Master of Physician Assistant Program

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERISTY, MONTEREY BAY

Are You Looking for More Information?

Contact Us831-772-7070mspa@csumb.educsumb.edu/MSPA

Admissionsmspa_admissions@csumb.edu

Affirmation of Non-DiscriminationCSUMB is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or any factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law. The CSUMB MSPA program does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment on the basis of any factor outlined above or prohibited under applicable law. Students, faculty, and staff are assured of participation in University activities and in the use of facilities without such discrimination. CSUMB complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws and regulations, and follows the principles outlined above in all aspects of employment including re-cruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. Transparency to all applicants regarding selection criteria and prerequisites is important to both the integrity and expectations of our program.

YOUR APPLICATION CHECKLIST

BACHELOR’S DEGREE & REQUIRED COURSEWORKApplicants must have a U.S. Bachelor’s Degree (in any discipline), or its equivalent, from an accredited institution and completion of prerequisite coursework.

Applicants are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA and a minimum prerequisite science GPA of 3.0 (on a scale in which A=4.0).

All prerequisite coursework are expected to be completed within 7 years of the application deadline at a 2-year or 4-year regionally accredited institution in the U.S.

All prerequisite coursework must be complete at the time the application is submitted.

Sciences:One-year sequential coursework for science majors in:• General Biology with lab (8 semester units or 12 quarter

units, may not be intdroductory)• General Chemistry with lab (8 semester units or 12 quarter

units, may not be introductory)

4 semester units or 5 quarter units for science majors in:• Microbiology with lab• Human Anatomy with lab• Human Physiology with labHuman Anatomy & Physiology may be completed by taking a 2 semester sequential course of Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs, or a quarter system equivalent sequential course. A & P courses must be “Human”, other A&P coursework will not meet the requirement.

Non-Sciences:• Statistics for psychology, sociology or biology majors or

Introduction to Statistics through a math department (3 semester units or 4 quarter units)

• English Composition (3 semester units or 4 quarter units)

Beginning Spanish Language:• One year of college level coursework (minimum 6 semester

units or 9 quarter units);• Placement exam - AP credit (minimum of 6 semester units

or 9 quarter units, indicated as Spanish credit on college transcript);

• CLEP Spanish Level I & II Exam. Applicants must achieve a score of ≥ 63; or

• CSUMB Online Spanish Placement Exam. Applicants must achieve a score ≥ 356.

DIRECT PATIENT CARE EXPERIENCEApplicants are expected to complete a minimum of 1000 hours of direct patient care. A variety of healthcare experience is acceptable.

See complete details on csumb.edu/MSPA

COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIESCompetitive applicants will have completed a minimum of 500 hours of community service which may include volunteering at homeless shelters or soup kitchens, tutoring, coaching, or mentoring children, etc.

PA SHADOWING EXPERIENCEApplicants are required to have shadowed at least one PA for a minimum of 8 hours.

Competitive applicants will have shadowed a PA in an outpatient primary care setting. This includes family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, or women’s health. Additional shadowing experience is recommended.

LETTERS OF REFERENCETwo letters of reference are required. One letter should be from a medical provider (PA, NP, MD, or DO) who you know in a professional capacity and has observed you in your patient care role.

Competitive applicants will have at least one letter of reference from a PA.

LETTERS SHOULD NOT BE FROM PERSONAL FRIENDS, FAMILY, OR PATIENTS.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU APPLY?

If you are selected, you will be invited to an in-person interview. Following the interview, your application will be reviewed by the Admission

Commitee. Following review, you will be notified of your selection status and given detailed

instructions on next steps.

About the ProgramFilling a critical gap in healthcare education, the College of Health Sciences & Human Services and the College of Extended Education have teamed up to offer a new master’s degree program to prepare students with the training needed to excel as Physician Assistants.

Physician Assistants (PAs) are professional healthcare practitioners who expand quality and affordable care to diverse patient populations.

The CSUMB Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) program prepares students with rigorous medical education, teaching how to obtain medical histories, perform physical examinations, diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications.

The MSPA Program at CSUMB focuses on providing primary care to underserved patient populations, in keeping with the CSUMB Vision Statement. In this way, the MSPA program not only serves a critical regional educational need; it also strengthens the health of communities that future CSUMB-trained Physician Assistants serve.

Student are required to participate in all program activities, comply with all program and university policies, and demonstrate professional behavior as defined in the MSPA Student Handbook. Students are assessed through written examinations and performance evaluations throughout the duration of the program. Students must pass each component of the curriculum to make satisfactory progress in the program.

ARC-PA Accreditation StatusThe ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the California State University, Monterey Bay Physician Assistant Program sponsored by California State University, Monterey Bay.

Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding AccreditationProvisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

Admission RequirementsAdmission to the MSPA program is limited to 33 students and by application only. Interested students must meet the following Admission Requirements for the MSPA program as well as the California State University Graduate Admission Requirements. Applicants will not be considered if they do not meet all of the requirements of this program.

The GRE is not required and scores will not be considered for admission to the MSPA program.

Applicants to the program must have the following:• Bachelor’s Degree & Required Coursework• Direct Patient Care Experience• Community Service Activities• PA Shadowing Experience• Letters of Reference

See the Application Checklist for detailed information on each of the requirements.

If you are re-applying to the program, you must submit updated application materials.

Successful Applicant DataApplication CountsVerified CASPA Applications: 477Interviews Granted: 97Students Enrolled: 32

Enrolled Student Data (Averages)Cumulative GPA: 3.34Overall Science GPA: 3.29PA Shadowing Hours: 153Patient Care Hours: 5,724Volunteer/Community Service Hours: 1,384Age At Time of Application: 26.7

Other DemographicsStudents with Advanced Degrees: 3Students with Military Experience: 1

Visit https://csumb.edu/mspa/admission-requirements for more information and to see additional demographic information on successful applicants.

Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 37 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticshttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-6

Program Tuition & FeesStudents will take 83 total units over 7 semesters (28 months) at a cost of $1075 per unit plus a $39 per semester campus fee.

Total tuition fees for the program are $89,498.

Program tuition and fees for the MSPA program at CSUMB are estimated and subject to change without notice.

Additional ExpensesStudents are responsible for expenses associated with background checks, transportation and parking, room and board, textbooks, medical equipment, required certifications and training, scrubs and white coat, and lab fees and supplies.

Upon completion of the MSPA Program, students are responsible for the costs associated with the PA National Board Certifying Examination and the initial licensing fee in their chosen state for practice.

HousingApartment-style, family-friendly housing adjacent to the main CSUMB campus is available to CSUMB Graduate Students. Please find more information, including associated costs, on the Housing & Residential Life Website atcsumb.edu/housing/east-campus-apartments.

FINANCIAL AIDApplicants may apply for financial aid directly through CSUMB or outside funding sources. All applicants should complete the FAFSA regardless of acceptance to the program. There may be additional resources for financial aid specific to PA programs.

For more information, visit csumb.edu/mspa.

Cost of Year 1 Spring Summer Fall TotalUnits 14 14 14 42Tuition $15,050 $15,050 $15,050 $45,150Campus Fee $39 $39 $39 $117Books* $500 $500 $500 $1,500Supplies/Equipment* $1,050 - - $1,050Computer* $1,500 - - $1,500Room & Board* $6,646 $6,646 $6,646 $19,938Transportation* $754 $754 $754 $2,262Misc* $725 $725 $725 $2,175Total $26,264 $23,714 $23,714 $73,692

Cost of Year 2 Spring Summer Fall TotalUnits 9 9 12 30Tuition $9,675 $9,675 $12,900 $32,250Campus Fee $39 $39 $39 $117Books* $500 $500 $500 $1,500Supplies/Equipment* $1,050 - - $1,050Room & Board* $6,646 $6,646 $6,646 $19,938Transportation* $754 $754 $754 $2,262Misc* $725 $725 $725 $2,175Total $19,389 $18,339 $21,564 $59,292

Cost of Year 3 SpringCampus Specific Fees

Cal State Apply Application Fee: $55 Health Services: $14/semester

Extended Education Campus Service Fee: $25/semester

Graduation Fee: $40Health Fee**: $57/semester

Mental Health Fee**: $36/semester

Units 11Tuition $11,825Campus Fee 39Books* $500Room & Board* $6,646Transportation* $754Misc* $725Total $20,489

*Estimated Costs**Optional. See https://csumb.edu/mspa/tuition-and-fees for more information.

DID YOU KNOW?The CSUMB MSPA Program has learning

outcomes for its students in six areas:

MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

INTERPERSONAL & COMMUNICATION SKILLS

PATIENT CARE

PROFESSIONALISM

PRACTICE-BASED LEARNING & IMPROVEMENT

SYSTEMS-BASED PRACTICE