Physician Associate Studies, MS

Accreditation Information

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)

Oklahoma Baptist University’s (OBU) PA Program has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). OBU’s PA Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the October 2026 ARC-PA meeting. 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 Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. If the Accreditation - Provisional status is not granted by the ARC-PA in October 2026, the first cohort will not matriculate in January 2027 as planned.

Admissions Process

Applicants should review admission requirements carefully as applicants who do not meet any of the requirements will not be considered for admission. Applicants will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, so prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their materials early in the cycle.

Applications are submitted through the Centralized Application System for Physician Assistants (CASPA).

• Applicants must submit the full CASPA application as well as the supplemental application page for OBU within CASPA. The CASPA application includes academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and documentation of healthcare experience.

Applicants must also pay the OBU application fee on the university’s website before their application will be reviewed.

• The OBU PA program will waive this fee for applicants who have already been approved for a fee waiver through CASPA. Please contact admissions staff to learn about the process.

Any candidate meeting all application requirements who has received, or is on track to receive, a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University will be guaranteed an interview.

Applicants will be rated based upon the following attributes:

• Academic record 
• Alignment with program mission
• Responsibility
• Resilience
• Preparation for hybrid learning
• Critical thinking
• Leadership
• Preparation to provide culturally responsive care
• Written and verbal communication
• Additional points awarded for:
• Advanced degree (masters or doctorate)
• Leadership experience (military service, formal leadership positions)

Prerequisite Courses

• Human Anatomy (3 credits)*
• Human Physiology (3 credits)*
• Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
• Biochemistry OR Cellular & Molecular Biology (3 credits)
• Microbiology (3 credits)
• Genetics (3 credits)
• Psychology - Abnormal or Developmental (3 credits)
• Statistics (3 credits)
• Medical Terminology (1 credit)

*Indicates courses which must have been taken within the past ten years.

Prerequisite Course Details

• All science courses must be at the level required for science majors.
• All prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally accredited institution with a grade of B- or higher. We do not accept pass/fail grades for prerequisite courses.
• Six of the nine prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application. Applicants who need to complete up to three prerequisite courses should contact the program to submit a formal plan. 
• Score of 4 or 5 on a high school advanced placement exam will be considered for statistics prerequisite only
• If Human Anatomy and Human Physiology are taken in combination through a two-course sequence, both courses must be taken at the same institution.

Additional Admission Requirements

Prior Education Requirements

• Earned B.A. or B.S. degree from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized institution
• Minimal GPA requirement of 3.25 overall and 3.25 overall science on a 4.0 scale as calculated by CASPA

Patient Care Requirement

1,000 hours of direct patient care which must include direct interaction with patients in a medical setting

• Examples of accepted tasks/roles: EMT, medical assistant, scribe, nurse, CNA, phlebotomist, dental hygienist, athletic trainer, surgical assistant, performing medical procedures, administering medication, taking vitals or other record-keeping information
• We cannot accept hours for administrative roles (i.e. front desk work). If an applicant has worked in a role with multiple responsibilities, they will be asked to estimate the hours worked in direct patient care.
• Accepted patient care experiences can be paid or unpaid
• Applicants must have completed 250 patient care hours at the time of application. Applicants who need to complete additional patient care hours should contact the program to submit a formal plan.

Application fee

• $100 application fee paid directly to Oklahoma Baptist University (Link will be available when CASPA opens)

Applicants born outside of the United States (U.S.) 

• This program is not currently open to international applicants 
• Citizens of the U.S. who were born outside of the U.S.: 
  • Must take all required prerequisite courses at a regionally accredited U.S. higher education institution 
  • Must submit an evaluation of foreign transcripts from NACES or CGFNS International directly to the program 
    • OBU follows CASPA’S practices in reference to English-Canadian transcripts. English transcripts provided by Canadian schools are not considered foreign and do not need to be processed as international coursework. Please contact our enrollment counselor with questions about Canadian transcripts.
  • If English is not the applicant’s first language, the applicant must submit documentation of meeting one of the following exam score criteria: 
    • TOEFL exam score: minimum 600 paper-based, 100 internet-based, or 250 computer-based score 
    • IELTS exam score: minimum 7

Seat Acceptance Requirements

Following acceptance, applicants will be required to submit the following before they can matriculate into the program. Failure to complete any of these requirements as stated will result in forfeiture of the seat.

• $1,000 non-refundable seat deposit
• Medical clearance with confirmation of meeting program’s Technical Standards and immunization requirements. Please see the program’s immunization policy on the program website.
• State and federal background checks
  • Criminal background checks and drug testing are a requirement of individual clinical sites, states, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The OBU MSPAS Program cannot guarantee placement of the student at clinical sites if criminal background check and drug screen results are not congruent with the clinical site requirements. In this case, students may not be eligible to complete program requirements and graduate from the program. Findings may also impact a graduate’s ability to obtain professional state licensure.
• Proof of health insurance
• Agreement to program policies and procedures

Advanced Placement  

The program does not grant advanced placement to any applicants based on previous coursework. All students in the program must complete all curricular requirements through OBU. Courses that are required as prerequisites to the PA program cannot be substituted for any content within the program.

Licensure and Certification

The OBU PA program meets the requirements for graduates to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification examination, which leads to the credential PA-C.

The Professional Licensure Disclosures page provides information about state licensure requirements. Prior to enrolling in the program, students should verify that the program meets licensure requirements in the state where they plan to practice. Some states may have additional requirements for practice. Students should review state licensing board websites for detailed information.

On-Campus Immersions

Students will complete four on-campus immersions in the first year of the program, two in the first term, and one in each of the following terms. During these immersions, students will participate in clinical simulations, professionalism training, and learn hands-on skills such as sterile technique, suturing, splinting and casting. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with their faculty mentor to ensure that each student is receiving the support that they need. Clinical students will return to campus toward the end of their final term for graduation preparation and summative exams.

Clinical Year 

All students will complete eight required clinical rotations in each of the following disciplines: family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, behavioral health, women’s health, pediatrics and one non-core rotation. The non-core rotation can be completed in any clinical specialty, depending on site availability and student academic needs. Most clinical rotations will be 5 weeks, but there may be variation depending on site availability, access to required patient populations, and individual student needs. Students will meet with their faculty advisor throughout the clinical year and will continue to have access to all support resources available through the program. No matter where you are learning from, we make sure that you are fully supported in mind, body, soul and career.

Clinical rotations may take place in various locations across the country, depending on preceptor and site availability. All travel arrangements and associated costs, including airfare, lodging, and ground transportation are the responsibility of the student. Physician Associate students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. All clinical sites must have a signed affiliation agreement with the OBU PA program, confirming that the site meets all program and accreditation requirements.

Program Policies

Please visit the Program Policies on the website to review detailed policies related to:

• Student employment
• Remediation
• Deceleration and withdrawal
• Health screening and immunization requirements
• Academic progression and graduation requirements

Graduation Requirements

To complete the MSPAS program and qualify for graduation, students must meet the following requirements:

• Completion of required academic and clinical coursework (104 credit hours).
• See PA Program Student Handbook on Program Policies website for detailed information regarding progression and graduation requirements.
• Demonstration of acquisition of program competencies on program summative examination.
• Attendance at all mandatory program events including orientation, group advising sessions, and on-campus residencies.
• Fulfillment of all financial obligations to the University.
• Payment of graduation fee.