Point Loma Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program
San Diego, California · Masters
Fees not published
The full-program cost for the Fall 2027 entering cohort is not published; check with the program.
A closer look
To produce competent, professional clinicians who practice evidence-based medicine, demonstrate cultural sensitivity, and have the opportunity to manifest their faith through service to the community.
Mission & approach
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Check three basics
Enter any GPA or patient care hours you know. We’ll compare them with this school’s published numbers. This is a starting point, not an eligibility decision.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Weighted rubric: Prior academic performance 45%; prior health care experience 22%; volunteer & service activities 22%; miscellaneous (references, CASPA narrative) 11%. Additional consideration for PLNU graduates and grant-funded scholarship/pipeline program participants.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
Point Loma holds interviews in the fall and winter and does not commit to one delivery mode, conducting sessions either virtually or in person depending on circumstances, and the specific interview format is not published.
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.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
Anatomy and physiology I and II2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesEach combined A&P course must be 3 semester or 4 quarter credits. Separate anatomy and physiology courses are accepted if they total 6 semester or 8 quarter credits; confirm equivalency with the program. | 6Semester credits | Preferred | C |
MicrobiologyCourse notes & alternatives4 quarter credits also accepted. | 3Semester credits | Not specified | C |
General chemistryCourse notes & alternatives8 quarter credits also accepted. | 6Semester credits | Required | C |
Organic chemistryCourse notes & alternatives4 quarter credits also accepted. | 3Semester credits | Required | C |
BiochemistryCourse notes & alternatives4 quarter credits also accepted. | 3Semester credits | Not specified | C |
StatisticsCourse notes & alternatives4 quarter credits also accepted. | 3Semester credits | Not specified | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Minimum grade
- C
- Course age
- C or higher. Prerequisites do not expire.
- AP and CLEP credit are treated the same way.
- No. AP and credit-by-exam do not meet any prerequisite.
- Course delivery
- Online, hybrid and in-person courses accepted.
- Quarter-credit equivalents.
- Use the quarter-credit amounts listed in each course note, and confirm equivalencies before enrolling.
Review the notes and alternative routes before choosing classes. Having completed a course does not guarantee it will be accepted as equivalent.
When courses must be complete: Complete all prerequisites before submitting your application; no outstanding prerequisites are accepted.
Dates & application steps
CASPA and Point Loma Nazarene University supplemental deadline.
Program materials give conflicting start months: September in one place and August in another. The exact start day is not published.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
The full-program cost for the Fall 2027 entering cohort is not published; check with the program.The university's current cost table lists $143,582 for the Class of 2028, not for the Class of 2029 entering in Fall 2027. A full cost schedule for your cohort has not been published.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
Face-to-face classroom and skills instruction takes place at Balboa Regional Center, with directed clinical experiences and a dedicated service month.
Clinical education
Supervised training uses a Southern California clinical network, with a dedicated clinical-year service month.
The San Diego program spans 28 months and 117 units. Clinical schedules may extend beyond normal classroom hours.
The admitted class
Class of 2027
Published class statisticsThese are the published Class of 2027 averages, not minimums and not requirements for the Fall 2027 entering cohort.
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2027 | 3.79 | 3.80 | 4,666 |
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: 100%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 97%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- Point Loma Nazarene University program page 4
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Point Loma Nazarene University curriculum and clinical training
- Point Loma Nazarene University cohort profile
- Point Loma Nazarene University program page 3
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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