Admission Requirements for Public Health, MPH and Physician Assistant, MMS
Master of Public Health (MPH) / Master of Medical Science—Physician Assistant (MMS)
1. A Physician Assistant application to be completed through CASPA.
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or better.
3. One official transcript from each college, university or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Please send transcripts directly to CASPA.
4. Students must have completed the following prerequisites:
- a. Biological Sciences—five courses with labs to include Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology. Biochemistry is recommended.
- b. Chemistry—three courses with labs to include at least one semester of Organic Chemistry.
- c. Psychology—one course.
- d. Statistics—one course.
- NOTE: Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. The program does not allow students to waive courses, nor does it accept students with advanced standing.
5. Three letters of recommendation. Ideally, one should be from a professor and one from a practicing licensed physician, physician assistant or other medical provider who can judge your character, work ethic, or aptitude.
6. A minimum of 200 hours of patient care experience.
7. Knowledge of the Public Health profession through work or volunteer experience.
8. Students must meet the minimal technical requirements for admission, continuation and graduation. The technical standards are posted on the PA program technical standards page.
9. Arcadia’s PA program does not require, nor consider GRE exam scores or any standardized testing scores.
10. Arcadia welcomes applications from non-U.S. citizens. However, students who have already completed a medical degree at a foreign institution are not eligible. It is strongly recommended that all science prerequisites be taken at an accredited U.S. institution. Individuals who have completed their education outside the United States or Canada are required to submit to CASPA a World Education Service (WES) course-by-course foreign evaluation. In addition, TOEFL or IELTS test results are required for all students for whom English is a second language, except for non-native speakers of English who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand). The test results must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to CASPA in electronic format and be no more than two years old.
11. Arcadia performs a holistic review of each student’s application. The program does not allow students to waive courses, nor does it admit students with advanced standing. However, students who have withdrawn or who have been dismissed from the program may be readmitted with advanced standing.
12. Increasingly, clinical facilities are requiring that students seeking placements undergo various criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and/or drug screens prior to placements. Therefore, students should be prepared to participate in these screenings. Applicants who are unable to pass these background checks may be denied admission into the program.
