University of New Mexico Physician Assistant Program
Albuquerque, New Mexico · Masters
2026–27 full-program tuition and required fees at current published rates
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A closer look
A 27-month Albuquerque PA program with up to 26 seats and 1,000 direct patient-care hours required at application.
Mission & approach
The mission of the University of New Mexico Physician Assistant (PA) Program is to educate PA students to become exemplary providers with a focus on primary care medicine for the underserved and rural populations of New Mexico.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic. Highest consideration: NM residents/strong NM ties; mission alignment (primary care for underserved/rural NM); strong academics; >4 highly-recommended courses; significant PCE (strongest >8,000 hrs); community service; references; regional language skills; US military service; disadvantaged backgrounds. PA-CAT optional.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
How this program interviews
A portion of qualified applicants are invited to interview, and in recent years interviews have been conducted in person on the Albuquerque campus, offered on a rolling basis typically between late summer and late fall. The program states that interview format details are not shared in advance and are given only to selected applicants.
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.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiology lecture and lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
| General Chemistry I for STEM majors with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
| General Chemistry II for STEM majors with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
| Organic Chemistry I with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
| Human A&P I with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
| Human A&P II with lab | 4Semester credits unless noted | Required | Not specified |
PsychologyCourse notes & alternativesAny Psychology course other than Statistics. | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | Not specified |
Policies that can change your plan
- Recommended only
- Statistics, Biochemistry, Genetics and Organic Chemistry II are not required.
- Online labs
- Online prerequisite labs are not accepted, except for certain exceptions the program has stated.
Only the seven listed courses are required. Statistics, Biochemistry, Genetics and Organic Chemistry II are highly recommended, not required. One required course may be outstanding when you apply. In-person labs are preferred, and online prerequisite labs are not accepted under normal policy.
Dates & application steps
The prior-cycle deadline of 2026-08-01 has passed; the next deadline is not published.
This is the expected start of the entering class.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–27 full-program tuition and required fees at current published ratesTuition and required fees are published as one combined total.
Estimate for the full 27-month, 86-credit program at current rates. The program publishes tuition and required fees as one combined amount: $68,677 for residents and $104,637 for nonresidents. Computers, equipment, and books are additional ($2,200 + $640 + $8,170 = $11,010), bringing the total to $79,687 (resident) or $115,647 (nonresident). Living costs and ordinary transportation are excluded.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
In-person UNM Health Sciences Center study builds medical knowledge with shared medical-student coursework.
Clinical education
Required specialties include family medicine and primary care, plus an elective and transition-to-practice coursework.
The Albuquerque MS route spans 27 months. Multiple rural rotations outside Albuquerque are expected and reliable personal transportation is necessary.
The admitted class
Incoming PA students — cohort year not stated
Published class statisticsThe cohort shown is the incoming or most recent one; its year is not named.
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming PA students — cohort year not stated | 3.77 | Not recorded | 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: 100%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 95%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- Program program page
- Program program page
- Program program page
- Program program page
- 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.”
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