About the Dual Degree Program in Public Health and Physician Assistant
With the dual degree program in Public Health and Physician Assistant, you can prepare for a leadership role in meeting community health care needs. This dual degree offers a synergistic integration of individual patient management with health promotion and disease prevention affecting local communities and global populations. Dual-degree candidates must be accepted into each of the programs in order to pursue dual degrees:
- Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
- Focuses on population health
- Includes the disciplines of epidemiology and biostatistics
- In-depth fieldwork thesis project oriented toward a student’s primary area of research interest
- Master of Medical Science—Physician Assistant (M.M.S.)
Designed to produce physician assistants well-equipped to deliver high-quality, cost-effective primary healthcare in a wide variety of settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Physicians’ offices
- Other community settings
Arcadia has one of the largest Physician Assistant programs in the nation, with campuses in Glenside, Pa., and Christiana, Del. As a student in the dual M.P.H./M.M.S.—Physician Assistant program, you will have access to the region’s medical communities with diverse clinical experiences and opportunities for service learning in international settings.
Students will work towards their M.P.H. degree at Arcadia's Glenside, Pa. campus during the first year. Years two and three encompass the physician assistant studies and may be completed at either the Christiana, Del. or Glenside, Pa. campus at the program's discretion.
Applicants invited to interview for a place in the program are evaluated by both Physician Assistant and Public Health faculty.
Admission Requirements
1. A Physician Assistant application to be completed through CASPA at www.caspaonline.org.
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or better.
3. One official transcript from each college, university or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and official seals. Please send transcripts directly to CASPA.
4. Students must have completed the following prerequisites:
a. Biological Sciences—five courses with labs to include Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology.
b. Chemistry—three courses with labs to include at least one semester of Organic Chemistry.
c. Psychology—one course.
d. Statistics—one course.
5. Three letters of recommendation. Ideally, one should be from a professor and one from a practicing licensed physician or physician assistant.
6. Test scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), taken within the last five years. (CASPA GRE Code: 1578, Arcadia U Phys Asst Prog CASPA). These tests are required for all applicants, including those who already have a graduate degree.
7. A minimum of 200 hours of patient care experience.
8. Knowledge of the Public Health profession through work or volunteer experience.
9. Students must meet the minimal technical requirements for admission, continuation and graduation.
10. International applicants should visit www.arcadia.edu/international for detailed information on admissions requirements and application procedures. Official results from the TOEFL or IELTS are required for all students for whom English is a second language except for non-native speakers of English who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States also is required.
11. Arcadia performs a holistic review of each student’s application. The program does not allow students to waive courses, nor does it admit students with advanced standing. However, students who have withdrawn or who have been dismissed from the program can be readmitted and granted credit for courses they have completed successfully.
12. Increasingly, clinical facilities are requiring that students seeking placements undergo various criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and/or drug screens prior to placements. Therefore, students should be prepared to participate in these screenings. Applicants who are unable to pass these background checks may be denied admission into the program.
13. While an interview is not required for acceptance to the program, we do offer several opportunities for accepted students to speak with faculty and current students in person or virtually prior to deposit deadline.
Expenses
VIEW PROGRAM COSTS
Financial Aid
Graduate students who have been accepted into a degree program and are enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester are eligible to apply for financial aid. Please visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid for information regarding available aid options and visit www.arcadia.edu/gradfinaidapply to complete required forms online.
Graduate Assistantships/Graduate Student Employment may be available to graduate students registered for at least 9 credits per semester. Students may apply for assistantships/graduate student employment upon acceptance and registration. Questions regarding graduate assistantships should be directed to the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies at 215-572-2925.
Federal Loans
Graduate students are eligible to borrow through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan programs provided they are taking at least 6 credits per semester (in the summer, 6 credits over all summer sessions combined satisfies this requirement). For more information, visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid.
