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Application Process and Requirements for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

 

Overview

Our Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at the MGH Institute of Health Professions welcomes applications from individuals holding a Bachelor’s degree who seek to enter a career as a Physician Assistant. Our professional staff is here to provide information and answer questions you have during the admission and financial aid process and offer ongoing information throughout the application process.  

Students are not required to arrange their own clerkships. No student, family member of a student, or friend/acquaintance of a student is permitted to contact a clinical facility to request a clinical education experience or to explore the possibility of establishing a clinical education agreement with that facility. The Program is responsible for establishing relationships with clinical education facilities and developing preceptors. In keeping with the Program’s philosophy that clinical education is an extension of the academic program, efforts will be directed at developing a circle of clinical facilities and clinical faculty committed to working with this program to provide quality professional education. For more information, please contact the PA Program (pa@mghihp.edu) directly.

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Important Application Dates

For Program Starting: September 2022
The CASPA 2021-2022 application cycle opens on April 29, 2021
The Application Deadline is: October 1, 2021

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Application Process

The Physician Assistant Studies program at MGH Institute of Health Profession participates in the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). All applicants are required to apply online through this service.

Updates to the application requirements and related policies due to COVID-19, can be found here. 

Items to submit directly to CASPA:

  • Application with the application fee
  • Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
  • Three (3) recommendation letters
  • Statement of Intent
  • Healthcare experience hours verification

MGH Institute of Health Professions does not require a supplemental application. 

*In order to be eligible for review, CASPA applications must be verified on or prior to the deadline. Please note: you should allow several weeks for all required documents to be received and processed by CASPA.

 

Accreditation

ARC-PA accreditation statement

At its June 2019 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the MGH Institute of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program sponsored by MGH Institute of Health Professions on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in June 2021.

Probation accreditation is a temporary status of accreditation, up to two years, granted when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation - Provisional or Accreditation - Continued does not meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.

Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and/or risk having its accreditation withdrawn. The program’s accreditation history is published on the ARC-PA’s webpage.

Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to, Lisa Walker at lwalker15@mghihp.edu.

Additional information from the program regarding accreditation status

In higher education, the accreditation process conducted by an outside review team provides valuable feedback to ensure that continuous improvements are made to academic programs. Since 2014, the MGH Institute of Health Professions (IHP) Physician Assistant (PA) Program has been engaged in the provisional phase of the accreditation process, and we want to take this opportunity to provide an update.

The IHP PA Program was awarded provisional accreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) in 2014, and the first class of 40 students entered in May 2015. The program matriculated its fifth cohort of students in May of 2019, and as of June has 139 alumni practicing in a wide variety of clinical disciplines across diverse medical and surgical settings from academic medical centers to community hospitals and rural clinics all across the U.S.

Based on the most recent review in 2019, the ARC-PA granted continuation of accreditation and placed the Program on probation for reasons stated here. The PA Program, the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the Institute have immediately initiated a plan for addressing the issues raised by the Commission. We are confident that we will be successful in achieving full compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. This temporary probationary status confers no adverse consequences to currently enrolled, admitted, or prospective students. Throughout this process, the program maintains accreditation, which allows students to matriculate, graduate, take the PANCE, obtain state licensing, and practice medicine without hindrance or delay.

Click here to read our FAQ about the factors that led to this accreditation decision.

 

Prereqs

Degree

Baccalaureate degree (BS or BA) from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or recognized international equivalent.

Prerequisite Coursework

Completion of the following prerequisite courses at a fully accredited institution with a grade of B- or better is required for admission.

All of these courses are offered online by the MGH Institute. Learn more about our online prereqs or select a course below to view its description.

All prerequisite courses must be taken at an institution that is accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies. Please refer to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation website for additional information.

Applicants with questions about prerequisite course equivalency and/or acceptability should complete and submit the PA Prerequisite Inquiry Form. Upon submission of the form, replies can be expected by email in 7-10 business days.

Important Notes:

  • Applicants must have all prerequisites completed at the time of application submission.
  • All prerequisite courses must be satisfactorily completed with supporting documentation submitted to the Office of Admission before starting the program.
  • Prerequisite credit cannot be given for courses with a grade of Pass/Fail (Please see our Temporary Admissions Policies for COVID-19).
 

Tests

GRE

The GRE is not required for admission to this program.

TOEFL/ IELTS

The language of instruction at MGH IHP is English and a high level of proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.  If English is not your first language, or you have graduated from an undergraduate program in a non-English speaking country, or with instruction in a language other than English, you must demonstrate English language proficiency as part of your application to IHP.  In some circumstances, demonstrating English language proficiency may be required even if you are a citizen of a country whose primary language is English.

Applicants whose first language is not English must provide test scores from either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The test must have been taken within two years of the application deadline and official score reports are required. 

Minimum TOEFL (internet-based) requirement is 89 and the minimum IELTS requirement is 6.5.

TOEFL and IELTS test requirements are automatically waived for students for whom English is a first language from the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec).

For TOEFL, score reports can be obtained by contacting Educational Testing Service (ETS).  MGH Institute of Health Professions code is 3513.

For IELTS, a Test Report Form may be mailed to MGH Institute of Health Professions and score information will be verified by IHP directly. You may designate up to 5 schools to receive Test Report Forms at the time you register for the test.  To request additional Test Report Forms, contact your test center.

 

Transcripts

All official transcripts should be sent directly to CASPA. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be in a sealed envelope and sent directly to CASPA from the institution. 

Foreign Transcripts: Applicants that have earned a degree from a non-US institution are required to submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from one of the following NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) members: Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., SpanTran: The Evaluation Company, World Education Services (WES), or the Center for Educational Documentation. If an applicant earned a bachelor’s degree outside the U.S. this credential evaluation must document minimum equivalency of a US baccalaureate degree or higher.

The LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) accredits medical education programs leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada. Applicants that have earned a MD degree from an accredited LCME Canadian institution will not be required to have that degree evaluated as part of the application process.

 

Documents

Personal Statement

The personal statement is located within the CASPA application and must be submitted directly to CASPA.

Recommendation Letters

Three (3) recommendation letters are required for admission. Recommendation letters must be submitted directly to CASPA.

 

Direct Patient-Care Requirements

A minimum of 1,000 hours of hands-on, direct patient-care experience is required at the time of application submission. Health care experience is important as it exposes students to, and prepares them for, the challenges and rewards of working directly with patients and demonstrates an applicant's commitment to a career in the health professions.

The MGH Institute of Health Professions Physician Assistant program seeks students from a variety of health care backgrounds. The Admission Committee defines patient-care experience as working one-on-one with patients in a paid position. We generally do not accept volunteer hours as direct patient-care experience; however, consideration will be made on a case-by-case basis. Health care experience that involves observation of patient care and does not involve interaction with patients, while valuable, will not be accepted as direct patient-care experience.

The following are some examples of typically acceptable direct patient-care experience:

Nurse, CNA, medical assistant, clinic/hospital-based patient care assistant, physical/occupational therapist/therapy assistant, athletic trainer, exercise physiologist, dental hygienist, respiratory therapist, registered dietician/nutritionist, EMT, paramedic, emergency room technician, clinical researcher/research assistant with direct patient contact, optometrist, optometry assistant, radiology technician. This list is not intended to be inclusive, but to give the applicant examples of health care professions that are considered desirable.

When reviewing health care experience, we are more interested in the job description and the day-to-day responsibilities of an applicant than we are in the job title itself and would consider most employment as health care experience providing it involves evaluating/triaging patients, bedside care, drawing blood, obtaining EKG's, etc. Applicants are able to submit the Patient Care Experience Form if they have questions about whether their direct patient-care experience meets admissions criteria for MGH Institute of Health Profession’s PA program.

If you're looking for job opportunities in direct patient care, below is a link with information about Patient Care Associate opportunities across Mass General Brigham. While employment in a Mass General Brigham institution does not guarantee admission to the PA program, additional consideration is given to applicants with two years of full-time employment in a Mass General Brigham institution.  See information about Patient Care Associate opportunities.  

Additional Considerations

  • Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 preferred, 3.5 and above given additional consideration
  • Successful completion of a Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry course with a grade of B or higher
  • 2,000+ hours of direct patient-care experience in a work setting. Though the minimum requirement is 1,000 hours, additional consideration will be given to applicants with 2,000+ hours.
  • Evidence of
    • leadership
    • volunteer work/service
    • compassion/empathy
    • overcoming significant personal challenges
  • Active military or veteran status
  • Current Mass General Brigham employee with 2 or more years of full-time employment
 

Interview

Qualified applicants will be contacted and invited to interview at our campus in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Interviews will be conducted in the winter in anticipation of a September 2022 program start.

 

FAQs

Are students required to arrange their own clerkships?

Students are not required to arrange their own clerkships.

No student, family member of a student, or friend/acquaintance of a student is permitted to contact a clinical facility to request a clinical education experience or to explore the possibility of establishing a clinical education agreement with that facility. The Program is responsible for establishing relationships with clinical education facilities and developing preceptors. In keeping with the Program’s philosophy that clinical education is an extension of the academic program, efforts will be directed at developing a circle of clinical facilities and clinical faculty committed to working with this program to provide quality professional education. For more information, please contact the PA Program (pa@mghihp.edu) directly.

Does IHP offer advanced placement in this program?

No.  Please note that this a full-time day program and does not offer advanced placement for students.

Can I work while attending this program?

While the program does not dictate whether or not a student can work while enrolled, the intensity of the curriculum and varying schedules makes working very difficult and it is therefore discouraged.

How do I know if my prerequisites meet your requirements?

Applicants with questions about prerequisite course equivalency should complete and submit the MPAS Prerequisite Inquiry Form.

Who do I contact for more information about the academic program or curriculum?

You may find many of your questions may be answered in our curriculum section. If you have additional questions, please contact the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

Who can I contact for more information about the application process, my application status, or what documents to submit?

If you require assistance with the application process, you can email the admission office, or call (617) 726-1304 weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern Time.

What is a good way to learn about the MGH Institute of Health Professions?

Please refer to the Upcoming Admissions Events webpage for additional information and upcoming dates for all of our informational webinars and virtual events.

What is your mailing address?

MGH Institute of Health Professions
Office of Enrollment Services
36 1st Ave.
Charlestown Navy Yard
Boston, MA  02129

Can I defer my admission to a future term?

Though generally not permitted, deferral requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are generally approved only in extreme circumstances or military deployment.  To request a deferral, email the admission office.

Are there other Conditions of Admission?

Yes.  If applicable, final transcripts and test scores must be submitted to satisfy the conditions of admission.

I’m an international student. Can I receive an F-1 Visa?

Please see General Information for Prospective International Students.