Applying for Admission

Application Process

Apply via Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

All applicants must apply through CASPA, which becomes available April 25.

Please follow the instructions provided on the CASPA application. Once the application has been verified by CASPA, it will be sent to the programs to which you have applied. The CASPA application must be submitted and verified by June 15.

Note: For answers to frequently asked questions regarding the CASPA application, please visit the CASPA Applicant Help Center.

Letters of recommendation

The School of Medicine participates in the CASPA letter of recommendation program, and all letters of recommendation must be submitted through the CASPA letter of recommendation service by June 15.

Letters of recommendation sent directly to the School of Medicine will not be accepted or used in the admission process.

It is recommended that letters come from those who can speak to your academic ability and other personal characteristics as they relate to becoming a Physician Assistant. Family members and/or friends of the family should not provide letters of recommendation. Three professional or academic letters of recommendation are required.

Submit secondary application 

All applicants must complete and submit the General Application for Admission to UMKC.

Note: When selecting a graduate program/major, select “Physician Assistant – MMS.”

The application and $50 application fee must be submitted by June 15.

Complete PA student portal process

All applicants must complete the PA Student Portal process in order to fully submit their application.

Applicants will not receive information regarding the PA Student Portal until they have been verified by CASPA.

This information includes:

  • Accessing the PA Student Portal
  • Reviewing the Technical Standards
  • Verifying shadowing experiences
  • Completing the final submission

Shadow experience verification forms and the Technical Standards must be submitted by June 29.

Shadowing experience verification forms

It is recommended, but not required that candidates for the PA program shadow a PA prior to applying for the program as it is a significant opportunity to learn about the profession. Shadowing can occur in-person or virtually. Shadowing is a means by which a candidate might receive healthcare or patient care experience.

Candidates will have the opportunity to document their shadowing experiences in the supplemental application provided in the PA Student Portal (after the CASPA application has been verified).

Applicants can verify shadowing experiences one of two ways:

  1. To verify a shadowing experience electronically, an applicant will need to list the name(s) and email address(es) of those providing a shadowing experience verification form in the PA Student Portal. After entering the information for each person electronically verifying the experience, an applicant will need to click “Send Email Request” in order for the person providing the verification to receive instructions for completing the online PA Program Shadowing Experience Verification Form.
  2. To verify a shadowing experience with the Shadowing Experience Verification Form (PDF), applicants must download, print, and complete the information at the bottom of the form. After completing the information, ask the provider who supervised your experience to sign and date the verification form. An applicant will need to list the name(s) and email address(es) of those providing a shadowing experience verification form in the PA Student Portal (after the CASPA application has been verified). The PDF form should then be submitted directly to the PA Student Portal. Once the PA Student Portal has been submitted, no changes or additions to the PA Student Portal, including the shadowing experience section, may be made.

Technical standards and student portal

All applicants must submit the MMSPA program Technical Standards (PDF) 

Once the CASPA application has been verified, applicants will receive information related to the electronic completion of the technical standards.

By receiving the information related to the Technical Standards, applicants will gain access to the UMKC student portal. In the UMKC student portal, applicants must sign the technical standards and complete a final submission of the supplemental application.

Final submission

The final submission cannot be completed until:

  • The CASPA application has been verified
  • The General Application for Admission to UMKC has been processed
  • The Shadowing Experience Verification Form has been completed
  • The Technical Standards have been signed

Applicants can only complete the final submission after all application components are marked as complete in the UMKC student portals under the Supplemental Application tab.

Complete Interview Process (If selected)

After the review of all applications, the admissions committee will determine which candidates are selected for an interview. Any eligible applicants who previously completed the UMKC STAHR Scholars program in good standing, will be automatically offered an interview. If selected for an interview, candidates are required to be present at the date and time of the interview. All candidates invited to interview must interview virtually unless otherwise notified.

After all selected candidates have completed the interview process, the admissions committee will extend offers of admission to those candidates who best qualify for the program. A holistic and individualized process is used when considering candidates. Candidates will be notified electronically of the program’s decision regarding admission.

Admission to the Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant program is based on a combination of academic performance and demonstration of other non-cognitive characteristics including:

  • Professionalism, including reliability and accountability
  • Honesty and integrity
  • Compassion and respect
  • Maturity, including tolerance of anxiety and stress management
  • Leadership
  • Motivation for providing healthcare
  • Co-curricular and work experience

Applications and interviews are the primary ways by which the PA Admissions Committee has an opportunity to learn about and evaluate candidates. As such, essays in our applications and response to interview questions are to be provided without the assistance of any artificial intelligence software.

Applicants who are found to be in violation of this policy will be removed from consideration.

The MMSPA program admissions committee will review complete applications and determine which students should be invited for interview. After all invited applicants have been interviewed the admissions committee will extend offers of admission to those candidates who best qualify for the program. A holistic and individualized process is used when considering applicants and all applicants will be notified electronically of the admissions decision.

Application Considerations

Equal access to the School of Medicine will be offered to all candidates regardless of race, sex, religious persuasion, sexual orientation, or national origin, provided they meet the other criteria expressed in the statement of intent. The School of Medicine does not employ a quota system when reviewing and admitting applicants. All applicants are reviewed individually and holistically.

If you have any questions about your application or the application process, please do not hesitate to contact the School of Medicine Office of Admissions at 816-235-1870 or medicine@umkc.edu.

Key deadlines:

  • June 15: CASPA application submission
  • June 15: CASPA application must ALSO be verified by this deadline and all accompanying CASPA required materials must be submitted (official transcripts, official test scores, and reference forms)
  • June 15: UMKC General Application for Admission 
  • June 29: UMKC PA Student Portal submission, including acknowledgement of the Technical Standards and completion of the Shadowing Verification sections

If any of these materials are submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late and reviewed with other late applications at the discretion of the admissions committee. The admissions committee does not guarantee the review of applications that become complete late. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Once admissions decisions have been made, no other applications for admission will be considered.