The Early Assurance Program (EAP) exists to offer outstanding and qualified undergraduate students with firm interests in a career as a physician assistant and the opportunity to gain early assurance of acceptance into the PA program before beginning their final year of college.
By granting early assurance of acceptance into the program, students will be able to broaden their academic focus, engage in extracurricular leadership activities and pursue first-hand, direct patient care experience.
Application & Admission
Each January, early assurance program advisers at each partner institution will forward names of eligible students who are interested in applying to the PA program through the Early Assurance Program. Students interested in the program are required to maintain regular contact with the EAP adviser during their college career. Eligible students will receive an email containing the necessary links and instructions to apply.
Below are the main steps necessary to apply through the Early Assurance Program.
- Meet with the EAP adviser at your institution as soon as possible.
- Establish a plan to complete prerequisites, certification and patient care experience prior to application deadline.
- Complete the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) application by June 15 of your junior year.
- Successfully interview with the PA program admissions committee in July.
- Complete the undergraduate degree requirements and maintain EAP eligibility.
To be eligible to apply for the Early Assurance Program, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least in their Junior year at University and with only one year left to complete in their undergraduate education. Interested students should meet with the University EAP Advisor during their freshman year to express interest in the EAP
- Meet all institutional and degree requirements to continue as a student in good standing
- Have no academic or conduct code violations
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Maintaining an overall (cumulative) GPA of 3.25 or better (on a 4.0 scale) with consistent academic performance.
- NOTE: The CASPA-calculated baccalaureate GPA reflects the cumulative undergraduate GPA we will be evaluating. CASPA uses a 4.0 scale when calculating their GPAs. More information, including a GPA calculator, is available online.
- Satisfactorily complete at least 7 of the 8 prerequisite courses (with a B- or greater)
- Be able to accumulate 500 hours of patient care experience by September 1 with acceptance in the program.
Continuation in the EAP will require evidence of general academic progress consistent with past performance. It will also require significant progress toward achieving individually specified goals outlined in the application.
In addition, the following criteria must be maintained by the student to continue eligibility:
- Meet with EAP adviser each semester and maintain contact with the PA program after graduation (Advisor Meeting & Progress Form)
- Carry sufficient credit load during the remaining regular academic semesters to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements
- Maintaining an overall (cumulative) GPA of 3.25 or better (on a 4.0 scale) with consistent academic performance.
- NOTE: The CASPA-calculated baccalaureate GPA reflects the cumulative undergraduate GPA we will be evaluating. CASPA uses a 4.0 scale when calculating their GPAs. More information, including a GPA calculator, is available online.
- Make significant progress toward achieving the individually-specified goals outlined on the Healthcare Experience Plan of Completion:
- To obtain strong, direct patient care experience, students should consider obtaining a certification as a healthcare provider (e.g., certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician, paramedic, phlebotomist, etc.)
- The goal is for the applicant to have at least 1,000 hours of patient care experience before matriculating in the PA program.
- Satisfactorily complete 8/8 prerequisites (with a B- or greater)
- Fulfill all institution and degree requirements to maintain status as a student in good standing (no academic or conduct code violations) and earn a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculating in the PA program
- Complete the additional specific conditions set by the PA program at the time of acceptance notification (e.g., official transcripts confirming date of degree completion, a criminal background check, indication of ability to independently meet the and submission of all health requirements)
- Remain free of any actions or conduct that would cause the admissions committee to question a student's suitability to pursue a career in medicine.
- These include, but are not limited to, misdemeanor or felony convictions, academic dishonesty, other code of conduct violations and/or unprofessional conduct in a healthcare or educational setting.
Failure to meet or maintain these eligibility standards will constitute grounds for dismissal from the program. However, dismissal from the EAP does not affect the student's ability to apply to the PA program through the conventional application process.
Early Assurance Program Timeline
Below are the major events that should occur at specific points during your college career in order to be eligible to apply to the PA program through the Early Assurance Program (EAP). View the overview of the process. Questions related to these activities, requirements or deadlines should be addressed to the EAP adviser at your institution.
Freshman Year
- Matriculate as a freshman
- Express interest in the program to EAP adviser
- Participate in pre-health club (if offered)
- Map out and begin completing prerequisites
Summer Break
- Consider shadowing various healthcare providers
- Obtain a healthcare certification or licensure (e.g., certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician, paramedic, phlebotomist, etc.)
- Begin accumulating direct patient healthcare experience
Sophomore Year
- Establish interest in EAP with adviser
- Complete additional prerequisite courses
- Participate in pre-health club (if offered)
Summer Break
- Continue accumulating direct patient healthcare experience
Junior Year
- Confirm eligibility with EAP adviser
- Participate in pre-health club (if offered)
- Complete outstanding prerequisites
- Apply via the CASPA EAP application
- Further details will be sent to you in March
- Application deadline: June 15
Summer Break
- Continue accumulating direct patient healthcare experience
- Interview with MPA Admissions Committee in July
- Confirm acceptance of EAP offer
- Requires $500 deposit and minimum of 500 patient healthcare experience hours
- Deadline: September 1
Senior Year
- Regularly meet with EAP adviser
- Complete final prerequisite (if applicable)
- Participate in pre-health club (if offered)
- Maintain EAP eligibility standards
- Obtain required direct patient healthcare experience
- Earn your bachelor's degree
- Submit final transcripts to PA program
Post-Graduate/Pre-Matriculant Period
- Maintain contact with PA program
- Maintain EAP eligibility standards
- Obtain additional paid direct patient healthcare experience
- Goal: 1,000+ patient healthcare experience hours before matriculation
- Complete conditions of acceptance requirements
- Deadline: November 15
- Matriculate into the PA program the January following graduation
