Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Mercy College of Ohio’s PA Program is ready to be flexible. In general, online course work is not an issue as it’s an accepted teaching pedagogy. Pass/Fail grades earning Pass will generally be acceptable for the pandemic affected semester(s) courses (e.g., those courses moved from graded to pass/fail after the course was in session). The Pass/Fail courses will be interpreted within the candidate’s existing GPA and other admissions data. The home-based GRE will be accepted. If a course is already offered online for a grade, a candidate should take the graded course. Our admissions open houses and interview sessions have moved to virtual offerings pending results of public health data and guidelines. Our Admissions Committee will be actively engaged in reviewing admissions files, reaching out to candidates for more information as needed, and making determinations guided by our current published criteria.

MPAS Tuition and Fee Information

The program is 7 semesters. There will be 4 semesters of didactic coursework (in the classroom) and 3 semesters of clinical rotations (in the field).

Mercy College has developed local and national preceptor partnerships for clinical rotations. Rotations are six, and sometimes three weeks in length. Students must be prepared to be mobile during the clinical year.

The May 2021 cohort began with 20 seats, as approved by the ARC-PA. Accordingly, the plan is to increase cohort size, as listed below:

• May 2022—25 seats
• May 2023—30 seats

The PA Program does have a Direct Entry pathway. Projected seats reserved by entering Direct Entry cohort are as follows: May 2022 (Class of 2024) 4 seats and May 2023 (Class of 2025) 5 seats. Mercy College’s qualified undergraduate pre-PA track Biology majors completing the graduate admissions/CASPA application process will be offered an interview.

• While currently there are no seats taken, the program reserves the right for direct admissions or articulation into the program. The following list shows the maximum potential reserve seats for direct entry:
• May 2022 (Class of 2024) 4 seats
• May 2023 (Class of 2025) 5 seats

• The website will be updated regularly to keep CASPA applicants informed as to the reservation status of the potentially held seats.

Please visit Mercy College of Ohio's Bachelor of Science webpage.

No, Mercy College does not accept transfer credits from other PA programs. PA students who find themselves in that situation should apply as a new applicant and be sure to submit transcripts from PA school with their other transcripts.

The Admissions Committee reviews verified and completed applications in the order they are received. Applications will be reviewed and scored based on:

• • Academic achievement (Overall GPA, Prerequisite GPA, Academic Rigor)
  • GRE
  • Healthcare Discernment
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Written and verbal Communication
  • Academic Misconduct, Healthcare Program Dismissal or Professional Misconduct

On a rolling basis:

• Invitations to complete Altus Suite will be extended for applicants eligible to interview. This is used to further review and score an applicant.

• • Invitations will be extended for interviews after review of individual applications.

• • • Applicants are encouraged to submit their application to CASPA as early as possible.
    • Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are verified and completed, including Altus Suite.
    • Invited candidates will be required to participate in an interview to be considered for admission.

• Yes, you will need to take the GRE.
• The general test must be taken within the last 5 years.
• The official scores must be sent to Mercy College of Ohio via GRE code 4751.
• Preferred competitive quantitative score over 150
• Preferred competitive combined verbal/quantitative score over 300
• Analytical Writing GRE result of 3.5 or above

The PA-CAT is not an admissions requirement. If an applicant has taken the PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test), the Mercy College of Ohio PA Program Admissions Committee will consider reviewing scores as part of the application. The PA-CAT is a specialized test designed to measure applicant knowledge in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. For information about the PA-CAT and to schedule an exam, visit the website at www.PA-CAT.com

At this time, the GRE is still required, regardless of other testing completed. The PA-CAT may become an admission criterion for our program in the future, but is not currently.

The PA program does not utilize MCAT scores in its admissions process.

• Fit within the mission and values of institution and PA program
• Career discernment and passion for the PA profession
• Strong science acumen
• Robust interpersonal skills
• Solid writing ability
• Direct-patient care experience
• Being able to speak to diverse breadth and depth professional and personal experiences

The MPAS program at Mercy College of Ohio does not offer any financial assistance for applicant fees, however, there are some outside resources that do offer help. Please see the links below.

CASPA’s Fee Waiver Program

PAEA Financial Resources

PA-CAT Financial Assistance

There is no secondary application for the Mercy College PA program, but there is an additional cost for Altus Suite (Casper/Snapshot). The Altus Suite (Casper/Snapshot) has an initial cost of $40, and $12 per score distribution.

Yes. Applicants with international transcripts are required to submit their official transcripts to World Education Services (WES) for a course-by-course level evaluation and calculated cumulative grade point average (GPA). Contact WES at www.wes.org.

Once Mercy College receives the course-by-course level evaluation from WES, the Admissions Committee will decide if the degree meets the criteria for the PA program. Contact WES at www.wes.org.

If you believe you’ve taken a class and it is not clear on your transcript that it meets criteria, work with the Assistant Director of Admissions and PA Admissions Committee to provide proper documentation for review. However, the PA program does not allow substitutions for prerequisites or relevant courses. An example of this would be that the PA program will not accept Molecular biology for Microbiology or Organic Chemistry II with lab for Biochemistry.

The Mercy College of Ohio PA Program requires discernment into the PA profession. Direct patient care roles provide the best opportunity for this, but the Admissions Committee will review any health-related experience during the application process.

It is recommended to retake medical science courses such as physiology, biochemistry, or genetics, as these courses are needed to prepare you for success in the PA program. If your coursework is older than 7 years, but you utilize these sciences daily in your work, this may be sufficient for the program. Please contact paprogram@mercycollege.edu to ask your specific questions regarding this.

Yes. Eligible applicants will receive notification from the program to take Altus Suite (Casper/Snapshot) as part of the interview process. Altus Suite (Casper/Snapshot) has an initial cost of $40, and $12 per score distribution.

Click here to review the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, specifically for Physician Assistants.

Click here for scholarship opportunities through the PA Foundation.

You will earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies.

No, this is a full-time academic program.

Due to the rigorous academics, time-intensive studies, and clinical nature of this program, employment of any kind is discouraged.

Many of the state Physician Assistant organizations maintain a list of PA-Cs who volunteer their time shadowing interested students. You can find the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants here and search for others.

Please see Mercy College's Title IX information.

Please see Mercy College's diversity and inclusion information.

Please see the Mercy College's safety information.

• Earning a degree allows you to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE), which is issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). You will need to pass the PANCE to earn your certification.
• Completion of a PA program does not automatically guarantee that the graduate can practice as a physician assistant.

The MPAS program will serve as a strong foundation for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination.

As noted in the PA Program’s admission requirements, there are minimum and competitive thresholds. A competitive candidate will meet or exceed the competitive thresholds as listed below.

Competitive Thresholds

• Cumulative (Overall) GPA of 3.0

• Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 with no course grade lower than C

• Upper level (science major oriented) courses are recommended for the following pre-requisites mentioned in the requirements:

• • Microbiology
  • (Human) Anatomy and Physiology
  • Biochemistry

• Preference for other relevant science coursework earning a C or above

• GRE General test scores
  • • Combined verbal/quantitative score over 300
    • Quantitative over 150
    • Analytical Writing GRE result of 3.5 or above
• Deeper discernment into the profession such as paid health care experience/patient contact

Please upload all documents/materials through the CASPA portal. When the CASPA portal closes, please send to the PA Program at Mercy College of Ohio. The Program will advise and direct best methods of delivery at that time.

The Admission Committee will not consider unsolicited information outside of the CASPA application.

Be sure to label all files with your last name, first name and content description. Ex: Smith_Mollie_Mercy College transcript.pdf

The PA Program Admissions Committee receives your application once CASPA has processed and verified it. Click here to find out more about how your CAPSA application is processed. An email will be sent from Mercy College within a week to acknowledge receipt of your application, and to notify if there are any outstanding needs. Within 4-6 weeks you will be notified of your application review status via email.

The selection process consists of the CASPA, GPA, GRE scores, personal statement, Altus Suite (Casper/Snapshot), and interview activities.

Admissions Cycle Calendar for Mercy College of Ohio’s PA Program *Subject to change

• April: The CASPA (Central Application System for Physician Assistants) application cycle opens for applicants who wish to matriculate in the program in May of the following year.
• May-December: The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing completed applications. Applications will be reviewed and scored based on:

• • Academic achievement (Overall GPA, Prerequisite GPA, Academic Rigor)
  • GRE
  • Healthcare Discernment
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Written and verbal Communication
  • Academic Misconduct, Healthcare Program Dismissal or Professional Misconduct

• December 1: All application materials must be received by CASPA

Interviews and Offers of Admission

• On a rolling basis:

• • Invitations to complete Altus Suite will be extended for applicants eligible to interview. This is used to further review and score an applicant.
  • Invitations will be extended for interviews after review of individual applications.

• • • Applicants are encouraged to submit their application to CASPA as early as possible.
    • Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are verified and completed, including Altus Suite.
    • Invited candidates will be required to participate in an interview to be considered for admission.
• September - January:
  • Interviews will take place. Offers will be extended to top candidates for open seats.
    • Upon receiving an offer of admission:

• • • • Candidates will have 14 days to:

• • • • • accept the position and conditions of acceptance
        • pay the initial $500 non-refundable tuition deposit
      • Following the initial 14 days, candidates will have an additional 3 weeks:
        • to pay the remaining $500 to secure their position.
      • When the student matriculates, the non-refundable tuition deposit will be applied to the student’s tuition.

• February-May: Final admissions decisions are made. Offers will be extended for remaining open seats and alternate positions in the class.
• May: Matriculation

Due to the volume of applications received, the program is unable to provide individual review.

The CASPA site opens April 28, 2022, and cutoff is December 1st for CASPA cycle 2023. A rolling admissions model is utilized, so applicants are encouraged to apply early.

With the rolling admissions process, it is beneficial to reactivate applications early. Reactivating your prior application is to your advantage. It is encouraged to have your CASPA application completed by June 7 of the current cycle. For those who interviewed and did not gain a seat last cycle with a completed application by the above date:

• Admissions Committee will assess the reactivated application for improved competitiveness
• Upon agreement of the program and applicant, competitive data points from last cycle may be used.
• The applicant may receive an offer for repeat interview or an expedited interview process.

In 2020-2021 admissions cycle, the PA Program received approximately 250 completed applications.

Due to COVID 19, all interviews will be in virtual format. The interview process occurs in 3 steps:

1. In-depth virtual information session
2. Small group virtual interview
3. Individual virtual interview

The MPAS Program utilizes Zoom for its virtual interview platform.

Please visit Mercy College’s Admission Criteria information regarding international students.

In your acceptance letter you will receive detailed information on how to move forward with your tuition deposit and course enrollment.

The medical equipment that is purchased in school are the tools of the PA trade. The quality of the equipment purchased is very important. The medical equipment obtained now should last well into a provider’s career.

The PA Program has contracted with a vendor (The Medical Store) to offer the required equipment at a discounted group price with student promotions and free delivery to school. The prices offered by The Medical Store are substantially lower than what may be found elsewhere. When a purchase is made from The Medical Store the customer receives an exclusive Unconditional Student Warranty, in addition to the manufacturer's warranties.

The program potentially will allow use of previously owned medical equipment that fits the stringent requirements of the curriculum. Should an applicant be offered a seat in the cohort, they would want to notify the program. The PA program will determine what, if any, pre-owned equipment is appropriate on an individual basis.

Mercy College does not require students to provide or solicit their own clinical sites or preceptors. If a student generates a lead, then the program can investigate according to the program process. Feasibility will be explored when possible, however, the PA program can’t promise that a student-generated lead will culminate in a clinical site or preceptor.

Mercy College utilizes an on-campus digital dissection tool (Anatomage Table) supplemented with the Anatomage Table companion application for iPads. Digital dissections allow for a robust regional anatomy learning experience without the potential hazards of chemical preservatives. The Anatomage Table, specifically, provides an assortment of cadavers that display normal and pathological anatomic variations, numerous cases that provide a means to critically think through anatomical problems, a vast library of images (tissue, x-ray, CT) that expand upon the regional anatomy learned with the cadavers, and the ability to customize learning experiences. A growing body of research identifies that digital dissection improves student performance in gross anatomy labs. Mercy College’s decision to utilize digital anatomy platforms also allows flexibility for students to learn anatomy as a team-based approach or autonomously both in the laboratory and online environments.

Please see grading scale here.

Yes, at the close of the admissions cycle. Approximately two weeks into the start of the program notifications will be made.

The MPAS Program and Office of Enrollment management will not provide individual review of applications. Suggestions for improvement for the application process will be included with a denial notification. Please review the list of competitive thresholds on the website.

Mercy College of Ohio does not provide on-campus housing; however, you can find off-campus housing resources here.

Mercy College of Ohio adheres to the guidelines and safety protocols of the Bon Secours Mercy Health System and has implemented enhanced precautions for all students, faculty, and staff based on these guidelines each semester. While the intention of the Mercy College PA program is to be an entirely in-person experience, the current Covid-19 pandemic has required the faculty, staff, and students to be flexible in shifts from online, hybrid, and in-person based on recommendations from the health system and current resources.