For the spring 2019 class, the MMSPA program received approximately 333 verified applications from CASPA that met the August 1 deadline (CASPA must be submitted and verified by this date). Each year, the program will interview 80 candidates.
The program anticipates enrolling 20 students in each cohort, and students begin in January of each year.
Students from the state of Missouri will be given priority. Preference is given to students from the state of Missouri throughout the entire application and admissions process, including the initial review process, the selection of students for an interview and the final admissions decision.
In the January 2019 class, the program matriculated 14 Missouri residents and 6 non-Missouri residents.
The MMSPA Admissions Committee does not have a preference on whether applicants choose to submit GRE or MCAT scores. The committee is well-versed on how to interpret scores from both exams.
We recommend that the pre-requisite courses be taken within seven years of the application deadline, but this is not a strict requirement. This is a recommendation for your personal success and mastery of the knowledge necessary for the PA program.
No. You may be missing up to two pre-requisite courses by the time of the August 1 deadline, as long as you would complete any missing pre-requisite courses in that fall semester prior to anticipated matriculation. The limit of missing up to two courses does NOT include courses that may be taken in the summer preceding the August 1 deadline.
We recommend that prospective students connect with area hospitals and clinics to inquire about shadowing opportunities and which PAs may be willing to host a shadowing experience. The School of Medicine does not have a set list of contacts for prospective students looking for PA shadowing opportunities.
Direct patient care experience is not required, but it is preferred. The program requires a minimum of 8 hours of shadowing experience with a Physician Assistant, but additional healthcare experience or shadowing is recommended.
Due to the varying nature of the applicant pool each year, the direct patient care experience also varies widely. A few examples of direct patient care experience that we have seen in the past include CNA licensure/experience, EMT licensure/experience, or work as a Medical Assistant, Nurses Aide, or Technician (in varying medical fields).
Due to the intense nature of the program, we do not recommend that you work while enrolled.
Due to the sequencing of the curriculum, there is not a part time option.
The didactic phase follows a semester-based calendar with built-in holidays and breaks, including a spring break and fall break. Once students begin the clinical phase, they will follow the schedule of the assigned rotation facility.
Our intent, with the resources we have available in the KC area, is to provide clinical rotation sites nearby. However, we do want to offer our students all aspects of care so there may be travel involved to a rural or out of town rotation. The student will be responsible for travel and housing expense.
All graduating UMKC PA students have achieved a 100% pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) administered through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.