Admission
Candidates must have completed all undergraduate degree requirements and have been issued a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculating. If the bachelor’s degree was issued by a U.S. college or university, as a general rule it should be from a regionally accredited institution. However, the program may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Official transcripts from the awarding institution must specify the date upon which the degree was issued. All individuals must satisfy the admission requirements. Currently the program does not accept international students or medical graduates.
- be a U.S. citizen or have proof of permanent residency status. Applicants born outside the U.S. must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status upon agreeing to accept a student position at the institute.
- have a baccalaureate degree (in any area of study) and a qualifying grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better.
- If an applicant’s cumulative GPA is below the minimum 3.0, reviewers may consider a replacement GPA computed from the most recent 60 semester credit hours of U.S. or Canadian coursework.
- have completed the following prerequisite courses with a grade of B- or higher within the last 10 years:
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (human anatomy/physiology recommended): 6-8 credit hours
- General Biology with lab {an equivalent or a higher-level course in this subject matter}: 3 credit hours
- General or Intro Chemistry with lab {an equivalent or a higher-level course in this subject matter}: 3 credit hours
- Microbiology with lab: 3 credit hours
The program is highly interested in receiving applications from individuals with degrees in biology, chemistry, exercise science, nursing, pre-health/medicine, business and allied health areas. Though prior medical and/or operating room experience is not a prerequisite, paid and non-paid experiences in healthcare are taken into consideration during the application review process.
Individuals who are in the process of completing their baccalaureate degree and/or prerequisite courses may apply to the program if they plan to complete these requirements prior to the start of the program.
The abilities and skills candidates and students must possess in order to complete the education and training associated with surgical assistant education are referred to as Technical Standards. These abilities and skills are essential for clinical practice as a surgical assistant.
All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the past 10 years with a B- or better for acceptance. Waivers may be granted based on experience and other factors.
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (human anatomy/physiology recommended): 6-8 credit hours
- General Biology with lab {an equivalent or a higher-level course in this subject matter}: 3 credit hours
- General or Intro Chemistry with lab {an equivalent or a higher-level course in this subject matter}: 3 credit hours
- Microbiology with lab: 3 credit hour
No more than two online prerequisites in Chemistry, Biology, and/or Microbiology. Waivers for online Anatomy and Physiology courses are subject to approval by the program.
All applicants who entered the U.S. after the age of 12, have a foreign degree and/or English as a second language are required to provide TOEFL scores. This requirement must be fulfilled before your application will be considered complete and eligible for review.
Due to the importance of communication in the English language for both learning and practicing, further demonstration of English proficiency may be requested as a condition of acceptance for applicants exhibiting difficulty with the written or spoken language.
To ensure an ability to function at the graduate level in this healthcare program, the following are acceptable TOEFL scores:
- Internet-based test (preferred): 85
- Computer-based test: 220
- Minimum of 25 in the speaking component
Application Process
Candidates must submit:
- an online application
- a nonrefundable $125 application fee
- two (2) letters of recommendation
- a personal statement
- official transcripts of all college-level coursework
Applications will be accepted between October 1 and May 31.
Following the online instructions, applicants must contact every college or university attended and request transcripts to be sent directly to GradCAS. GradCAS only accepts electronic transcripts from:
Transcripts
To send transcripts to GradCAS by mail, download a transcript request form after you enter each institution in GradCAS. Send the transcript request form to the registrat at the institution and mail to:
GradCAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9217
Watertown, MA 02471
Disclaimer
The SA program will not accept applications from practicing or retired physicians.
The application review process takes approximately eight weeks. The program will send letters to all applicants indicating the determination of the admissions review committee. The program has a capacity to admit a maximum of 24 students a year. New classes are admitted in August, and students are enrolled for 22 consecutive months.
