Frequently Asked Questions

I am an UDM undergraduate. What are my application requirements?
Can I apply through CASPA (the Centralized Application Service for PAs)?
What is health care experience or helping experience?
Who is an appropriate reference?
What is "Contingent Admission"?
How do I "test out" of a prerequisite?
How will I know if a prerequisite course I plan to take will meet the program requirements?
What if I have foreign transcripts?
Who must take the GRE?
What if I have a U. S. graduate degree already?
What is an acceptable score on the GRE?
What type of bachelor degree is preferred?
How will my courses transfer?
What is meant by "upper division" courses?
When do I have to have all my prerequisites completed?
How recent do my six pre-requisite courses need to be?
What happens after I submit my application?
Can I choose whether I am admitted to the 2 year or 3 year program?
What does a successful applicant profile look like?
Who can provide me with individual admissions guidance?
How can I meet with faculty?
Where can I find information on financial aid?
What if I don't have a bachelor's degree?
How do I find out more about PA's?

1. I am an UDM undergraduate. What are my application requirements?

Undergraduate students at the University of Detroit Mercy can prepare for the PA program by completing the Pre-PA program offered by the UDM Department of Biology or Biochemistry. This program awards a bachelor's degree, requires the student complete six-month equivalent of health or helping experience (paid or volunteer) and includes specific course work in preparation for the graduate PA program. Entry into the Pre-PA program does not guarantee admission to the PA program. Dr. Greg Grabowski, chairperson of the Biology Department, can be reached at 313-993-1181 or by email at grabowgm@udmercy.edu. Dr. Mathew Mio of the Biochemistry department can be reached at 313/993.1188 or miomj@udmercy.edu.

2. Can I apply through CASPA (the Centralized Application Service for PAs)?

Yes. The deadline for submission of ALL application materials submitted to CASPA is January 15. The PA program also has a supplemental application (both electronic and paper) which is due by February 15.

3. What is health care experience or helping experience?

A minimum of 12 months (160 hours equals 1 month) of work demonstrating personal maturity and knowledge of healthcare systems. The applicant should demonstrate leadership or increasing levels of responsibility in their work experience. The work may be paid or volunteer, full or part time. It may or may not include direct patient care. At minimum it should be service and health related.

4. Who is an appropriate reference?

A professional reference is a supervisor, co-worker or academic advisor - someone who can evaluate your professional skills. Not someone you have shadowed for a short time, a family member or friend. The program would prefer a reference from a PA or physician who is familiar with PA practice but only if they can provide a professional reference.

5. What is "Contingent Admission"?

If you will not have completed certain prerequisite course(s) by the application deadline, you can apply for contingent admission. You are required to complete the application prerequisite check list including what, when and where you will complete the necessary course work. This action plan must be received and approved by the application deadline.Your application may then be considered for contingent admission. Transcripts for these prerequisites and your bachelor's degree not completed by the deadline are the ONLY part of the application you may submit after the deadline in a contingent application. All other application materials MUST be submitted by the deadline to be considered for admission.

6. How do I "test out" of a prerequisite?

Prerequisites may not be waived but applicants can demonstrate competency by exam. The CLEP exam can be taken for Developmental Psychology. The NLN exam can be taken for Microbiology. Faculty teaching a course may also agree to give the student a "challenge exam" to demonstrate competency.
At UDM contact University Academic Services, Sr. Sarah Ruth Foster at 313-578-0379 or fostersa@udmercy.edu for more information about the CLEP exam at UDM. U of D Mercy is a limited testing site and can only test UDM students. For the NLN exam please contact Liz Boyer at 313-993-2445.

7. How will I know if a prerequisite course I plan to take will meet the program requirements?

A copy of the course description for the prerequisite in question should be sent to the program for approval. It is highly recommended that applicants have course descriptions approved prior to submission with the application (and include a copy of the approval with the application). Course descriptions can be emailed, faxed or mailed.

8. What if I have foreign transcripts?

If you are a permanent resident/U.S. citizen, you may apply through the College of Health Professions Graduate Admission Office directly to the PA program. Applicants must submit official foreign transcripts to an approved foreign transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. Please arrange for foreign transcript reports to be sent directly to the UDM PA Program from the foreign transcript evaluation agency by the February 15 deadline. Contact the foreign transcript evaluation service as early as possible. The services may take several weeks to process your foreign transcript once it is received. If you are not permanent resident/U.S. citizen, you must apply using the International Physcian Assistant application (select International Physician Assistant at the bottom of the Select Application page)
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9. Who must take the GRE?

All applicants must submit official GRE scores unless they have completed a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. university or college. These scores must be received directly from the Educational Testing Corp by the admission deadline. (Official MCAT scores may be used in lieu of GRE). When sending these scores, you will need the University of Detroit Mercy's institution code: 1835 and program code: 0699. This will ensure your scores reach our office in a timely manner. To schedule the GRE exam visit the GRE web site at http://www.gre.org.

10. What if I have a U. S. graduate degree already?

If you have a US graduate degree, you will not need to submit GRE scores. Request your official graduate transcripts be sent to the PA program with your application. Your graduate GPA will be used in place of your GRE score to evaluate your ability in a graduate program. Only those applicants who have completed a degree in an accredited US institution may submit their graduate GPA in place of their GRE.

11. What is an acceptable score on the GRE?

Competitive applicants score at least 500 in both the verbal and quantitative portions and 4.0 on the analytical writing portion.

12. What type of bachelor degree is preferred?

There is no preference. We do recommend if you are just starting to take classes that you consider a medical/health or science related degree.

13. How will my courses transfer?

Prerequisites don't transfer, they are taken prior to matriculation into the program. Students with graduate level courses believed to be equivalent to course work within the PA curriculum are considered on a case by case basis after admission - these courses are not transferred but may waive courses within the curriculum if equivalent and recent. See the Waiver of Required Course Work policy in the PA program policy manual.

14. What is meant by "upper division" courses?

Usually 300 level or higher course numbers.

15. When do I have to have all my prerequisites completed?

Official transcripts for prerequisite courses must be received before you can register for PA classes in September of the year you are matriculating. Prerequisite courses submitted for the 2011 application cycle must be completed with a grade B- or better.

16. How recent do my six pre-requisite courses need to be?

Prerequisite course work must have been completed within six years prior to the year of admission to the PA program.

17. What happens after I submit my application?

Applications are reviewed for completeness. Applications complete by the deadline are forwarded to faculty for review and selection for interview. Interviews are usually scheduled from mid-March through mid-April with the goal of contacting all applicants by mid April.

18. Can I choose whether I am admitted to the 2 year or 3 year program?

Applicants to the program are asked at the time of application to submit a preference for the 2 or 3 year program. The selection committee makes an attempt to give each applicant his or her first choice but we have limited seats in each class. Applicants accepted may be accepted into the alternate track with the option to change based on space coming available.

19. What does a successful applicant profile look like?

For the class entering in 2009, the cumulative GPA was 3.35, the GRE score was 1083 and months of health/helping experience was 80.

20. Who can provide me with individual admissions guidance?

You can email chpgrad@udmercy.edu. Be sure to put, "I have a PA question" in the subject of your email.

21. How can I meet with faculty?

Attend our Information Meetings on the third Monday of each month at the MCNICHOLS CAMPUS (4001 W MCNICHOLS). Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m.

22. Where can I find information on financial aid?

For more information on financial aid, log on to http://www.udmercy.edu/finaid/

23. What if I don't have a bachelor's degree?

If you are a high school student, check out our accelerated 5 year PA track. If you have some college credit or an Associates Degree, you may want to consider one of the Pre-PA programs at UDM. The Health Services undergraduate program or the Pre-PA program in the Dept of Biology or Biochemistry at UDM.

24. How do I find out more about PA's?

More information can be found at the American Academy of Physician Assistants web site, http://www.aapa.org