One of the Most In-Demand Healthcare Careers

Applicants from all academic disciplines are welcome to apply, provided they have completed a Baccalaureate degree and have met the required minimum prerequisites at the time of submitting the application. 

Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, however, a grade of B- will be considered.

Minimum Required Prerequisites

Prerequisite courses may be taken at any regionally accredited community college or four-year college/university. Online courses for science prerequisites will not be accepted**, however non-science courses may be taken online.

In order to enroll in the MSPAS Program, students must demonstrate they have successfully completed a BA or BS degree, plus or including the following, with a grade of "B" or higher in all prerequisite courses.  (A grade of "B-" in any prerequisite course will be considered.)

Completion of all prerequisites is mandatory.

*Dominican University of California's MSPAS Program will accept passed courses taken in a pass/fail grading structure during the spring and summer 2020 semesters. Pass grades will not be used in GPA calculations for admission requirements.

**The MSPAS program will accept online labs taken during the spring, summer and fall 2020, and spring and summer 2021 semesters.

• Biological Sciences: 2 semesters = 8 semester units or 12 quarter units (Should be comprised of courses with laboratory components and that are sequenced for majors in human biology.)
• Chemistry: 2 semesters = 8 semester units or 12 quarter units (Should be comprised of courses with laboratory components and that are sequenced for chemistry majors; inorganic or organic chemistry may be substituted.)
• Human Anatomy with laboratory: 1 semester = 4 semester units or 5-6 quarter units. (Must be completed within 10 years of expected year of matriculation.)
• Human Physiology with laboratory: 1 semester = 4 semester units or 5-6 quarter units. (Must be completed within 10 years of expected year of matriculation.)
• Microbiology with laboratory: 1 semester = 4 semester units or 5-6 quarter units.
• College Algebra or higher: 1 semester = 3 semester units or 4-6 quarter units.
• Statistics: 1 semester = 3 semester units or 4-6 quarter units.
• General Psychology: 1 semester = 3 semester units or 4-6 quarter units.

Strongly Recommended:

• Physics
• Biochemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Medical Terminology
• Medical Microbiology
• Pharmacology
• Spanish (ability to converse) or other second language

All courses intended to meet prerequisite requirements must be completed at the time of application with a grade of "B" or higher. (A grade of "B-" in any prerequisite course will be considered.) Coursework in progress will not be accepted.  

• A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required in overall coursework.
• A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required in the last 30 hours of science courses.

Proof of successful course and degree completion, via transcripts, is required at the time of application submission. We only accept transcripts that have been uploaded to and verified by CASPA. This allows us to maintain the quality and integrity of our application admissions process. Upon matriculation, students must complete the entire MSPAS curriculum, and no transfer of units will be accepted into the program.

A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is required to apply to our graduate programs.

1. Completed CASPA Application — Apply Now!
   Note: A Dominican University of California application is not required
2. Bachelor's Degree
   A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is required. Your degree must be listed as awarded/earned/conferred on your official transcript at the time of submission

3. Prerequisite Courses
   Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, however, a grade of B- will be considered. Open the above tab to review all prerequisite requirements.

   *Dominican University of California's MSPAS Program will accept passed courses taken in a pass/fail grading structure during the spring and summer 2020 semesters. Pass grades will not be used in GPA calculations for admission requirements.

   *The MSPAS program will accept online labs taken during the spring, summer and fall 2020, and spring and summer 2021 semesters.

4. 3.0 GPA or Higher
   Required for overall coursework and in the last 30 hours of science courses.
5. Personal Interview
   Applicants who have been selected to continue on in the application process will receive an invitation to interview.
6. Three Letters of Recommendation
   From previous instructors or employers. Recommendations from clinicians are given more value.
7. Personal Statement
   Real-time, self-written personal statement on why Physician Assistant is your choice of profession.
8. Direct Patient Contact Hours
   A minimum of 500 paid or volunteer direct-patient contact hours as a paramedic, phlebotomist, nurse, radiology technician, dental assistant, respiratory therapist, medical assistant, medical scribe, or other direct patient care contact.
9. Physician Assistant Shadowing
   A minimum of eight hours shadowing or working with a Physician Assistant.
10. Exams
    GRE: recommended but not required, code: 2587
    
    TOEFL: Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not completed their degree in the U.S. or Canada will be required to submit current TOEFL scores, regardless of their citizenship status. Minimum TOEFL score required: 600 or above on the paper-based test; 100 or above on the internet-based test.
    
    International candidates must meet additional admissions requirements. Contact your admissions counselor for more information.

Additional Admissions Application Preferences

Preference will be given to those who additionally have one or more of the following: 

• Overall and last 30 science GPA of ≥ 3.50
• Veteran status
• Emergency Medical Tech (EMT), Paramedic certification, or other healthcare profession
• Experience as a medical technician in the military
• A job in healthcare with direct patient contact of more than 500 hours will be given preference. Additional preference will be given to those with 2000-4000 hours and extensive preference will be given to those with more than 4000.
• A degree from Dominican University of California
• An SES disadvantaged background
• Residence in a medically underserved geographic catchment area or residence in a county with geographic proximity to Dominican
• Foreign language fluency, esp. Spanish
• PA shadowing more hours than required or in multiple settings.
• Preference is also given to those who have performed more than 50 hours of volunteer work.
• Completion of recommended coursework.

Clinical Participation: Requirements

Prior to any clinical experiences, students must have proof of up-to-date immunizations and screening and must meet the Technical Standards required for admission. 

BE ADVISED: All students who are admitted into the MSPAS Program must demonstrate complete COVID-19 vaccination in order to complete the program. All clinical rotation sites require this vaccination for all MSPAS students' rotations. The clinical rotation sites do not allow vaccination waivers. Should an admitted student choose to request exemption from vaccination, they will not be able to complete the program. 

Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.

_{Please note: After admissions to the Physician Assistant Studies master’s program, but before matriculation, degree candidates must undergo background screenings. Background checks continue periodically throughout the program and satisfy clinical requirements for graduation and licensure. Background screening will also occur before placement on clinical rotations. Some clinical rotation sites require an additional background screening immediately before the start of the rotation; therefore, students may be required to complete multiple background screenings throughout enrollment. Facts uncovered due to the background screening, which could preclude licensure and practice in the profession, may impact the student’s ability to begin or continue the program. Students are responsible for the costs associated with the background screening.} 

_{Criminal background checks, or information relating to a student’s criminal background, are not used as part of the admissions process at Dominican University of California (DUOC). Students should be aware that some programs train students to sit for the State of California or national licensure and certification examinations that qualify them to work in the field relating to their program of choice.}

_{The following programs constitute a list of 2021/2022 DUOC programs that train for licensure or certification: Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physicians Assistants, Counseling Psychology, Art Therapy (Marriage & Family Therapy), and Education.} 

_{Students with questions relating to criminal background requirements, who wish to enroll in these programs at DUOC should speak to an Academic Advisor and reference the specific qualifications for degree completion, and license or certification.} 

2025-2026 Tuition and Fees

*Tuition and fees are set by the Dominican University of California Board of Trustees and may change at any time. Subsequent year calculations reflect a projected 3% annual increase.

Scholarships

Scholarships and grants are types of aid that do not have to be repaid and that can help to directly reduce your tuition expenses. Contact your admissions counselor for more information.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Dominican University of California Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Dominican University of California. 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 2032. 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 https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-dominican-university­of-california/.

Below you will find some of the courses you would be taking as a Physician Assistant Studies student:

• Current Topics in the PA Profession
• Clinical Assessment
• Clinical Medicine
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Emergency Medicine/Surgery/Skills
• Behavioral Medicine
• Capstone
• Clinical Practice Experience Rotation
• Health Care for Special Populations
• Medical Ethics and Professionalism