Physician Assistant Studies
B.S./M.S. Program
Earn Your B.S. and M.S. at Etown
When you’re looking at colleges with PA programs, you want to ensure that they meet you where you are in your educational journey. Etown provides first-year entry or direct entry as a student into our B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant program for students looking to get both a bachelor's and master's degree. Students will complete their bachelor’s degree in Biology Health Professions and then work toward their master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies.
This program can be completed in a total of five years, culminating in sitting for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam.
Admission Criteria
B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program Students
Students applying for the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program will need an academic GPA of 3.5, which will be recalculated using academic course work and an SAT score of 1100 or an ACT of 22. Applications to the program must be complete and submitted by December 2.
*Transfer students are not eligible for the B.S./M.S. program.
As a result of the competitive nature of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, not all students meeting the minimum requirements will be offered an interview, and not all those interviewed will be offered a place in the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program.
2024-25 B.S./M.S. Program Interviews:
Early Deadline: Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 (Completed application/required materials)
*If selected for a PA interview, please plan for a December 2024 on campus interview. More information will be sent to candidates.
General Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 (Completed application/required materials)
*If selected for a PA interview, please plan for a Jan./Feb. 2025 on campus interview. More information will be sent to candidates.
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
For more information on applying to our standalone Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, visit our Graduate Program Details page.
Frequently Asked Questions B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program:
There are two pathways for students to apply to Elizabethtown College’s Physician Assistant program. High school seniors can apply for our B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program option that provides a provisional seat in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. Students will be required to complete a series of required academic courses and maintain a minimum science and cumulative GPA to remain in the program.
- Completing the combined program allows a student to complete the Master of Physician Assistant Degree in a shorter period of time with potentially less cost.
- Foundational coursework taught by Elizabethtown College faculty.
- First-year, provisional acceptance into the Master of Physician Assistant Program, as long as criteria are maintained.
Students applying for the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program are required to have an academic GPA of 3.5, which will be recalculated using only academic course work, and an SAT score of 1100 or an ACT of 22.
As a result of the competitive nature of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, not all students meeting the minimum requirement will be offered a seat in the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program. Selected candidates will be invited for a mandatory interview.
Early Deadline: Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 (Completed application/required materials)
General Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 (Completed application/required materials)
No, the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program does not offer rolling admissions.
Admissions decisions related to admission to the College, merit scholarship, and admission to the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program will be released by the end of each January.
Up to 20 students will be accepted to the B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant Program each year.
The B.S./M.S. Physician Assistant track and the Master of Physician Assistant Studies programs are competitive. Some applicants may be offered the option to be on a waitlist. As seats in the B.S./M.S. program become available, students on the waitlist may be offered a seat in the program. Once the program is full, we will communicate this with students on the waitlist.
No, we do not accept AP or dual enrollment credits for any prerequisite courses in the graduate program.
Yes, students are able to study abroad provided they do so within the first six semesters of the undergraduate program.
Yes, students in the B.S./M.S. program are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities—such as varsity athletics, clubs, organizations, music, and community service—until they reach their fourth year of the program, when they begin the graduate-level curriculum.
Students will need to maintain a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.0 overall math/science GPA to maintain their seats. Students also need to complete two hundred healthcare exposure hours (with a minimum of twenty hours shadowing a PA-C) before the end of their sixth semester. They cannot withdraw from any prerequisite classes and all prerequisite classes need to be taken at Etown. A grade of 'C' or better in all prerequisite courses is required to enter the graduate program. Leave of absence will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
No, transfers are not able to apply to join the B.S./M.S. program. However, transfer students can pursue a degree in Biology, Health Professions Concentration, and apply for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program.
While completing undergraduate courses, students will pay undergraduate tuition for the first six semesters. Students will begin to pay graduate course tuition and additional program fees at the start of their seventh semester.
Elizabethtown College PA program graduate tuition can be found on the graduate program details page, in the Cost Schedule section.
The B.S./M.S. physician assistant program spans 5 years, with students beginning the Master’s program in the summer before their fourth year. Although they enter the graduate program at this time, the bachelor’s degree is not conferred until December of the fourth year, after completing eight semesters. The summer and fall semesters of the fourth year also count toward fulfilling the undergraduate degree requirements.