Marshall B. Ketchum University Physician Assistant Program
Fullerton, California · Masters
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A closer look
Mission & approach
Service-focused program; mission includes graduating PAs to serve underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Highly competitive; meeting minimums does not guarantee an interview. Preferred PCE types: military medic/corpsman, MA, CNA, EMT/paramedic, PT aide, RN, COPE Health Scholar, medical scribe. Extra consideration for military veterans, community-service volunteers serving underserved/disadvantaged groups, and Pre-Health Linkage Program students (CSULB, CSUF, CSULA, Charles R. Drew EDGE-PA). No advanced placement or transfer credit.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions information2026 PAEA Virtual Admissions Fair
Interview day is held in person on campus and is a full day: a writing sample, an individual interview, a group interview, a campus tour, Q&A with current students, lunch and a program overview. The team framed the day less as an interrogation and more as their chance to understand who you are and why you want to be a PA. Service is built into the program — students complete a required clinical rotation in an underserved community, alongside recurring service opportunities. Faculty are practicing clinicians who bring current cases back into the classroom, and support includes an assigned faculty mentor, an upperclassman mentor, and access to an on-site psychologist.
Shared at the fair on Jul 11, 2026; paraphrased program-level notes. This is a past event, not an upcoming session. Confirm current guidance with the program.
About these fair notes
PAEA Virtual PA Admissions Fair (CareerEco), July 11 2026 - program-level, paraphrased; qualitative only
How this program interviews
Interviews are held only in person on campus with no phone or video option, typically October to December; applicants meet an interviewing team of SPAS faculty, practising PAs and university administrators.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained.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.
- Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry: Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
MicrobiologyCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units; C or above or Pass; lab required. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Required | C |
Human AnatomyCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units; lab required; must be taken within the last 7 years. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Required | C |
Human PhysiologyCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units; lab required; must be taken within the last 7 years. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Required | C |
Other Biological ScienceCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units. No specific subject, lab, or age requirement. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
GeneticsCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units. Lab not specified. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
| Biochemistry Alternative: Organic Chemistry. At least 3 semester or quarter credit units. Lab not specified. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
| Organic Chemistry Alternative to Biochemistry. At least 3 semester or quarter credit units. Lab not specified. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
StatisticsCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units; AP Statistics is accepted. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
General PsychologyCourse notes & alternativesAt least 3 semester or quarter credit units; AP Psychology is accepted. | 3At least 3 semester or quarter credit units per course. How quarter credits convert is not explained. | Not specified | C |
Policies that can change your plan
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You may submit CASPA with up to two prerequisites in progress, but all requirements must be completed by the end of fall before you matriculate. AP Psychology and AP Statistics are accepted. Online lectures and virtual or take-home labs are accepted. The program's wording of "three semester or quarter credit units" is unclear for quarter credits, so confirm exact units with admissions.
Dates & application steps
Application, transcripts, and 2 references must be received by the deadline.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Confirm current cohortConfirm rates for your entering cohort
Total program tuition is $143,546 for all students (private school). With institutional fees, the total is $158,470.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic phase
Integrated organ-system modules combine medical sciences, patient assessment, diagnostic testing, clinical skills and pharmacotherapeutics. Professional, public-health and interprofessional courses include supervised patient encounters.
Clinical phase
Direct patient care occurs in clinics, hospitals and health centers. Graduation requires clinical rotations, a faculty-guided population-health capstone and a summative evaluation.
The Fullerton post-baccalaureate MMS is 27 months. The program arranges clinical training; students do not have to find their own sites or preceptors. Phase lengths and the number of rotations are not published.
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: 100%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 97%
Accreditation history
Accredited-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
- Marshall B. Ketchum University curriculum
- Marshall B. Ketchum University program page
- PA School Finder contact record
- 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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