Admission Requirements

Enrollment for the BS/MS program at the Bay Shore Campus begins in August; the Winthrop Extension Center in Mineola begins in January.

Applicants to the Bay Shore and Winthrop Extension Center should utilize CASPA as the mechanism for their admissions process.

The following are required for consideration for admission:

• Completed CASPA application (deadline for the Winthrop Extension Center is November 1, deadline for the Bay Shore campus is March 1)
• Completed Supplemental Application
• A written personal statement
• 3 letters of recommendation (one must be from a physician assistant)
• Documentation of a minimum of 200 hours of direct patient contact health care experience, either volunteer or paid, to include a minimum of 20 hours "shadowing" a physician assistant.
• Official transcript(s) indicating (1) a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, (2) a minimum GPA of 3.0 in science courses, and (3) successful completion of 90 transferable credits (60 of which must be in general liberal arts and sciences and specifically include 52 credits of prerequisites listed below) with grades of "C" or better* at an accredited college, university, or its equivalent. Please note: : An applicant may apply to the program with prerequisite coursework in progress. However, pending coursework may delay the review process of the application by the PA Program. All prerequisites must be completed prior to entering the program.

Distribution of 52 credits of specific prerequisites:

General Biology I & II (with labs)**	8 credits
General Chemistry I & II (with labs)**	8 credits
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry**	4 credits
Natural Sciences (e.g., Anatomy, Physiology {preferred}, Microbiology, Genetics, Immunology)**	8 credits
Behavioral Sciences (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology)	6 credits
English Composition and/or English Literature+	6 credits
Humanities (e.g., History, Philosophy, Languages, Literature, Art)	6 credits
Mathematics (pre-calculus level or above)	3 credits
Statistics	3 credits

* Advanced Placement courses taken in high school must have scores of 4 or 5 to transfer.
**(1) Courses must be designed for science majors. Science courses designed for liberal arts/nursing/respiratory therapy majors, etc. are not acceptable. (2) Applicants whose science prerequisites are more than 10 years old may be required to take refresher courses unless exempted by the PA Program Admissions Committee.
+ Applicants must provide catalog descriptions for English courses not taught by an English department (e.g. through a core curriculum or honors program).

• For applicants who do not hold a baccalaureate-level degree from an accredited college, university, or its equivalent, an official high school transcript or proof of GED.
• For applicants whose native language is not English, or who did not attend college in the U.S. or other English-speaking country, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination with a score of at least 560 (paper-based), 220 (computer-based), or 83 (Internet-based) (Note: the TOEFL exam does not fulfill or substitute for the 6-credit English prerequisite requirement). They must also have their foreign credentials evaluated by a Touro-approved agency such as the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). A list of approved agencies can be found by visiting www.naces.org/members.htm.

Please note:

• All prerequisite courses are offered by the School of Health Sciences' Undergraduate Studies department at the Bay Shore campus, as well as by Touro College's Lander Colleges of Arts and Sciences and New York School of Career and Applied Studies.
• The PA program does not award academic credit for experiential learning.
• Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission to the program.

The program Admissions Committee evaluates an applicant's completed application and considers the following factors:

• Quality and content of the personal statement.
• Quality of the three letters of recommendation.
• Cumulative GPA
• Science GPA
• Quality of health care experiences

Based on this evaluation, selected applicants are invited for a personal interview, at which time they are assessed with regard to their understanding of the PA role, their motivation, maturity, intellectual qualities, insights, and interpersonal skills.

The Admissions Committee makes final decisions on admission to the program.

Admissions Appeals

Students who do not meet established grade point standards or other established admission requirements may petition the PA Admissions Committee for consideration. The petition must be in writing and must accompany the application. It must clearly explain extenuating circumstances that have prevented the student from meeting existing grade point standards or other requirements, and describe elements of the applicant's background that would indicate the potential for success in the program. The Admissions Committee may choose to admit students who have not met established admission requirements, based on the student's petition, application, interview and other supporting documents required as part of the application process. For applicants who already have a B.A. or B.S. degree, prerequisite courses of certain types may be waived at the discretion of the PA Program Director.

Applicants who miss the CASPA deadline and are still interested in applying should contact the Office of Admissions for further information.

For applications and information, please contact us

Physician Assistant Program/ Office of Admissions
Touro College School of Health Sciences
1700 Union Boulevard, Room 212
Bay Shore, N.Y. 11706
(631) 665-1600 extension 6241 or 6311
enrollhealth@touro.edu

Preferred Admission for School of Health Sciences Undergraduate Studies Students

Touro College students who complete more than 34 undergraduate credits with the School of Health Sciences Undergraduate Studies department may qualify for preferred admission status to the Bay Shore or Winthrop Campus Physician Assistant programs.

Following are the criteria for consideration for preferred admission:

• Successful completion of all prerequisite courses
• Submission of a completed CASPA application
• Submission of a personal statement
• Submission of verification of a minimum of 200 hours of direct patient contact including a minimum of 20 hours shadowing a PA
• Submission of three letters of reference, including one from a Physician Assistant
• A 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA at Touro College
• A 3.0 minimum combined cumulative science/math GPA (excluding Physics) from all colleges attended

Of the Undergraduate Studies applicants who meet the above criteria, those whose cumulative science GPA falls in the upper 80% qualify for preferred admission and are granted an interview with the PA Admissions Committee. Upon a recommendation of acceptance from the PA Admissions Committee, the applicant will be formally accepted to the PA program and will be granted the next available seat at either the Bay Shore or Winthrop campus.