Frequently Asked Questions

We have received 600-900 completed applications over the past three years.

We enroll 42 new students each year.

We regard our students as adult learners who are guided in their education and are held responsible for their learning. Our instructional methods include:

• lectures by PA faculty and guest lecturers who are specialists in their fields
• interactive technologies
• case scenarios
• classroom presentations by students
• demonstrations and practice in labs
• independent work by students
• use of original medical literature
• simulation lab with interactive technology
• interprofessional classes with other healthcare disciplines
• standardized patients
• discussion—in class and online
• supervised clinical practice, both in first-year clinical experiences and second-year                  rotations

The mission of the Radford University Physician Assistant Program is to graduate ethical, competent, and compassionate PAs who are well versed in the art and science of medicine and are prepared to effectively function as members of the interprofessional healthcare team.

November 1. This deadline is the date by which you must hit the “submit” button on the CASPA website. We require that all prerequisites be met before matriculation, but you do not need to have them all completed prior to submission of your application. See below for what our program requires by the November 1 deadline.

First, before you begin a CASPA application, determine if you are a good fit for our Program. Visit our website and read through these Frequently Asked Questions thoroughly. Then, look at our prerequisites carefully to determine what you already have and will need for consideration.

When you have decided to apply, go to the CASPA website and read the information thoroughly, including their FAQ page. Once you create an account with CASPA and start the application process, you can check the progress of your application—look for outstanding documents, etc.

Be sure to print out a copy of your application for your records. Do NOT send printed copies to CASPA or our Program.

CASPA does not send an application to us until they have received the required references and transcripts of ALL college work completed up to the time of application. This usually takes 3-4 weeks. Therefore we encourage applicants to complete their applications well before our deadline of November 1. You may send updated transcripts directly to our Program once you have completed more courses, so there is no need to wait until you have finished fall semester courses before you apply. Remember, however, that the more complete your application is, the more competitive it will be.

CASPA begins accepting applications each spring. Our PA Admissions Committee begins reviewing applicationsas theya re verified, so it is in your best interest to complete your application early so that you can be considered for an interview when we start scheduling them. We begin the interviews in September.

After the posted deadline of November 1, you can no longer specify our Program on the CASPA application. However, supporting documentation can still be submitted to CASPA.

No, you must apply directly through CASPA.

The answer to both questions is no. All students in our PA Program must earn all their course credits by completing at our institution all didactic and clinical courses listed in the Plan of Study. No transfer credit is accepted, and no credit is given for pre-admission experiential learning.

At some point during the winter, CASPA will notify you by e-mail when they initiate their academic update window, and you can update your coursework information at that time. Any time you have new information for your application—an updated transcript, for example—it is best to arrange to send it directly to the Radford University Carilion PA Program.

Sometimes supporting documents get delayed. Please check the CASPA site often to ensure they have received all your transcripts and references. If a transcript seems to be delayed, call the registrar’s office of that institution and remind them. Similarly, contact the person who wrote your reference if the reference has not arrived at CASPA within a reasonable time. People get busy, and sometimes, they need a little nudge.

This is why we suggest you start your application well before the deadline.

No, but CASPA does use your official transcripts to verify the information you fill out online. After that verification process, CASPA sends us a folder of information— including your coursework, your personal statement, work and volunteer experience and anything else you have entered on the form; it also sends copies of the reference letters and checklists.

CASPA does not send original documents to any program. Only after you are offered a position in our PA Program will you be asked to arrange for all colleges and universities you attended to send original transcripts directly to the Program before classes start. Radford University Carilion cannot enroll anyone as a student until we receive those official transcripts.

The GRE is not required.

Send all required documents to CASPA—do NOT send them to our Admissions Office or the Program. The only supporting documents you should send directly to Radford University Carilion are your updated transcripts after you have been accepted. If you have any new supporting documents after you have submitted your CASPA application, you may send them directly to the Program.

Required prerequisites are the courses listed on our web page. In general, they are anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, genetics or immunology, psychology, medical terminology, statistics, biochemistry or cell biology and associated labs where relevant. You will be required to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing during our Program; we encourage you to take writing-intensive courses (courses in the humanities that require a good bit of writing).

Prerequisites may be taken at any regionally accredited college or university, including community colleges. Online courses are accepted, provided the institution is regionally accredited and can issue an official transcript.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, with all coursework included, is required for consideration.

No. We cannot provide that service, due to the many applications we receive. We apply the “common sense” rule to determine if a specific course fulfills a requirement. If the course title includes “Biochemistry,” we will count it as a Biochemistry course. If you have questions about a specific course with a title that does not reflect the content, please get in touch with us.

No, but you must show in writing, or at the interview if you are selected to be interviewed, that you have specific plans to complete these courses by mid-August, when our Fall semester begins. Once you have completed these courses, arrange to have original transcripts sent directly to the Radford University Admissions Department. As mentioned elsewhere, CASPA does not send transcripts to institutions, so you must arrange to have original transcripts of all your college work forwarded to the Radford University Admissions Department if you are accepted to the Program.

We recommend pathophysiology, critical thinking, pharmacology, cadaver-based human anatomy, and additional humanities courses. Upper-level science courses are beneficial for preparing you for the rigor of our instructional curriculum. Public health or health care administration courses may also be useful in developing and demonstrating your breadth of health care knowledge.

We accept online prerequisite courses from any regionally accredited institution.

It is rare, but we have made individual exceptions. For example, if a student has low grades at the start of their undergraduate career but showed improvement over the course of enrollment, or if a non-traditional applicant has a lot of relevant healthcare experience and demonstrates the ability to succeed in recent coursework, these could befactors we would consider in the case of a lower GPA. We look at the overall GPA, science GPA, and particularly prerequisite GPA. 

The GRE is not currently required.

We look for evidence of the following:

• understanding of the role of the PA
• motivation to become a PA
• initiative
• desire to improve your community
• good grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Make sure you tell the people from whom you request references precisely what you are asking of them. Sometimes we get a reference from someone who thinks an applicant is applying to medical or some other school. References should be from:

• people who have known you for a significant amount of time
• people who know you academically or professionally
• a variety of sources—a professor, an employer, a PA or other healthcare professional you have worked with; a clinical supervisor, if possible, is ideal.

It should go without saying that references from friends and relatives are not acceptable.

Yes, 500 hours of healthcare experience are required of all candidates before enrollment in the PA Program, but they do not have to be completed at the time of application. The experience should be in areas that have patient/client contact. Examples are EMT, respiratory therapy, medical technician, nursing, scribing, and phlebotomy.

Patient contact hours in health education, health promotion, and social work may also be considered as long as the work is in patient/client services. The hours can be either paid or volunteer. Applicants with formal certifications in a health-related field should be prepared to provide copies of licenses or certifications upon request.

Please realize that shadowing differs from direct patient care, and we do not count shadowing hours as patient care.

The Program cannot assist in locating physician assistants who will provide shadowing. You will have to find PAs to shadow on your own.

 Please be aware that your university transcripts must be evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Inc., and sent to CASPA. Please see the CASPA page FAQ for their policies and contact information for other evaluation services.  Even with a foreign medical degree, you still need to complete all prerequisites.

If English is not your first language, our school requires a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 80 (web-based) or successful completion of two college-level English courses.  Have the TOEFL score sent directly to the Admissions Department. We encourage international applicants to have some coursework at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution.

No. The PA Admissions Committee holistically reviews applications and recommends invitations for interview to qualified candidates. About 160 applicants are invited for interviews each year. All interviews take place on the Radford University Carilion campus in Roanoke, VA.

We look at many factors: overall GPA, science GPA, references, writing skills, and healthcare experience. We are looking for an understanding of the PA role, communication and problem-solving skills, patient kinteractions, knowledge of healthcare delivery systems, leadership and experience, and the ability to work as part of a team. We attempt to surmise these things from your essay and previous work experience, even if it has not necessarily been in the healthcare field.

We do place an early emphasis on “adequate” academic numbers. Although the average GPA of accepted applicants is about 3.5, we accept a wide range. However, because we intend to graduate every student we accept, we want to be confident that they can maintain a 3.0 GPA in the program so they can graduate. If we have doubts about someone's academic ability, their application will become a lower priority.

We want students and subsequent graduates who are self-starters and able to handle the stress of the academic load, people who understand the health care system and the role of the PA, people who are confident but not arrogant, caring, capable, good team players, and mature. Our students participate in many group projects during the Program; we want students who can work well with others, share responsibilities, and complete tasks on time.

At the interview session, candidates will

• be introduced to faculty and staff and be presented an overview of the Program by a PA faculty member.
• be given a tour of the facilities by current PA students.
• participate in an individual interview by PA faculty, college faculty, former graduates, or admissions counselors.
• participate in a group interview with other candidates.
• have the opportunity to ask questions about our Program of interviewers, staff, and current students.

If you have been interviewed, you will receive your admissions decision letter within two weeks (usually less than one week) after the interview. Interviewees receive one of three decisions: Accept, Waitlist, or Deny. If accepted, you are given two weeks to make a $500 deposit, which will be credited towards tuition at the time of your enrollment.

Sometimes, under unusual circumstances, it is possible. If circumstances arise after you have paid your enrollment deposit that prevent you from starting the Program in the current Fall semester, you may request to defer to the following Fall. You need to put your request in writing.

Yes, you need to reapply, no matter what the situation was—whether you withdrew your application before a decision was made, or you were placed on the waitlist and didn't get an offer of acceptance, you were offered admission but declined, or even if you paid the enrollment deposit and then canceled without being granted a deferral. Each year, the applicant pool is new, and the competition is different. Anyone considered in a previous year must start again with a new CASPA application, pay the fee, send new references, and have the transcripts sent again.

 Review our Program’s requirements—courses required, work experience, GPA, references, and personal statement. If you could better meet these requirements in another year or two, do the work and then apply through CASPA again.

To start financial planning, go to the Radford University Carilion Financial Aid web page. You need to fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Our College FAFSA code is 003732. All students interested in federal financial aid for college and graduate school need to complete this application to determine eligibility for Stafford loans (the Federal Student Loan Program).

You should start this process even before you receive an admissions decision from the Program. The FAFSA has no bearing on the application decision.

The federal and non-federal aid may not be enough to cover the entire cost of attending the PA Program. We encourage you to seek scholarships and grants from other sources.

There are several scholarship opportunities for PA students at Radford University Carilion; to learn more, go to the Radford University Carilion Financial Aid web page.

The Physician Assistant Program is a highly challenging and time-intensive educational experience. Successful completion requires that you give Program-related activities the highest priority. The Program strongly discourages outside employment for a student enrolled in the PA Program. Students should attempt to secure adequate financial assistance before entering the Program. Financial difficulties are not grounds for special academic consideration. Students are also not allowed to do clerical work for the Program or preceptors.

Yes, we usually have 3 or 4 Information Sessions per year. View upcoming information session dates. These are provided in a Q&A format with a short intro and last about two hours, with an opportunity for a campus tour afterwards.

We are also happy to discuss specific questions with potential applicants and can arrange for individual meetings. It is best to contact the RUC Admissions office (888-985-8483 or email at rucadmissions@radford.edu) to schedule an interview with an admissions counselor or an on-campus tour. If you drop in, we may not be available, so it is best to make prior arrangements.

There is a difference in in-state vs. out-of-state student tuition. For tuition information, please refer to the Estimated Costs tab on the PA Program webpage.

The student is responsible for paying for books, medical equipment, a computer, and housing. The tuition includes most program costs. However, there are additional program costs for some formative and summative standardized exams that the PA Education Association has developed. These include a simulated PANCE Board exam (PACKRAT), exams for evaluating clinical rotation learning, and a comprehensive exam at the end of the entire curriculum. The total cost to the student for these exams is about $500.

We encourage applicants from everywhere, including international students who meet the requirements. No preference is given to any geographical group, and we have students from all over the country. About half of our students are usually from Virginia.

The PA Program starts in mid-August each year. There is no accommodation for alternate times, nor can students attend part-time.

Yes. Much of the curriculum and evaluation is shared via PowerPoint presentations and Web-based testing. Much of our communication is done on the Internet—through e-mail and the Desire 2 Learn (D2L) learning platform. D2L compatibility is necessary for online testing. Computers with either Windows or Macintosh operating systems are preferred. Chromebooks and iPads can work with D2L, but there may be other software that will not work well.

At this time, we do not require students to have smartphones or tablets (e.g., iPads), but many students find them very useful, especially during the second-year rotations. Smartphones have numerous medically-related applications.

There is a scheduled experience at a local eye center. The COVID pandemic has impacted other experiences, but we intend to reinstate these experiences when possible.

No. The Director of Clinical Education (DCE) and Clinical Resource Coordinator will place all students in appropriate clinical rotations.

In general, all clinical rotations will be completed at established Program sites.  Many rotations are completed at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke and affiliated sites. Assignments are based on the availability of clinical sites and accreditation requirements.

Generally, students are given more flexibility in selecting their elective rotations. However, assignments are on a case-by-case basis and are left to the discretion of the DCE. 

Most of our Program's graduates are clinicians in family practice, internal medicine, urgent care, and other medical areas. Others go on to do fellowships in specialties. Many of our graduates serve as preceptors and guest lecturers for our current students. 

Job outlook and starting salaries for PAs are excellent.

In answer to growing physician shortages, there is a push for more PAs to help ensure access to care. Coupled with this are the prospects of an aging population (who will need more healthcare services) and the fact that more people are expected to seek care due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Our students regularly attend regional and national conferences and develop strong professional networks while they are still students. Several of our students have had state or national leadership positions.