(ARC-PA 3.13 a, b, c, d)

Pursuing a career as a physician assistant requires academic excellence, strong interpersonal skills, and professional maturity. The Marquette PA Program seeks applicants with a strong academic foundation, meaningful healthcare experience, and a clear commitment to clinical practice. Our admissions process takes a holistic approach, evaluating each applicant's strengths to select those who align with our program's mission.

In support of our mission and the values of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), Marquette University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive PA program. We value a broad definition of diversity that includes socioeconomic background, educational and life experiences, military service, language diversity, and geographic representation. Marquette applies preference to academically strong applicants who are first-generation college students, come from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds, have military experience, speak English as a second language, or are from medically underserved or rural areas. Additionally, we seek individuals with unique perspectives and life experiences that enhance the richness of our cohort and strengthen our ability to serve diverse communities as future healthcare leaders.

Admission Requirements

• Marquette Undergraduate
• Applicants with Bachelor's Degrees or Current Seniors
• Technical standards

MU PA Application Checklist

All electronic application materials must be received by CASPA no later than August 1 of each year.

• Submission of a completed application to the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
• Three letters of reference.
• $85 MU Supplemental fee (non-refundable) submitted online or mailed to the address below.
  • Applications completed and verified by CASPA will not be reviewed without the supplemental application fee.
  • A link to pay the application fee will be sent to you once your application is received in CASPA. 
  • It may take multiple business days for applicant to receive notification that the supplemental application fee has been processed. 

Once the application has been CASPA verified, no further updates and additions to the application will be considered in the evaluation of the application. Applicants must apply to CASPA the same year they are seeking admission. The PA program does not accept any deferments.

Selection Factors

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 or greater as calculated by the centralized application system (CASPA).
• Academic preparation including total and science grade point averages and science quality points (an assessment of quantity and performance in science coursework)
• Motivation, maturity, ability to work with people and suitability for clinical practice
• Minimum of 200 hours of patient contact and other health care experience. All hours must be submitted and documented on the CASPA application. Additional hours after submission will not be counted toward the total. (Note: health care shadowing does not count toward this requirement.)
• Knowledge of the PA profession and its role in the health care system
• GRE for graduate applicants and seniors is optional. Applicants choosing to submit a GRE should send it to Marquette Physician Assistant Studies program code 5872.
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal interviews

The program currently admits 75 students per class consisting of a target class makeup of approximately 27 Marquette University applicants majoring in Biomedical Science. (A limited amount of acceptances are typically reserved for Marquette applicants and graduates from majors outside of Biomedical Sciences).

Immunization Requirements: All students MUST be up to date with all immunizations and health maintenance requirements as outlined in the Immunizations and Health Maintenance Policy. Failure to comply will result in the inability to begin the program or participate in the experiential learning components of the program which start in the didactic year.

*Note: We do not accept transfer of students from other Physician Assistant programs for advanced standing. These students must also meet all the admission requirements and complete the entire physician assistant curriculum if accepted. There are no opportunities for advanced placement.