Tuition + fees $115,225
Published full-program tuition
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A closer look
Mission & approach
The Canisius University Physician Assistant Department is built upon the central mission of eliminating healthcare disparity and improving the health and wellbeing of underserved populations by developing competent, compassionate clinicians who discern a purpose of service, mindfulness, and leadership in both their community and profession.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic, Jesuit mission (serving underserved Western NY; goal >=50% grads practice in WNY); no standardized testing; scored rubric on GPA sliding scale + 500+ PCE hrs (more competitive with higher decision-making roles & >1000 hrs) + 100+ community-service hrs (zero service = not considered); NO NY-residency preference, but INSTITUTIONAL preference - Canisius and University at Buffalo applicants meeting requirements get an automatic initial interview. (canisius.edu PA admissions)
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
Interviews are conducted virtually and include opening remarks, an information session with current students, a small-group interview, and a Q&A session. Only the small-group interview portion is scored, and seat offers typically follow within one to two weeks.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester creditsReview each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.
- Psychology or Sociology: Psychology OR Sociology
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
AnatomyCourse notes & alternativesMinimum four credits with an in-person Anatomy lab. The virtual-lab option applies only to the starred Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Microbiology courses, not Anatomy. | 4Semester credits | Required | C |
PhysiologyCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 3 credits. Lab preferred but not required. | 3Semester credits | Preferred | C |
General Chemistry I and II2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesCombined minimum 8 credits across two courses; lab required. Virtual labs may be considered; confirm acceptance with program. | 8Semester credits | Required | C |
Organic ChemistryCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 4 credits with lab. Virtual labs may be considered; confirm acceptance with program. | 4Semester credits | Required | C |
BiochemistryCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 3 credits; lab preferred but not required. | 3Semester credits | Preferred | C |
MicrobiologyCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 4 credits with lab. Virtual labs may be considered; confirm acceptance with program. | 4Semester credits | Required | C |
| Psychology One three-credit Psychology course is one published option; Sociology is the alternative. | 3Semester credits | Not required | C |
StatisticsCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 3 credits. | 3Semester credits | Not required | C |
Medical TerminologyCourse notes & alternativesMinimum 1 credit; certificates are not accepted. | 1Semester credits | Not required | C |
| Sociology Published alternative to Psychology; confirm the individual course with admissions. | 3Semester credits | Not required | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Overall GPA
- Preferred 3.0; applicants below 3.0 may receive holistic review.
- Course age
- Seven-year limit for prerequisites; exceptions may be considered for international applicants with a completed medical degree and active clinical practice.
- Course completion
- Prerequisites complete by application deadline.
The listed courses total 33 semester credits. Prerequisites must be completed within seven years of the September 1, 2026 application deadline, and all courses must be complete by that deadline. Virtual labs are mentioned as considered only for the starred Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Microbiology courses; confirm with the program before relying on a virtual lab.
When courses must be complete: Prerequisites completed by the fully verified CASPA deadline; 2026–27 review cycle deadline was September 1, 2026.
Dates & application steps
The September 1, 2026 verified deadline has passed; the next exact date is not yet published.
CASPA had to be fully verified by September 1, 2026.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Published full-program tuitionConfirm the current entering cohort
Full-program tuition is $108,350 ($985 per credit). Required university and program fees are extra, and tuition plus fees comes to $115,225 in total. Books, equipment, insurance, living, and travel are not included.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
On-campus medical coursework, simulation, patient assessment and early clinical experiences.
Clinical rotations
Eight-week family and hospital medicine rotations; four-week core specialty rotations and two electives.
27 months over seven semesters. Clinical partnerships include hospitals and clinics in Western New York.
The admitted class
Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.
The program’s track record
Graduate outcomes
PANCE pass rates
See first-time program performance with clearly dated national context.
- First-time PANCE pass rate: 90%
No 5-year average yet - only THREE graduating cohorts (2023-2025); 82% first-time across all three (70/85)
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: Not available yet
Five-year first-time results are not yet available.
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- PA School Finder deadline record
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Canisius University curriculum program page
- Canisius University program page
- Canisius University program page
- Canisius University program page
- Canisius University program website
- Program contact page
About the U.S. News rank
The U.S. News PA rank uses the 2025 PA edition, matched to the listed program and campus. It reflects peer-assessed reputation, not admissions odds or a personal fit score. Programs without a separate entry are labeled “Unranked.”
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