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Address & Contact

Our Address

Office of AdmissionPhysician Assistant Program3200 Grand AvenueDes Moines, IA 50312

GPS

41.584459991835, -93.662159613781

Telephone

(515) 271-1603

Email

[email protected]

Web

Email PA Program
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PROGRAM PROFILE

Des Moines University Physician Assistant Program

West Des Moines, Iowa · Masters

Continued accreditation ↓On Campus ↓26 months ↓
Save schoolCheck my fitSee where you're competitive — Match AIProgram website
Application deadline Mar 1, 2027Submit your application by this date
Tuition $110,460 (estimate)Same for residents and nonresidents
Tuition + fees $110,620
Estimated full-program tuition from published 2026–27 MSPAS schedule
Class size 65 students
Program length 26 monthsFull program
GRE requirement Not requiredApplicants may submit GRE scores, but they are optional.
Patient-care minimum 750 hoursAt least 750 hours of hands-on direct patient care in a medical office, hospital, or extended-care setting. If you haven't finished them, you may include a completion plan with your application. PA shadowing is required, but no minimum number of hours is published.
Overall GPA minimum 2.80A minimum cumulative GPA applies. The current PA catalog does not list a separate science GPA minimum.
Science GPA minimum No published minimumNo GPA cutoff stated in the published policy.
PANCE pass rate 98%First-time pass rateFive-year first-time: 98%
U.S. News PA rank #48 (tie)2025 PA edition · Peer-assessed reputation
THE PROGRAM

A closer look

A 26-month, on-campus PA program in West Des Moines, Iowa, with about 65 seats per class.

Mission & approach

To develop highly competent and compassionate physician assistants who are committed to patient-centered care.

Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences campus
Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences' current campus in West Des Moines.
YOUR PROFILE & THIS PROGRAM

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BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Admissions insights

What this program looks for in applicants

Interview-candidate selection based on academic potential, healthcare experience, letters of recommendation, and personal statement. Interview is competency-based: an asynchronous assessment plus a synchronous virtual group or in-person experience. Military patient-care experience (combat medic, etc.) is especially competitive. PA shadowing required and typically expected before applying. No…

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

Program admissions information
YOUR STARTING POINT

Admissions & prerequisites

Admission requirements

GRENot requiredApplicants may submit GRE scores, but they are optional.
Patient care750 hoursAt least 750 hours of hands-on direct patient care in a medical office, hospital, or extended-care setting. If you haven't finished them, you may include a completion plan with your application. PA shadowing is required, but no minimum number of hours is published.
Overall GPA2.8A minimum cumulative GPA applies. The current PA catalog does not list a separate science GPA minimum.
Science GPANo published minimumA 3.4 science GPA guarantees an interview through a partnership, but it is not a general minimum for applicants.
Recommendations2 letters requiredTwo CASPA letters are required. The admissions page does not specify who must write them.
International applicantsConfirm with programThe current PA catalog requires a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited school, but it does not publish a clear citizenship or visa rule.
English proficiencyConfirm with programNo PA-specific TOEFL or IELTS requirement or score is published — check with the program.

Prerequisite coursework

Semester hours by subject

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.

  • Statistics option: Statistics OR Biostatistics
CourseCreditsLabMin grade
Human Anatomy1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 16 biology semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Physiology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 16 biology semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Microbiology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 16 biology semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Genetics1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 16 biology semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Inorganic Chemistry1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 15 chemistry semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Organic Chemistry1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 15 chemistry semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Biochemistry1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One semester, with a lab if one is offered. It counts toward the 15 chemistry semester hours; no minimum credits for this individual course are published.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Psychology course other than Abnormal Psychology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

At least six psychology semester hours in total, including Abnormal Psychology. The other course and the credits for each individual course are not specified.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Abnormal Psychology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

Required within six psychology semester hours total.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Statistics1 course(s)

One course; Biostatistics is an accepted alternative.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Biostatistics1 course(s)

Alternative to Statistics; one course.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC
Medical Terminology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One course.

Not publishedSemester hours by subjectNot specifiedC

Policies that can change your plan

Course credits
16 biology hours, including Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, and Genetics; 15 chemistry hours, including Inorganic, Organic, and Biochemistry; 6 psychology hours, including Abnormal Psychology; one Statistics or Biostatistics course; and one Medical Terminology course.
Labs and recency
Biology and chemistry labs required when available. Completion within five years is highly recommended, not required.
Application eligibility
Bachelor’s degree and prerequisites from regionally accredited U.S. institutions. No separate science GPA minimum is published.
International and English policy
The program does not publish a clear citizenship or visa exclusion or a TOEFL score. U.S. degree and transcript requirements apply. Confirm your eligibility and English-test rules with Admissions.
Total credit requirements
16 biology, 15 chemistry, and 6 psychology semester hours. Credits for each individual course are not specified.
Labs
Required for biology and chemistry courses when a lab is available; the program reviews transcripts to confirm availability.
Recency
Biology/chemistry within five years is highly recommended, not a hard expiration.
Credit and grade
C or better; regionally accredited U.S. institution; AP, CLEP and pass/fail not accepted except potential COVID pass/fail special consideration.
Current PA prerequisite requirements Checked 2026-09-24
BUILD YOUR TIMELINE

Dates & application steps

Application deadlineMar 1, 2027

Applications must be submitted by the deadline.

2026–2027
THE FINANCIAL PICTURE

Know what the total includes

Projected cost estimate

Estimated full-program tuition from published 2026–27 MSPAS schedule
Resident tuition$110,460 projected full-program tuition
Nonresident tuition$110,460 projected full-program tuition

$110,460 documented program schedule · Current published schedule; future rates can change. Excludes listed fees and living costs.

Required program fees$160
Projected tuition + required feesCurrent-rate estimate; living and other expenses excluded
$110,620

DMU's 2026–27 MSPAS schedule lists tuition of $55,230 for year one, $44,184 for year two, and $11,046 for year three, for a total of $110,460. DMU calls this an estimate and warns that rates can change. First-year AAPA, IPAS, and background-check fees add $160. Insurance, living costs, books, and transportation are additional.

See additional expenses & assumptions
Year-one tuition$55,230
Year-two tuition$44,184
Year-three tuition$11,046
Program tuition at published schedule$110,460
Listed AAPA, IPAS and background fees$160

Confirm insurance, deposit treatment, and personal expense assumptions with the program.

HOW YOU’LL LEARN

Curriculum & clinical training

0114 months

Didactic study

Basic and clinical sciences, reasoning, pharmacotherapeutics, ethics, health systems, and wellness are supported by simulation and interprofessional learning.

0212 months

Clinical coursework

Clinical training includes 44 weeks of supervised experiences and a capstone project that may address community outreach or local care needs.

The MSPAS program lasts 26 months. A complete list of specialty rotations is not published — check with the program.

Des Moines University curriculum Checked 2026-09-26
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: 98%
  • Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 98%

Accreditation history

Continued
First accreditedApril 1983
Next reviewOctober 2035
ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory Checked 2026-09-26
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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