Preparatory Programs

Pre-Physician Assistant

For information contact the Physician Assistant Program, 774-2478.

As health professionals who are licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision, physician assistants provide many services that have been traditionally performed by physicians. Physician assistants take patient histories, conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret laboratory tests, perform minor surgery and, in most states, prescribe medication.

Physician assistants work in a variety of medical settings including emergency departments, private physician practices, health care clinics, mental health facilities, and hospitals. Because physician assistants can deliver care in such diverse settings and are cost-effective members of the traditional health care team, employment opportunities are abundant for graduates of this master's degree program.

The Program
The CMU physician assistant program was established to provide physician assistants for central and northern Michigan. However, graduates of the program are not required to work in Michigan.

Students will complete the curriculum in 27 months. The first 15 months are spent primarily on campus in classroom and laboratory instruction. The remaining 12 months consist of clinical rotations in various medical specialties.

Most rotations are conducted in central and northern Michigan.

Prerequisites Courses
Biology/Health Science Courses
At CMU this prerequisite is met by:
Anatomy BIO 337 OR HSC 214
Physiology BIO 392 OR HSC 215
Pathophysiology HSC 411 (which requires HSC 211 as a prerequisite)

Chemistry Courses
General Chemistry CHM 120 and CHM 127 
OR CHM 131 and CHM 132
Organic Chemistry CHM 342
Biochemistry CHM 421

Psychology Courses
Introductory Psychology PSY 100
Developmental Psychology PSY 220

Mathematics Courses
Biostatistics HSC 544 OR BIO 500

Admission Criteria
At the time they apply for admission to the program, students must have completed or be near completion of an undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S.).

In addition, applicants must have completed a minimum of 100 hours of direct health care experience which may be obtained through volunteer work or employment. Although indirect patient care experiences can be valuable, clerical work performed in a medical setting or "shadowing" a physician assistant or physician are not acceptable direct health care experiences.

For admission to the program, students must earn a grade point average of 2.8 in prerequisites and overall undergraduate academic coursework. Applicants must submit scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with application materials.

Admission Process
Applications for the program are available each August. They may be obtained from CMU's College of Graduate Studies, (989) 774-GRAD. Return applications must be postmarked by November 1 to begin the following May.

The applications will be promptly reviewed by the Physician Assistant Program Admissions Committee, and the most qualified applicants will be invited for an interview during November or December. Applicants will be assessed on traits such as professional motivation, knowledge of and desire for the physician assistant profession, academic performance trends, interpersonal skills, diversity of life and professional experiences, and their orientation to the health care provider role. Candidates will be notified of their admission status by February 28. Those who have been accepted to the program will begin their studies in the first summer session, which begins in May.

Accreditation
Central Michigan University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant.

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