April 25, 2023: CASPA cycle opens.
September 2023: Student applicant interviews begin.
January 15, 2024: Deadline for application to be completed and verified by CASPA. GRE scores (within 5 years) and shadowing experience hours should be submitted at the time of application.
August 31, 2024: Deadline for submission of matriculation materials.
September 26, 2024: Classes begin for the PA 2026 student cohort.

 Applications for admission are only accepted through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) https://caspa.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. Only applications verified by CASPA are reviewed. Grade point averages (GPAs) calculated by CASPA are applied. Student applicants are also required to submit GRE scores and a minimum of 24 hours of shadowing a PA, MD, DO, DPM, or NP before consideration for a student applicant interview. Please note that submission of a complete application does not guarantee an invitation for a student applicant interview, and completion of a student applicant interview does not guarantee an offer for admission.

•   Grade Point Averages (GPAs)

  Cumulative and science GPAs are calculated by CASPA.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum science GPA of 2.8 are required for application; however, students with stronger academic profiles are more likely to be invited for student applicant interviews.

•   Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Score

  Student applicants must request submission of official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from Education Testing Services (ETS) to the LMU-SMS-Knoxville PA Program using the Designated Institution (DI) Code 4376.  The date of the GRE scores must be within five years of the date of application to the Program.  There is no minimum GRE score required for application; however, students with stronger academic profiles are more likely to be invited for student applicant interviews.

•   Evaluation (Reference) Letters

  Student applicants must submit three professional evaluation letters to CASPA that address the student applicant’s readiness for the rigor of the Program curriculum and professional conduct. At least one professional evaluation letter must be from a PA, MD, DO, DPM, or NP, including their observations of the student in a clinical setting.

•   shadowing and health care experience requirements

  Student applicants must provide verification of a minimum of 24 hours of shadowing a PA, MD, DO, DPM, or NP before consideration for a student applicant interview. Shadowing must be completed through in-person direct observation of patient interactions by a PA, MD, DO, DPM, or NP. Work hours (patient care experience) completed with a PA, MD, DO, DPM, or NP do not meet the Program’s shadowing experience requirements.

  The Program does not require a minimum number of health care experience hours; however, student applicants are encouraged to seek out opportunities to obtain health care experience in either paid or volunteer positions in a variety of health care settings, as these experiences are valuable to professional growth.

•   Admission Seat Deposit

  Student applicants who are offered admission to the Program must submit a non-refundable seat deposit of $500.00 to secure their seat.  The seat deposit is applied to the balance of tuition and fees for the first semester.  The seat deposit is not refunded to students who do not matriculate into the Program.

•   Deferral of Admission Offer

  Students may request to defer their admission offer to the next student cohort once.  This request must be submitted in writing to the Program Director no less than 90 days prior to the first day of class.  Any student who does not matriculate with the next student cohort following approval for deferral for admission offer loses their offer of admission but is eligible to reapply to the Program.

•   Reapplying to the Program

  Any student reapplying to the Program must follow the same application procedure as new student applicants and is evaluated using the same process as new student applicants.  The Program does not maintain student application records for student applicants who do not matriculate into the Program.

•   CASPA Code of Conduct

  Student applicants are held to CASPA’s Code of Cooperation and Conduct Policies.  As such, all student applicants are expected and required to take full responsibility for their application throughout the application and admissions process and abided by CASPA’s Professional Code of Conduct.

Consistent with the mission of LMU and the vision and mission of the LMU-Knoxville PA Program, preference is given to applicants with permanent residence in the Appalachian region of the following states: TN, KY, VA, NC, OH, WV, PA, AL, and GA. The preference is applied with a 3-tiered system. The greatest preference is given to applicants with permanent residence in the Appalachian region of Tennessee. Applicants with permanent residence in the Appalachian region of KY, VA, NC, and WV are given greater preference than applicants with permanent residence in the Appalachian region of OH, PA, AL, and GA.
 .

Click HERE to see if your county is in the Appalachian region. 

State of Permanent Residence for PA 2022, 2023, and 2024 Student Cohorts at Matriculation 

*Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Georgia

Sixty students matriculated into the PA 2022 Cohort. Thirty-five (58.3%) students reported permanent residence in one of the Appalachian states listed in the tables.

Eighty students matriculated into the PA 2023 Cohort. Sixty-two (77.5%) students reported permanent residence in one of the Appalachian states listed in the tables.

One-hundred students matriculated into the PA 2024 Cohort. Sixty-seven (67%) students reported permanent residence in one of the Appalachian states listed in the tables.

LMU’s GPA Program
LMU undergraduate students enrolled in LMU’s GPA Program who apply to the Program through CASPA are guaranteed a student applicant interview if they meet the Program’s criteria for application.  Students enrolled in LMU’s GPA Program must complete the same application process as all other student applicants. 

The LMU-SMS-Knoxville PA Program holds articulation agreements with Tusculum University (Greeneville, TN) and Hampton University (Hampton, VA). Up to six student applicants from each of these universities who have completed or are in the process of completing their undergraduate degree from these universities are guaranteed a student applicant interview if the meet the Program’s criteria for application. Students from these universities must complete the same application process as all other student applicants.”

Military Service
Student applicants with military service, including honorably discharged veterans, active duty, guard, and reserve members, are given preference. 

Student applicants must be a United States Citizen or a permanent resident of the United States. All prerequisite course requirements must be completed in the United States at a regionally or nationally accredited college or university.

Student applicants who completed courses and/or degree outside of the United States must submit a transcript evaluation from World Education Services (www.wes.org), Educational Credential Evaluators (www.ece.org/ECE), or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. (www.jsilny.com) to CASPA.

Student applicant whose native language is not English must submit scores from the combined Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English (TSE) examination (https://www.ets.org/toefl) unless that applicant is a graduate of a regionally or nationally accredited college or university in the United States. The minimum accepted score is 79 for Internet-Based Testing (iBT) and 26 for the speaking component. 

Grade Point Averages (GPAs)
Cumulative and science GPAs are calculated by CASPA.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum science GPA of 2.8 are required for application.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
The date of the GRE scores must be within five years of the date of application to the Program. There is no minimum GRE score required for the application.

Academic Profiles for PA 2022, 2023, and 2024 Student Cohorts at Matriculation

Grade Point Averages (GPA)

*BCP = Biology, Chemistry, Physics. The Program tracks the BCP GPA, however this GPA is not utilized in decisions to invite student applicants for interviews or offer admission.

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Percentile Scores

Prior to matriculation, all prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally or nationally accredited college or university in the United States with a course grade of “C” or higher. Course grades of Pass (P), Satisfactory (S), or equivalent for prerequisite courses completed during the spring and summer 2020 semesters are acceptable.

Prerequisite Course Requirements

Student applicants with greater than 16 credit hours of prerequisite courses to complete prior to their student applicant interview are not considered for admission. 

Student applicants must self-report course information on the CASPA application prior to submission to the Program.  Official transcripts, from all institutions attended, confirming course grades must be submitted directly from the degree-granting institution to CASPA. 

Survey science courses are not considered.  Student applicants are advised to complete of thorough review of course material for any science course completed greater than four years prior to matriculation. 

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are considered.  Credit is not offered for prior experience.  Advanced standing is not offered.

Prior to matriculation, student applicants must earn a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally or national accredited college or university. Student applicants must self-report degree information on the CASPA application prior to submission to the Program. Official transcripts confirming degree completion must be submitted directly from the degree-granting institution to CASPA. Student applicants who complete their degree after submission of their CASPA application must have their official transcripts confirming degree completion submitted directly from the degree-granting institution to the Program ([email protected]).

Prior to matriculation, students must have a licensed health care provider verify the student’s immunization, tuberculosis screening, and urine drug screening status relative to the requirements listed below.  Clinical sites may have additional requirements.  Students are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining the Program’s immunization and screening requirements and any additional requirements of clinical sites providing supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) for the student.  Students must submit their immunization records, tuberculosis screening results, and urine drug screen results to the online central screening service by the Program’s submission due dates.   

The Program follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for healthcare workers.  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html  https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/healthcareworkers.htm

Updated 4.6.2022

Students may request a religious or medical exemption to the immunization/vaccination requirements by contacting the Program Director; however, clinical sites that provide supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) may not allow for exemptions to the above requirements and may have additional requirements.

Arrest/Criminal Background Check Policy 

To ensure the safety of students, faculty, colleagues, and most importantly, patients; the Physician Assistant profession requires that both students and licensed health care professionals be able to pass criminal background checks.

Therefore:
Prior to matriculation, accepted students must submit to a criminal background check.

Prior to beginning supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs), students must submit to a repeat criminal background check.

From time to time, students may be required to submit to additional criminal background checks, which may include fingerprinting, based on clinical affiliation agreements with the Program’s Clinical Affiliates (Clinical Sites) or at the Program Director’s discretion.

Any student arrested or formally charged with a violation of the law (other than minor traffic violations) must report the arrest or formal charge to the Program Director within two (2) business days after the arrest/formal charge.

Students are responsible for the costs of criminal background checks and fingerprinting.

The Program Director reviews any positive findings on pre-matriculation criminal background checks to determine if matriculation is appropriate. Any positive finding(s) on post-matriculation criminal background checks are reviewed by the Program Director to determine if referral to the Student Progress Committee for recommendations on progression in the Program is appropriate. Any student with felony convictions, pending felony charges, misdemeanor convictions, and pending misdemeanor charges are evaluated and advised on a case-by-case basis. 

The Program reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission and prohibit progression in the Program to any student at any time based on the results of a criminal background check(s) or student refusal to submit to a criminal background check(s).  Additionally, Clinical Affiliates reserve the right to refuse students or remove students from their Clinical Site(s) based on the results of a criminal background check(s) or student refusal to submit to a criminal background check(s)/fingerprinting.  Positive findings on a criminal background check or student refusal to submit to a criminal background check may prevent the student from completing one or more components required by the Program and thereby prevent graduation.  Additionally, positive findings on a criminal background check may prevent a graduate from obtaining state licensure and/or hospital/practice credentialing.

Drug/Alcohol Screen, and Driving While Under the Influence (DUI) Policy 

Safe and competent delivery of patient care requires all providers to be free of impairment from drugs and alcohol. Prior to matriculation and prior to beginning SCPEs, students must submit the results of a urine drug screen to the Program. At times students may also be required to submit to additional drug and/or alcohol screens. Students are responsible for the cost of drug and alcohol screens. The Program Director reviews any positive findings (s) on the pre-matriculation urine drug screen to determine if matriculation is appropriate. Any positive findings on post-matriculation drug and alcohol screens are reviewed by the Program Director to determine if referral to the Student Progress Committee for recommendations on progression in the Program is appropriate. Students with prior DUI conviction or pending DUI charges are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The Program reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission and prohibit progression in the Program to any student at any time based on the results of a drug and/or alcohol screen(s) or student refusal to submit to a drug and/or alcohol screen(s).  Additionally, Clinical Affiliates reserve the right to refuse students or remove students from their Clinical Site(s) where SCPEs occur based on the results of a drug and/or alcohol screen(s) or student refusal to submit to drug and/or alcohol screens.  Positive findings on a drug/alcohol screen(s) or DUI arrest may prevent the student from completing the SCPEs required for graduation and may prevent graduates from obtaining state licensure and/or hospital/practice credentialing.

Students under the age of 21 years may not possess, consume, sell, distribute, or be in the presence of alcoholic beverages on LMU grounds, in LMU facilities, at LMU activities, and at Clinical Sites of the Program’s Clinical Affiliates. 

Minimum Technical Standards for Enrollment and Progression 

The Program has identified minimum technical standards all applicants must meet to ensure successful completion of the Program and the delivery of competent, safe, and appropriate patient care during training and following graduation. All students in the Program must be able to demonstrate these health standards, cognitive and motor skills, and professional behaviors, including students with disabilities when reasonable accommodations are made by the Program, for Program matriculation, progression, and graduation.

•   General Health

  Students must be able to participate in all educational activities (classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings). These educational activities may require more than 8 hours of active participation (sitting, standing, performing procedures, etc.) and exposure to various body fluids, communicable diseases, radiation, and toxic substances. Students must maintain a general state of physical and mental health necessary to operate under the typical demands and performance requirements of the Program and the PA profession. This includes standard preventive health measures such as annual immunizations. Students must be medically cleared (form provided in matriculation package) for enrollment if accepted to the Program. The Program requires all students enrolled in the Program to maintain health insurance coverage from matriculation through graduation.

•   Motor and Fine Skills

  The provision of patient care often requires upright posture with sufficient total body strength, mobility, and cardiovascular endurance. Students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and be able to sit, stand, and perform other activities for long periods of time. Students must be able to execute the physical movements required to maneuver in small places, calibrate and use equipment, position and move patients, and perform the technical procedures involved in the practice of medicine in surgery. 

•   Critical Thinking and Cognitive Abilities

  Students must possess the intellectual capabilities required to complete the full curriculum and achieve the level of competence delineated by the Program and the PA profession. Critical thinking requires the intellectual ability to measure, calculate, synthesize and analyze a large and complex volume of medical and surgical information. The ability to comprehend three-dimensional and spatial relationships of structures is also required.  

•   Computer Technology Skills

  Students must be able to utilize computerized information technology to access and manage online medical information, access learning management systems and participate in computerized testing as required by the Program, conduct research, prepare multimedia presentations, and participate in the management of computerized patient records and assessments.  

•   Communication Skills

  Students must be able to speak, hear, and observe patients to gather pertinent data, describe their observations, and perceive nonverbal communications. Students must be able to effectively, efficiently, and with sensitivity, communicate with peers, faculty, staff, members of the health care team, patients, and families from different social and cultural backgrounds, orally and in writing, with clarity and accuracy. 

•   Visual Ability

  Students must have the visual acuity needed to evaluate a patient during a physical examination, monitor patient stability, and perform a wide range of technical procedures involved in the practice of medicine and surgery. 

•   Hearing and Tactile Ability

  Students must have the motor and sensory functions needed to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, and percussion, as well as perform a wide range of technical procedures involved in the practice of medicine and surgery. 

•   Interpersonal Ability

  Students must possess a wide range of interpersonal skills, including (1) the emotional health required for management of high stress situations while maintaining full intellectual abilities; (2) the ability to exercise good judgment; (3) the ability to complete all assigned patient care responsibilities; (4) the ability to manage time (arrive on time, prioritize activities, complete tasks efficiently); (5) the ability to develop a mature, sensitive and effective relationship with peers, faculty, staff, all members of the health care team,  patients, and families; (6) the ability to identify, use, understand and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict; (7) the ability to recognize one’s own emotional state and the emotional states of others and engage with patients and families in a way that establishes confidence and trust; and (8) be able to accept constructive criticism and respond via appropriate behavior modification.