Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the Physician Assistant Program at York College.

When does the program begin, and how many students are accepted yearly?

The program begins every fall and we accept a maximum of 30 students per year.

How do I apply to the program?

The York College PA Master’s Program application can be found on CASPA’s (Central Application Service for Physician Assistant’s) website. The PA Program application is separate and in addition to the York College/CUNY application. Once you have been selected for an interview, on the day of your interview you will be required to apply to York College. After your interview, you will be given instructions on how to apply. You will also need to bring the $75 processing fee (check or money order) on the day of your interview. For Virtual Zoom interviews you will be given instructions via email on how to pay the processing fee.

When does the program begin to accept applications and supporting documents?

For the Fall 2025 cycle, prospective students may begin to submit their applications and upload their documents to CASPA’s website from Thursday, April 27, 2024.

When is the application deadline?

December 1st; applications must be verified by CASPA by 11:50 pm ET December 1st. Applicants will be notified of acceptance decisions approximately by March 1st.

Can I attend the program part-time?

No, the Physician Assistant Program is a full-time, 28-month program. There are no part-time evening or weekend classes.

Can I upload my application and supporting documents to CASPA’s website before I apply to York?

Yes, that is the policy.

What is the cost of the program?

For tuition and fees information see pages 8-9 in the tuition and fees section of the PA Program brochure. You may also contact the Bursar’s Office at 718-262-2186 or see https://www.york.cuny.edu/health-professions/physician-assistant/tuition-fees 

Do you offer student loans?

For student loan information you may contact Student Financial Services at (718) 262-2230, room AC1M08, or go to https://www.york.cuny.edu/financial-aid/grants-loans-scholarships/loans

Do you have internship sites where I can acquire my healthcare experience hours?

If you email the PA program at paprogram@york.cuny.edu we can send you a list of local facilities that have volunteer opportunities or that allow “shadowing” of medical personnel. There is also a new website called:

PA Shadow Online (http://pashadowonline.com/paso/) that tries to match up prospective PA students with PAs willing to be shadowed.

Do I have to complete all the prerequisites before applying to the program?

No, you may be in the process of completing 1 science prerequisite or statistics, not both. You may also be in process of completing the behavioral science prerequisites and courses to complete a bachelor’s degree. You must complete all the prerequisites and obtained a bachelor's degree before the Fall semester that you will enroll in the program.

Are online courses satisfactory for your prerequisite requirements?

Yes, so long as the online courses are from an accredited college.

Do you accept statistic courses other than regular statistics ex: biostatistics?

Yes, however, the program may need to review the course description for approval. If you are unsure if your course is accepted by this program, you can email your course description to pacoursereview@york.cuny.edu. The course will be reviewed and a response will be sent at that time.

Do you accept any type of psychology course to fulfill the psychology prerequisite requirement?

Yes.

Does the program accept transfer courses from professional or medical programs?

A: No, the program follows the York College policy of not accepting courses from professional or medical programs.

If I completed the didactic year of a PA Program at a different school; will your program accept my PA Program courses?

No, the Program under no circumstances accepts any courses from another PA Program.

I took organic chemistry and did not realize I had to take biochemistry. Can I substitute organic chemistry for biochemistry?

No, the program does not allow any substitutions for any of the science prerequisite courses.

Will all of the science courses I have taken be included in my science GPA?

No, only the PA Program’s 8 science prerequisite courses, any repeats, and expired courses are included in the science prerequisite GPA.

Is the GRE required for this PA Program?

No.

Does the program accept pass/fail grades for the science prerequisite courses?

No, unless the courses were taken during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 academic school year.

Does the program accept virtual shadowing hours as a health care experience?

No, unless the hours were completed during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 academic school year, the program will accept 100 hours. Beginning 2025-2026 cycle the progran will no longer accept virtual healthcare hours.

What type of college degree will I acquire after I graduate from the program?

Students who graduate from the PA program receive a Master of Science (MS) degree in Physician Assistant Studies.

Can students who graduate with their BS in Physician Assistant Studies at York come back to complete the MS program?

No, this will not be possible since, with the transition, many of the PA courses offered for the BS will also be offered for the MS program.

Please note: Interviews for the Fall class will commence in the preceding Fall into the Spring semester. Applicants who have submitted a completed verified application, all required documentation, and meet all the criteria for an interview will be called first. The program currently admits a maximum of 30 students per year and interviews will continue until the program officials deem necessary. Every attempt will be made to notify candidates by March 1st.