Requirements

To be considered for admission to the OHSU PA Program, applicants must have:

  • A bachelor's degree
  • Specific prerequisite courses
  • Health care experience
  • Letters of Reference

Please review the following sections of our website to learn more information about each required category.  Additional information can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Bachelor's degree

Applicants must have obtained a bachelor's degree to qualify for admission into the program.  The degree must be from a regionally accredited university and may be a science or non-science major.  If your degree is from an international institution, please refer to the international applicants page for information about necessary steps to qualify for the program.

Prerequisite coursework

In addition to obtaining a bachelor's degree, all applicants must also complete specific prerequisite courses.  Please refer to the prerequisite coursework page for detailed information about what courses are required.

Health care experience

A minimum of 2,000 hours of health care experience is expected of all applicants.  There are many different ways to obtain health care experience, so applicants are advised to pursue a qualifying health care role that is of interest to them.  More information about how health care experience is evaluated as well as some ideas for how to obtain experience can be found in the health care experience section.

Letters of reference

Letters of reference will be included with your CASPA application.  You may submit up to 5 letters within the evaluations section of the CASPA application.  A minimum of 3 letters are required to apply to OHSU.  Please refer to the letters of reference page for additional information.

International applicant requirements

International applicants (non-U.S. or Canadian graduates) are required to have at least one year of full-time college work at a university or college and take specific prerequisites in the United States. Applicants must also provide an evaluation of their academic credentials prepared by an international credentialing agency submitted through CASPA. The TOEFL is required and applicants are expected to be fluent in English (both written and oral). Additionally, advanced placement for applicants with previous medical degrees, both within or outside the US, will not be awarded. More information is available under the International Applicants section of our website.

Student visa fees and requirements are the responsibility of the student. The OHSU Office of International Affairs offers information and resources for prospective students.