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Physician Assistant Studies Department

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Frequently Asked Questions: General

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Marist College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Marist College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. 

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2030. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy. 

Applicants come from a wide variety of academic majors, degrees, and backgrounds. Regardless of specific major or degree, there is a requirement that applicants must complete at least the minimum admission prerequisites (both academic and clinical) to be considered for admission.
No, our PA program is a 24-month, full-time graduate program culminating in a Master of Science-Physician Assistant Studies degree.
No, the program does not offer advanced standing nor is transfer credit or credit for experiential learning accepted in lieu of PA courses.
Candidates are advised that due to the rigorous nature of the program, full-time work during matriculation is strongly discouraged.
The program is a full time, 24-month program to include 12 months of didactic studies and 12 months of clinical rotations.
No, all transcripts must be submitted to an evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. We will only accept an evaluation done by World Education Services, Inc. (WES).

Each cohort is made up of 60 students.

Yes. Applicants who are denied admission are welcome to reapply in the subsequent years. If an applicant reapplies, s/he must resubmit a CASPA application and pay any applicable fees again. Repeat applicants should highlight what they have done to improve their eligibility for the program since the previous application and are encouraged to submit at least one new or updated letter of recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions: Program and Curriculum

The program is housed in the Science and Allied Health building. The PA program space consists of a dedicated classroom, a gross anatomy laboratory, a 10-bed skills laboratory, and a technologically advanced clinical simulation suite with a twin trauma bay and five traditional exam rooms. The assigned space also contains faculty and support offices, a student lounge, and a conference room.

The program has excellent PANCE pass rates for its graduating classes. It is housed in the Science and Allied Health building which includes a state-of-the-art simulation center and a traditional gross anatomy lab. The program integrates standardized patients into multiple aspects of the curriculum in both the didactic and clinical years.  Simulated patient encounters are observed by faculty through one-way mirrors and videotape in five examination rooms.

Applicants with concerns regarding course content should contact Graduate Admissions at 845-575-3484.
All prerequisite science courses with the exception of either Organic Chemistry II OR Biochemistry require a lab.

Yes, all prerequisites must be completed prior to January 15, 2026.

Yes. There is a seven-year time limit on Anatomy & Physiology I&II, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry I and either Organic Chemistry II OR Biochemistry. For the current cohort entering in May 2026, all of these courses must be completed in the Fall 2019 semester or later. Applicants that have taken all the prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C or above” but have not met the seven-year recency requirement may take the PA-CAT (pa-cat.com) examination to be considered in the application process. Please note that the application will not be considered until the score report is received.

Prerequisite courses can be completed at any regionally accredited college or university in the United States.
Direct patient care experience is qualified as functioning within a health-care team at the level to which you have been trained. This includes direct one-on-one care of patients and development of skills that include communication, trust building, and being comfortable working within a patient's personal space. We accept a wide range of direct patient care experience: radiology technician, respiratory therapist, cardiovascular therapist, paramedic, EMT, CNA, patient care technician/assistant, medical assistant, PT aide, and phlebotomist, to name a few. Shadowing and internships as part of school-based training (where academic credit is received) does not qualify as direct care experience.
Patient care experience does not have to be compensated. A good example of this is a volunteer EMS position, which is direct patient care but may not be compensated. Volunteer work that is primarily observation is a good way to become familiar with a healthcare environment, but it is not considered direct patient care.

A minimum of 500 hours of healthcare experience must be completed by January 15, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions: Competitive Applicant Profile

The selection process is highly competitive. All applications are welcome regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. Admissions is a holistic process, meaning applicants must be successful academically and possess superior communication skills, a high level of maturity, and an understanding of the current role of PAs in the healthcare environment. The strongest candidates typically have a strong academic background, as well as significant direct patient care experience and strong recommendations. Additionally, candidates should have a solid knowledge of the PA role.
Compare your prerequisite performance against demographics of successful applicants at other leading programs. In addition, develop a good understanding and passion for the role of the PA in the healthcare environment.
It is recommended that all applicants strive to be as competitive as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions: Application

Applications are accepted through CASPA beginning at the end of April and must be verified by October 1, 2025, for the eleventh cohort starting in May 2026.

Not at this time.
No. We do not require the GRE or MCAT.

If the applicant is a high school graduate outside of the United States, then TOEFL scores are required on the CASPA application. This is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of their status as decisions are made.
Typically between 10-20% of applicants are invited for an interview. Selection for an interview is based on information contained in the CASPA application, including academic and personal achievements. Interviews are structured to evaluate a candidate's skills (e.g., interpersonal, communication, time management) and other professional characteristics including motivation for entry into the PA field.
Students will augment their didactic curriculum through work with standardized patients and simulation modules, with the goal of enabling them to strengthen their clinical skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom.

While the program determines the clinical placements for all rotations, students have an opportunity to make the preliminary contact with other choose electives from an existing list of available sites. These electives can be chosen to augment existing core rotations or to pursue experiences in a sub-specialty of interest.

Accreditation Status

*The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Marist University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Marist University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. 

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2030. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy. 

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-marist-college/.

Updated: 10/1/2020