Students must meet all the following requirements:
- A completed CASPA application, including all required records and materials, by the January 15 due date.
Complete the supplemental Temple University Graduate Application and pay the non-refundable $60 application fee by January 15. Your CASPA application will not be considered complete without this application. After submission and payment, your Temple University Graduate application and ID will be matched with your CASPA application.
Baccalaureate Degree: By May 2024, all applicants must complete a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada. Applicants who complete prerequisite coursework or a degree after submitting a CASPA application must send official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended directly to the LKSOM PA Office of Admissions. These transcripts should indicate the final degree awarded and are required for matriculation.
Prerequisite Coursework: Applicants must have the following coursework in their transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada to qualify for the PA Program: General Biology I & II (with lab); General Chemistry I & II (with lab); Organic Chemistry (with lab); Biochemistry; Human Anatomy*; Human Physiology*; Statistics; Psychology; Medical Terminology; 2 or more courses from the following list: Genetics, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Cell Biology. * NOTE: Two Combined Human Anatomy/Physiology courses may substitute for these two individual courses.
- Grade requirements, course completion timeframe, and additional information:
[All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to matriculation with a grade of at least a “C” or 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Note that coursework completed during the spring, summer, and fall 2020 academic terms during the COVID-19 pandemic will be accepted with a grade of P if a standard letter grade was not given. This will not negatively impact the student in our evaluation process.
“General” coursework denotes the first two courses in the subject sequence for science majors.
While students with incomplete prerequisites may apply, there may be a delay in the application review process if two (2) or more pre-requisite courses are pending. The deadline for completing prerequisite coursework and submitting a final official transcript to LKSOM PA Office of Admissions is required by matriculation
All science and math prerequisites coursework must be completed within 10 years prior to June enrollment.
At least four science courses must be completed within 4 years prior to June enrollment.
- Please note the following:
One course cannot be used to satisfy multiple prerequisite courses.
Prerequisite coursework can be fulfilled with on-campus or online courses.
The LKSOM Physician Assistant Program does not offer advanced placement based upon transfer of credits for academic work completed at other institutions of higher learning or upon credit from experiential learning.
Each prerequisite course can be satisfied by one full semester, typically 3 to 4 semester-hours. For applicants on a trimester schedule, 5-6 quarter hours at minimum satisfy a prerequisite.
To identify your coursework that fulfills our prerequisite requirements, students are required to complete the Program Materials: Prerequisites Section of the CASPA application.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Temple University Graduate School’s policy requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale from all colleges and universities. The Physician Assistant Program will use the verified CASPA overall GPA to evaluate an applicant’s academic credentials.
Applicants who do not meet these minimum requirements but have a wide array of outstanding attributes may be considered in the context of our holistic review.
If the Admissions Committee determines that the applicant may be suitable for admission to the program, an appeal may be made through the Dean for Graduate Studies at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and the Temple University Graduate Board.
The Physician Assistant Program Director may file an appeal regarding this Graduate School Policy in exceptional circumstances.
GRE (code 1746) or MCAT: While GRE or MCAT scores are optional, applicants can choose to request their GRE scores through CASPA and have them added to their application. MCAT scores are automatically transmitted to CASPA when the applicant’s AMCAS® ID number is provided. Please note that GRE and MCAT scores will not impact your PA Program application status.
Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation are required, using the CASPA Letter Evaluation Program, but additional letters may also be submitted through CASPA. Requirements include:
One letter from a professor with whom you completed science course work.
One letter from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. (A letter from a physician assistant is preferred but not required.)
One letter from the applicant’s choice of recommender.
NOTE: The PA Program discourages submission of letters of recommendation from friends, relatives, personal physicians, or instructors who do not possess a personal, supervisory knowledge of the applicant.
Statement of Goals: In approximately 500 to 1,000 words, describe your interest in Temple's Physician Assistant Program, research interests and past experiences, future career goals, and academic and research achievements.
Healthcare/Patient Contact Experience: To be considered for an interview, a minimum of 400 hours of clearly documented volunteer or paid direct hands-on patient contact experience (PCE) or witnessing care first-hand are required. Virtual experiences may add benefit to your educational experiences, but they will not count toward the minimum hours required. These hours must be accrued by December prior to year of intended matriculation. PCE examples include, but are not limited to, the following: Athletic Trainer (Certified); Cardiovascular Perfusionist; Caregiver; Dietician; ED Technician; EMT/Paramedic; Exercise Physiologist; Foreign Medical Graduate – Physician; Home Healthcare Aid; Medical Assistant/Technologist; Medical Corpsman; Medical Research with patient contact; Medical Scribe; Midwife; Nurse; Nursing Assistant/CNA; Orthopedics Technician; Phlebotomist; Physical Therapist/Aid; Radiologic Technologist; Respiratory Therapist/Technician; Surgical Technician; X-ray/Ultrasound Technician
In addition to the 400 hours of PCE, it is strongly recommended that one complete at least 100 hours working with or shadowing an MD, DO, and/or PA.
Community/Volunteer Service: It’s recommended that applicants have a minimum of 50 hours of community service activities, not including those performed in high school. All types of community service and volunteer activities are considered.
Resume/CV: A current resume or CV is required.
Citizenship requirements: Due to issues that place limitations on U.S. government-subsidized financing for medical education, Temple will only consider applications from U.S. citizens or non-citizens who have permanent resident or refugee/asylee status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Applicants with permanent resident or refugee/asylee status need to upload a copy of official USCIS documentation when completing the CASPA application.
Academic Infractions: Applicants who indicate that they were the recipient of an Academic Infraction on the CASPA application are required to contact the school where the Academic Infraction occurred to provide an official statement. This document should outline the details of the event and the outcome of the institutional process. Once a CASPA application has been verified, students who responded YES will receive an email outlining instructions for submission. Applicants with an Academic Infraction will not be reviewed until this letter has been received. Applicants who receive an Academic Infraction after the CASPA application has been submitted are required to send a letter to the Senior Associate Dean for Admissions with details of the event. We will only accept Academic Infraction statements emailed directly to our office from the appropriate institutional official (Dean of Students, Judicial Officer, etc.).