Thomas Jefferson University, Center City Campus Physician Assistant Program
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Physician Assistant program
Tuition + fees $124,703
2026–2027 full-program estimate
A closer look
A 25-month Philadelphia PA program on Jefferson’s Center City campus with direct patient-care preparation and extensive urban clinical training.
Mission & approach
The mission of the Jefferson Physician Assistant Program (Center City) is to educate and graduate kind, competent and diverse primary care clinicians that are dedicated to lifelong learning and service.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic: CASPA cum & science GPA, age of coursework, amount/type of DPC (min 200 hrs required at application), LORs, personal statement. Min 3.25 prereq GPA; 3.4 more competitive. Shadowing recommended (doesn't count toward PCE). Up to 2 prereqs in progress. No GRE/MCAT.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions information2026 PAEA Virtual Admissions Fair
The program teaches on a systems-based model rather than problem-based learning: anatomy is organized by body system and region, and where possible other courses line up with it, so you study cardiovascular medications while you are learning the cardiovascular system. Its patient-care guidance was the most practically detailed of the fair. Pharmacy technician work does not get one blanket answer - the portion spent counseling patients and giving vaccinations is read as direct patient care, while clerical and administrative pharmacy hours belong under health-related experience. All patient-care roles are treated similarly in principle, but roles carrying more clinical responsibility and more patient contact are preferred over roles with limited contact. For students still early in college, the suggested path was to start with hospital or retirement-home volunteering and then move up into a certified, higher-responsibility role. On coursework, where a fundamentals-level chemistry course and a full organic chemistry sequence are both options, the program recommends the full sequence. Canadian applicants were told the process is essentially the same as it is for American applicants. The Center City program is taught fully on campus; the university's dual-degree pathway begins with a fully online doctoral year before joining it.
Shared at the fair on Aug 22, 2026; paraphrased program-level notes. This is a past event, not an upcoming session. Confirm current guidance with the program.
About these fair notes
PAEA Virtual PA Admissions Fair (CareerEco), August 22 2026 - program-level, paraphrased; qualitative only
Admissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester credits unless notedReview each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy or A&P I with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
| Human Physiology or A&P II with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
Biology I with labCourse notes & alternativesAn approved upper-level Biology course with lab may substitute. | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
Biology II with labCourse notes & alternativesAn approved upper-level Biology course with lab may substitute. | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
| Microbiology with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
Chemistry I with labCourse notes & alternativesApproved upper-level Chemistry with lab may substitute. | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
Chemistry II with labCourse notes & alternativesApproved upper-level Chemistry with lab may substitute. | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | B |
| Statistics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B |
| Psychology | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B |
| English or writing-intensive course | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B |
| Medical Terminology | 1Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B |
Policies that can change your plan
B- does not qualify. Science courses must be completed within seven years; in-person labs are strongly preferred. No science AP credit is accepted; non-science AP on a transcript may qualify. Pass/fail grades are accepted for the COVID period (Spring 2020 through 2022). Admission and visa rules differ by campus, including New Jersey, so confirm the rules for Center City. Having taken coursework does not establish international eligibility.
When courses must be complete: At least five of the seven science courses must be complete when you apply; all prerequisites must be complete before the program starts.
Dates & application steps
CASPA verified deadline; confirm the current cycle in CASPA.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–2027 full-program estimatePublished nonresident full-program tuition
Full-program tuition and required fees. Living, travel, insurance, and personal expenses may be additional.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
Classroom study builds medical knowledge and patient-assessment skills.
Clinical education
Eight five-week rotations and continuing coursework include seven core disciplines and an elective.
The Center City curriculum is 27 months and 103.5 credits. Program-assigned clinical sites are across the United States; relocation may be required.
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: 95%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 98%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- CASPA program listing
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Thomas Jefferson University, Center City Campus PA coursework requirements
- Thomas Jefferson University, Center City Campus curriculum and clinical training
- Program program page
- Program program 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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