Whether you are a student considering PA education as your next step or an advisor helping a student who is, we have several resources to help make the decision and application process smoother.
General Information on PAs and PA Education
If you’re just beginning to explore PA education, you may have questions about the profession and PA education. Here鈥檚 what you need to know.
PAs are licensed medical professionals who work in a variety of settings to deliver high-quality, cost-effective medical care. They work as part of a medical team in collaboration with a physician, physician team, or medical practice.听
PAs work in many specialties, including primary care, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and women’s health, providing a wide variety of clinical services. In the primary care setting, PAs can provide almost all the clinical services that physicians provide, including performing physical exams, diagnosing and treating illnesses and prescribing medications.听
PAs are qualified to practice by graduation from an accredited PA educational program and certification by the听听(NCCPA).听
Pre-Professional Programs
Some PA programs offer a pre-professional (or undergraduate) phase prior to the professional (or graduate) phase of their PA programs. Pre-professional programs:
- Are intended for recent high school graduates or students who have some college credit, but not a degree.
- Allow students to complete the core required courses for the professional phase.
- Vary in length from four to six years 鈥 combined time for the pre-professional and professional phases.
- Require enrolled students to successfully complete all academic course work in order to advance to the professional phase to complete their PA education.
Professional Programs
As of January 2025, there are 310 accredited PA programs. PA programs in the United States are located at medical schools, hospitals, two- and four-year colleges and universities, and in the military.
In order to practice as a PA, you must graduate from an accredited PA program and pass the听听(PANCE). The PANCE is administered by the听.
Professional Postgraduate
PAs and PA students can pursue additional education through postgraduate PA programs. A postgraduate program may choose to seek accreditation from the听, although not all do.
Many postgraduate programs belong to the听听(APPAP).听All APPAP members are formal programs that offer structured curricula, including didactic and clinical components. They are designed to educate PAs for a defined period of time (usually 12 months) in a medical specialty, such as surgery or dermatology.
CASPA Program Directory
The听CASPA Program Directory听is the best guide to PA programs for prospective PA students. It provides detailed information about tuition, curriculum, degrees听awarded, entrance requirements, and much more for each of the accredited and developing PA programs in the country.听
2025-2026 CASPA庐 Applicant Guide
We want our applicants and prospective PAs to feel as prepared as possible when going into the application cycle. View the guide to help you through the application process.
Resources
CASPA Applicant Login
Podcast: The PA Path
Host Emma Sellers, MS,听discusses the PA admissions process with PA faculty, staff, students, and health professions advisors to offer everyone from pre-PAs to practicing PAs a greater understanding of the PA pathway.