A Physician Assistant is a dependent mid-level health professional licensed by the state to practice medicine as delegated by and under the supervision of a physician. As a part of their responsibilities, physician assistants perform physical exams, diagnose illnesses, develop and carry out treatment plans, order and interpret lab tests, assist in surgery, provide patient education and in most states, prescribe medications. PA’s are employed in virtually all types of health care settings including private offices, clinics and hospitals. PA’s can practice in almost any field of medicine including family practice, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and orthopedics to name just a few.

The King’s College Department of Physician Assistant Studies has over 30 years of experience in preparing students for the PA profession and provides sophisticated didactic and clinical training in all areas of general medicine. King’s College has graduated over 900 Physician Assistants who practice throughout the country in all areas of medicine.

The Five-Year BS/MS Program

The five-year BS/MS program is an accelerated and challenging program for students entering King’s College as a first semester freshman only. It is composed of two parts: a three-year pre-professional phase and a two-year professional phase. The pre-professional phase of this program is not part of the PA Program’s continued accreditation status awarded by the ARC-PA ( Accreditation Reivew Commission of Education for Physician Assistant, Inc.) In the pre-professional phase students follow a prescribed academic sequence consisting of liberal arts and preparatory science prerequisites needed for the professional phase of the program. All courses must be successfully completed by the end of the third year in order to enter the professional phase.

Throughout the first three years at King’s, a pre-professional phase student must meet or exceed the “Progression Criteria” for the major. Students are given a full copy of the “Progression Criteria” during advisement. A partial summary of these requirements is as follows:

Minimum overall and cumulative science GPA REQUIREMENTS by semester:

A grade of less than a C- (1.75) in any course will exclude the student from the 5-year BS/MS program.  Students are not permitted to repeat science or core classes.

Students must also complete a minimum of 500 hours of “Clinical Experience Hours” before the end of the spring semester of their junior year. Seventy-five percent (375) of those hours must be completed by the fall semester of the junior year (year 3). Of these 500 hours, a minimum of 300 must be direct patient care while the remainder can be indirect. In addition, a minimum of 20 hours must be spent shadowing a Physician Assistant. Students will receive more information regarding the “Clinical Experience Hours” during their initial meeting with their academic advisors.

All 5 year BS/MS pre-professional phase students are guaranteed a seat in the professional phase of the program as long as they meet the Progression Criteria and undergo an interview.  These interviews will be conducted in late January/early February of their junior year (year 3).

After successful completion of the first three years, students enter the professional phase of the program (see The Professional Phase Years 4 and 5 for more information).

Enrollment Disclaimer

Enrollment in the professional phase is limited by the number of seats available. Therefore, in the unlikely event that the number of qualified BS/MS students exceeds the number of seats available in the professional phase, students with the highest overall and science GPA’s will be granted seats in the class. Those qualified students who were not offered seats will be deferred until the next year.

Application to the Two-Year Master's Program in Physician Assistant Studies

In order to apply to the 2 year Master’s degree (MSPAS) program, all applicants must apply through the Centralized Application System for Physician Assistants (CASPA at www.caspaonline.org). The enrollment process and seat availability are determined by the number of undergraduate BS/MS students who matriculate successfully. Students should check with CASPA and the Program’s webpage at www.kings.edu/paprogfor availability of enrollment.

Applicants who have received a bachelor degree from King’s College are not required to apply though CASPA. They can call the PA Program at 570-208-5853 to request a King’s Alumni Application. These applicants will be scored according to the same criteria as the CASPA applicants, but do not have to pay the CASPA application fee when applying to the King’s Physician Assistant Program. The application deadline for these applicants is October 1^st.

 Students must also meet the following minimum requirements:

• Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree or higher degree (or be completing a Bachelor's degree or higher degree by the end of the spring semester prior to the start of the program in August).
• Candidates must complete all of the following prerequisite science courses, preferably with labs by the end of the spring semester prior to the start of the program in August: Anatomy and physiology (8 credits), general biology (8 credits), chemistry (8 credits), and microbiology (4 credits).  
• No grade less than a 1.75 "C-" will be accepted for any prerequisite science courses.
• Candidates cannot have more than two outstanding prerequisite science courses in the spring semester prior to the start of the program in August.
• Candidates cannot have any outstanding courses in the summer prior to the start of the program in August.
• For admission beginning fall 2013, candidates must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.2 and a cumulative science GPA of 3.2.
• Candidates must complete all 500 clinical hours of health care experience before CASPA application deadline. The hours may be voluntary or paid. Of these 500 hours, a minimum of 300 must be direct patient care while the remainder can be indirect. In addition, a minimum of 20 hours must be spent shadowing a Physician Assistant.
• Candidates must have all coursework that was completed at an academic institution outside the U.S. evaluated by an accredited agency.
• Candidates whose native language is not English must pass the TOEFL exam or complete a bachelor degree in a U.S. College or University. TOEFL scores must be submitted by the CASPA application deadline. The passing score on the TOEFL will vary depending on the type of exam you take (internet-based, computer-based, or paper-based). 

*Minimum TOEFL Scores needed to apply:
Internet-based Test minimum of 108/120
Computer-based Test minimum of 270/300 and a 5.5 on the essay
Paper-based Test minimum of 610/677

We do not require GRE, MCAT, or USMLE scores.

Our CASPA Application deadline is October 1st. It can take CASPA up to 4-6 weeks to process your application and send it to us, so be sure to submit your application as early as possible.

King’s College BS/BA Alumni

Applicants who have received a bachelor degree from King’s College are not required to apply through CASPA. They can call the PA Program at 570-208-5853 to request a King’s Alumni Application. These applicants will be scored according to the same criteria as the CASPA applicants, but do not have to pay the CASPA application fee when applying to King’s. The deadline for these applicants is October 1^st.

Applicant Selection Process

Graduate applications are scored based on GPA (cumulative GPA and overall science GPA) the level of degree (Bachelors, Masters), major (science or non-science); and the quality of the direct health care experience hours.  Your personal statement, references, and other experiences (work experience, community service, extra- curricular activities, etc.) included on your application are also scored.  A personal interview is required for admission. Selected candidates will receive an invitation for an interview in late January/early February.  Selected candidates will be scored during their interview and will be required to do an on-site writing sample.  The King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies will make a decision and notify the candidates within 2 weeks of their interview. This interview and selection process will continue until the class is filled or until May 1st, whichever comes first. For more information about Program requirements or proceedure, see the Program's website (www.kings.edu/paprog) or call the King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies Office at (570) 208-5853.

The Professional Phase (Years 4 and 5)

The term PA Program refers only to the professional phase of the Physician Assistant Program at King’s College. The professional phase is full-time only and a total of 24 months in duration, beginning with 10.5 months of didactic instruction in all areas of medicine. Direct patient encounters begin early and are greatly expanded during the final 13.5 months of clinical rotations. The King’s PA Program (professional phase) was awarded continued accreditation by the ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistant, Inc.). The full-time program faculty, along with clinical adjunct faculty, including physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other health care profes­sionals, present the curriculum and monitor the students’ clinical experiences. Students in the professional phase (year 4) must earn no less than 80% (2.5 or “C+”) in each didactic module and achieve a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 (87% or “B”) by the end of the spring semester of the didactic year in order to progress. Pre-professional grades for those in the five year BS/MS Program are not included in this calculation. Students must maintain this minimum G.P.A. throughout the remainder of the professional program in order to graduate.

During the clinical phase, students are required to do a rotation in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Psychiatry, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine. Each rotation is six weeks in length. In addition, students have a six week elective rotation. Students may choose to do their elective in any field of medicine. Elective rotations are subject to availability and approval by the clinical faculty. Toward the end of the clinical training students also complete a 12 week preceptorship in family medicine.

To best prepare our students to be employed in a variety of clinical settings, students should obtain clinical experiences at different sites and in different locales. Therefore, students are generally scheduled to complete between 2 and 4 rotations away from the Wilkes-Barre area, according to rotation availability and the student’s individual rotation schedule. The number of away rotations may be limited by the student’s academic standing during the didactic phase of the program to allow the Clinical Fac­ulty to work closely with the student and to support the student’s continued progress during the clinical phase of the program. Students are not required to provide their own clinical sites. Students may arrange some of their rotations and/or preceptorship; however, this must be discussed with the Clinical Faculty prior to any arrangements being made. Approval is not automatically guaranteed. The remainder of the required clinical rotations will be scheduled within the Wilkes-Barre and surrounding area. Students are responsible for their own individual transportation to their clinical sites and/or preceptorships.Due to the rigorous nature of the PA Program during both the didactic and the clinical phases of training, it is inadvisable for students to hold a job during their professional training. Employment demands will not justify an excused absence from any academic or clinical requirements of the Program nor will any special accommodations be made.

 Degrees Awarded

Upon successful completion of the first four years of the five year program, students receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Studies with a minor in Biology. After successful completion of the two-year Professional Program, students will be awarded a Master of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) and will be eligible to take the National Board examination for certification as a Physician Assistant.

Experiential Learning Credits and the Professional Phase of the PA Program

The professional program does not allow for exemption from courses, clinical skills, laboratories, or clinical education regardless of prior experience, degree or credential. Students must matriculate through all aspects of the program and successfully complete all program requirements in order to graduate.