Admission Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
Application Process and Deadline
Interview Selection Process
Technical Standards for Admission
Matriculation Process
Reapplication Process

Admission
The Midwestern University PA Program considers applicants who possess the academic and professional promise necessary to become competent, caring members of the health care community. The admissions environment is highly selective with more than 1,000 applications received each year. The application deadline is October 1st; however, applicants are
encouraged to apply early.

Competitive Admissions
Completed applications received on or before the application deadline are reviewed to determine the applicant’s eligibility to attend an Applicant Assessment Day. The following criteria are used to select the most qualified candidates: cumulative and science grade point average, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, health care experience, knowledge of the profession, and motivation for wanting to become a PA. Competitive candidates are typically invited to campus during the months of September through January

Admission Requirements for the PA Master's Program

1. Possess a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
2. Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test by the October1st deadline. The test must have been taken no earlier than January 1, 2004. The Midwestern University institution code for the GRE is 1769. Applicants are expected to achieve a score at or above the 50th percentile in each section. For additional information about the GRE, contact Educational
   Testing Services (ETS) at 866/473-4373, or visit www.gre.org.
3. Complete prerequisite courses as listed below from a regionally accredited college or university. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of a C, C+, or higher before matriculation. A grade of C- will NOT be accepted for any prerequisite course. Life experience credits do not count toward fulfillment of any prerequisite course. Courses in which "credit" or a grade of "pass" is earned will be counted only if the applicant can provide verification that the grade earned was equivalent to a "C", "C+", or better.
4. Satisfactory completion of all prerequisites MUST be completed by December 31 of the year which preceeds the applicant's anticipated matriculation. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. It is the applicant's responsibility to find out which prerequisites are missing and which course must be taken to fulfill any outstanding prerequisites. Students invited to attend the Applicant Assessment Day must show documentation on the day of their visit that they are enrolled in or registered for any outstanding prerequisites.
5. Possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university before matriculation.
6. Reflect proper motivation for and commitment to health care as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer or other life experiences.
7. Reflect a people/service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
8. Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
9. Pass a criminal background check.
10. Abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
11. Successfully complete all required immunizations.

Prerequisite Courses

*All science prerequisites must be courses designed for science majors. No survey courses will count to fulfill science prerequisites.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework in the United States. Of the 30 semester hours, 6 hours must be completed in non-remedial English Composition.

Interview/Selection Process
Completed applications are reviewed to determine if the applicant merits an invitation to attend an on-campus visit. Selected qualified applicants are invited to campus to attend a mandatory Applicant Assessment Day. The Applicant Assessment Days are typically scheduled during the months of September through January. Applicants selected to attend an Applicant Assessment Day will be notified by letter or telephone of available dates. Attendance at one of the Applicant Assessment Days is required before a final admissions decision can be made on an applicant’s file.

The Applicant Assessment Day provides selected applicants with an opportunity to learn more about the Program and University. The day will provide applicants with an opportunity to meet with representatives from the PA Program, Office of Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Student Services. In addition, the day will include a writing exercise which will be evaluated by the PA Admissions Committee and a small group interview session facilitated by faculty members. Once an applicant attends an Applicant Assessment Day, the applicant’s file is sent to the Admissions Committee for a final admissions decision. The committee reviews the complete application for each candidate that attends an Applicant Assessment Day and submits a recommendation to the Program Director for action. The CHS Dean, via the Office of Admissions, then notifies each applicant in writing of the admissions decision. All completed applicants will receive notification regarding their status in writing by the end of March.

Please Note: Applicants invited for an Applicant Assessment Day occurring before December 31st are required to bring documentation that any outstanding coursework is in progress (this can be done by providing a copy of a class schedule or a transcript listing the coursework). Applicants who fail to submit this proof by the designated date will not be considered for admission into the Program.

Technical Standards for Admission
The technical standards for admission set forth by the Physician Assistant Program establish the expectations and requisite abilities considered essential for students admitted to this Program to achieve the levels of competency stipulated for graduation by faculty, the professional program accrediting agency (ARC-PA) and the State of Illinois.

A candidate must have abilities and skills in five areas: I) observation; II) communication; III) motor; IV) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and V) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.

I. Observation: The candidate must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all of the other senses.

II. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.

III. Motor: Candidates must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks

IV. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.

V. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically, mentally and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process

Matriculation Process
The matriculation process begins after an applicant receives notification of his/her acceptance into the PA Program. The student must submit both a signed matriculation agreement and deposit to the Office of Admissions by the deadline date. To conclude the matriculation process, a student must do the following:

1. Submit deposit monies by the date designated in his/her matriculation documents —the entire deposit is applied
   toward the student’s first-quarter tuition
2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 calendar days) prior to the first day of classes. Students who are accepted to MWU less than one month prior to the first day of classes will have 30 calendar days from the date of their acceptance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be made by the Office of the Dean of the College. If students fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline, their acceptance or continued enrollment in the College may be jeopardized. CASPA does not forward transcripts to schools; therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to forward official transcripts from all the schools attended directly to Midwestern University, Illinois Campus.
3. Successfully complete all outstanding prerequisites with the grade of a “C,” “C+,” or higher by December 31 of the year which preceeds the applicant's matriculation. A “C–”will NOT be accepted for any prerequisite course.Complete a medical file as requested by the Office of Student Services.
4. Submit proof of medical insurance. The student may select either a plan offered by an MWU-approved carrier or a comparable plan offered by an outside carrier of the student’s choice.
5. ILLINOIS RESIDENTS: Submit proof of Illinois residency if requested by MWU.
6. PERMANENT RESIDENTS: Submit a copy of permanent resident alien card.
7. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Provide documentation verifying that sufficient funds have been deposited in a U.S. bank to cover all expenses while attending CHS (for F-1 visa students only).
8. Provide documentation that any additional coursework requirements stipulated by the Admissions Committee of the Program has been completed.
9. Submit additional documents as required by the Office of Admissions.
10. Complete physical exam and submit form.
11. Sign authorization allowing a criminal background check.
12. Sign Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
13. Sign Credit Policy Statement
14. Provide proof of completed required immunizations.
15. Satisfy Technical Standards for the program.

If the student either fails to satisfy these matriculation requirements or omits/falsifies information required on official admissions documents, the student automatically forfeits his/her seat in the program. Any individual accepted for admission to the PA Program who does not comply with stated timelines for submission of all required materials receives no further notification from CHS relative to
forfeiture of his/her seat.

Reapplication Process
After receiving either a denial or an end-of-cycle letter, a prospective student may reapply for the following year’s admissions cycle. Before reapplying, however, individuals contemplating reapplication should seek the advice of an admissions counselor. To initiate the reapplication process, the prospective student must complete and submit a new application through CASPA and proceed through each step of the entire application process.