assistant, etc.
–Letters of recommendation: one academic letter, one PA letter, a second medical provider from another discipline, or supervisor in a medical setting (can be another PA). Make sure to get these requested early.
Before meeting with the recommender have these ready:
-Updated resume
-List of schools you’re applying to
-A paper on what you may want specifically mentioned in the letter
When to submit your application: I recommend you try to submit by June. The earlier, the better.
Stephen Pasquini PA-C
My current HS Junior daughter is very interested in integrated PA programs. I don’t see any CA schools in the list. Can anyone confirm? TIA
I have already gained admission into a university pursuing physician assistantship program(undergraduate), but I find your dual degree very helpful and would wish to pursue that, can I please apply as a transfer international student into your school.
Hi, Monica,
I would encourage you to reach out to the individual undergraduate dual degree programs directly and inquire about their guidelines for international students and credit transfers. Let me know if you have any additional questions along the way.
Stephen Pasquini PA-C
Hello,
Are these 3 + 2 programs only reserved for graduating high school seniors? I have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another subject area and am thinking about changing career paths.
Hi Briana, I don’t believe they are restricted to high school seniors. I would recommend reaching out to a few of these programs directly to see if this would be a good option for you. It may be better (faster and more economical) to finish up your prerequisites at a community college then apply directly to the Master’s program.
Stephen
From what I can tell on the Shenandoah University (Virginia) website they 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.
Thanks so much, Roger. I have added this to the table.
Stephen
You should add Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota/ Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. I will be in this 3+2 program this fall and am very excited to start.
Hi, with this current pandemic going on and almost all colleges saying they will be test optional for the this next upcoming round of college admissions process, do you know if the same is true to the PA direct/accelerated programs? Or will students have to ensure they are taking SAT/ACT exams and submitting scores?
Hi Kathy, each program is setting its own guidelines in regards to COVID-19. In this case, it is best to consult the PA program directly. If it is not clear on their website reach out by phone or email. You don’t want to be caught off guard.
Stephen
Hello. Thank you for this list. You have Le Moyne College listed as a school which requires a competitive process to stay in the program (meaning you have to re-apply to continue to get your Master’s Degree). Nowhere on Le Moyne’s site describing their Direct Entry Program does it say that. Could you please provide your source for listing Le Moyne as a “Yes” in terms of there being a competitive process. What is your source for the other listings?
Thank you.
Is there a way to obtain both bachelor’s in Bio and Master’s in PA at Arcadia University?
Drexel University*
Hello, I believe Thomas Jefferson University has a dual 5 years program located in East Falls, PA. Also, as a high school student I have been trying to find ways I can better my chances of admission to any of these programs and I was wondering if you had any suggestions?
Would that be like earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees (in 5 yrs)?
Hi Stephen—
We really appreciate your time you put into this website and the amount of info it offers my HS senior! My son has the opportunity to attend our local SUNY university for virtually tuition free to earn his BS in Biology due to awards/scholarships, however they do not offer a PA entry program. He would have to apply to another school that offers PA as a grad student. He has applied/interviewed to a few freshman 3:2 direct entry programs in which we should hear back anytime now . Our question to you taking into costs as wells as being admitted to PA school early…… is this traditional PA enrollment better or given the apparent competitive nature/relief of getting into PA school worth the large cost/loan? His HS avg has always been around 3.95 gpa with a SAT score of 1350 so grades should not be an issue later on should he decide the traditional route. We appreciate your insights…
Hi Mike, I think the right place to start is by running the numbers so that you can visualize a cost comparison. There are a lot of variables to take into consideration. I would assume the tuition-free undergraduate option would be the best deal (financially), but given a 3 + 2 program is shorter you have to weigh the cost of the extra year (+/-) a gap year in between against the total cost of the direct entry program. Of course, a student can choose to finish undergrad as well in an accelerated manner. Factoring in room and board can make things less clear. But there is more to this than just the financial aspect as well. The majority of undergraduate students end up changing their majors. Has he shadowed PAs? Is he sure this is what he wants to do with his life? Are the 3 + 2 programs schools that he wants to attend? I wouldn’t suggest he go to a school he isn’t interested in, that cost more, just because he is “guaranteed” an acceptance. That is not a good enough reason. But this all warrants sitting down, making a spreadsheet, weighing the pros and cons carefully, and speaking to an academic advisor. This is not an easy decision but give him a high five from me for rocking it in high school!!!
Stephen
Hello! Nova Southeastern University in Florida also has a dual PA program.
Thanks, Olivia, I have added it to the list!
Stephen
i am interested in applying to hofstra and nyit. are there any other schools similar to these that also have a pa program. i like the suburban environment as well as schools being small. i think drexel was okay but it didn’t feel that safe since it was in with the city.
Hi Mel, I created http://www.paschoolfinder.com which uses a geographical (map-based) search engine so you can explore schools by location: https://www.paschoolfinder.com/
When the site loads just click “show PA schools” and this will load the map. This may be of some help in your search.
Stephen
Hello,
I was wondering if SAT scores are required by Canadian students wishing to apply to the combined program if they already have a undergraduate degree.
I would apply to just the PA program itself, however I do not meet some of the pre-requisite course requirements. I was wondering if you have any advice on this. Thanks.
Hello! Please add the University of Evansville Physician Assistant Program to your listing of B/PA Direct Entry Programs. Thank you for providing this resource to students and their families!
Hi, Billie, I have added the University of Evansville to the list of dual degree programs. If you could please review the table entry and let me know if that information is correct. I had trouble identifying the pre-professional phase and professional phase years/degree.
Stephen
Thanks Stephen! It is actually 4 years bachelor’s degree from the University of Evansville and no additional competitive advancement (if all direct entry requirements have been met while at UE and student graduates from UE)
are the requirements for pa programs higher than what is needed for the regular admissions for the same college?
Also in general what is an good sat/act score to get accepted?
Hi Mel, in general, the average SAT score of students admitted to a physician assistant program is 1250 (evidence-based reading/writing and math). The average ACT score of admitted students is a 27 (composite score). As far as admission requirements this will vary depending on the school, most take a holistic approach meaning they will look at all aspects of your application.
Stephen