Meharry’s Physician Assistant Sciences Program offers an in-person master’s degree with didactic study, clinical training and a capstone project. Its mission emphasizes cultural humility, evidence-based care and service to underserved populations. Admissions review considers academic preparation alongside experiences and alignment with that mission. Clinical placements may take students beyond Nashville.
- Program
- Physician Assistant Sciences Program
- Credential
- Master of Physician Assistant Sciences
- Location
- Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Casper
- Required · CSP-20100
- Interview
- Interview
- Seats
- 25 approved maximum and 25 entering students in each listed class
- Length
- Seven semesters
Casper Requirement for Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant
Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant requires Casper for the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Test to book
- United States Casper 2 · CSP-20100
Check available Casper test dates in your Acuity Insights account at takecasper.com.
Required for the published admissions cycle. The program publishes no other Acuity assessment requirement.
Casper format
Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test run by Acuity Insights. The current format has 11 scenarios (4 video-response and 7 typed-response) with 2 questions each and takes about 65 to 85 minutes, including optional breaks. Typed-response scenarios allow 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
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Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Application Deadlines 2026-2027
- Apply through
- CASPA
- Applications open
- April 30, 2026
| What | When |
|---|---|
| CASPA submission and verification | August 1, 2026passed |
All materials had to be submitted and CASPA-verified by 11:59 p.m. ET; early submission was encouraged to allow verification time. A conditional acceptance requires a nonrefundable $1,200 deposit within seven calendar days; it is credited toward tuition and fees. The program does not offer advanced placement or accept transfers from other PA programs.
Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Admissions Statistics
Period: Classes of 2025-2028
- Seats / class size: 25 approved maximum and 25 entering students in each listed class
- Class of 2025 graduation rate: 92%
- Class of 2026 graduation rate: 84%
These are cohort outcomes, not applicant or admissions counts.
Eligibility Requirements for Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant
- Degree / credits
Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university before applying
- Citizenship
U.S. citizen or international student with legal status to study in the United States
- Language proficiency
Applicants born outside the U.S. need an internet-based TOEFL score of at least 100 or a waiver by the application deadline.
Admission pathways
- Graduate GPA Exception: Eligible applicants with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.3 and a qualifying completed science or health-science graduate degree with a graduate GPA of at least 3.5 may receive holistic review; admission is not guaranteed.
Finish required coursework before submitting CASPA; anatomy and physiology must be within five calendar years. Do not mix standalone anatomy or physiology with an integrated A&P sequence; Medical Terminology must carry college credit.
Other requirements
- International transcripts: Require an approved course-by-course evaluation
- Technical standards: Students must meet the program’s cognitive, communication, technology, sensory and motor standards
- Before matriculation: Submit required immunization, tuberculosis-screening and urine-drug-screen results
Selection Factors Meharry Medical College Considers
Prerequisites
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Medical Terminology | 1 credit B or higher required. Must carry college credit. |
| Human Physiology or Anatomy and Physiology I with lab | 4 credits B or higher required. Anatomy and physiology coursework must be within five calendar years. |
| Human Anatomy or Anatomy and Physiology II with lab | 4 credits B or higher required. Anatomy and physiology coursework must be within five calendar years. |
| General Biology I and II | 3 credits each B or higher required. |
| Microbiology | 3 credits B or higher required. |
| Genetics | 3 credits B or higher required. |
| General/Inorganic Chemistry I and II with labs | 4 credits each B or higher required. |
| General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Developmental Psychology | 3 credits B or higher required. |
GPA
- How it is calculated
Overall GPA across undergraduate coursework; for repeated courses, the higher grade is considered. Under the Graduate GPA Exception, qualifying graduate GPA replaces undergraduate GPA in the academic evaluation.
- Minimum
- 3.5/4.0 overall undergraduate GPA and B or higher in every prerequisite
Exception requires undergraduate GPA of at least 3.3.
Admissions tests
- TOEFL iBT (required for some applicants): Applicants born outside the U.S. need 100 or higher, or a waiver by the deadline; TOEFL code 1458. A U.S. high-school diploma, bachelor’s degree, or graduate degree earns an automatic waiver.
Experience and volunteer hours
Not required.
Healthcare work is not required. PA shadowing and direct patient care receive admissions preference, with no minimum hours; service in underserved communities is also preferred.
Supplementary application
CASPA application, personal statement, program-specific supplemental questions, official transcripts and three current recommendation letters. Recommenders should have supervised or worked with the applicant within three years; letters must be no older than one year at submission. Family letters are not accepted.
How applicants are ranked
CASPA-verified applications receive an eligibility screen. Two faculty members independently score GPA, Casper, the personal statement, supplemental responses and recommendations; mission fit and lived experience inform interview invitations. Final decisions consider standardized interview scores, preference points and holistic review.
Interview Format at Meharry Medical College
Format: Interview
In-person, on-campus interview assessing PA-role understanding, science preparation, teamwork, reasoning, self-awareness and compassion with standardized rubrics.
- Who is invited
- Selected eligible applicants following rolling review
- When
- Mid-June through August for the published admissions cycle
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Start Practicing FreeCurriculum at Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant
- Program length
- Seven semesters
- Structure
104 credits, comprising 68 didactic and 36 clinical, with spring matriculation and in-person instruction
- Campuses
- Meharry Medical College campus, Nashville
Didactic medical-science and clinical-skills courses precede supervised clinical practice experiences and a capstone project.
Campus and facilities
Interviews and instruction are on campus in Nashville; clinical placements may require travel or temporary relocation elsewhere in the United States.
Tuition and Funding at Meharry Medical College
- Published Class of 2027 tuition: $110,534.14
- Fees: $27,138.89
- Total tuition and fees: $137,673.03
Published figures are estimates for the relevant class, not a quoted price for entrants. Budget at least $4,000 more for clinical-phase living and travel; charges may change.
Meharry Medical College's Mission and Values
Increase representation of groups underrepresented in medicine in the PA profession while preparing students to practice cultural humility, provide evidence-based compassionate care, and serve underserved populations through equity, justice and lifelong learning.
How to Prepare Your Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Application
- Check the degree, GPA and prerequisite rules
- Confirm anatomy and physiology recency and finish coursework before applying
- Arrange three eligible, current recommendations
- Prepare mission-focused personal and supplemental responses
- For a future cycle, check newly published CASPA and Casper dates before booking
- Prepare for an on-campus interview and possible clinical travel
Frequently Asked Questions About Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant
How do I apply?
Through CASPA.
Was Casper required?
Yes, for the published admissions cycle.
Is healthcare work mandatory?
No.
Is there a GPA minimum?
3.5 undergraduate, with a limited graduate-degree exception.
Are incomplete prerequisites accepted?
No.
Are interviews virtual?
No; this cycle’s were on campus.
Can admission be deferred?
Generally no; special circumstances receive case-by-case review.
Sources
Last updated: September 26, 2026