Address & Contact

Our Address

University of Washington-Medex Northwest-Seattle 4311 11th Avenue NE, Suite 200 Seattle, Washington 98105

GPS

47.660389, -122.316849

Telephone
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PROGRAM PROFILE

University of Washington (Seattle) Physician Assistant Program

Seattle, Washington · Masters

Application deadline Oct 1, 2026Passed · Must be CASPA-verified by this date — submit weeks earlier
Tuition $92,338 (estimate)Same for residents and nonresidents
Tuition + fees $96,098
Summer 2027 planning tuition plus mandatory University of Washington (UW) fees
Class size 52 studentsExpected class size for the cohort starting June 2027.
Program length 27 monthsFull program
GRE requirement Not requiredScores may be submitted for tracking only; MEDEX does not consider them for the 2026–27 application cycle.
Patient-care minimum 2,000 paid hoursComplete 2,000 hours of paid, recent, direct hands-on clinical patient care by the application deadline. Volunteer work does not count except volunteer-only paramedic or EMT service; student training and shadowing do not count.
Overall GPA minimum 3.00Minimum overall GPA is 3.00; 3.20 is recommended. The separate combined prerequisite GPA minimum is 3.20.
Science GPA minimum No separate cutoffMEDEX does not publish a separate science GPA minimum; it requires a 3.20 combined prerequisite GPA.
PANCE pass rate 82%First-time pass rateFive-year first-time: 77%
U.S. News PA rank #58 (tie)2025 PA edition · Peer-assessed reputation
THE PROGRAM

A closer look

MEDEX Northwest is a regional program that educates physician assistants in a proven tradition of excellence. MEDEX Northwest, the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, is committed to educating experienced health personnel from diverse backgrounds to practice medicine with physician supervision. The program provides a broad, competency-based curriculum that focuses on primary care with an emphasis on underserved populations. MEDEX encourages life-long learning to meet ever-changing healthcare needs. As a pioneer in PA education, MEDEX continues to be innovative in identifying, creating, and filling new niches for PAs as a strategy for expanding healthcare access.

Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center exterior, UW Seattle MEDEX classroom site
Photo: Joshuadfranklin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0; resized and compressed.
YOUR PROFILE & THIS PROGRAM

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BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Admissions insights

What this program looks for in applicants

MEDEX mission emphasizes training experienced healthcare providers to serve primary care and underserved/medically underserved communities across the Pacific Northwest (WA, AK, plus Spokane/Tacoma/Kona campuses). Historically values substantial prior hands-on patient care experience (high PCE expectation). NOTE: program has voluntarily paused matriculating a new student cohort for the 2026-2027…

Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.

How this program interviews

On-campusMMI

MEDEX interviews are in person only, October through January. The day combines an admissions overview, a Q&A panel, interactive activities and multiple mini-interviews. The program says it is looking at character, communication, professionalism, readiness for the profession and adaptability — and asks applicants to treat the whole day, including informal moments, as part of the interview.

Source checked Jul 25, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.

Program interview information
YOUR STARTING POINT

Admissions & prerequisites

Admission requirements

GRENot requiredScores may be submitted for tracking only; MEDEX does not consider them for the 2026–27 application cycle.
Patient care2,000 paid hoursComplete 2,000 hours of paid, recent, direct hands-on clinical patient care by the application deadline. Volunteer work does not count except volunteer-only paramedic or EMT service; student training and shadowing do not count.
Overall GPA3.00Minimum overall GPA is 3.00; 3.20 is recommended. The separate combined prerequisite GPA minimum is 3.20.
Science GPANo separate cutoffMEDEX does not publish a separate science GPA minimum; it requires a 3.20 combined prerequisite GPA.
RecommendationsThe FAQ page says MEDEX requires three references; the Applicants page calls three the recommended minimum. Plan on three and confirm with the program.MEDEX gives conflicting guidance: one page says three references are required, while another calls three the recommended minimum. CASPA allows up to five. Supervising clinicians are preferred, including a physician and a PA.
International applicantsConditional · no visa sponsorshipInternational medical graduates may apply and foreign coursework requires a course-by-course U.S. equivalency evaluation, but MEDEX does not sponsor student visas.
English proficiencyConditionalApplicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency. The TOEFL route requires 4.5 on the new scale or 92 on the legacy scale, submitted to CASPA by the deadline; University of Washington (UW) policy may provide other pathways.

Prerequisite coursework

College courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.

Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.

Choose one complete option in each group

Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.

  • A&P course sequence: Human A&P I and II sequence OR Human Anatomy + Human Physiology
  • Chemistry choice: Biochemistry OR Organic Chemistry
CourseCreditsLabMin grade
Human Anatomy1 course(s)

Can be taken as separate Anatomy and Physiology courses or as A&P I/II. Labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm your cycle before choosing courses. No fixed credit minimum.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.Not requiredNot specified
Human Physiology1 course(s)

Can be taken as separate Anatomy and Physiology courses or as A&P I/II. Labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm your cycle before choosing courses. No fixed credit minimum.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.Not requiredNot specified
Human A&P I and II sequence2 course(s)

Two courses covering the full sequence as the institution offers it. Lecture and lab may be separate or combined. A&P labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm your cycle before choosing courses.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.Not requiredNot specified
Biochemistry1 course(s)

One of Biochemistry OR Organic Chemistry. Lab recommended, not required for 2026–2027 cycle. No numeric credit minimum.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.PreferredNot specified
Organic Chemistry1 course(s)

Alternative to Biochemistry; one course only. Lab recommended, not required for 2026–2027 cycle. No numeric credit minimum.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.PreferredNot specified
Microbiology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One course. Lab recommended, not required for 2026–2027 cycle. No numeric credit minimum.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.PreferredNot specified
Statistics or Biostatistics1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One course; no numeric credit minimum. Must cover probability, descriptive methods, sampling, inference, data interpretation, hypothesis testing and regression.

Not publishedCollege courses; credit amounts vary by institution and no numeric minimums are specified.Not requiredNot specified

Policies that can change your plan

Minimum GPA
Combined prerequisite GPA minimum 3.2; overall GPA minimum 3.0 (3.2 recommended). No separate science GPA minimum.
Course age
All listed courses within 7 years of application.
Labs by cycle
A&P labs are waived for 2026–2027 but required for 2027–2028. Microbiology and chemistry labs are recommended, not required.
Course alternatives
A&P I + II or separate Anatomy + Physiology; Biochemistry OR Organic Chemistry; Statistics OR Biostatistics.
Completion
All prerequisites complete by application deadline; current cycle deadline Oct 1, 2026.

Courses must be standalone college courses at a regionally accredited institution; AP/IB not accepted. Numeric credit minimums and individual course-grade cutoffs are not published. Seattle and Kona share MEDEX-wide admissions requirements.

When courses must be complete: Complete all listed prerequisite courses by October 1, 2026 application deadline.

BUILD YOUR TIMELINE

Dates & application steps

Application deadlineOct 1, 2026 · Passed

Confirm with the program what CASPA processing status is required.

2026–2027
Program startsJune 2027

Start month; confirm the exact orientation date with the campus.

THE FINANCIAL PICTURE

Know what the total includes

Published cost estimate

Summer 2027 planning tuition plus mandatory University of Washington (UW) fees
Resident tuition$92,338 projected full-program tuition
Nonresident tuition$92,338 projected full-program tuition

Cohort tuition increase anticipated; final rate not set

Required program feesConfirm with program
Tuition + required feesExcludes living and other expenses
$96,098

For the Summer 2027 class, MEDEX lists tuition of $92,338 (9 quarters; an increase is anticipated). Mandatory UW student fees add $3,760, for $96,098 total. Tuition is the same at all sites. Living costs are extra.

HOW YOU’LL LEARN

Curriculum & clinical training

01Approximately 1 year

Didactic preparation

Organ-system instruction integrates basic sciences, clinical skills, pathophysiology, primary care and clinical reasoning.

02Clinical phase

Rotations and advanced preparation

Ten clinical rotations across WWAMI and Hawaii, with certification preparation and final-quarter summative evaluation.

The Seattle MEDEX program is 27 months and 162 credits, including an extra quarter for advanced clinical and leadership preparation. Expect clinical travel.

WHO STUDIES HERE

The admitted class

Recorded average GPANot recorded
Recorded science GPANot recorded

Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.

OUTCOMES & OVERSIGHT

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: 82%
  • Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 77%

Accreditation history

Probation
First accreditedNot listed — see ARC-PA
Next reviewOctober 2028
CHECK THE EVIDENCE

Sources you can open

Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.

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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