Applying to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program at MUSC

Admission Requirements
Admission Preferences
Prerequisite Courses
Application Process
Application Timeline
Interview Process & Program Acceptance
International Students
Use of Marijuana and/or CBD Products
Scholarship Eligibility
Important Application Dates

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing (GRE, PA-CAT, or MCAT) is not required by the program. Scores should not be submitted to the program.
Complete an application through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
Complete the MUSC supplemental application.
Patient care hours: Patient care hours are not required but recommended. Competitive applicants have 1,000 hours or more. View our FAQs for what qualifies as patient care hours.
Residency Requirement: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. legal permanent resident, or hold other valid nonimmigrant visa classification that allows participation in lawful study in the United States to qualify for admission to the program. We are unable to accept international students that require 1-20 issuance.

GPA Requirements (A3.13D)

Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university by the time of enrollment.
A minimum cumulative GPA and prerequisite course GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for consideration. Note: This program calculates cumulative GPA without forgiveness. All courses will be counted. All grades would be counted if you took a course more than once.
All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of 3.0 or higher.

Prerequisite Courses (A3.13D)

Complete 31 hours of prerequisite coursework at a regionally accredited college or university.
A minimum of 27 hours must be completed by the application deadline. The remaining four (4) hours must be completed by matriculation.
In-person and online courses are accepted. (See Prerequisite course list below).
Prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years of application submission with a minimum grade of 3.0 per course.
If admitted to the program on a conditional basis, the student must earn a minimum of 3.0 in the outstanding prerequisites and earn the minimum GPA requirements for entry into the program. If both requirements are not met, the conditional applicant will forfeit their acceptance and not be permitted to matriculate. The student may reapply during the next cycle. The program will confirm with a transcript review before enrollment.

Letter of Reference Requirement

Applicants must provide three references from individuals who know you and your abilities.
Ideally, the references should come from a healthcare provider (PA, MD, NP), science professor and/or someone who has seen the applicant interact with patients (i.e manager).
Reference from friends, family members, relatives, and personal healthcare providers are not appropriate and will not be accepted.

Advanced Placement (A3.13C)

The PA program does not offer or permit advanced placement or waive any program prerequisite or course requirement.

Technical Standards Requirement (A3.13E)

The MUSC Division of Physician Assistant Studies will consider for admission and/or continuation any applicant who meets its academic and nonacademic criteria and who demonstrates the ability to perform skills and meet the Technical Standards listed below, with or without reasonable accommodations, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you have any questions about this document or whether you meet the standards as described above, please contact the MUSC Office of EEO and University Accessibility Services.

Admission Preferences (A3.13A)

There are no admission preferences. See the Student Selection section below for details on admissions decisions.

Grade Forgiveness

All GPAs are captured from CASPA calculations. The program does not offer grade forgiveness. All repeated courses will be included in the calculation of the total GPA.

Prerequisite Courses

Note: There will be no waivers or exceptions to any admissions requirements or prerequisite courses.

Prerequisite Course Name		Semester Hours
Statistics or Biostatistics		3
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry*		3
General Chemistry - includes lab		8
Biology - includes lab		4
Human Anatomy - includes lab*		4
Human Physiology - includes lab*		4
Microbiology - includes lab		4
Medical Terminology +		1
Total		31

* Combined Anatomy and Physiology courses are accepted; however, you MUST take Anatomy and Physiology I and II to fulfill the separate Anatomy and Physiology requirements, including labs.
+ Medical Terminology course cannot be a continuing education course (ex. certificate courses, Continuing Education Units (CEUs). You must receive a letter grade of B or higher for this course.
* We do not accept combined organic and biochemistry. The course should solely be either organic chemistry or solely biochemistry.
To speak with an admissions specialist about your coursework, please call 843-792-2536 or email oesadmis@musc.edu.
Courses can only be applied towards the prerequisite requirement if a grade of "B" or higher was earned. A prerequisite course may be retaken, and the highest grade will be used to calculate the prerequisite GPA. Note: both grades will be reflected in the cumulative GPA.
Prerequisite courses must be fulfilled by separate individual courses.
Survey courses or courses for which a letter or number grade is not awarded (e.g., Pass/Fail, CLEP credit, AP credit, Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory, etc.) will not meet prerequisite requirements. All prerequisite coursework MUST be completed within the 10 years prior to the application deadline.
The program does not accept advanced placement, transfer of credit, or credit for experiential learning. Applicants do not receive credit for previous coursework and/or experience.
Dual enrollment courses are accepted for prerequisite courses so long as the course appears on your college transcripts

Application Process

Complete the Centralized Application Service Physician Assistant (CASPA). Opens April 25, 2026. The following application items are submitted via CAPSA.

Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended for all college credit courses.
Resume
Three References

Complete the MUSC supplemental application. Opens TBD

Note: All above information must be received and verified on or before August 1 to be considered for admission to the program. Without all materials, applications will be incomplete. It is the applicant's responsibility to review the progress of his/her application by viewing the Check Application Progress link above to ensure that all application materials (including official reference forms, and all official transcripts are received by the application deadline). Applicants are responsible for reviewing the progress of their CASPA application on the CASPA website.

Application Timeline

April 25: CASPA Application Opens
TBD: MUSC Application Opens
August 1: Applications & Materials due (CASPA must be verified)
August through September: Interviews take place
Student Selection: Admissions offers will be made on a rolling basis
Early January 2027: Orientation & Classes Start

Interview Process & Program Acceptance

Only completed applications will be reviewed for consideration for an interview. Interviews will be held between August and September of each year. All interviews will be conducted on zoom.
The program will accept students on a rolling basis, meaning applications will be reviewed and evaluated as they are received, rather than waiting until a specific deadline to assess all applications at once.

If selected for an interview the applicant will be notified of the interview process as the dates approach.

Student Selection

Admission to the MUSC Hybrid Physician Assistant Program is competitive and based on objective criteria. The primary factors for selection include a strong academic record, with an emphasis on GPA, as well as performance during the admissions interview.

The program does not grant preferential consideration to specific categories of applicants. All candidates are evaluated equally based on their qualifications, academic preparedness, and ability to meet the demands of a rigorous graduate-level medical education.

International Students

MUSC’s PAS degree program only accepts applications from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or those holding other valid nonimmigrant visa classifications that allow participation in lawful study while in the United States. We are unable to accept international students that require I-20 issuance.

*Review PA licensure requirements for your state here.

Scholarship Eligibility

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means that these scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list the Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC's code: 003438. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit your FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the fall.

Click here to visit our scholarship application system to view a complete listing of MUSC scholarships.