The Cedarville University PA Program seeks diverse individuals who demonstrate through their application key academic and experiential characteristics, including:
- Ability to succeed in a rigorous scientific curriculum
- Adequate healthcare experience to understand the PA role
- Consistent commitment to Christian discipleship and serving those in need
Additionally, we look for personal qualities essential to the practice of medicine, including professionalism, integrity, collaboration, compassion, and resiliency.
Note: meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview. Also, the program does not grant advanced standing for previous educational or clinical experience.
Cedarville conducts admissions on a rolling basis. Submitting an application earlier in the cycle increases the likelihood of securing a seat in the program, while those who submit later may be competing for a spot on the waitlist.
Application Process
Admissions is conducted in a tiered fashion. Complete application files (which include the Cedarville Graduate Application and a verified CASPA application) are processed in three phases based on verification date:
- Early Decision: applications verified prior to August 1 are reviewed for early decisions in early fall.
- Fall Decision: applications verified after August 1 up through October 1 are reviewed and eligible for interviews held in November for decision by December 31.
- Spring Decision: applications verified after October 1 will be reviewed and eligible for interviews which will be held as needed to fill any additional seats.
Note: it is your responsibility to monitor the status of your CASPA application to ensure it meets Cedarville’s application and review deadlines. The PA Program and Cedarville University are not responsible for notifying applicants of incomplete applications.
Committee Review of Applications – The Program Admissions Committee oversees the admissions process. After initial review of the completed application by Graduate Admissions, two members of the committee conduct an independent review through four distinct lenses:
- Cognitive/academic preparation
- Non-cognitive/personal attributes
- Healthcare experience preparation
- Community and Volunteer service
See Admission Requirements for more details.
Application Deadline – March 1
You must apply to the program through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and complete the Cedarville Graduate Application.
The Cedarville Graduate Application requires your personal testimony, acknowledgement of the University doctrinal statement and community covenant, and contact information for a Christian Leader Reference.
The CASPA cycle opens in late April and you may submit applications to Cedarville starting May 1. Applications must be verified by March 1 to be considered for matriculation the following May. You must complete all general and program-specific fields, following the directions specifically outlined in the CASPA application.
Application Prerequisites:
Questions?
If you have any questions about the PA program's admission process, reach out to Gayle Wilken, Director of Graduate Recruitment for Residential Healthcare Programs.
Complete Your Applications
Selection Process
The Program Admissions Committee will evaluate complete application files that meet the minimum requirements for admission. Highly rated candidates who meet the stated qualifications will be invited for on-campus interviews. Qualifications for admission interviews are based on review and/or scoring of the following:
- Bachelor’s degree discipline
- Qualifying and Prerequisite GPA
- Academic rigor and consistency
- Healthcare experience and certification(s)
- Reference letters
- Personal essays
- Community and volunteer service
The committee reviews for and rewards applicants with backgrounds and characteristics that are underrepresented in the PA profession or that would diversify and enhance the composition of the program cohort and enrich the learning environment as a whole. These include: veterans, males, those who grew up in a rural or medically underserved area, educationally disadvantaged, those raised in ministry-minded homes, those pursuing a second career, collegiate athletes, survivors of major life stressors or who have overcome significant life challenges, and those who possess active medical licensure/certification(s). The committee also reviews for and rewards applicants who reapply to our program after demonstrating improvement in their application.
Personal Interviews
Applicants with the strongest application will be invited for an on-campus, in-person interview with the program. You must interview with the program to be offered a seat. Highly qualified diverse applicants who seek to enhance the Cedarville Community and PA Program through their personal experience and appreciation for racial, ethnic, economic, and cultural diversity may be eligible for travel assistance.
The PA program conducts interviews depending on when the verified application is received:
| Application Received | Interview Period |
|---|---|
| Prior to August 1 | Early Fall |
| August 1 – October 1 | November |
| After October 1 | Spring (as needed) |
The interview day will include:
- Individual interview with a principal faculty member
- Individual interview with faculty or a partner community healthcare provider
- Group interview
On interview days, you will interact with current students, tour campus, receive financial aid information, and have an opportunity to ask any questions related to the program or university.
Interviews are used to assess interpersonal interactions among the candidates and the interviewers, verbal communication skills, professionalism, and knowledge of the program and profession. Additionally, the candidates will be evaluated on desired attributes for healthcare providers such as maturity, teamwork, compassion, response to failure, and adaptability.
Post-Interview
You will be notified of the outcome of your interview and status of your application within two weeks of your interview. You will be assigned one of three outcomes: Offered a Seat, Placed on the Waitlist, or Declined a Seat.
If you are offered a seat in the program, you will have seven calendar days to acknowledge your acceptance. Within two weeks of being notified of acceptance, you must submit a $500 deposit to secure your seat. This deposit is fully refundable if forfeiture of the accepted seat is received prior to January 15. No refund will be made for withdrawals of acceptance between January 15 and matriculation in the program.
Post-acceptance and pre-matriculation requirements, including onboarding resources/activities, compliance documentation and attestations are communicated at the interview and again to accepted candidates around January 1st (or for spring candidates, after they have paid their deposit). You must complete the requirements no later than one month prior to matriculation. Per program policy, you are expected to start the onboarding process within three weeks of being granted access. Failure to engage in these activities or meet the deadlines specified may result in the PA Program rescinding your seat and offering it to an alternate candidate.
Upon completion of interviews for the application cycle, any remaining seats will be filled with candidates from the waitlist. Ranking of candidates on the waitlist will be determined by the Program Admissions Committee and not disclosed.
Candidates who are not offered a seat must reapply in subsequent admissions cycles to be considered again. CASPA applications do not carry over from one cycle to another.
Disabilities
The PA Program faculty and staff is strictly prohibited from inquiring about a disability. The PA Program, in accordance with University policy as delineated by federal and Ohio law, does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on the basis of that individual’s disability and will make good faith efforts at providing reasonable accommodation as required. However, the PA Program reserves the right not to admit or register students who cannot meet the technical standards or who would constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
PA Program applicants or students who have questions regarding these technical standards or who believe they may need to request reasonable accommodation in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact someone from Disability Services in The Cove by email or phone: 937-766-7437.
Note: revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary before any accommodation(s) may be made in the learning environment or in the PA Program’s procedures. Information regarding disabilities is handled in a confidential manner.