Admission Requirements

Admission to the Physician Assistant Program

Admission to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program is very competitive.  Each applicant is evaluated on his/her individual merits. Decisions are based on a combination of strength of academic record, performance on the GRE, previous health care experience, personal references, written personal statement, and a personal on-campus interview.

Admission to the program is open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada.  Applications are accepted from international applicants as long as the undergraduate course work has been done in the United States or Canada, the immigration/visa status is current with immigration (whatever that status may be), and the GRE has been or will be taken.  If the undergraduate coursework has been done outside the US or Canada, the applicant will need to come to this country or Canada, complete at least 45 semester hours of undergraduate work (or 30 semester hours of graduate work with successful completion of a graduate level degree) and meet all other requirements for admission.  Matriculants and students enrolled in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine PA Program who are not citizens of the United States must maintain a current legal status with the US Immigration and Naturalization Service as a prerequisite for continued enrollment.

Applicants accepted to the Program for the Class of 2011 represented 18 states, 38 colleges and universities, and varied cultural backgrounds.

All courses within the curriculum are required, no transfer credit is accepted, and no credit is granted for pre-admission experiential learning. Only full-time students are admitted to the curriculum.

Upon acceptance of an offer of admission, applicants will be subject to a criminal background check.  Should the background check yield any criminal information, the offer of admission may be revoked.  Acceptance into the Wake Forest University School of Medicine PA Program and successful completion of the program does not imply or guarantee that the student will be able to obtain state licensure upon graduation.  

Degree Prerequisite

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent institution as determined by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine must be awarded prior to matriculation into the program.

Applicants educated outside the U.S. and Canada must utilize a transcript evaluation service to document their schooling. The academic record must show credits and grades equivalent to those given by U.S. institutions of higher learning. At least 45 semester hours of undergraduate work (or 30 semester hours of graduate work with successful completion of a graduate level degree) must be completed in this country or Canada.

Course Prerequisites

• Upper Level Biology: one semester (a minimum of three semester hours or four quarter hours) of an upper level biology course (such as Genetics, Immunology, Pathophysiology, etc.).
• General Chemistry: one semester (a minimum of three semester hours or four quarter hours).  One semester of Organic Chemistry will also fulfill this requirement.
• Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry: one semester (a minimum of three semester hours or four quarter hours) of Biochemistry or two semesters (a minimum of six semester hours or eight quarter hours) of Organic Chemistry.
• Anatomy & Physiology: one full academic year (a minimum of six semester hours or four quarter hours) - preferably within the last 5 years.  This requirement may be met by taking either one semester of Anatomy and one semester of Physiology, or two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology combined.
• Microbiology: one semester (a minimum of three semester hours or four quarter hours) with lab preferred.
• Statistics: one semester (a minimum of two semester hours or three quarter hours), preferably within the last five years.

Proficiency in Medical Terminology must be demonstrated prior to admission by successfully completing either a Medical Terminology course or a proficiency exam administered after matriculation.

All of the above courses must be completed with grades of “C” or above. Please note that a “C-“ will not be accepted.  No  course may be used to meet more than one prerequisite requirement (i.e. if Organic Chemistry is used to fulfill the Biochemistry/Organic Chemistry requirement, that course cannot be used to fulfill the General Chemistry requirement).  Approved substitutions for prerequisite courses may be considered. All prerequisite courses, as well as the baccalaureate degree, should be completed by the end of the Fall Semester in which application is made.  The Admissions Committee may consider qualified applicants who will complete their baccalaureate degree and/or prerequisite courses in the Spring semester prior to program matriculation.

Computer literacy is strongly encouraged, including knowledge of e-mail and word-processing as well as Internet navigation.

Letters of Reference

At least two of three letters of reference must be received by CASPA in order for an application to be complete.  Preference is given to applicants who have at least one reference from a health care professional.

Test Scores

Official scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) - General Test taken within the last five years are required.  GRE scores must be submitted using the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program code 5923.  No Department Code is needed.

Pre-Admission Clinical Experience

Clinical Experience that includes direct patient care is required. In order to be competitive, an applicant should have a minimum of six months full-time healthcare employment or 1,000 hours of hands-on patient care experience.  Applicants must demonstrate evidence of some patient care experience prior to submitting the CASPA application, but should complete 1,000 hours of hands-on patient care by the time of matriculation.  Applicants accepted in the last admission cycle had direct patient care experience ranging from 1000 hours to 51,000 hours. 

Preference is given to applicants having experience that requires a period of training and results in direct (hands-on) patient care. Examples include, but are not limited to: EMT, Paramedic, Nurse, Medical Assistant, CNA, ER Tech, Physical Therapy Aide, etc. Experiences such as "shadowing", laboratory testing with no patient contact, non-clinical research, student experience, life guard, or clerical work are not accepted as clinical hours. We encourage applicants to "shadow" a PA to become informed of the role of the PA, although this experience does not count as patient care experience.  Evidence of community service (i.e. healthcare for underserved populations, medical mission trips, etc.) is highly valued.

Skills and Attitudes

Preparation for entrance into the Physician Assistant Program requires the development of certain attitudes as well as the acquisition of basic skills and specific knowledge. These skills and attitudes are valuable in not only the study of medicine, but also the pursuit of any knowledge, and include:

• the ability to read with speed, comprehension and retention
• the ability to understand principles and to think logically
• the ability and initiative to independently carry through projects requiring data collection, analysis, and interpretation of findings and the drawing of conclusions
• the ability to adapt quickly to change
• the recognition that a Physician Assistant is a life-long student
• the view that learning is not solely a means to an end, but a satisfying of intellectual curiosity and a pleasure within itself
• the knowledge that the Physician Assistant has a special responsibility to society and an obligation to recognize and understand the problems of that society
• the capacity for compassion and a commitment to service

Student Employment Policy

Employment by or in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program during the period of matriculation is strictly prohibited. Due to the rigorous nature of the curriculum, employment outside of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program during the period of matriculation is highly discouraged.

Technical Standards

A candidate for the MMS degree must have abilities and skills in five general areas:

• observation
• communication
• motor
• intellectual-conceptual
• integrative, quantitative, behavioral and social

Technological compensation can be made for some disabilities in certain areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. More detailed information on these Technical Standards is available.

Contact Information
For more information contact:

WFUSM PA Studies Admissions
(336) 716-4356
paadmit@wfubmc.edu

Wake Forest University School of Medicine PA Program is committed to considering all qualified applicants without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, veteran status, handicapped status or disability. Wake Forest University School of Medicine has a procedure for resolving any type of discrimination complaint.