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Prospective applicants are encouraged to read all information carefully before contacting us via phone or e-mail if additional information is required.
Program Overview
The Utah Physician Assistant Program is accredited by ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.). UPAP is a full-time program that begins each summer semester and spans 27 months over 7 continuous semesters*. Part-time or interrupted attendance is not an option, and no online program is offered.
The didactic phase of the program takes place over 4 semesters for a total of 64 credits of academic coursework, and includes full-day clinical rotations once weekly beginning at mid-year. The clinical phase takes place during the second year and includes full-time clinical rotations under the direct supervision of a preceptor (students are not required to supply their own clinical sites or preceptors). The total number of credits awarded during the clinical year is 27. In addition, all students must produce and present a Master’s Project.
Graduates of the Utah Physician Assistant Program earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies Degree, MPAS.
* The program loosely follows the University of Utah academic calendar during the first four semesters, http://www.sa.utah.edu/regist/calendar/datesDeadlines/deadlines.htm, with the exception of starting the first semester (summer) one week early, and PA program classes are held during part of fall break. Other exceptions announced on a yearly basis.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
New this year: UPAP no longer accepts pending prerequisite coursework. The minimum prerequisite courses (approximately 5 classes) must be completed for a letter grade that is formally listed on official transcripts at the time the application is submitted.
UPAP applicants who are completing the minimum prerequisite courses during summer semester of 2010 may risk missing application deadlines or priority/early deadlines for other programs of interest. Read more about deadlines in the "How to Apply" section of the Admissions Web page.
Bachelor's Degree
BA or BS (four-year, any major) from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the U.S. or Canada must be completed by early May 2011. Foreign degrees can be accepted, but must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency. Additionally, candidates holding foreign degrees must have completed a minimum of 60 semester credits of U.S. coursework, prerequisites included.
Graduate Record Examination
UPAP does not require the GRE.
Prerequisite Coursework
The courses listed below must be completed from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. Courses must be completed at the time of application for credit and a minimum letter grade of “C”, no exceptions.
AP, CLEP, Audit, Pass/Fail are not accepted. Additionally, classes from professional schools (including medical school) are not accepted.
• Human Anatomy – four-semester credits – must be human – animal or comparative anatomy courses are not accepted. UPAP will accept a three-semester credit Human Anatomy class in lieu of the four-semester credit requirement (such as that offered by BYU Provo), but only if a lab was taken as a part of the class, and the class is accepted for science majors.
• Human Physiology – four-semester credits – must be human – no other physiology courses are accepted.
or combined Anatomy/Physiology I and II totaling eight-semester credits.
A mixed combination of the above credits will not be accepted: applicants must take AP I & II or Human Anatomy and Human Physiology separately to meet the requirement. (Example: AP I [four credits] + Physiology [four credits] = a mixed combination. The candidate will be considered short on Anatomy credit)
Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses taken from Exercise Science, Sports Science, or Kinesiology departments are not accepted.
• Biology – four-semester credits including labs
– any Biology coursework with relationship to the human body. General, Microbiology, Cell, Genetics and some Intro classes are examples of acceptable biology courses.
• Chemistry – eight-semester credits including labs
– All Chemistry coursework is accepted, including Intro, General, Inorganic, Organic and Biochemistry.
Additional Coursework Recommendation – Because Physician Assistants treat patients from a broad range of backgrounds, UPAP strongly recommends that prospective students have some coursework that supports understanding of diverse backgrounds, social justice, and cultural competency. We also recommend courses in writing, statistics, microbiology and genetics.
Coursework Completed at Non-U.S. Schools
All prerequisite course work must be completed at an accredited college or university located within the United States or Canada. For candidates holding other foreign degrees, a total of 60 semester credits (approximately two years) of U.S. College or University must be completed as well – no exceptions.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
To be considered for admission, we recommend that applicants have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above, based on requirements for the University of Utah Graduate School. A strong science GPA is preferred, and competitive applicants will tend to fall in the higher range. UPAP will use the CASPA GPA calculation when evaluating applicants. Be aware that ALL coursework is considered in your GPA calculation, including old coursework that has been repeated.
Exceptions to the GPA policy are rare and at the discretion of the program. However, the Graduate School Admissions Office determines final acceptance. Applicants whose total GPA is less than 2.5 will not be considered.
Patient Care Experience
For competitive factors, it is highly recommended that applicants have three years of recent health care experience, preferably in direct patient care. Paid medical experience is weighted more than volunteer experience in the evaluation process.
If English is Not Your Native Language
All non-native speakers must submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). There are no exceptions regardless of citizenship status or educational background.
Applications for whom English is not their native language will not be considered without a TOEFL score of 550 (written), 230 (computer) or 80 (internet). This must be submitted with the CASPA application or sent no later than October 1, 2010. Test results must not be older than two years. Check testing centers in your area for availability and frequency of tests offered. Expect to wait several weeks for results.
University of Utah campus location:
University of Utah Testing Center
440 Student Services Building
201 S 1460 E Room 498
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
(801) 581-8744
http://www.sa.utah.edu/testing/
TOEFL tests taken at the University of Utah Testing Center are for University of Utah programs only. Results cannot be sent to other institutions.
HOW TO APPLY
Applying through CASPA
CASPA – the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants is a web-based application service (http://www.caspaonline.org). The Utah Physician Assistant Program only accepts applications from this service. Official transcripts and letters of reference must be sent directly to CASPA. Please do not send any materials to us. Carefully follow instructions given on the CASPA website and check your application status regularly.
Candidates should not apply to the University of Utah Graduate School unless the program following formal interview has extended an offer of acceptance.
!!! Candidates who have not met the completed coursework requirement at the time of application will not be considered. Letter grades must appear on both the CASPA application and official transcripts.
Dates and Deadlines
The CASPA application for the 2011 entering class will be available April 14, 2010. The last day to submit your electronic application will be the September 1, 2010 deadline.
Candidates are encouraged to apply well before the September 1 deadline to assure timely application processing.
September 1, 2010: Last day candidates may electronically submit the CASPA application. No late applications will be accepted. You must submit your electronic application by this date, even if your supplemental materials (official transcripts and letters of reference) have not all been received at CASPA. No exceptions.
!!! All supplemental materials plus your electronic application must be received by CASPA before your electronically submitted application can be processed. CASPA may require several weeks of processing time before your completed application is available to us. Candidates submitting on or near the electronic submission deadline of September 1 may risk missing the Utah PA Program final deadline of October 1. See below.
October 1, 2010: Candidates whose applications have not cleared CASPA processing by October 1 will not be considered. Processed applications are available to us electronically in real time on the day they are processed, so there is no need to worry if your application has not yet been mailed to us from CASPA by October 1.
Notification
Candidates will be notified by via e-mail when applications have been received.
Demographics of Accepted Students
Click here for demographics of our most recent class (current first year students).
The Application Evaluation Process
Scored application criteria include:
Academics: GPA, science GPA, and quality/quantity of prerequisite coursework.
Patient Care Experience: Quality and quantity of direct patient care and other medically-related work experience.
Personal Statement: Narrative up to 500 words in length.
Letters of Reference: Three references, preferably from supervisors in a patient care setting, addressing the candidate’s medical knowledge, skills, and potential.
The Interview Process
A limited number of candidates receiving high total application scores will be invited to interview in person. Interview dates are TBA.
All candidates offered interviews are given a test of basic anatomy, physiology, and general medical knowledge during the interview sessions. Study guides are not provided.
If an offer of admission is made, candidates must apply and be accepted to the University of Utah Graduate School.
Requirements for Accepted Students
Technical Performance Standards
The University of Utah School of Medicine Technical Performance Standards has been adopted by UPAP. These standards establish the minimum physical, cognitive, and emotional requirements needed to reasonably assure that a student can complete the entire course of study and participate competently in training and practice. For a copy of UPAP Technical Standards, click here.
Basic computer skills
Reliable web access and a good understanding of basic computer functions is required, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and general use of the Internet for research and communication.
Background check requirement
All students receiving an offer of admission must consent to a criminal background check for the primary purpose of our ability to place students in clinical rotations. Acceptance to the program is contingent upon acceptable background check results. Adverse results of background checks will be considered by the Admissions Committee and could result in revocation of offer. Students may also be background checked by individual clinical sites.
Drug testing
Clinical sites may require that students submit to drug testing.
Immunizations
Students who are accepted to the program must provide immunization records or proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), TB (annual skin test) and Hepatitis B. The Hepatitis B series must be started before the clinical year commences. UPAP also recommends that students obtain additional vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control that include Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis combo), Varicella (Chickenpox), Meningococcal, and Influenza (when available annually).
University of Utah Graduate School Application
After the applicant has been formally accepted by UPAP, they must apply and be accepted by the Graduate School. No exceptions to this policy can be made. All students will be enrolled in the University of Utah Graduate School and will receive a Master of Physician Assistant Studies, MPAS. Enrollment in UPAP is pending final acceptance by the Graduate school.
More About Admissions
Admission to UPAP is extremely selective and competitive. Selection criteria are based on underserved focus, academic performance, quality of clinical experience, personal statement, letters of reference, and especially, interviews (if offered). In the 2010 application cycle, UPAP received 779 applications: 91 candidates interviewed for 40 available seats.
UPAP and the University of Utah have a policy of nondiscrimination with respect to age, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, college(s) attended or major field of study, religious or political preference, prior occupation, parental occupation or status and work or extracurricular activity involvement. The University of Utah will provide reasonable accommodation to the applicants with known disabilities.
The Utah PA Program seeks students who reflect the diversity of the region's population as a whole. Students from different cultural, economic backgrounds, and life experiences may add valuable perspectives to the student experience. UPAP is committed to recruiting, admitting, and graduating qualified candidates from diverse groups.
Characteristics of a potentially strong applicant include:
• Evidence of dedication to medically underserved populations. Prior medical experience working in a community or with an organization whose mission is to target populations with barriers to receiving health care is valued.
• Strong clinical background. Previous employment requiring a high level of medical knowledge, clinical responsibility, and critical decision-making.
• Strong academic aptitude as demonstrated from past academic performance.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills, high motivation, strong ethical/moral character, understanding of limitations, exceptional knowledge of a PA’s role, an ability and desire to live and work among diverse populations, and a sincere desire to care for others.
Please note admissions information is not available by mail. All pertinent admissions information is posted on this website.
Contact us with admissions questions Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM MST:
University of Utah Physician Assistant Program
375 Chipeta Way, Suite A
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Phone: (801) 581-7766
Fax: (801) 581-5807
admissions@upap.utah.edu
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