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Estimated at 2026-27 rates; confirm current cohort
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A closer look
Mission & approach
The Center for Physician Assistant Studies, in support of Albany Medical Center’s mission as an academic health sciences center, has a responsibility to educate Physician Assistant students from demographically diverse backgrounds to meet the future primary and specialty health care needs of the region and the country by providing highly skilled, cost-effective, patient-centered care in a variety of settings. This mission will be advanced through commitment to the values of Quality and Excellence, Collaboration, Confidentiality, Respect and Compassion, Integrity, Responsibility, Diversity, and Community Service.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic multi-stage: CASPA prescreen scoring (academics, PCE hrs, socioeconomic, military), 2-faculty holistic review, committee review, 2-faculty interview + 3 essays, final committee decision. Mission fit emphasized. No GPA minimum, no standardized test; requires bachelor's, >=1,000 DPC hrs, 3 LORs. Interviewed avg ~3.90 GPA, ~2,100 PCE hrs.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
How this program interviews
Albany Medical College's admissions page states interview candidates are interviewed by two faculty members together as part of Step 4 of the screening process, then reviewed a second time by the Admissions Committee; the page does not state whether these interviews are on campus, virtual, or both.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits.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.
- Advanced Chemistry: Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
- Anatomy and Physiology: Anatomy with lab + Physiology with lab OR Combined Anatomy and Physiology with labs
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
General Chemistry with lab2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesTwo semesters or two quarters, with corresponding labs. Most courses do not expire; a Chemistry lecture of at least 3 credits must be within 5 years. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
| Organic Chemistry1 course(s) One semester/quarter OR Biochemistry; no lab required. Follow five-year recent Chemistry lecture rule; any Chemistry lecture of at least 3 credits may satisfy it. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Not required | C |
| Biochemistry1 course(s) Alternative to Organic Chemistry (one semester/quarter); no lab required. Follow five-year recent Chemistry lecture rule. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Not required | C |
General Biology with lab2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesTwo semesters or two quarters with corresponding labs. Most prerequisites do not expire; one life-science Biology lecture of at least 3 credits must be within 5 years. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
| Anatomy with lab1 course(s) One term within the two-term Anatomy and Physiology requirement; may instead use two-term combined A&P with labs. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
| Physiology with lab1 course(s) One term within the two-term Anatomy and Physiology requirement; may instead use two-term combined A&P with labs. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
| Combined Anatomy and Physiology with labs2 course(s) Two semesters or quarters; alternative to separate Anatomy and Physiology terms. Corresponding labs required. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
Microbiology or Bacteriology with lab1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne semester or quarter with corresponding lab. A recent 3-credit Microbiology lecture can satisfy the life-science recency rule. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Required | C |
Statistics1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne semester or quarter. Calculus, Algebra, and Physics are not accepted replacements. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Not specified | C |
Psychology1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne semester or quarter of any Psychology course. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Not specified | C |
English Composition or writing-intensive course1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOne semester or quarter of a writing-intensive course. | Not publishedSemester or quarter credits. Minimum credits are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be at least 3 credits. | Not specified | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Recency
- At least one Chemistry lecture (3+ credits) and one life-science Biology lecture (3+ credits) within 5 years; most other prerequisites have no expiration.
- GPA
- No overall or science GPA minimum is published.
- Course units
- Both semester and quarter credits are described. Transferable credit minimums are not published, except that recent lecture courses must be 3 credits.
Online classes and labs are accepted at regionally accredited schools; in-person labs are preferred. AP and CLEP may satisfy only eligible listed prerequisites. All required courses must be complete before October 1.
When courses must be complete: Rolling admissions from May 1 to October 1. Your verified CASPA application and all prerequisites and degree requirements must be complete by October 1. Entry is in January.
Dates & application steps
Your application must be verified by the deadline.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Estimated at 2026-27 rates; confirm current cohortTuition usually rises each year; confirm rates for your entering cohort
Albany's financial aid guide lists tuition of $74,998 for the cohort starting in spring (January) 2027: seven semesters at $10,714, using 2026-27 rates. The school expects tuition to rise each year, so plan for a higher final amount. The only extra charge in that budget table is a $375 student health fee over the program. The program runs 28 months. Tuition is the same for residents and nonresidents because the school is private. The school's budget for the full program, including living and other expenses, is $156,985; that is not tuition.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic phase
Basic medical science, behavioral science, health policy, clinical preparation and research methods precede rotations.
Clinical phase
Rotations cover medicine, emergency care, family practice/geriatrics, women’s health, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, orthopedics, community practice and electives.
The program is 28 consecutive months. Clinical schedules vary, and students complete portfolio work and competency examinations.
The admitted class
Class of 2028
Published class statisticsStatistics for the class listed above.
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2028 | 3.90 | 3.88 | Not recorded |
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: 95%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 93%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- PA School Finder deadline record
- Albany Medical College program page
- Albany Medical College curriculum and clinical training
- 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.”
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