Applicant Self-Assessment and Class Profiles

Cohort Begins Fall | Credits 125 | 27 months | In-person, full time 

Whether you’re gearing up to apply or contemplating a future application, the questions outlined below are crafted to assist you in preparing a robust application. For those who’ve faced setbacks in admission, this checklist serves as a valuable tool for introspection, offering a pathway to enhance your application for subsequent cycles. It’s important to acknowledge the highly competitive nature of our program. Given the sheer number of applications we receive, we’re unable to offer personalized feedback to each candidate. 

The self-assessment checklist is designed as a supportive resource to gauge the competitiveness of your application. It should not be viewed as a definitive guide or a guarantee of acceptance into this or any other Physician Assistant program. However, a candid assessment using these questions can offer meaningful insights into the strengths of your application. 

Requirements 

1. 1. 1. Was my application in “Complete” CASPA status by the application deadline? 
      2. Do I have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in the U.S. or Canada (or equivalent as described in the Entrance Requirements page)? 
      3. Did I complete a recommended standardized test (GRE) by the application deadline?
      4. Did I request letters of recommendation from at least three (3) professional references? Were these references people who know me well and can speak directly and specifically about my potential as a PA and/or my potential to successfully complete graduate-level academic work? Am I reasonably sure these people have a good impression of me? 
      5. Did I successfully complete the recommended preparatory coursework and include it accurately in my application? 
      6. Did I complete at least 500 hours of clinical experience?  
      7. Did I complete the CASPA personal statement and the additional PBA-specific essay questions? 

Recommendations 

1. 1. 1. Do my transcript(s) and test scores demonstrate my potential to successfully complete rigorous academic work, particularly in biosciences? If there are gaps or “waring sign” in my coursework, grades, or test scores, have I addressed them in my personal statement? Have I excelled in other areas of my application? 
      2. Does my clinical, research, and/or volunteer experience show depth and breadth of interest in a career as a PA?  
      3. Does my experience align with PA Med goals? If there are gaps or “waring sign” in my experience, have I addressed them in my personal statement?  
      4. Have I excelled in other areas of my application? 
      5. Was the length of my personal statement and additional essay within the maximum character limits? (Please note that any text after the maximum character limit is cut off by CASPA.) 
      6. Did my personal statement and additional essay offer the admission committee a clear sense of who I am, why I want to be a PA, and how I contribute to the mission and goals of the PBA MMSc PA program? Did I answer the essay questions clearly and concisely? Were my essays free of spelling and grammatical errors? 

Program Fit 

1. 1. 1. Am I familiar with the MMSc PA Medicine mission and goals? How well do I align with the program’s mission and goals? Did I clearly demonstrate this alignment in my application materials, particularly my essays? 
      2. Am I familiar with the physician assistant profession? Do I understand the role of a PA in different settings and specialties?  How did I demonstrate this in my application materials, particularly my essays? 
      3. How many of the recommended preparatory courses have I taken? How did I perform in those courses? (Please note completion of the recommended preparatory courses with strong grades helps make your application more competitive by showing the admission committee that you are able to successfully undertake this type and level of coursework.) 
      4. PBA complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws and does not engage in unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, gender, disability, veteran status, race, color or national origin in any employment practice, admissions, education program or educational activity. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment and access to and treatment in university programs, services and activities. 
      5. How direct (i.e. involving sustained, hands-on interaction with patients in a medical setting) are my clinical hours? Does my clinical experience involve critical thinking? How active (versus passive) is my clinical experience? Did I clearly communicate the scope of my clinical experience in my application materials? 
      6. How did I demonstrate potential as a future PA leader in my application materials? 

For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact:

Student Accountability- Lassiter Student Center 
Palm Beach Atlantic University 
561-803-2663 
Student_accountability@pba.edu 

Information to be posted once students have matriculated

Learn more about the program’s student attrition data.  

*The PA program is currently undergoing the accreditation process and has not begun to enroll students. Therefore, these results are not yet available. 

View PBA PA Medicine NCCPA Exam Pass Rates for more information on the graduate’s PANCE performance.  

*The PA program is currently undergoing the accreditation process and has not begun to enroll students. Therefore, these results are not yet available. 

Anticipating ARC-PA approval, PBA will begin interviewing for the inaugural class in the fall of 2023 and matriculate the first class on October 1, 2024. 

Palm Beach Atlantic University PA program has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). PBA PA program anticipates matriculating its first class in October 2024, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the June 2024 ARC-PA meeting. 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 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. 

Note: In the event accreditation is not obtained, all deposits will be refunded to cohort members.