Admission Emphasis

The admission requirements are consistent with the Program mission to prepare competent PAs to serve as primary care providers in rural areas.

Along with the mission, the goal is to improve access to health care, help alleviate shortages of primary care providers and deliver comprehensive, affordable health care services to the people of rural populations. Consequently, acceptance is on a competitive basis with emphasis on the proven adult learner with recent clinical health care experience and an insight and inclination to meet the Program mission. The UND PA Program seeks applicants with:

Academic preparation including:

• Solid achievement in undergraduate coursework
• Quality performance in prerequisite coursework 
• Health-related or science-based degrees and/or advanced degree
• Ability to learn in an adult learner model, or accelerated environment
• Completion of upper level science prerequisite courses within the past 7 years
• Demonstrate recent proficiency in progressively rigorous prerequisite core science coursework

Dedication and experience with populations including:

• Prior clinical health care experience with rural populations
• Residence in rural geographic areas
• North Dakota residents are given highest preference followed by those in bordering states (MN, MT, SD) and the region (IA, NE, WI, WY)

Health care experience including:

• Levels of previous clinical health care experience that involve critical thinking and decision making
• Direct patient care exceeding the minimum 1000 hours requirement 
• Evidence of health care team effectiveness
• Strong references from physicians, physician assistants, and other clinical supervisors

Please note that decisions of the Admission Committee are not appealable and acceptance into the UND PA Program and successful completion of the program does not imply or guarantee that the student will be able to pass the national certification exam or obtain state licensure upon graduation.