Summer 2026 cohort pricing; 29-month, eight-term program
A closer look
A 29-month Iowa PA program with a 30-student cohort, June start, and 500 required direct patient-care hours.
Mission & approach
The mission of the St. Ambrose University Physician Assistant Program is to prepare physician assistants to deliver high-quality patient-centered care with compassion and respect. The program provides a supportive environment to assist students as they develop into professionals with the knowledge and skills to contribute to the health and welfare of their communities.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Bachelor's required; min 3.0 cumulative/prerequisite/science GPA; prereqs grade C or higher (no P/F, no AP/CLEP); 500 PCE direct-patient-contact hours; 16 PA shadowing hours; 3 LORs; required campus interview; GRE optional. US citizens/permanent residents only (no international applicants).
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
A campus interview is a required step in the admissions process; the program does not publish the interview's format.
Source checked Aug 1, 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.
- Separate Human Anatomy/Physiology or a combined two-course sequence: Human Anatomy with lab + Human Physiology with lab OR Combined Human A&P two-course sequence with labs
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Biology with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Human Anatomy with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Human Physiology with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Combined Human A&P two-course sequence with labs2 course(s) | 8Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
Microbiology with labCourse notes & alternatives3–4 credits. | 3Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| General Chemistry I and II with labs2 course(s) | 8Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
Organic ChemistryCourse notes & alternatives3–4 credits; lab recommended. | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
BiochemistryCourse notes & alternatives3–4 credits; lab recommended. | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Statistics or Biostatistics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
Psychology/Sociology coursework2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesEither two Psychology courses or one Psychology and one Sociology course. | 6Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| English or writing-intensive coursework2 course(s) | 6Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
Medical Terminology course or certificateCourse notes & alternatives1–3 credits or certificate accepted. | 1Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
Policies that can change your plan
These are the standard graduate-entry requirements, not the early-admission high-school policy. Pass/fail, AP and CLEP credit are not accepted for prerequisites. Required science totals are 15–16 biology credits and 14–16 chemistry credits; labs for organic chemistry and biochemistry are recommended but not required.
Dates & application steps
CASPA application deadline is October 1 for June 2027 matriculation.
This is the expected start of the entering class.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Summer 2026 cohort pricing; 29-month, eight-term programFull-program tuition and fees combined; tuition alone is not broken out.
The fixed One Price total is $119,848, which covers tuition and fees together. The program does not publish a tuition-only amount, and an older $116,400 figure is out of date. Transportation and clinical screening costs are separate and vary.
Curriculum & clinical training
Classroom and simulation
Medical-model coursework and hands-on assessment with standardized patients, with emphasis on primary care and underserved communities.
Clinical training
Twelve rotations include eight discipline-specific experiences and four elective options.
The on-campus, 124-credit program lasts 29 months, starting in June and graduating in October. Students pay for clinical transportation and may need temporary room and board. Phase lengths 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: 97%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 94%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- Program program page
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- St. Ambrose University PA coursework requirements
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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