Physician Assistant Studies Admissions Requirements

PA Admissions Information

The PA program begins in late May of each year. Please visit SHP Application for deadline information. An applicant's CASPA application must be verified and all other requirements must be received by the deadline. Priority in application review and invitation for interview will be given to those applicants who have verified CASPA, the supplemental application complete, and official GRE scores reported by August 1. Applications after this date will be reviewed in order of receipt until all interview invitations are filled.

Admissions Requirements

1.  Online Application
   
   Applicants for the PA program must complete both the CASPA Application and the TTUHSC online application.  The CASPA Application must be completed before completing the TTUHSC SHP online application. Please be aware that the TTUHSC SHP online application includes short essays summarizing your applicable experiences and captures a recorded video interview question.
   
   
2. Application Fee
   
   The $75.00 application fee may be paid by credit card through the TTUHSC SHP online application. You may also pay by check or money order by selecting the "Money Order" option; mail a check or money order to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs (3601 4th Street MS 6294, Lubbock, TX 79430). Please make checks and money orders payable to "TTUHSC." Your application will not be considered for admission until your fee has been paid.
   
   
3. Official Transcripts
   
   

   All official transcripts need to be submitted to CASPA. You will only need to send updated transcripts to our office. Transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from the institution and must have been printed within the last year. Please send all updated, official transcripts to the following address:

   TTUHSC SHP Admissions and Student Affairs
   3601 4th Street MS 6294
   Lubbock, TX 79430

4. Official GRE Scores
   
   Official GRE scores are required for admission. GRE Scores must be sent to CASPA, not to TTUHSC.  The SHP GRE submission code is 3652. If your GRE scores are more than 5 years old, they are not considered valid.
   
   
5. Bachelor's Degree
   
   A Bachelor's Degree is required for admission in addition to the specific prerequisite courses listed in Section 7.
   
   
6. Minimum GPA
   
   A minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA of a 3.0 as calculated by CASPA is required; this includes all courses taken at every institution attended. Applicants who do not meet minimum GPA requirements will not be sent to the admissions committee.
   
   
7. Prerequisite Coursework
   
   

   All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants who have completed all or most of their prerequisite coursework at the time of application may be at an advantage during the admissions process.  AP and CLEP credit will not be accepted for any science prerequisite courses. No more than 9 hours of prerequisite courses may be in progress at the time of application. Prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited US or Canadian college or university. Transfer credit from a school outside of the US or Canada will not be accepted. Prerequisite courses completed within the last 7 years are preferred. Every student must successfully complete all courses in the program. No advanced placement is granted.

   Prerequisite courses

   Courses	Credit Hours
   Genetics	3 hours
   Microbiology	4 hours
   Anatomy and Physiology +, *	8 hours
   Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry	4 hours
   Psychology	3 hours
   Statistics	3 hours

   All sciences courses must be intended for science majors
   + Human preferred, * see FAQ's page for additional information.

8. Letters of Recommendation
   
   Three letters of recommendation are required for an application to be complete. Letters of recommendation are submitted online through the CASPA Application.
   
   
9. International Applicants
   
   

   All foreign coursework must be evaluated by a Foreign Credential Service. We also require TOEFL/IELTS Scores for any applicant for whom English is their second language (scores are considered on a case by case basis). Please refer to our International Applicants webpage for more information and TOEFL/IELTS exemptions.

   Our Physician Assistant program is not approved to admit F-1 visa students at this time.

Technical Standards

A student admitted into the TTUHSC Physician Assistant Program must meet basic and essential requirements that are necessary for obtaining employment and performing as a Physician Assistant. The following link will provide an overview of what those requirements are.

• PA Technical Standards

Holistic Admissions Process

Applications are considered on a rolling basis for acceptance into the professional PA program. Individual applications are reviewed once all required materials have been received; therefore, it is in the applicant's best interest to complete their application, including submission of required documentation, as early as possible. Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission. An ideal candidate has a strong work ethic and exemplifies the program mission with a commitment to academic excellence, primary care, and increasing access for diverse and underserved communities of West Texas and Beyond. They will have a combination of life, work, and academic experience that demonstrates their ability to perform under the demands of a rigorous, challenging academic and professional program.

The selection process for the TTUHSC PA Program is highly competitive. Applicants must meet the minimum prerequisite requirements.  Each year, a large number of completed applications are received for a limited number of class positions.  The Admissions Committee takes a broad range of factors into consideration as we select candidates who will best exemplify the mission of the PA Program, including:

• Quality and quantity of academic preparation and evidence of strong performance; typical candidates have additional science courses beyond the minimum with strong performance (B+ average) in upper division sciences courses and GRE scores > 35th percentile.
• Overall GPA and Science GPA
• Promotion of activities improving the health of communities similar to those of West Texas
• Evidence of community service, leadership
• Other nonacademic and extracurricular activities; including awards and honors
• Overcoming barriers to education
• Background experiences contributing and promoting diversity in organizations and community
• Strength of letters of recommendation
• Strength of personal statement
• Superior interpersonal communication skills evaluated by the application submission and required interview process.

Admission offers are effective for matriculation only in the year of the application cycle and will not be transferred to subsequent years. Re-application is required if a candidate intends to matriculate within a cycle year that differs from their application year. Deferrals to another class year are not granted except in cases of required military duty.  Offers of admission are contingent on candidate’s intent to complete the program within the matriculation year in a continuous fashion without planned periods of leave for any reason.

Interviews

Admission interviews are granted by the PA admissions committee by invitation only. Applicants are selected for interviews based on a holistic evaluation of their application and supporting documents. Interviews for the 2024-2025 admission cycle will be completed on zoom. For additional information regarding PA program estimate of costs and other frequently asked questions, please see the FAQs page.

Application Submission Checklist

1. Online CASPA Application
2. Online TTUHSC SHP Application
3. Application Fee
4. Official GRE Scores
5. Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
   
   

Contact Information

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Please contact our office by phone at 806-743-3220 or email at health.professions@ttuhsc.edu.