Admissions

Minimum Requirements for application to the UW-Madison Bachelor of Science PA Program:
Transfer students are not accepted at the freshman level. To apply, you must have attained sophomore standing (24 or more transferable semester credits prior to transfer) and completed the following:

1. algebra (one year high school)
2. plane geometry (one year high school; must be regular college-track, not modified, basic, informal, fundamental, or any other lower-track course)
3. college preparatory math (one year high school or college-level math course; not required if graduated from high school before December 1990)
4. single foreign language (two high school years or two college semesters; not required if graduated from high school before December 1990).

Please review the PA Program prerequisite information before applying.

Admissions Criteria

The Admissions Committee Considers the Following Factors:

1. Academic Performance
The admissions committee reviews all college-level transcripts. Applicants are expected to present strong evidence of ability to complete rigorous academic work. The minimum GPA is 2.0. A grade of C or better is required in all prerequisite courses. A grade of C minus or lower in a required prerequisite is unacceptable. The GPA of recent successful candidates has been around 3.5. The admissions committee considers trends in grades and recent coursework, as well as extenuating circumstances.

2. Health Care Experience
Applicants must demonstrate health care experience sufficient to develop an understanding of the PA profession, the health care environment, and their own aptitude for the PA profession. Direct patient interaction is valued most highly.
The CASPA application divides health care experience into two categories: direct patient contact experience and health care related experience. Examples of direct patient contact experience include phlebotomy, certified nursing assistant, pharmacy assistant, medical assistant, emergency medical technician, personal care attendant, in hospital patient transporter. Examples of health care related experience includes lifeguard, first aid, ski patrol, laboratory or research staff. Recent successful applicants have been able to log their work and/or volunteer experiences in health care by months or years, not hours.

3. References
Two references are required with submission of the CASPA application. If three references are submitted, all 3 will be considered equally. Applicants should request references from individuals who know them well and have the knowledge to evaluate qualities important for success in the PA program and profession. Recent successful candidates have presented references from health care professionals, employers, colleagues, and instructors.

Following the review of applicants on the above criteria, those who are considered to be the most competitive will be invited to the PA program offices to be evaluated further by the following criteria:

4. Interviews
Interpersonal and oral communication skills are evaluated through on-site personal interviews scheduled with members of the admissions committee.

After an evaluation of the results of all of the admissions components, the admissions committee invites the most highly qualified candidates to enter the professional program.

How to Apply

Important Deadlines for the UW Madison Bachelor of Science undergraduate PA Program admissions process - for the class beginning in Summer 2009:

Step 1: Please review the PA Program prerequisite information before applying. Prerequisite courses may be in process/planned for fall or spring semesters at the time of application.  All prerequisite courses must be completed successfully with a grade of C or better by the time the program begins in the summer session.

All applicants must complete all prerequisites.

If accepted to the PA Program, those who have already earned a prior undergraduate degree will receive a second undergraduate degree upon graduation.

For questions regarding prerequisites and transcripts, please contact:
School of Medicine and Public Health
Health Professions Programs
Student Services and Admissions
1140 MSC
1300 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 263-6800 (office)
(608) 263-6434 (fax)
jlsteinich@wisc.edu

For questions regarding the application process and admissions criteria, please contact:
Physician Assistant Program
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Room 1278 HSLC (Health Sciences Learning Center)
750 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 263-5620 (office)
(608) 263-6434 (fax)

Step 2: Submit CASPA Online Application, Transcripts and References at www.caspaonline.org The Deadline is October 1, 2008.
Your online CASPA application must be submitted before midnight (Central Time) on October 1, 2008

If you have any questions or need assistance you may email CASPA at: caspainfo@caspaonline.org.

Step 3: The UW-Madison PA Program Supplemental Application will be available June 2, 2008. The deadline is October 1, 2008.
Your online UW-Madison PA Program Supplemental Application must be submitted before midnight (Central Time) on October 1, 2008

Note: Communication with you about your application will be primarily by email - please add jlsteinich@wisc.edu to your email address list.

Note: If applying for the Distance Education option, please review Distance Education FAQ's

Deadlines & Timeline

Admission timeline for the class starting in Summer Session 2009:

Helpful UW Links

University of Wisconsin-Madison Homepage
http://www.wisc.edu

Campus Information and Visitor Center
http://www.civc.wisc.edu/

UW Undergraduate Admissions
http://www.wisc.edu/wiscinfo/academics/admissions/

Costs and Financial Aid
http://www.finaid.wisc.edu

UW-Madison Undergraduate Cost of Attendance
http://www.finaid.wisc.edu/info_fa.html#your4

Tuition and Fees Information
http://registrar.wisc.edu/students/fees_tuition/tuition.php

Undergraduate Housing
http://www.housing.wisc.edu/

Off-Campus Housing
http://housing.civc.wisc.edu/