Our admissions process is extremely competitive — we accept 30 students from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants. This helps us ensure each student gets the attention and experience they need to excel in their career.
COVID-19: In response to the concern over COVID-19 impacting applicants, the University of South Carolina Physician Assistant Program will consider exceptions to our usual policies.
1) While our preference remains a letter grade for all prerequisite courses, except Medical Terminology, courses taken between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021 and awarded a Pass or Satisfactory on a grading scale from an institution that moved to a Pass/Fail grading scale, will be accepted. Please note that a Pass or Satisfactory grade does not impact the GPA and the USC PA Program will only consider the CASPA overall, overall science, and prerequisite GPA calculations.
2) Lab courses or courses taken with a lab component that transitioned to an online format will be accepted.
3) All other prerequisite and admissions requirements remain the same.
Prerequisite Coursework
A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of a Regional Accrediting Organization is required. Your degree must be completed by August 15, 2023. Your prerequisite coursework must be completed at the time of applying and verified by CASPA for consideration. You may not have any pending prerequisite courses when you submit your application.
| Required Course | Required Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|
Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology – Lecture and Lab
|
6 credit hours lecture 2 credit hours lab |
| Genetics | 3 |
| General Chemistry - Lecture and Lab |
6 credit hours lecture 2 credit hours lab |
| Organic Chemistry – Lecture and Lab | 4 |
| Microbiology | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology or Higher Level Psychology | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Medical Terminology (can be a certificate) | 1 |
- Prerequisite courses taken prior to the Fall 2016 academic term will not be accepted. Prerequisite courses must be completed by August 15, 2023.
- Prerequisite courses must be taken at a United States regionally accredited institution, including community colleges. However, medical terminology may be taken through a United States institution, healthcare institution, or employer for a certificate or CEU hours.
- All prerequisite courses must be assigned a letter grade. The exception is medical terminology, which can be Pass/Fail, a certificate, or CEU hours.
- All prerequisite courses must be passed with a “C” grade or better. “C minus” grades or below will not be accepted for prerequisite credit
- Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.0 prerequisite GPA as calculated by CASPA. In the event of a course retake, it is the applicant's responsibility to accurately enter the prerequisite course/grade to be calculated by CASPA. We will not manually calculate the applicant's prerequisite GPA.
- We will accept AP/IB courses for prerequisites if they have been completed for a grade during the Fall 2016 term or later.
- We give preference to cumulative and/or science GPAs of 3.2 or higher as calculated by CASPA and based on a 4.0 scale.
- Prerequisite courses taken on a quarter system must meet the minimum required semester hour equivalent.
Patient Care
You must have at least 500 documented health care exposure hours completed by August 15, 2023. Preference is given to applicants with 2,000 or more hours. You can obtain these hours through paid, volunteer or shadowing experiences. We do not accept virtual shadowing hours. We reserve the right to verify those records, so we recommend that you keep your own records.
- Shadowing of PA, NP, M.D./D.O.
- Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic
- Military Medic/Clinical Specialist
- Corpsman
- Surgical Technician
- Radiological Technician
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Laboratory Technician with phlebotomy experience
- Phlebotomist
- Athletic Trainer
- Scribe
- Nursing (CNA, LPN, RN, CMA)
- Certified Physical/Occupational Therapist
- PT/OT Assistant
- Home health with verification of job duties
- Medical Interpreter
- Dietician
- Pharmacy Technician
- Respiratory Therapist
- Ophthalmic Technician
- Veterinarian Assistant
- Receptionist for physician's office
- Administrator or Business Manager for a physician’s office
- Massage Therapist
- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture
- Aesthetician
- Dental Hygienist/Assisting
- Inpatient Patient Transport/Orderly
- Health Fitness Specialist
- Patient Sitter
- Optometric Technician
- Behavioral therapy / ABA therapy
Required Exams
You must take the GRE within 5 years of applying to our program and no later than August 15, 2023. We do not have a required score, but preference is given to scores of 297 and above. You may take the exam several times to improve your score. We superscore the GRE by combining the highest verbal and quantitative scores if multiple scores are reported. We do not review the Analytical Writing portion. Applications will NOT be considered without a GRE score.
If English is not your native language, you will need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). You must take the Internet Based Test and send the scores directly from the Educational Testing Service to the PA program office. We require a total score of 93 and a speaking score of 26.
Interview Selection
- Applications are reviewed as they are verified and received from CASPA. Due to a limited number of admission slots, early application is encouraged.
- We do NOT review applications until they are verified by CASPA, include all prerequisite courses, and include GRE scores.
- The final date we will accept verified applications from CASPA is September 1, 2023.
- A University of South Carolina supplemental application is also required for consideration for an interview. Only applicants with verified CASPA applications, including GRE scores, that meet our minimum requirements will receive a supplemental application. Deadline for the supplemental application is September 8, 2023.
- University of South Carolina Physician Assistant Program Admissions Committee will
review and score all applications meeting our minimum requirements. Applicant scoring
is based on the following:
- GRE scores for verbal and quantitative (297 and above is preferred)
- Number of patient care hours
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Preference is given for South Carolina residents, University of South Carolina alumni, United States veterans, overall CASPA GPA of 3.2 and higher, overall science CASPA GPA of 3.2 and higher
- The most qualified applicants will be contacted and invited for an interview. The exact dates of the interview will be communicated to candidates with the offer to interview. Candidates who have been interviewed will be notified of the Admissions Committee’s decision as early as two weeks following an interview. If you are placed on a waitlist, we are unable to tell you your ranking on the waitlist. Candidates that are offered a seat in the program will be required to submit a nonrefundable seat deposit of $1,000.
- Interview dates for the 2023 cycle are September 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.
Required Immunizations Prior to Matriculation
Documentation of two doses of MMR vaccine is required for students born after January 1, 1957. A copy of laboratory report(s) in English with evidence of immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella may be submitted in place of immunization records.
Students who have previously completed the Hepatitis B vaccine 3-part series should submit both their dose dates and a copy of a laboratory report(s) in English of a blood test (Hepatitis B surface antibody) to demonstrate immunity. Proof of immunity may be submitted alone for students who have been immunized for hepatitis B but do not have documentation. Students who have not yet completed the series should receive the first two (2) doses of the series and indicate these dose dates. Students may complete the third dose of the series and undergo serologic testing during their first semester at the Student Health Office; vaccine and titer fees apply.
Students must present proof of immunity to Varicella (chicken pox) in one of two forms: (1) receipt of two doses of varicella immunization administered at least one month apart or (2) laboratory documentation of immunity to varicella. Students who have not previously been immunized and who do not have laboratory proof of immunity should complete the two-dose vaccination series.
Students must provide documentation of receipt of one dose of TdaP (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) immunization within the past three years. The only exception to this requirement is for those who received the old tetanus/diphtheria (Td) immunization within the previous two years, as Td and TdaP immunization should be separated by at least two years.
Documentation of three doses of IPV or OPV is required. If vaccine records are not available there are two options: (1) proof of immunity by titer may be substituted by sending a copy of the lab results or (2) a polio waiver form may be signed and submitted to student health.
Screening for tuberculosis exposure is a tuberculin skin test performed within the last three months prior to matriculation. Students with a previous history of a positive tuberculosis skin test must submit a completed TB Symptom Survey (available from the Student Health Office) and a chest x-ray report obtained within three years of entry. Skin testing is not necessary for these students.
All applicants are required to have the influenza (flu) vaccine documented after October 1st of the year prior to matriculating due to the start date being during flu season.
Citizenship
As a matter of policy, the physician assistant program can accept applications only from those individuals who are currently citizens of the United States or who are permitted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to reside permanently in the United States.
How to Apply
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine PA Program is a participant in CASPA (Centralized Application Service for PAs). To apply to our program, you must have a verified CASPA application and complete the USC Graduate School supplemental application. The CASPA application will open in April 2023. The deadline for a verified CASPA application, including GRE scores, is September 1, 2023, and the USC supplemental application deadline is September 8, 2023, for the class entering in January 2024. Once the verified CASPA application has been received by the USC PA Program, the candidate will be e-mailed instructions on how to complete the supplemental application. Only verified CASPA applications with completed prerequisites and GRE scores will be considered by the USC SOM PA Program.
Applicants who have served their communities or their countries through volunteer activities, military service, or employment opportunities greatly enhance the cultural perspective of the class. The PA Program is committed to attracting students from geographically underserved regions such as Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in South Carolina, as well as students from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Following receipt and individual screening of the verified CASPA application by the USC Physician Assistant Program, USC supplemental application materials (including a nonrefundable $50 processing fee) will be requested from all qualified applicants selected to receive further consideration. As a matter of policy, the Physician Assistant Program can accept applications only from those individuals who are currently citizens of the United States or who are permitted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to reside permanently in the United States. Interviews by the USC PA Program are at the invitation of the Admissions Committee and are a required part of the admissions process for all applicants.
The deadline date of September 1, 2023 refers only to the date by which the application materials must be verified at the CASPA office; September 8, 2023 is the deadline date for receipt of all supplementary application materials to the Physician Assistant Program. It is in the best interest of the applicant to submit the completed application as early in the application/admissions process as possible to ensure verification of the CASPA application by the September 1, 2023 deadline.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all application materials are received by the USC Physician Assistant Program by the deadline dates. No application will be considered until all application materials have been received and the deadline dates will not be extended. The application process is highly competitive. Please consider the strength of your application in the decision to apply.
Student Work Policy
- Students are discouraged from working in any form of employment while enrolled in the USC School of Medicine Columbia PA program.
- Outside activities and working are not considered to be valid excuses for poor academic performance or lack of attendance at required PA program activities.
- PA students may not work for the PA Program and will never substitute for or function as instructional faculty.
- Students enrolled in the PA program cannot substitute for practicing physician assistants or provide unsupervised services common to a certified PA while at any learning or employment site while enrolled in the program.
- Students are not staff and/or employees of the PA Program while in the role of a learning student and as a result may not earn a stipend/salary for their services as a physician assistant student.
- Students credentialed as other non-PA professionals cannot substitute as staff in their credentialed discipline while in the role of a physician assistant student.
- Students failing to follow the above Student Work Policies will be subject to disciplinary action ranging from but not limited to Professional Probation to dismissal from the PA program.
No Exceptions: All admission requirements listed must be met for consideration. The USC School of Medicine PA Program does not allow exceptions. We do not allow course substitutions. For example, we will not accept bacteriology for microbiology or accept vertebrate
anatomy for human anatomy.
Exemptions: Anyone with a vaccine exemption may be excluded from the University/College in the
event of a Measles, Mumps, Rubella or Diphtheria outbreak in accordance with public
health law.
Preferences for Admission: SC residents, USC alumni (degree received), United States military veterans, CASPA
overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, CASPA overall science GPA of 3.2 or higher, GRE score
of 297 or higher, 2,000 or more healthcare exposure hours.
Advanced Placement: We do not offer advanced placement in the PA Program.