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Address & Contact

Our Address

Physician Assistant Program414 East Clark Street, Julian 120 Vermillion SD

GPS

42.78858138764793, -96.92591276880023

Telephone

605-658-5926

Email

[email protected]

Web

Email PA Program
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PROGRAM PROFILE

University of South Dakota Physician Assistant Program

Vermillion, South Dakota · Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Continued accreditation ↗On campus ↗24 months ↗
Save schoolCompareProgram website
Application deadline Confirm current cycle2026-09-01 prior-cycle deadline has passed; next-cycle date is not verified.
Tuition Resident: $51,999.70 published cohort/track amountNonresident: $106,304.80 published cohort/track amount · Display for planning context only; exclude from rankings until USD publishes a July 2027-cohort cost schedule.
Class size 25 studentsCurrent published entering-class size.
Program length 24 monthsFull program
GRE requirement Not requiredUSD does not require a standardized admissions test.
Patient-care minimum 500 direct-care hoursAt least 500 hours of paid or volunteer direct patient care are required. Virtual care and virtual shadowing are not accepted; PA shadowing is recommended but not required.
Overall GPA minimum 3.00Minimum cumulative GPA is 3.00.
Science GPA minimum No separate cutoffUSD does not publish a separate science-GPA minimum. A reported matriculant average must not be presented as an admissions cutoff.
Recommendations 3 requiredThree recommendations are required; the current accessible record does not prescribe a required recommender role.
International applicants Accepted with exceptions · confirmPAEA reports that international applicants are accepted with exceptions, but USD's accessible PA and catalog pages do not define the PA-specific exception. Confirm program eligibility and visa requirements before applying. The current requirement remains unconfirmed.
English proficiency / TOEFL Conditional · confirm PA applicabilityUSD's general graduate thresholds are TOEFL iBT 79, TOEFL Essentials 8.5, new TOEFL scale 4.0, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 110, PTE 53, Cambridge 169, or Trinity ISE 93, with published degree-country exemptions. Confirm which rule applies to PA applicants. The current requirement remains unconfirmed.
PANCE pass rate 96%First-time pass rate · Reporting year not recordedFive-year first-time: 90% · reporting period not recorded
U.S. News PA rank #48 (tie)2025 PA edition · Peer-assessed reputation
THE PROGRAM

A closer look

The Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program provides a comprehensive primary care education that prepares graduates to deliver high-quality health care to meet the needs of patients in South Dakota and the surrounding region.

24-month programNot required500 direct-care hours
University of South Dakota Center for Health Education, home of the Physician Assistant program
University of South Dakota Center for Health Education in Vermillion, home of the Physician Assistant program.
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BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Admissions insights

What this program looks for in applicants

Holistic: academic potential, potential for primary-care practice, motivation/maturity/teamwork, healthcare/work experience, LORs, interview. Mission selects for SD/regional practice and rural/underserved primary care (in-state/regional preference).

Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.

YOUR STARTING POINT

Admissions & prerequisites

Admission requirements

GRENot requiredUSD does not require a standardized admissions test.
Patient care500 direct-care hoursAt least 500 hours of paid or volunteer direct patient care are required. Virtual care and virtual shadowing are not accepted; PA shadowing is recommended but not required.
Overall GPA3.00Minimum cumulative GPA is 3.00.
Science GPANo separate cutoffUSD does not publish a separate science-GPA minimum. A reported matriculant average must not be presented as an admissions cutoff.
Recommendations3 requiredThree recommendations are required; the current accessible record does not prescribe a required recommender role.
International applicantsAccepted with exceptions · confirmPAEA reports that international applicants are accepted with exceptions, but USD's accessible PA and catalog pages do not define the PA-specific exception. Confirm program eligibility and visa requirements before applying.
English proficiencyConditional · confirm PA applicabilityUSD's general graduate thresholds are TOEFL iBT 79, TOEFL Essentials 8.5, new TOEFL scale 4.0, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 110, PTE 53, Cambridge 169, or Trinity ISE 93, with published degree-country exemptions. Confirm which rule applies to PA applicants.

Prerequisite coursework

Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profile

Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.

CourseCreditsLabMin gradeYour coursework
Human Anatomy
Course notes & alternatives

4 credits; PAEA lists a lab requirement. The program highlights anatomy with full cadaver dissection. Course-count/semester breakdown is not stated in the listing.

4Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileRequiredNot specifiedSign in to plan
General Biology
Course notes & alternatives

8 credits; PAEA does not mark lab required or specify course count.

8Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileNot specifiedNot specifiedSign in to plan
Biochemistry
Course notes & alternatives

3 credits; PAEA does not mark a lab requirement.

3Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileNot specifiedNot specifiedSign in to plan
Microbiology
Course notes & alternatives

4 credits with lab according to PAEA.

4Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileRequiredNot specifiedSign in to plan
General Chemistry
Course notes & alternatives

8 credits with lab according to PAEA; course count is not stated in listing.

8Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileRequiredNot specifiedSign in to plan
Human Physiology
Course notes & alternatives

4 credits with lab according to PAEA.

4Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileRequiredNot specifiedSign in to plan
Statistics
Course notes & alternatives

2 credits per current PAEA profile; no lab stated. Direct USD program page/catalog detail was not accessible in this research pass; confirm the unusual credit figure with USD before representing it as definitive.

2Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileNot specifiedNot specifiedSign in to plan
Psychology
Course notes & alternatives

6 credits per current PAEA profile; no lab stated. Direct USD program page/catalog detail was not accessible in this research pass; confirm course count/credit interpretation with USD.

6Credits as listed in PAEA profile; semester/quarter basis not specified in profileNot specifiedNot specifiedSign in to plan
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Policies that can change your plan

Minimum grade
Confirm with program
Course age
10 (recommended, not required)
AP / CLEP (combined catalog field)
Yes
Source certainty
Detailed values are from the program-reported PAEA listing (last updated 2026-01-16); public USD site directs to the grad catalog but the detailed catalog/portal page was not accessible.
Course timing
PAEA shows no age limit and up to three outstanding courses completed by June 1.
Admissions cycle
PAEA lists September 1, 2026 deadline and July 2027 start; deadline has passed.

The PAEA program-submitted profile is the only accessible detailed course list found in this pass; the USD PA website routes applicants to the current graduate catalog/specialty CASPA portal but does not expose course-by-course prerequisites in its public page text. PAEA was last updated January 16, 2026, and says these data are program provided. Treat exact course credits, course count, grades, and lab claims as needing confirmation from USD/its current CASPA program entry before treating as independently primary-source verified. PAEA reports up to three outstanding prerequisites by June 1 and no prerequisite time limit.

PAEA program-submitted University of South Dakota profile Profile last updated 2026-01-16; 2026–2027 cycle · Checked 2026-09-24
BUILD YOUR TIMELINE

Dates & application steps

Application deadlineConfirm current cycle

2026-09-01 prior-cycle deadline has passed; next-cycle date is not verified.

Program startsJuly 2027

Published entering month; confirm the exact orientation date.

Plan datesMonth-only dates stay month-only.
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THE FINANCIAL PICTURE

Know what the total includes

Published cost estimate

Official 104-credit estimate beginning with Summer 2025 rates
Resident tuition$51,999.70 published cohort/track amount
Nonresident tuition$106,304.80 published cohort/track amount

Display for planning context only; exclude from rankings until USD publishes a July 2027-cohort cost schedule.

Required program feesConfirm with program
Tuition + required feesFull attendance estimate not recorded
Confirm with program

The official sheet estimates tuition plus required institutional/program fees at $51,999.70 for South Dakota residents and $106,304.80 for nonresidents. It also publishes $74,579 for SD Advantage and $78,966.40 for a legacy Minnesota category. The sheet does not use July 2027-cohort rates. Display for planning context only; exclude from rankings until USD publishes a July 2027-cohort cost schedule.

Plan for the application, too.

Keep application fees separate from the cost of attending.

HOW YOU’LL LEARN

Curriculum & clinical training

0112 months

Didactic instruction

Classroom instruction on the Vermillion campus builds foundational medical knowledge.

0212 months

Clinical education

Supervised experiences include family medicine, surgery and emergency medicine.

24-month program; students incur additional clinical travel, lodging and meal expenses.

University of South Dakota official curriculum/program source Current posted curriculum; cohort-specific year not stated unless qualified · Checked 2026-09-26
WHO STUDIES HERE

The admitted class

Recorded average GPA3.72
Recorded science GPA3.64

Cohort year and experience averages need verification.

Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.

OUTCOMES & OVERSIGHT

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: 96%

Program reporting year not recorded; direct comparison unavailable.

  • Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 90%

Program reporting period not recorded; direct comparison unavailable.

Accreditation history

Continued
First accreditedApril 1995
Next reviewJanuary 2033

A complete dated action history has not been added to this record.

ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory Directory as retrieved 2026-09-26; scheduled review dates are provisional timing and may change · Checked 2026-09-26
CHECK THE EVIDENCE

Sources you can open

Follow the source for the policy or cohort you are reviewing. A check date is separate from the year a figure describes.

Rankings & information still to verify

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.”

Unpublished policies and unverified cohort statistics are left open for confirmation.

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PA School Finder × PA Life Applicant ToolkitOne program record. One application plan.