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PAs can be found in a variety of healthcare environments. They are licensed medical professionals who work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and both rural and urban clinics, delivering high-quality, cost-effective medical care.

PAs can work in over 60 specialties, including primary care, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and women’s health, providing a wide variety of clinical services, such as:

• Performing medical exams and procedures
• Diagnosing and treating disease
• Prescribing medication
• Assisting in surgery

Is PA The Career For You?  

PAs have extensive medical responsibilities, including diagnosing illnesses and prescribing medicine. PAs work on healthcare teams alongside other providers, so working well with others is crucial. For those who want to continue to expand their skills, PAs can also change specialties. For example, you could go from working in obstetrics to neurology to cardiology, without additional schooling.

Source: Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) 
  

Yes!

You can find more information about Pre-PA, visit: /preprofessional/physician-assistant.php  

Requirements are outlined in detail on the PA ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï page

No, you are not required to have a specific undergraduate major to apply to a PA program. Applicants can choose any major, provided they complete the necessary prerequisite courses. However, pursuing a science or healthcare-based degree can be advantageous. These majors typically encompass many of the required prerequisites and can prepare you well for the rigorous scientific curriculum of PA programs.

It's crucial to recognize that prerequisite requirements can vary between programs. Therefore, regardless of your chosen major, ensure you complete the specific prerequisite courses required by the PA programs to which you plan to apply. 

Information for international applicants to ÍøÆسԹÏ: /graduate-admissions/international-admissions/index.php   
 
Additional information for international applicants to the PA program

Profile of a ‘competitive’ application (based on national PA program applicant data):

• Undergraduate overall GPA > 3.50  
• Prerequisite course GPA > 3.50
• DPC hours > 4000
• Shadowing hours >50 and >15 with a PA
• Reference letters from 2 clinical providers who prescribe medications
• Personal essay that is well written with no errors, is impactful, and shows strong evidence of compassion, empathy, motivation, and knowledge of the profession. 

The ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï PA program plans to utilize the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) starting in April 2027 for the January 2028 cohort (graduating class of 2030). This means that applicants wishing to matriculate in January 2028 will submit their applications through CASPA beginning in April 2027.

For the inaugural January 2027 cohort, the application process will differ. The admissions cycle will open in January 2026 and the PA program will use REDCap for applications in addition to ÍøÆسԹÏ’s graduate school application (Slate). 

Yes!

ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï has many resources for military veterans, military members, and families. For more information:  
Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families 

The MMI consists of a series of short, carefully timed interview scenarios organized into stations. Each station aims to draw multiple samples of applicants' ability to think on their feet, to critically appraise information, to communicate their ideas, and to explore their reasoning with the station facilitator.

Applicants will complete a circuit of timed mini-interview stations, rotating from station to station. At each station, candidates will have two minutes to read a 'scenario' or question prompt. Candidates then have eight minutes to either interact with a rater who may ask questions or be observed by the rater while interacting with an actor or another applicant.

The purpose of the (MMI) interviews is to assess each candidate’s personal attributes such as emotional and academic maturity, empathy and compassion, motivation, ability to communicate, cultural sensitivity and humility, critical thinking skills, knowledge of the PA role in healthcare, understanding of the program’s mission and goals and the potential to achieve career fulfillment within the PA role. Literature has shown that the MMI allows individuals with diverse backgrounds to have a more equitable opportunity to demonstrate the quality of their educational and personal backgrounds.

Advantages of the MMI over traditional interviews

• More varied opportunities to perform well
• More equitable opportunity for those of diverse backgrounds to demonstrate quality
• Less biased way to evaluate applicants
• Tests characteristics such as cultural sensitivity, maturity, teamwork, empathy, reliability, and communication skills

Scoring the MMI

Each MMI station will be scored individually by trained personnel using a predefined rubric. The scores from all stations will be averaged as a single, final score for each Applicant. The MMI score is considered part of the PA ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï committee review and selection process. 

Applicants planning to apply to the ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï PA program should pursue direct patient care hours in one or more areas listed in the admissions requirements. 
 
Shadowing hours can be obtained by searching for prescribing providers to discuss opportunities for shadowing. 
 
More details about patient care and shadowing hours can be found on the ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï requirements page.

There are several acceptable roles by which to obtain DPC hours as listed on the PA program ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï requirements page.  
 
Please note that there are also some roles that are not acceptable for DPC hours. 
 
More information on DPC hours here.

Shadowing hours must be undertaken with a ‘prescribing’ health care provider. This typically includes Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), Physician Assistant (PA), and Nurse Practitioner (NP).  
 
Please note that applicants are required to shadow a practicing PA for at least 4 hours. 
 
More information on shadowing here.

While there are no additional courses required, taking extra courses may help you feel more academically prepared for the rigors of PA school. Some helpful (but not required) courses include Genetics, Immunology , Physics, Pathophysiology, Biochemistry, Medical terminology , and Public Health. 

No. The PA program does not accept CLEP credit or any other credit to replace any coursework in the program.  
 
The PA program does not grant any advanced placement. More information on the PA program’s policy on advanced placement can be found here.

The PA program uses a ‘modified rolling admissions’ process in which the PA admissions committee reviews each application and all associated materials after each interview cycle and assigns a status (accepted, accepted-conditional, accepted-deferred, alternate/hold, or denied). 
 
Candidates will be notified of their status following the committee review. This may or may not be before the end of the admissions cycle but will be well in advance of the matriculation date. ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Graduate ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï will send the first notice of the applicant’s status. The PA Program ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï committee may also call accepted or accepted (conditional) candidates after notification by ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Graduate ÍøÆسԹÏ. 

Many of the clinical rotations will be in the southern Mississippi region. However, many rotations will require driving or commuting to distant locations or other states. In keeping with the PA program’s mission, students can expect to experience rotations in underserved and rural communities. 

No, the PA program does not provide any housing or transportation to or from clinical rotation sites. Students are responsible for the costs of transportation, housing, and other living essentials associated with clinical rotations.  

The ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï PA program curriculum is rigorous and fast-paced. In addition, some activities and coursework may be scheduled outside of ‘traditional’ class times. Thus, the PA program’s policy prohibits students from working during the entirety of the program. 

Yes!

ÍøÆسԹÏ’s Office of Community & Belonging has numerous resources available. 
/community-belonging/index.php 

Upon successful completion of the PA program and satisfaction of all graduation requirements, ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï will award you a Master of Science in Medicine in Physician Assistant Studies degree (MSM). This is the official entry-level degree for the PA profession.

The requirements for the Master’s degree are embedded within the curriculum of the PA program. You will start your capstone project in the didactic phase and finish it before the completion of the program. The capstone project consists of a scholarly ‘Review of Literature’ paper related to a clinical question, a scholarly poster (based on the paper), and presentation of your project to faculty and peers. You are not required to conduct any original research for the capstone project but may pursue this with Program and ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Internal Review Board (IRB) review and approval.  

All 50 states require graduation from an ARC-PA accredited program and National Commission on Certification Of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification following successful completion of the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) as conditions for initial PA licensure.  
 
Successful completion of the ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï PA program and attaining the Master of Science in Medicine (MSM) in Physician Assistant Studies degree satisfies the professional licensure requirement for Mississippi (MS) and affords our PA graduates the opportunity to sit for the PANCE administered by the NCCPA. Information about PA licensure in MS can be found on the website. 
 
If you plan to reside/work outside of Mississippi, we advise you to investigate the licensure requirements of any state(s) where you are considering employment. You can find more information about PA licensure in other states, districts, and territories of the United States on the or the .  

If you have any other questions about PA ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï policies or processes, contact Taylor Williams at: PA.admissionsFREEMississippi.  
 
To request information about ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Graduate ÍøÆسԹÏ:    
 
ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï Graduate ÍøÆØ³Ô¹Ï FAQs