University of Southern California (LA) Physician Assistant Program
Alhambra, California · Masters
Tuition + fees $231,962
Full-program tuition and mandatory fees
A closer look
A 33-month Alhambra PA program with a 60-student class and fall 2027 matriculation; the exact start date is not published.
Mission & approach
The Primary Care Physician Assistant Program at USC is dedicated to the advancement of physician assistant education and emphasizes service to the medically underserved. The program is committed to preparing students from diverse backgrounds to positively transform the healthcare system. Students, graduates, faculty, and staff are committed to doing this through collaboration, inclusivity, innovation, integrity, excellence, and joy.
Check my fit with this school
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.
The quick check needs JavaScript.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic points-based: interview, mission fit (disadvantaged/veteran/humanitarian/underserved/community service), cumulative GPA, science GPA, patient-care experience, PA shadowing, related healthcare experience.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
Admission is rolling from September through March, and the program warns that later interview days may be cancelled once the cohort is full — so an early application matters. It also states that travel costs for in-person interviews are the candidate's responsibility, which is worth budgeting for.
Source checked Jul 26, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & 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.
Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.
- Full-year General/Human Biology or General/Human Biology plus approved additional Biology: General or Human Biology, first term + General or Human Biology, second term OR General or Human Biology, first term + Approved additional Biology OR Upper-division Biology for eligible science-AP applicants
- General Chemistry sequence or General Chemistry plus approved additional Chemistry with lab: General Chemistry with lab, first term + General Chemistry with lab, second term OR General Chemistry with lab, first term + Approved additional Chemistry with lab
- Separate Human Anatomy/Physiology or full-year combined A&P with labs: Human Anatomy with lab + Human Physiology OR Combined Human A&P sequence with labs
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| General or Human Biology, first term One semester. See the program's published rules for converting quarter-system credits. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| General or Human Biology, second term | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| Approved additional Biology One semester or two quarters: Cell/Molecular Biology, Genetics, Endocrinology, Pharmacology, Immunology, Histology, Embryology or Neuroscience. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Not specified | B- |
| Upper-division Biology for eligible science-AP applicants2 course(s) Science AP credit is not accepted on its own. If you have AP credit for Biology, you can take upper-division Biology instead: two semesters or three quarters, in courses for science majors. | 6Semester credits unless noted | Not specified | B- |
| General Chemistry with lab, first term | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| General Chemistry with lab, second term Full-year General Chemistry route ends beginning with the 2027–2028 application cycle. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| Approved additional Chemistry with lab One semester or two quarters: Organic, Quantitative Analysis, Inorganic, Biochemistry or Analytical Chemistry. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
Microbiology with labCourse notes & alternativesThree semester or four quarter units; introductory, general and medical microbiology accepted. | 3Semester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| Human Anatomy with lab | 3Semester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
| Human Physiology | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not specified | B- |
| Combined Human A&P sequence with labs2 course(s) Complete two semesters or three quarters. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Required | B- |
Beginning Spanish sequence2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesTwo semesters or three quarters. College placement credit or a CLEP score of at least 63 is accepted; no other language substitutes. | Not publishedSemester credits unless noted | Not required | B- |
| Statistics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B- |
| Introduction/General Psychology | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B- |
Medical TerminologyCourse notes & alternativesMinimum one semester/quarter unit or a certificate from a regionally accredited institution or vocational program. | 1Semester credits unless noted | Not required | B- |
Policies that can change your plan
- Future chemistry change
- General Chemistry-only route unavailable beginning with 2027–2028 application cycle.
- Conditional English requirement
- English Composition is additionally required for international applicants.
Science prerequisites expire ten years after completion, counted from the year you submit your application; non-science prerequisites do not expire. Science-major courses are required and in-person labs are preferred. Science AP credit is not accepted; a conditional replacement route using upper-division Biology requires program review. Ten-year exemptions may be granted individually for recent graduate science credits, advanced degrees, or continued scientific work, so never assume a waiver. Non-science AP may qualify when it is transcripted with a course equivalent and units. International applicants also need two semesters or three quarters of English Composition. Beginning with the 2027–2028 application cycle, General Chemistry alone no longer fulfills the chemistry sequence; an approved additional chemistry subject is required. Single-term prerequisites are three semester credits each; sequence credits are not stated.
When courses must be complete: Science prerequisites must be complete by the end of Fall before you matriculate. No more than two non-science prerequisites may be in progress the following Spring. All coursework must be complete before matriculation; the program also mentions June 30, so confirm the exact date.
Dates & application steps
The prior-cycle deadline of 2026-09-01 has passed; the next deadline is not published.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Full-program tuition and mandatory feesPublished nonresident full-program tuition
Full-program tuition is $221,361 (year 1 $75,386, year 2 $64,353, year 3 $17,269 summer + $26,660 fall + $37,693 spring). The program's mandatory fees (student health, program and transportation fees, equipment, laptop/iPad, software and insurance) add $10,601, for $231,962 in tuition and mandatory fees. The program's table also prints an unlabeled $232,242, which is $280 higher and not explained, so confirm the final amount with the program. Loan fees, books, housing, living and other expenses are separate.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic instruction
Basic sciences, clinical skills, primary care, cultural competence, medical Spanish and professional preparation.
Core and selective practice
Clinical training spans primary care and core specialties; advanced coursework, senior clinical rotations and summative evaluation conclude the program.
33-month Los Angeles/Alhambra MPAP curriculum focused on medically underserved populations. USC establishes sites and can assign rotations within 60 miles of its Alhambra campus.
The admitted class
Class of 2025
Published class statisticsAdmitted students at the University of Southern California (LA).
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 application-cycle interviewees | 3.50Average CASPA cumulative GPA of interviewees | 3.41Average CASPA science GPA of interviewees | 4,119Average clinical experience (paid and unpaid) |
| Class of 2025 | 3.42Average Cumulative GPA | Not recordedAverage science GPA: not published. | Not recordedPatient-care hours: not published. |
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: 81%
Latest class (2026): 81% passed the PANCE on the first try (46 of 57 takers). Earlier classes: 2025 83%, 2024 90%, 2023 92%, 2022 93%. The 5-year first-time average for 2022-2026 is 88% (257 of 293 takers), worked out from the program's report.
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 88%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- Program program page
- Program program page
- University of Southern California (LA) program page-qualified class profile
- University of Southern California (LA) curriculum/program program page
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- 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.”
How competitive are you for this program?
Match AI compares your full profile with this program and every other one, then sorts your list into Reach, Target and Safety.