The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southwestern School of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program
Dallas, Texas · Physician Assistant program
Tuition + fees $46,488 / $94,424 nonresident
2026–27 rates x 112 program credit hours; 8 terms (May start, 30 months)
A closer look
A 30-month Dallas PA program in an academic medical center, with broad clinical training and a focus on evidence-based, patient-centered care.
Mission & approach
The mission of the UT Southwestern Department of Physician Assistant Studies Program is to: Excel in the art and science of PA education. Promote inter-professional primary health care delivery to a multifaceted and dynamic population to improve health outcomes. Foster a dedication to evidence-based medicine, quality improvement, and patient safety. Cultivate a commitment to faculty, staff, and student wellness. Encourage leadership, service, and excellence among our faculty, staff, students, and graduates.
Check my fit with this school
Check three basics
Enter any GPA or patient care hours you know. We’ll compare them with this school’s published numbers. This is a starting point, not an eligibility decision.
The quick check needs JavaScript.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Min 3.0 overall & science GPA; GRE (unless US master's+); hands-on patient care strongly recommended (no minimum); PA shadowing encouraged; community service in healthcare/underserved settings highly valued; >2000 apps/yr; two-interview maximum.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
A 10-station multiple mini interview on campus, August through January, with the full day including a meet and greet with faculty, staff, students and alumni, a campus tour and a financial aid presentation. One policy to know before you apply: the program enforces a two-interview maximum — if you interview twice without being accepted, it will not review a third application.
Source checked Jul 26, 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.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Chemistry with labs2 course(s) | 8Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Genetics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not specified | C |
| Human Anatomy with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Human Physiology with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Microbiology with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Organic Chemistry with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | C |
| Psychology | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Statistics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
Policies that can change your plan
Science courses marked with an asterisk must be for science majors and include a lab. All prerequisites must be within ten years of anticipated matriculation. Letter grades are required; a separate minimum course grade is not published.
When courses must be complete: All prerequisite courses complete when application is submitted.
Dates & application steps
The September 1, 2026 deadline for receiving applications has passed. The next cycle date is not yet published.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–27 rates x 112 program credit hours; 8 terms (May start, 30 months)Tuition only, at 2026–27 non-resident rates. Texas sets rates each year.
2026–27 rates: $366 per credit hour for Texas residents ($50 statutory + $316 designated tuition) and $794 for non-Texas residents ($478 + $316). The program is 112 credit hours, so tuition is $40,992 for residents and $88,928 for non-residents. Texas sets these rates each year, so later terms can cost more. The program's own costs page still shows last year's $771 non-resident rate.
Curriculum & clinical training
Academic instruction
Medical and behavioral sciences are taught through lectures and bedside demonstrations.
Clinical training
Supervised clinical rotations span multiple disciplines and settings, supported by UT Southwestern and Parkland resources.
The full-time Dallas program starts in May and finishes in December, 30 months later, with 15 months of clinical rotations. The academic phase is labeled by semester.
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: 98%
NCCPA Exam Performance Summary Report (printed March 27, 2026): Class of 2025 first-time takers, 44/45 passed (98%). UT Southwestern FY25 success report: 96% passed on first attempt over the past five years; exact class-year endpoints are not stated. Sources: https://shp.utsouthwestern.edu/programs/physician-assistant-studies/assets/PANCE-performance-summary-report-2026.pdf ; https://shp.utsouthwestern.edu/programs/physician-assistant-studies/assets/fy25-success-in-goal-accomplishment_accessible.pdf
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 96%
Graduation & attrition
2025 graduating cohort
Attrition for the last three graduating classes (ARC-PA data): Class of 2025: 63 entered, 50 graduated (20.6% attrition, 79.4% graduation). Class of 2024: 61 entered, 46 graduated (24.6%, 75.4%). Class of 2023: 62 entered, 55 graduated (11.3%, 88.7%). The ARC-PA maximum entering class size is 60.
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southwestern School of Health Professions curriculum
- Program program page
- Program program page
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southwestern School of Health Professions PA coursework requirements
- UT Southwestern FY25 success-in-goal-accomplishment report
- NCCPA Exam Performance Summary Report, printed 2026-03-27
- Program program page
- UT Southwestern School of Health Professions ARC-PA Student Attrition table
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
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.”
How competitive are you for this program?
Match AI compares your full profile with this program and every other one, then sorts your list into Reach, Target and Safety.