Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Physician Assistant Program
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania · Masters
A closer look
M.H.S. program centered on primary care for medically underserved communities, with every student completing at least one clinical rotation in a rural or underserved area.
Mission & approach
The mission of the MHS program is to educate and train highly-skilled Physician Assistants who: are capable of providing quality health care, have expertise in the health care needs of the medically underserved, are prepared to critically evaluate, and become leaders in bringing, about improvement in the medical and social systems that affect the health of underserved populations, seek and retain employment as primary care Physician Assistants in medically underserved areas of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic review (faculty-read). Mission: primary care in medically underserved PA; goal >=50% PA residents/class (actual 65-83%). Min 3.0 cum & sci GPA, prereqs B+. Values: PA residency, HPSA/MUA exposure, service, HCE (rec >=400 DPC + 40 PA hrs, not required), mission-aligned research. 3 LORs (PA preferred).
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Credit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum).Review 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.
- Anatomy and Physiology pathway: Human Anatomy + Human Physiology OR Anatomy & Physiology I and II sequence
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
General Chemistry courses (2)2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesTwo courses; science labs are preferred, but labs are not explicitly stated as required. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
Organic Chemistry1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne course; minimum 3 credits. Science labs are preferred, but lab is not explicitly required. | 3Credit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
Biology or Zoology courses2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesTwo courses; examples include cell biology, general/principles of biology, molecular biology, ecology, zoology, and biodiversity. Labs are preferred, not stated as mandatory. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
| Human Anatomy1 course(s) One course; within 5 years of matriculation. May instead use a complete two-semester A&P I+II sequence. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
| Human Physiology1 course(s) One course; within 5 years of matriculation. May instead use a complete two-semester A&P I+II sequence. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
| Anatomy & Physiology I and II sequence2 course(s) Two-semester alternative to separate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology; science labs preferred. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
Human Genetics1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne course; science labs preferred, not stated as required. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
Microbiology1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne course; within 5 years of matriculation. Science labs preferred, not stated as mandatory. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Preferred | B |
StatisticsCourse notes & alternativesOne course; credit minimum not published. | Not publishedCredit minimums are not published, except Organic Chemistry (3 credits minimum). | Not specified | B |
Policies that can change your plan
- Grade
- B or better; B- does not meet threshold.
- Course recency
- Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology within 5 years of matriculation; no time limit for other prerequisites.
- Labs
- Science-course labs are preferred, not expressly mandatory.
- Cycle
- Application deadline November 1; submit sufficiently early for CASPA verification.
Overall and science GPA minimums are 3.0. Up to three prerequisites may be outstanding for interview consideration; all must be completed before matriculation. Application deadline November 1. Patient-care hours are not required; program recommends 400 direct patient-contact hours and 40 hours observing/working with a PA. TOEFL 90 overall (20 each section) or IELTS 7.0 overall (6.0 each) is required if all prior degrees were completed where English is not the primary language.
When courses must be complete: All requirements completed before matriculation; application deadline November 1.
Dates & application steps
Your application must be verified by the deadline.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Confirm current cohortConfirm rates for your entering cohort
Total tuition to completion: $52,636 (tuition only) for the 24-month program with a May start, at 2026–2027 rates. In-state tuition is $557 per credit × 94.5 credits = $52,636.50; out-of-state is $836 × 94.5 = $79,002.00. Per-credit figures come from the university’s Graduate Tuition and Fees page.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic study
Classroom and laboratory instruction follows a modular, systems-based curriculum focused on primary care.
Clinical education
Five-week rotation blocks include core specialties, combined pediatric and women’s health experiences, and two electives.
The 24-month program comprises 51.5 didactic and 43 clinical credits (94.5 total). Current application locations are Lock Haven and Harrisburg; the final Clearfield cohort entered in May 2025 and that location closes in May 2027.
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: 92%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 92%
Accreditation history
ProbationSources 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
- PA School Finder contact record
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania curriculum
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania program page
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania program page
- 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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