Admissions

Contact Us

Department of Physician Assistant

pad@utrgv.edu

956-665-5047

956-665-7049

Admissions Information

Admission Requirements

All applicants who are accepted must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree upon matriculation to the Physician Assistant Department from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent.
A minimum of 15 U.S. Semester credit hours must be completed within the past 10 years
All prerequisites (listed below) must be completed by the September 1 deadline. Prerequisites completed after the September 1 deadline will not be considered for interview or admission.

Science	Semester Credit Hours
General Biology I	3
General Biology II	3
Genetics	3
Microbiology	3
Anatomy & Physiology I (human preferred)	3
Anatomy & Physiology II (human preferred)	3
General Chemistry I	3
General Chemistry II	3
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry	3

Math
Statistics	3

Humanities
Introductory Psychology or Abnormal Psychology	3

Total Prerequisite Requirements	33

Note: Pass or Credit grades will not be accepted for any science prerequisite coursework. Credit by examination is accepted for Statistics and Psychology only. All prerequisite science courses must be taken for science majors. Science courses taken for non-science majors will not be accepted.

Note: Every applicant must meet ALL prerequisite requirements. No prerequisite course waivers will be granted. If admitted, no advanced placement standing will be given for any PA Program coursework regardless of educational background. All matriculants must complete the entire professional curriculum.

Applicants must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0. Additionally, pre-requisite GPA, overall science GPA, and the last 60 hours GPA should also be at least 3.0. Stronger GPAs in all categories are more competitive.

NOTE: It is every applicant’s responsibility to review all application requirements and deadlines, which are subject to change periodically. No coursework will be waived.
(required)
Applications are considered INCOMPLETE if any one of the above items is missing. Late submissions of any admissions materials are not allowed.
Check your email address at least once weekly for any correspondence from the program. Log in to CASPA to check the progress of your
application. We highly recommend reviewing our Frequently Asked Questions webpage at http://www.utrgv.edu/pa

*Submit the non-refundable UTRGV Graduate application fee to process your application to UTRGV. The fee is $50 for domestic applicants and $100
for international applicants. Payment can be made on-line using a credit card or electronic check. You will receive an email from
gradadmissions@utrgv.edu with payment instructions. Fee is required to create your application and student record on UTRGV’s application and
student system.

The University of Texas –Rio Grande Valley

Physician Assistant Department

Technical Standards

Purpose
This description defines the capabilities that are necessary for an individual to successfully complete the Physician Assistant (PA) curriculum.

Introduction
Physician Assistant training is recognized as a broad-based process requiring the acquisition of general
knowledge in all fields of medicine and of the basic skill requisite for the practice of medicine regardless of specialty. The education of a PA requires assimilation of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and development of judgment through didactic learning and patient care experience in preparation for semi-autonomous and appropriate decisions required in practice. The current practice of medicineemphasizes collaboration among physicians, other allied health care professionals, and the patient.

Policy
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Physician Assistant Department (PAD) endeavors to select students who have the ability to become highly competent PAs. The PAD at UTRGV will adhere to the guidelines promulgated by the Technical Standards and Typical Demands set forward in this document. Within these guidelines, UTRGV has the freedom and ultimate responsibility for the selection of students, the design, implementation, and evaluation of its curriculum. Evaluation of decisions are based not only on prior satisfactory academic achievement but also on non-academic factors which serve to ensure that the student can complete the essential functions of the academic program required for graduation.

The PAD has the responsibility to the public that its graduates can become fully competent PAs, capable of fulfilling the PA Oath “to benefit and do no harm.” Thus, it is important that students possess the intelligence, integrity, compassion, humanitarian concern, and the physical and emotional capacity necessary to practice medicine.

Americans with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility Office for a confidential discussion of their individual needs for academic accommodation. It is the policy of the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley to provide flexible and individualized accommodation to students with documented disabilities that may affect their ability to fully participate in course requirements. To receive accommodation services, students must be registered with the Student Accessibility Office, University Center #108, 665-7005 or accesibility@utrgv.edu.

Technical Standards
Technical Standards refer to those physical, cognitive, and behavioral abilities required for satisfactory completion of all aspects of the curriculum, and the development of professional attributes required by the faculty of all students at graduation. The essential abilities required by the curriculum include observation, communication, motor, intellectual, conceptual, integrative, quantitative ability, behavioral, social attributes, and ethics.

PA students must have the functional use of the following senses: vision, hearing, equilibrium, and smell. Their exteroceptive senses (touch, pain, and temperature) and proprioceptive senses (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibratory) must be sufficiently intact to enable them to carry out all activities required for a complete PA education. Students must have motor function capabilities to meet the demands of PA education and the demands of total patient care. All students in the PAD must have the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data.

PA students must possess the following abilities and skills:

Observation: Students must possess sufficient visual, auditory, and tactile sensation to receive
appropriate information in the classroom, laboratory, and other educational and clinical
settings. Sensation must be satisfactory to receive verbal and nonverbal communications from
patients and others, and to perform inspection, auscultation and palpation techniques during
the physical examination. Students must be able to observe patients accurately and completely,
both at a distance and closely. This ability requires functional vision and somatic sensation and
is enhanced by a sense of smell.

Communication: Students must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively
in written and verbal forms with faculty, patients, and members of the health care team in order
to elicit information from patients, perceive nonverbal communications, and describe changes.

Motor: Students should have sufficient strength and coordination to perform the activities
required of a PA, including performing a physical examination utilizing diagnostic instruments
and techniques in palpation and percussion. Students must have sufficient stamina to sit, stand,
and/or move within classroom for long periods of time, laboratory, examination rooms,
treatment rooms, operating rooms, emergency departments, hospitals, and to travel to assigned
clinical sites. The student must have sufficient coordination to move about patient care
environments and sufficient dexterity to use common medical instruments in order to care for
patients in emergent and non-emergent situations.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative & Quantitative Abilities: Problem solving is a critical skill demanded of PAs which requires all these abilities. The student must be able to comprehend
three dimensional relationships and the spatial relationships of structures. The student must be
able to make rapid rational clinical decisions.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: Students must be flexible and cognizant of the above stated
characteristics of PA education. Students must have the emotional health to fully use his/her
intellectual ability, exercise good judgment, and complete all responsibilities attendant to the
diagnosis and care of patients. Students must be able to develop mature, sensitive, professional,
and effective relationships with patients, colleagues, faculty, and staff. Increased levels of
mental stress are common in PA education. Long and irregular hours of both study and
performance beyond the required and assigned times are often necessary to acquire mastery of
knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors. He/she must have the emotional stability to function
effectively under stress and adapt to an environment, which may change rapidly without
warning, and/or in unpredictable ways. He/she must have a high level of compassion for others,
motivation to serve, integrity, and a consciousness of social values. A candidate must possess
sufficient interpersonal skills to interact positively with people from all levels of society, all
ethnic backgrounds, and all belief systems.

Ethics: The student must be able to understand the basis and content of medical ethics.
He/she must possess attributes, which include: compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity,
responsibility, and tolerance.

Typical Demands of Physician Assistant Students

Typical Mental Demands:
PA students must possess the ability to:
• Process, retain, comprehend, integrate, analyze, synthesize, and apply large volumes of data
related to science and medicine, including legal, ethical, and moral concepts.

• Be present during long hours in the following settings: classrooms, laboratories, examination
rooms, hospitals, emergency departments, operating rooms, hospitals, and self-directed study
situations.

• Respond appropriately and timely to constructive feedback from faculty and preceptors

• Use verbal and written communication effectively

• Participate in educational activities, including examinations, practicals, quizzes, demonstrations,
simulations, presentations, written communications, and frequent and exacting evaluations.

• Demonstrate the ability to gather patient data and report, perform the physical examination,
conduct patient assessment and evaluation, formulate a treatment plan, and perform patient
education.

Typical Physical Demands:
PA students must possess:
• Manual and finger dexterity, eye-hand coordination, and sufficient range of body motion to
assist in patient movement and care in both emergent and non-emergent situations

• Normal visual and hearing acuity (with or without correction)

• Physical capacity to sit for long periods during classroom and laboratory experiences

• Physical capacity to stand and walk for extended hospital and clinic visits

• Capability to work in physically and mentally stressful situations with long and irregular hours
and with exposures to communicable diseases and body fluids

• Strength to perform life supportive measures

• Strength and endurance to assist in surgery

• Ability to respond quickly in emergent situations

Typical Working Conditions:
PA students must be able to work in:
• Work in classroom and clinical environments with possible exposure to communicable diseases,
toxic substances, ionizing radiation, medicinal preparations, hostile individuals, and other such
conditions common to the medical and surgical environments.

• Interact with diverse patient populations of all ages with a range of acute and chronic medical
and surgical conditions.

Student Performance Requirements:
PA students will be required to perform in the following situations:
• Medical, surgical pediatric, obstetric/gynecologic, emergency room, psychiatric, and other
primary care settings, including in-patient and out-patient locations.

• Didactic and clinical education and training

• Invasive and non-invasive procedures

• Pre-, intra-, and post-operative activities

• Emergency care

Re-evaluation:
Any PAD student who develops a condition which may impair their ability to meet the Technical
Standards must be evaluated by a US licensed medical provider in the appropriate field, as determined by the Department Chair or Medical Director, to determine the student’s readiness to return to rigorous medical studies. The medical provider must submit written documentation to the PAD. The PAD reserves the right to require a second opinion of medical readiness. The cost of the second opinion is assumed by the student. After review of the available information, the Department Chair may terminate a student’s enrollment if the student does not meet the Technical Standards.

Application Process for Master in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

To be considered for admission to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Physician Assistant Program, all applicants must complete the following steps by the application deadline of September 1^st (annually):

Submit completed online application to the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) https://caspa.liaisoncas.com.
Acuity Insights Assessments (CASPer) – Comprehensive Admissions Assessments

Please go to www.acuityinsights.app to sign up for Acuity Insights Assessments for CSP-10101-U.S. Professional Health Sciences, under your specific country, and register using your CASPA ID and a piece of government-issued photo ID.

Select a Casper test date. You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times, which have been pre-arranged/approved by UTRGV in accordance with the admissions timelines. Please note that these are the only testing dates available for your Casper test based on your program selection(s). There will be no additional tests scheduled. Please use an email address that you check regularly and that you have used for your application; there may be updates to the test schedule.

Important: To account for identity verification and payment processing timelines, ensure that you register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.

Ensure you have selected The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for distribution before the posted distribution deadline. Likely, there will be no additional tests scheduled, but the most up-to-date information can be found by browsing the Test Dates and Timeson app.

Please direct any inquiries on Acuity Insights Assessments to support@acuityinsights.app. Alternatively, you may use the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your screen on the acuityinsights.app website.

Accommodations: Applicants requiring testing accommodations to complete their Acuity Insights Assessments should submit an Initial Request Form (Part 1 and 2) at least four (4) weeks prior to their scheduled Casper test date. More information regarding the accommodations policy can be found in this help article here.

Submit the non-refundable UTRGV graduate application fee ($50 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants) to process your application to UTRGV. You will receive an email fromgradadmissions@utrgv.edu with payment instructions. Payment can be made online using a credit card or electronic check.
After acceptance into the DPA, students will be required to:

Successfully complete a criminal background check (through the University designated vendor), prior to matriculation.
Clear drug screen (through the University designated vendor), prior to matriculation.
Submit proof of required immunizations (through the University designated vendor).
Attend the DPA Academy for Success, summer pre-matriculation program.

Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities or international applicants:
Transcript Evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or Foreign Credentials Service of America (FCSA).
For additional information, see How to Apply: A Guide for International Applicants

In addition to academic and professional achievements, other factors are taken into consideration during the review of applications. All applications are considered for potential interview and admission/enrollment.

Preferences for admission:

Highest degree attained (beyond bachelor’s degree)
Course Success, Completion, and Academic Rigor, including GPAs (Overall; Biology/Chemistry/ Physics; Overall Science; Last 60 hours; and Pre-requisite)
Health care professional
Health related and/or patient care experience
Research experience
Leadership experience
Community or volunteer service
Diversity of background and ethnicity, including economic or educational disadvantaged background and/or history of South Texas residency.
Military service or veteran status
CASPer performance
PACT Early Assurance Program Student, if applicable

Other:

Field of study
Letters of Reference
Essay/Personal Statement

Cost

The total estimated cost of tuition and fees for the 28-month Master of Physician Assistant Program is (based on 2024-2025 tuition found at https://www.utrgv.edu/ucentral/paying-for-college/tuition-fees/tuition-recent/index.htm):

In-state: $42,267.00
Out-of-state: $83,267.00

Fees included above:

University Services Fee - $38.10 per hour per semester ($457.20 maximum)
Student Services Fee - $10 per hour per semester ($120 maximum)
Recreation Fee - $79 per Fall / Spring; $39.50 per summer term
Medical Services Fee ‐ $33 per Fall / Spring $16.50 per summer term
Student Union Fee ‐ $30 per Fall / Spring; $15 per summer term
Intercollegiate Athletics Fee - $28.80 per hour per semester ($345.60 maximum)

Additional fees

Approximately $12,000.00 over 28 months

BLS/ACLS course fee
Malpractice Insurance
PAEA Student Exam Box (2 PACKRATs, 10 End of Rotation Exams [7 required plus 3 retakes, if needed], 1 End of Curriculum Exam). If additional exams are required, students are responsible for the cost.
Criminal Background Check (updated annually)
Drug Screen (updated annually)
Student Health Insurance, if not granted a waiver for personal health insurance plan
Graduation application fee

Pre-matriculation Costs