University of Washington-Medex Northwest-Tacoma Physician Assistant Program
Tacoma, Washington · Masters
Tuition + fees $96,098
Summer 2027 planning tuition plus mandatory University of Washington (UW) fees
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.
Mission & approach
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
CRITICAL ADMISSIONS STATUS: MEDEX Northwest elected a VOLUNTARY MATRICULATION PAUSE for 2026-2027 across ALL FIVE campuses (no MEDEX Class of 2028), to focus on accreditation and quality. The pause is stated at the program level with no campus carve-out. Admissions reopen for 2027-2028: applications accepted May 1 - Oct 1, 2026 via CASPA under University of Washington; applicants choose two…
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
MEDEX Northwest interview days include an admissions overview, a Q&A panel, interactive activities, and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) that assess character, communication skills, professionalism, and adaptability. Interviews are conducted in-person and run from October through January under a rolling admissions process, with invitations and results sent by email.
Source checked Aug 7, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Institution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not publishedReview 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.
- Human A&P route: Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II OR Human Anatomy (separate-course route) + Human Physiology (separate-course route)
- Chemistry route: Biochemistry OR Organic Chemistry
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II2 course(s) Two-course human A&P sequence OR separate Human Anatomy and Physiology; the full institution-awarded sequence is accepted, with no fixed minimum credits. Survey courses do not qualify. A&P labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm the cycle before choosing courses. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Not required | Not specified |
| Human Anatomy (separate-course route)1 course(s) One course paired with Human Physiology, as an alternative to the two-course A&P sequence. No fixed credit minimum. A&P labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm the cycle before choosing courses. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Not required | Not specified |
| Human Physiology (separate-course route)1 course(s) One course paired with Human Anatomy, as an alternative to the two-course A&P sequence. No fixed credit minimum. A&P labs are waived for 2026–2027 applicants and required for 2027–2028 applicants; confirm the cycle before choosing courses. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Not required | Not specified |
| Biochemistry1 course(s) One course OR Organic Chemistry. Foundational chemistry related to living systems; survey courses excluded. Lab highly recommended, not required. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Preferred | Not specified |
| Organic Chemistry1 course(s) One course OR Biochemistry. Foundational chemistry related to living systems; survey courses excluded. Lab highly recommended, not required. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Preferred | Not specified |
Microbiology1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne course covering microbial structure/function and health/disease; survey courses excluded. Lab highly recommended, not required. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Preferred | Not specified |
Statistics or Biostatistics1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne non-survey course covering probability, descriptive methods, sampling, inference, data interpretation, hypothesis testing, and regression. | Not publishedInstitution-awarded semester credits; minimum credits are not published | Not required | Not specified |
Policies that can change your plan
- Which campus this covers
- This is the Tacoma campus. The common MEDEX CASPA and academic prerequisites apply to all five campuses.
- A&P lab timing
- Labs waived for 2026–2027 application cycle; required for 2027–2028.
- Prerequisite GPA
- 3.2 combined prerequisite GPA minimum; no separate science GPA cutoff.
- Course recency
- All prerequisite courses within seven years of application.
- Recommended only
- Genetics, social science, Medical Terminology, chemistry lab, and microbiology lab are recommended, not required.
- Degree name
- The degree is a Master of Clinical Health Services (MCHS), not an MPAS.
Prerequisite rules are shared across MEDEX campuses under one CASPA application. You select two campus preferences; Tacoma is a campus choice, not a separate admissions track. All prerequisites must be within seven years and complete by the application deadline. Minimum combined prerequisite GPA is 3.2; overall GPA is 3.0 (3.2 recommended); no individual course grade minimum is stated. No AP/IB. For the 2026–2027 cycle, labs are waived and CASPA applications are due October 1, 2026; labs are required for 2027–2028. Genetics, social science, Medical Terminology, and Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry and Microbiology labs are recommended only.
When courses must be complete: Complete all academic prerequisites by the current application deadline; MEDEX 2026–2027 CASPA deadline is October 1, 2026, for June 2027 matriculation.
Dates & application steps
Confirm with the program what CASPA processing status is required.
Start month; confirm the exact orientation date with the campus.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Summer 2027 planning tuition plus mandatory University of Washington (UW) feesCohort tuition increase anticipated; final rate not set
Tuition is $92,338 for the Summer 2027 class (an increase is anticipated, so this is a planning figure). Required UW student fees add $3,760, for $96,098 total. Books, equipment, travel and living costs are extra.
Curriculum & clinical training
Medical and clinical foundations
Basic and clinical sciences, physical examination, diagnostic reasoning and patient-care skills.
Supervised rotations
Ten rotations across the WWAMI region and Hawaiʻi; travel may be required.
Advanced professional development
Advanced skills and leadership coursework completes the master’s curriculum.
27-month, 162-credit MEDEX curriculum shared across campuses: a classroom year, a clinical year and an additional quarter.
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: 57%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 74%
Accreditation history
ProbationSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- MEDEX 2026–2027 application cycle
- MEDEX Applicants
- MEDEX Academic Prerequisites
- MEDEX Clinical Experience Prerequisites
- MEDEX admissions FAQ
- MEDEX Tacoma location
- University of Washington-Medex Northwest-Tacoma campus page
- University of Washington-Medex Northwest-Tacoma curriculum/program program page
- MEDEX Northwest 2027–2029 estimated program expenses
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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