Physician Assistant

*The application cycle for Spring 2026 is open on CASPA. The final application deadline is April 1, 2025. Please note that applications must be submitted, verified, and complete by the final deadline of April 1, 2025 to be considered.*

 

All applicants seeking admission to the Physician Assistant (PA) Program must submit all required application materials, including the CASPA and supplemental application, and meet the following requirements prior to enrollment in the program:

  • Completion of an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree from a regionally-accredited college or university in the United States. (The only exception to the degree requirement is for Mercer University students who are declared a part of the Accelerated Special Consideration Program (ASCP). If you are a current high school student interested in eligibility requirements for the Accelerated Special Consideration Program (ASCP), click here for more information.)
  • Required overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher.
  • Required undergraduate Natural Science GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) of 2.9 or higher.
  • Completion of all prerequisites prior to matriculation. Applicants with more than four (4) outstanding prerequisites cannot be considered for admission. The CASPA application must include a plan for completing the remaining prerequisites prior to enrollment. The prerequisites for Mercer’s PA Program are:
    • two course General Chemistry series with labs,
    • one course of Organic Chemistry (lab optional),
    • one course of Biochemistry (lab optional),
    • two course General Biology series with labs,
    • two course series of Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab,
    • one course of Microbiology with lab,
    • two course English Composition or intensive Writing course series,
    • a Statistics or Biostatistics course, and
    • a General or Introductory Psychology course
  • Notes about prerequisites:
    • Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology courses must have been completed within 10 years prior to anticipated enrollment in the PA Program.
    • Survey courses will not fulfill prerequisites.
    • Lab courses must be completed in an on campus lab (not online).
    • Only grades of C or better are acceptable towards prerequisites.
    • Students who take Advanced Placement (AP) courses at the high school level and complete the examination by the Educational Testing Service are awarded credit based on the score and course equivalent(s); only scores 3 and above are accepted. No credit may be awarded for scores of 1 or 2.
    • The program does not award advanced placement/transfer credit for previous healthcare-related curricula.
  • Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores must be sent directly from ETS to CASPA using the institution code 0441 (Mercer U Phys Asst CASPA) in order to be considered.  GRE scores optional, not required.
  • Completion of the CASPer assessment. Applicants will register for the assessments for CSP 10101, Professional Health Sciences.
  • Required Patient Care Experience Hours: Applicants are required to complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of direct, hands on patient care experience. Please review our patient care experience information for prospective students. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have started completing hours and a plan for completing more than the minimum hours prior to submitting their application to ensure they meet and exceed this requirement.
  • Three (3) letters of reference are required and must be submitted directly to CASPA. At least one letter must come from a practicing physician assistant or physician (MD/DO) and one must come from a college professor or instructor. The third letter can come from a non-relative professional.
  • Qualified applicants with complete files and who meet or exceed the admissions criteria listed above may be invited to campus for a personal interview.
  • Applicants must also meet the PA Program’s Technical Standards in order to be considered for admission into the program.
  • In alignment with the PA program’s mission and goals, we strive to appreciate and encourage diversity in the student body and the PA profession. Therefore, the PA program extends additional admissions consideration to applicants who demonstrate HRSA-defined factors such as military service members, first-generation college students, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or medically underserved areas, and to graduates of Mercer University (including those who are participating in Mercer’s Accelerated Special Consideration Program or Special Consideration Program).

Please click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Physician Assistant Program.

For information regarding professional licensure, please click here.

To request additional information about Mercer’s PA Program, please click here.