Central Michigan University Physician Assistant Program
Mount Pleasant, Michigan · Masters
Tuition + fees $116,400
2026–2027 published degree-completion direct cost
A closer look
Program designed to meet the healthcare needs of residents in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan.
Mission & approach
Through The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions we strive to produce well-educated and highly trained physician assistants who provide evidence-based medical services within interdisciplinary primary care environments to include medically underserved and diverse populations.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic review favoring higher overall/science/prereq/last-60-credit GPAs. CMU students/alumni with 3.50+ overall GPA meeting all requirements are guaranteed an interview. 500+ PAID direct patient-care hours required and scored. Service/volunteering, personal statement, 3 LORs weighted. Articulation agreements reserve interview slots for NMU, LSSU, MTU students. (cmich.edu PA admission…
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
Candidates are invited to an on-campus interview based on a points total from the application, and spend the day meeting faculty, staff and current students. Interviews run August through October with rolling decisions made during the cycle.
Source checked Jul 26, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester-long courses; credit hours are not published.Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
Anatomy lecture and labCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example courses: BIO 337 or HSC 214. No minimum number of transferable credit hours is stated. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Required | Not specified |
Physiology lecture and labCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example courses: BIO 392 or HSC 302. No minimum number of transferable credit hours is stated. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Required | Not specified |
PathophysiologyCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example course: HSC 411. Check with the program about course review. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Not specified | Not specified |
MicrobiologyCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example courses: BIO 208 or BIO 320. A lab is optional; courses with or without a lab are accepted. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Not specified | Not specified |
BiochemistryCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example courses: CHM 421 or CHM 520. A lab is optional; courses with or without a lab are accepted. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Not specified | Not specified |
Developmental psychology, birth through old ageCourse notes & alternativesOne semester. Example course: PSY 220. It must cover the lifespan from birth through old age. Each prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA; no letter grade is specified. | Not publishedSemester-long courses; credit hours are not published. | Not specified | Not specified |
Policies that can change your plan
- Minimum GPA
- 3.0 cumulative overall GPA and a 3.0 minimum GPA for every prerequisite course.
- Course age
- Prerequisites must be completed within six years before you apply, unless you receive a waiver.
- Credit/no-credit
- Not accepted; knowledge-based tests do not meet prerequisites.
- Waiver
- You may request a waiver of the grade or six-year requirement with evidence of continuous relevant employment, or a B or higher in a more advanced course in the same subject taken within the last six years.
The example courses are CMU's own and are not a complete list of approved transfer credits. Every prerequisite course needs a 3.0 GPA, not a minimum letter grade. You can apply with up to two prerequisites still outstanding as long as you finish them by December 31 of the application year.
When courses must be complete: Up to two prerequisites may be outstanding at application, but must be completed by December 31 of application year. All prerequisites must be complete before matriculation. CASPA verified deadline September 1.
Dates & application steps
The September 1, 2026 deadline has passed. The next cycle's date is not yet published.
You may apply with up to two prerequisites still open, but they must be done by this date. For the 2026–2027 cycle.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–2027 published degree-completion direct costFor reference only; not yet confirmed for the next applicant cohort.
Tuition is $112,060 for the full program. Required student service and course fees add $4,340, for $116,400 in direct costs. Living costs are extra.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education and mentorship
Medical coursework and a four-month, one-day-per-week primary-care mentorship provide supervised early patient-care experience.
Clinical clerkships
Seven core and one elective five-week rotation, with campus-based end-of-rotation evaluations and summative coursework.
27-month, 130-credit program with a primary and rural care focus; students also complete 40 service-learning hours.
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: 88%
Class of 2026: 88% first-time pass rate. Earlier classes: 2025 81%, 2024 87%, 2023 95%, 2022 87%. The program's five-year average is 87.6%, shown here as 88%.
- 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.
- PA School Finder deadline record
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Central Michigan University program page
- CMU PA Prerequisite Course Equivalencies, Michigan course list
- Central Michigan University curriculum program page
- PA School Finder contact record
- CMU Admissions Policy, revised May 30, 2025
- Central Michigan University program page
- Central Michigan University cost program 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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