Physician Assistant Studies Admissions Requirements | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Physician Assistant Studies Admissions Requirements

PA Admissions Information

The PA program begins in late May of each year. Please visit SHP Application for deadline information. An applicant's CASPA application must be verified and all other requirements must be received by the deadline. Priority in application review and invitation for interview will be given to those applicants who have verified CASPA, the supplemental application complete, and official GRE scores reported by August 1. Applications after this date will be reviewed in order of receipt until all interview invitations are filled.

Admissions Requirements

  1.  Online Application

    Applicants for the PA program must complete both the CASPA Application and your personalized SHP supplemental application.

    Step One:
    Start and Complete the CASPA Application.

    Step Two:

    • You will receive an email from SHP Application Systems within two business days of submitting your CAS application, with your login information, to complete your personalized Physician Assistant SHP supplemental application.
    • You must wait to receive this email before beginning your supplemental application. Do not go to the TTUHSC SHP website and attempt to access your supplemental application. The “start your application link” on the TTUHSC SHP website does not link to your personalized application.
    • If you did not receive your email, please check your junk email folder.
    • Please contact our Application Team with any questions at 806-743-3220 or shp.application@ttuhsc.edu.
  2. Application Fee

    The $75.00 application fee may be paid by credit card through the TTUHSC SHP online application. You may also pay by check or money order by selecting the "Money Order" option; mail a check or money order to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs (3601 4th Street MS 6294, Lubbock, TX 79430). Please make checks and money orders payable to "TTUHSC." Your application will not be considered for admission until your fee has been paid.

  3. Official Transcripts

    All official transcripts need to be submitted to CASPA. You will only need to send updated transcripts to our office. Transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from the institution and must have been printed within the last year. Please send all updated, official transcripts to the following address:

    TTUHSC SHP Admissions and Student Affairs
    3601 4th Street MS 6294
    Lubbock, TX 79430

  4. Official GRE Scores

    Official GRE scores are required for admission. GRE Scores must be sent to CASPA, not to TTUHSC.  The SHP GRE submission code is 3652. If your GRE scores are more than 5 years old, they are not considered valid.

  5. Bachelor's Degree

    A Bachelor's Degree is required for admission in addition to the specific prerequisite courses listed in Section 7.

  6. Minimum GPA

    A minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA of a 3.0 as calculated by CASPA is required; this includes all courses taken at every institution attended. Applicants who do not meet minimum GPA requirements will not be sent to the admissions committee.

  7. Prerequisite Coursework

    All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants who have completed all or most of their prerequisite coursework at the time of application may be at an advantage during the admissions process.  AP and CLEP credit will not be accepted for any science prerequisite courses. No more than 9 hours of prerequisite courses may be in progress at the time of application. Prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited US or Canadian college or university. Transfer credit from a school outside of the US or Canada will not be accepted. Prerequisite courses completed within the last 7 years are preferred. Every student must successfully complete all courses in the program. No advanced placement is granted.

    Prerequisite courses
    Courses Credit Hours
     Genetics  3 hours
     Microbiology  4 hours
     Anatomy and Physiology +, *  8 hours
     Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry  4 hours
    Psychology 3 hours
    Statistics 3 hours

    All sciences courses must be intended for science majors
    + Human preferred, * see FAQ's page for additional information.

  8. Letters of Recommendation

    Three letters of recommendation are required for an application to be complete. Letters of recommendation are submitted online through the CASPA Application.

  9. International Applicants

    All foreign coursework must be evaluated by a Foreign Credential Service. We also require TOEFL/IELTS Scores for any applicant for whom English is their second language (scores are considered on a case by case basis). Please refer to our International Applicants webpage for more information and TOEFL/IELTS exemptions.

    Our Physician Assistant program is not approved to admit F-1 visa students at this time.

Technical Standards

A student admitted into the TTUHSC Physician Assistant Program must meet basic and essential requirements that are necessary for obtaining employment and performing as a Physician Assistant. The following link will provide an overview of what those requirements are.

Holistic Admissions Process

Applications are considered on a rolling basis for acceptance into the professional PA program. Individual applications are reviewed once all required materials have been received; therefore, it is in the applicant's best interest to complete their application, including submission of required documentation, as early as possible. Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission. An ideal candidate has a strong work ethic and exemplifies the program mission with a commitment to academic excellence, primary care, and increasing access for diverse and underserved communities of West Texas and Beyond. They will have a combination of life, work, and academic experience that demonstrates their ability to perform under the demands of a rigorous, challenging academic and professional program.

The selection process for the TTUHSC PA Program is highly competitive. Applicants must meet the minimum prerequisite requirements.  Each year, a large number of completed applications are received for a limited number of class positions.  The Admissions Committee takes a broad range of factors into consideration as we select candidates who will best exemplify the mission of the PA Program, including:

  • Quality and quantity of academic preparation and evidence of strong performance; typical candidates have additional science courses beyond the minimum with strong performance (B+ average) in upper division sciences courses and GRE scores > 35th percentile.
  • Overall GPA and Science GPA
  • Promotion of activities improving the health of communities similar to those of West Texas
  • Evidence of community service, leadership
  • Other nonacademic and extracurricular activities; including awards and honors
  • Overcoming barriers to education
  • Background experiences contributing and promoting diversity in organizations and community
  • Strength of letters of recommendation
  • Strength of personal statement
  • Superior interpersonal communication skills evaluated by the application submission and required interview process.

Special consideration may be given to the following applicants:  Residents from the 108 counties in the service area of TTUHSC; Veterans and Military; Residents from underserved populations; or Residents from economically or environmentally disadvantaged backgrounds.

Admission offers are effective for matriculation only in the year of the application cycle and will not be transferred to subsequent years. Re-application is required if a candidate intends to matriculate within a cycle year that differs from their application year. Deferrals to another class year are not granted except in cases of required military duty.  Offers of admission are contingent on candidate’s intent to complete the program within the matriculation year in a continuous fashion without planned periods of leave for any reason.

Interviews

Admission interviews are granted by the PA admissions committee by invitation only. Applicants are selected for interviews based on a holistic evaluation of their application and supporting documents. Interviews for the 2024-2025 admission cycle will be completed on zoom. For additional information regarding PA program estimate of costs and other frequently asked questions, please see the FAQs page.

Application Submission Checklist

  1. Online CASPA Application
  2. Online TTUHSC SHP Application
  3. Application Fee
  4. Official GRE Scores
  5. Letters of Recommendation (3 required)

Contact Information

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Please contact our office by phone at 806-743-3220 or email at health.professions@ttuhsc.edu.