FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Yes. However, preference is given to Louisiana residents. 

The registrar can assist you in determining residency status. Please visit their website.

Seven full time semesters (27 months). Classes begin in the beginning of the summer semester and graduation is held at the end of the summer semester two years later.

Consistent with our program mission, at the current time ALL of our clinical rotation sites are in the state of Louisiana, with most them being in the northern part of the state.

Yes. You can get more information about financial aid on their website.

Due to the heavy class (approximately 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday) and study schedule, we do not recommend that you work while in the program. Students have a difficult time scheduling their lives around study, class, and family without having to include a work schedule. Some students have been able to work part time on weekends on an "as needed" basis; however, we do not recommend this.

No. The courses are sequenced around a two-year full time schedule. No mechanism exists for students to attend part time.

No, but healthcare experience is beneficial.

No, the program arranges clinical rotation sites for all students. While students may explore potential rotations of interest during their preceptorship, they are not required to secure a site themselves.

We give no preference to either type of course; however, our entire didactic year is face-to-face so you should have some experience with this type of course prior to starting the program to help ensure your success while in the program.

No, having all prerequisite coursework completed is not required to apply to the program, however it must be completed prior to matriculation into the program.

Although we do not have a time limit on completing prerequisite coursework, the intention is for the coursework to be the foundation for PA school. If you do not recall the information learned in your courses, you may be doing yourself a disservice. If you have been out of school for more than a few years, it is critical that you demonstrate your ability to manage a full academic load. We recommend you take a full load of upper level coursework to best prepare you for the rigorous nature of the PA Program.

You have to have all prerequisite courses; if they are not offered at your university you will have to attend the courses at another school.

No, only 300/400 level courses count as upper level courses.

Additional science courses are beneficial as they increase your knowledge of science and prepare you for the rigorous course level of the curriculum. 

Yes. If your United States regionally accredited undergraduate institution grants credit for the exact AP course and it appears as such on your official transcript, it will be accepted.

No, but healthcare experience is beneficial. If you desire to be an EMT, paramedic, LPN, RN, PTA, etc, then feel free to pursue those career paths. You must only satisfy our 80 hours of direct patient contact to apply. This is a competitive process, so anything you do above the minimum will improve your chance of selection.

We require the applicant to volunteer / observe / work in a human patient care environment with direct patient contact for at least 80 hours prior to turning in an application. Please review the application requirements.

The purpose of shadowing is two-fold:

• Discover more about the medical field – this can be done by shadowing a variety of health care professionals
• Learn more about the PA profession – this is best accomplished by observing PAs in a variety of clinical settings

Starting with the 26-27 admissions cycle, shadowing will no longer count towards patient care hours. However, it is strongly recommended that you do shadow a PA to make sure you have an adequate understanding of the profession. Shadowing is still valued and is considered in the application.

Although virtual shadowing may provide valuable insight into the profession, most commercially available virtual shadowing programs do not count toward our experience hours requirement. However, clinical experience gained through direct patient care in telemedicine settings may be considered if it meets our criteria for hands-on involvement and patient interaction.

We applaud everyone who worked to help the public health interest, by screening patients at the door, working as contact tracers, giving vaccines, etc. Please see the definition related to direct patient care on the Admissions Criteria webpage to determine where best to document your experience.

In CASPA, you will list your various experiences under the various headings (see below headings for the CASPA 2021-2022 application). There is an area for you to list your duties – what your role is/was. Try to match your experience to the correct heading. Because we review all of the sections, the more information you provide the better we understand your experience.

• Employment
• Extracurricular Activities
• Health Related Experience
• Leadership
• Patient Care Experience
• Research
• Shadowing Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Volunteer/Community Enrichment

The program is accredited to accept 40 students per year.

Yes. Please submit your official GRE from EDS to CASPA using our DI code 0423. Resources on how to study for the GRE.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Please solicit these from people who know you very well. We recommend having professors, advisors, employers or clinicians write these. Letters should not be from family members, celebrities, or politicians.

Letters of Recommendation do play a role in the admissions process. Letters will only be accepted when they are submitted to CASPA. Letters submitted to the program will not be accepted.

The PA Self-Assessment was designed to allow you to compare your application to the average numbers of the students accepted. If you scored below average in any category, this is where you should focus your efforts.

Transcripts are reviewed via CASPA, once the application is verified and the supplemental application is received. We are not able to review transcripts prior to the official review in CASPA; however, we have developed the PA Self-Assessment to allow you to compare your application to the average numbers of the students accepted. If you scored below average in any category, this is where you should focus your efforts.

We are not able to meet with applicants; however, we have developed the PA Self-Assessment to allow you to compare your application to the average numbers of the students accepted. If you scored below average in any category, this is where you should focus your efforts.

Please also attend program-sponsored information sessions for information on the program and admissions cycle, as well as an opportunity to ask questions regarding the admissions process.

When the class is selected, an alternate group of applicants is also selected. Applicants from this list may be called upon to fill a vacancy if a selected applicant decides not to accept a position in the class. Alternates may be selected up to the first day of class in May.

You will need to complete the admissions process again for the current application cycle. Having applied to the program before or being selected as an alternate the previous year does play a role in the admissions process.

We do look for academic "trends" and would look more favorably on a student who has done well in recent, higher level courses. You still need to meet the minimum entry requirements, but there is extra consideration given to the GPA of the last 60 hours.

We include all courses in calculation, even those courses repeated for a better grade when determining your final cumulative grade point average. For example, if you made a C in Biol 101, then re-took the course and made an A, your course GPA would be calculated as a B.

A Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university must be received by the day you begin PA school. Because of the required prerequisite courses, most applicants will have a science related degree but this is not required.

In response to COVID-19, pass/fail coursework will be accepted for prerequisite coursework if the following conditions are met:

• Spring 2020 or Summer 2020 only

• Must receive a Pass grade

• Cannot be for more than 50% of prerequisite courses

No. 

If you can attend an information session, please do so. We have uploaded an informational video for those who are not able to visit Shreveport. If you have a specific question, email paprogramshreveport@lsuhs.edu. General questions, such as ‘What should my major be?’, ‘Do you prefer this experience over that experience?’, and ‘What do I need to do to get into the program?’ cannot be answered.