Admissions Requirements and Process
Residency Requirement
Applicants must be US citizens or US legal permanent residents to qualify for admission to the program.
A TOEFL score may be required.
General Academic Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited US or Canadian educational institution
- Degree may be in progress at the time of application submission, but must be completed, with official proof of graduation submitted to the Program by July 15, prior to matriculation.
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- 3.0 cumulative total GPA (as calculated by CASPA) is required for eligibility for the program
- Grades for repeated courses will be averaged together and the mean grade will be used in GPA calculations for purposes of the application.
- Minimum Course Grades: C or Higher
- All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of C (or 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher
- Substitutions
- The program will not accept coursework graded as Pass/Fail*, obtained by CLEP Examination or Advanced Placement (AP) coursework
- Proof of degree and all official course transcripts for prerequisite courses must be received by the program by July 15 prior to matriculation to the program.
- Coursework Deadline
- No more than 12 semester hours of prerequisite coursework may be outstanding (planned or in progress) at the time of application submission.
- All prerequisite coursework must be complete and official transcripts received by the program by July 15 of the summer prior to matriculation. Matriculation into the program will be conditional upon completing all required coursework satisfactorily
- Science GPA
- Minimum science GPA of 3.0. Science GPA will be considered in the context of academic rigor as a part of the application review.
- Prerequisite GPA
- No minimum prerequisite GPA. Prerequisite GPA will be scored as a part of the application review.
- Science Courses
- Survey courses will not be accepted.
- Advanced Placement/Preferences
- No advanced placement or standing will be awarded for coursework completed prior to matriculation into the PA program. The program’s curriculum is specifically sequenced so each semester provides an educational foundation upon which the following semesters will build. Creighton does not give admissions preference to any specified individuals or groups of people.
- GRE: Not Required
*Pass/fail only accepted for Medical Terminology and courses completed during COVID semesters (Spring ’20 – Spring ’21)
Coursework Requirements
| Prerequisite Coursework |
|---|
| Human Anatomy with Lab (4) |
| Physiology with Lab (4) |
| Microbiology with Lab (4) |
| Organic Chemistry (3) |
| Biochemistry (3) |
| Abnormal Psychology (3) |
| Statistics (3) |
| Medical Terminology (1) |
Recommended
| Immunology Genetics |
|---|
| 3 credit hours |
| 3 credit hours |
Patient Care
Minimum 250 hours required
- A minimum of 250 hours of patient care experience must be accrued at the time of application submission.
- Applications will be evaluated on the quantity and quality of patient care hours. Direct, hands-on patient care of ill, injured or infirm patients in a clinical setting is preferred.
- Hours obtained as a part of an educational program cannot be counted towards the 250 hours unless it involves hands-on, direct patient care. Observation or shadowing hours will not be accepted.
- Preference will be given to those with a heavy amount of patient interaction.
Examples of Types of Patient Care Experience: The program will evaluate applicants based upon the duties and skills involved with their position. The types of experience below are suggestions, but do not constitute an exclusive or exhaustive list of accepted patient care experiences. There may be other acceptable experiences that are not listed below. Please use the criteria described above when determining the type of experience to obtain prior to applying to the PA program
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
- Clinical nutritionist or dietician
- Clinical research assistant
- Community health worker
- Emergency medical technician (EMT)
- Emergency room tech
- Lab assistant/phlebotomist
- Medic or medical corpsman
- Medical assistant
- Medical scribe
- Paramedic
- Peace Corps volunteer
- Phlebotomist
- Physical therapy aide
- RN/LPN
- Surgical tech
Application Requirements
- CASPA Application: All applicants must apply to the Creighton University PA Program through the CASPA website.
- Supplemental Application: Students who meet eligibility criteria will be required to submit a supplemental application to be considered for an interview.
- There is a $50 non-refundable supplemental application fee.
- Invitation to complete the supplemental application will be sent to applicants upon receipt of a complete and verified application.
- Personal Interview: A portion of applicants will be invited for an interview based upon application screening.
- To be eligible for admission, invited candidates must participate in the interview, (in-person or virtual as determined by program) if invited.
- Letters of Recommendation: Three (3) letters required
Letters are not required from a specific source. Examples of appropriate sources for reference letters may include: Physician Assistant or Physician (MD or DO), current or former work supervisor, academic source such as an academic advisor, instructor or professor.
These should be considered suggestions for references only. Applicants should select references based on many factors and should reflect those who know them best. The letters should come from professional sources, not family members or friends.
Matriculation Requirements
All requirements must be met by July 15th of the year of matriculation.
Technical Standards
- Students must meet the program-defined Technical Standards, as defined in the Program’s Student Handbook, linked in the ‘Policies’ tab of the Program’s webpage, prior to entering the program and throughout training. The technical standards include physical and psychological competencies of performance, including: Observation; Communication; Motor; Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities; and Attitudinal, Behavioral, Interpersonal and Emotional Attributes.
Health and Immunization Requirements
- Upon acceptance, students will be required to submit and maintain evidence of current health status and immunizations.
Student Health Insurance
- To ensure students’ academic success, Creighton requires that all full-time students to be covered by a comprehensive health insurance plan for the entire academic year. Students are required to maintain University-approved healthcare insurance coverage while enrolled in the program. New and returning students are auto-enrolled in the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan. Students who already have a comprehensive insurance plan that meets university requirements, they are eligible to waive the University-sponsored coverage. Read more information about health insurance.
Drug Screen
- All students will be required to pass a drug screen prior to matriculation. Random drug screening may be performed during the program. Scheduled drug screening will be repeated prior to the clinical phase of the program. Acceptance to the program is contingent upon drug screen results.
Background Check
- All students will be required to complete a criminal background check prior to matriculation, prior to starting clinical rotations and possibly at other times during the program. Matriculation to the program is contingent upon the results of the background check.
Prerequisite Coursework and Conditional Requirements
- All students are required to complete any outstanding prerequisite coursework or other conditional requirements as outlined in the student portal or admission letter of offer prior to matriculation. Outstanding perquisite coursework must be completed and transcripts received by the program by July 15th prior to matriculation.
Admissions Process
| Month | Process |
|---|---|
April: | The CASPA (Central Application System for Physician Assistants) application cycle opens for applicants who wish to enroll in the program in August of 2024. Applications for the class expected to matriculate in August of 2024* should be made through the Central Application System for Physician Assistants |
May-June: | The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing completed applications. Applications will be reviewed and scored based on:
|
Sept. 1: | All application materials must be received by CASPA |
By October 1: | All applicants must complete a supplemental application for their application to be considered complete. There is a $50 non-refundable supplemental application fee. Additional information regarding the supplemental application will be sent to the applicant upon the program’s receipt of the verified application from CASPA. |
Interviews and Offers of Admission
| Month | Process |
|---|---|
On a rolling basis: | Invitations will be extended for in-person interviews on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application to CASPA as early as possible. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are verified and completed, including the supplemental application. Invited candidates will be required to participate in an interview to be considered for admission. |
Sept. - Oct.: | Interviews will take place. |
December: | Final admissions decisions are based on in-person interviews, recommendation of the Admissions Committee, and application review. Offers will be extended for positions and alternate positions in the class. Upon receiving an offer of admission, candidates will have 7 days to accept the position and conditions of acceptance and to pay the $500 security deposit to secure their position. If the student matriculates, the security deposit will be applied to the student’s tuition. |
Preferred, but not required
We value the Jesuit principles of service. This emphasis is reflected in our student selection process. Applicants will be evaluated on their demonstrated commitment to service to humankind through non-medical volunteer activities. Applicants will be evaluated on the breadth and depth of their service activities and sustained commitment to cause.
Preferred, but not required
Shadowing provides applicants with a first-hand look at what it is like to practice as a PA. Shadowing experience in a variety of healthcare delivery settings (clinics, hospitals, nursing homes) and medical specialties is strongly recommended. Applicants will be evaluated on their experience exploring the PA profession through direct shadowing of PAs in a clinical setting.
Applicants who have spent time shadowing PAs are preferred; however, experience with a variety of different health care providers (MDs, NPs, nurses and other health care professionals) is encouraged.
General
Well-Roundedness:Participating in extracurricular activities demonstrates that an applicant to the program is not only academically prepared but possesses the interpersonal and life skills necessary to succeed in clinical practice. We seek individuals who bring rich experiences and varied perspectives to share with their fellow students. We value students who have pursued a robust array of activities such as extracurricular activities, sports, non-medical work, volunteer activities, research and leadership opportunities.
The safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff are primary considerations at Creighton University. The Creighton University Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is published in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and Violence Against Women Act. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes and fires, as well as institutional policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, fire safety, crime reporting, and other matters. This legislation seeks to make college campuses safer through the disclosure of such information, and to assist applicants in making enrollment or employment decisions based upon that criteria. You may download a copy of this report by accessing the following website:
- Fall 2023 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
- Fall 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
- Fall 2021 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
You may also obtain a free paper copy of the report at the Public Safety office at 2222 Burt Street, Omaha, NE 68178, or by contacting Public Safety at 402.280.2104.
