Admission to the Physician Assistant Program

Admission to the Physician Assistant Program at Delaware Valley University is offered after a holistic review of an applicant’s qualifications and is based on academic achievement, prior health care and work experience, personal characteristics and life experience, interest in the greater Delaware Valley region, and a commitment to health care and service, among other traits. 

The University’s PA program participates in the CASPA application service and requires a completed CASPA application. 

Important dates in the admissions process are as follows:

  • CASPA Start Date: Late April yearly
  • DelVal Application Deadline: April 1, year of planned matriculation
  • We will begin interviews in late August to September and review applications on a rolling basis until the cohort is filled

There is no minimum GPA required for consideration by the DelVal PA Program and admissions are “test-optional.” Most successful applicants will have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (overall and, in science, though alternate GPAs such as pre-requisite, post-baccalaureate, junior-senior year, and/or graduate GPAs will be considered as part of holistic application review). GRE, MCAT, PA-CAT, or other standardized test scores will also be considered if submitted as part of the holistic review process. There is also no minimum requirement for prior health care or patient care experience, though most successful applicants will have at least 200 hours of direct patient care. Shadowing, volunteering, and other forms of service are encouraged. 

How to Apply to the Physician Assistant Program

We accept applications through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). The University begins processing applications for the following academic year in late April.

The following are required for admission to the program:

  • A bachelor's degree
  • Three letters of recommendation. At least one must be from a PA or physician.
  • Interview (by invitation only) addressing commitment to and knowledge of the PA profession, contribution to diversity, overall life and work experiences, decision-making skills, emotional awareness, professionalism and communication skills.
  • Ability to meet the Program’s defined Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • You must have completed the following pre-requisites at a U.S. regionally-accredited institution within the past 10 years before admission:

    While required for admission, prerequisites do not take the place of any coursework in the program’s curriculum and advanced placement is not granted by the Program.

    • Anatomy and Physiology - two semesters
      • Anatomy semesters + Physiology semesters OR Anatomy and Physiology I + Anatomy and Physiology II
    • Microbiology 
    • Additional upper-level biology coursework - two courses. 
      • Biochemistry, Genetics (Strongly Recommended)
      • Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology (Accepted)
    • Chemistry- two courses 
      • Organic Chemistry (required) 
      • Additional accepted courses: Introduction to Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and others.
    • Psychology - one course 
    • Statistics - one course 
  • If granted admission to the PA Program, all students must submit required health clearances and background checks prior to matriculation. These requirements include, but may not be limited to:
    • Up-to-date vaccinations: Influenza, COVID-19, Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Meningococcal, and Tdap
    • Annual physical examination
    • Tuberculosis screening
    • Urine drug screen
    • Pennsylvania Child Abuse & Criminal Background results
    • FBI Fingerprinting 
FAQ's

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Delaware Valley University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Delaware Valley University.

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.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-delaware-valley-university/

 

Once the Program is granted Accreditation-Provisional status, students have the same rights as they would in an Accreditation-Continued program. Graduates from a provisionally accredited program are eligible to sit for the PANCE board examination and are eligible for licensure in all 50 states. In the unexpected event the Program loses its accreditation status, the University and Program are permitted to, and committed to, “teaching out” the cohort.

Yes, we consider admission for students with no more than two prerequisites outstanding, as long as you are able produce evidence (i.e. official transcript) that the courses are planned for or in progress, and you have successfully completed the course prior to matriculation in October. Please keep in mind that any offer of admission for students with outstanding or in-progress prerequisites would be contingent on successful completion of those courses.

We would like to see upper-level courses to ensure that students are best prepared for the rigor of the curriculum. Additional Biology coursework generally includes Biochemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology. Other courses may be accepted as long as they are related to human biology, anatomy and/or physiology and provide adequate preparation for coursework in PA school. Mammalian and plant biology courses will not qualify for the upper-level biology prerequisite.

One Organic Chemistry course is required (lab not required). Additional courses would include Intro to Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, etc.

Yes, online science courses are permitted as long as they meet the same requirements as an in-person course. The school must be regionally accredited and taken within the last 10 years.   

Yes, if the community college is appropriately accredited, those courses will satisfy the Program’s prerequisite requirements.

Applicants to DelVal’s program are reviewed holistically, so no two successful applicants will necessarily look alike. Most successful applicants will have a cumulative GPA greater than 3.0 and more than 200 hours of patient care experience or shadowing a practicing PA, and a commitment to volunteerism/service. In addition, a thorough understanding of, and dedication to, the PA profession and practice of medicine is important, along with great interpersonal skills. We look for traits you would want to see in your own health care provider!

Yes, we accept international students as long as all requirements for admission are completed. All prerequisite coursework must be completed at a US regionally accredited institution within the past 10 years. Additional coursework, including degree conferral, may have been completed outside of the US, though an official course-by-course transcript evaluation may be required.

  • Small cohort size of 20 students
  • Personalized attention
  • Strong academic support
  • Faculty who are experienced in PA education and clinical practice
  • Lectures from content area experts
  • Dedication to case-based, active and experiential learning
  • Integrated curriculum with early clinical experiences
  • Strong relationships with local and regional partners
  • Three elective clinical rotations

In addition, we believe our strong student services support the full lifecycle of the student in a way that is thoughtful, impactful, and truly makes a difference in their lives. The program is committed to student success through personal advising, academic support, and early and frequent remediation when necessary. The small cohort size allows us to identify areas of need and provide extra support as early as possible in the program. Our experienced faculty are well-prepared to assist with career advising and we also have a dedicated graduate career service representative to support career development. The program is dedicated to forming a strong alumni network and maintaining relationships with graduates. Overall, we believe we can provide a truly engaging student experience.

For each class cohort of 20 students, the student to faculty ratio is 5 – 10:1, allowing for individualized attention to the educational needs of our students, promoting more personal relationships, and building a community of learners. We can identify students who need extra support early in the program, which is one of the key features and benefits of DelVal. Professors, including the Program Director, know students by name and students are not just a number. We pride ourselves on the relationships we build with students from the moment they inquire about the program until they cross the stage at graduation and beyond.

The goal of the program is to identify and maintain the majority of clinical sites within 90 miles of DelVal’s campus, speaking to the local mission of the program. However, the program is not opposed to growing relationships in distant geographic locations if suggested by faculty, staff, university administrators, colleagues or students, and these rotation sites meet the program’s needs as far as fulfilling learning outcomes.

Admissions decisions are made in accordance with university and program policy and procedure.