Current-cycle decision support
Turn confirmed information into a first practice
Clinic appointment access and fairness
Practise making a fair decision when access is limited. Review whether you identify missing information, weigh both patients' needs, and explain the next step clearly; then record the scenario again with one improvement.
Quick facts
- Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
- Length: 28 months, seven semesters and 115 credits
- Location: Concord University main campus in Athens, West Virginia
- Cohort: up to 24 students
- Focus: rural and underserved care, community service, public health and leadership
- Accreditation: ARC-PA Accreditation-Provisional; first accredited March 2025, with the next review listed for January 2028
- Entry cycle on this guide: Fall 2027; Concord confirms that the curriculum begins in fall but has not published an exact 2027 matriculation date
Concord PA program · ARC-PA accreditation history
Admission requirements
Traditional applicants apply through CASPA. Before matriculation, they need a bachelor’s degree, at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and 3.0 prerequisite GPA, 40 PA-specific shadowing hours, a GRE score from the previous five years, and three references, including at least one from a medical professional and preferably a PA.
Prerequisites require a C or higher and include anatomy and physiology with labs, biology with lab, microbiology with lab, two general chemistry courses, organic chemistry or biochemistry with lab, statistics, an additional math course, two psychology courses and medical terminology. Science prerequisites and medical terminology normally must be within 10 years of matriculation. Pass/fail prerequisite grades are not accepted. Applicants may have up to six prerequisites in progress or outstanding when applying, but all requirements must be complete before matriculation.
Concord sets no minimum healthcare or direct-patient-care hour total, but says applicants with little or no experience are less likely to receive an interview. Service and leadership strengthen the application. The official page currently prints a contradictory TOEFL value, so applicants who need English-language testing should confirm the requirement directly with the program. Official admissions requirements
Important dates
Concord uses rolling admissions and encourages early submission. The current official page does not publish the CASPA opening date, application deadline, interview window or exact Fall 2027 matriculation date. The published curriculum begins with a fall semester, and the first cohort matriculated in August 2025, but applicants should not treat that prior date as the 2027 start date.
After faculty make a selection decision, applicants are normally notified of their status within two weeks. Accepted traditional applicants generally owe a $1,000 non-refundable deposit within two weeks; later offers can have shorter deadlines, and the acceptance letter controls. Official admissions and post-acceptance details
How selection works
The admissions coordinator and program faculty review applications using a scoring rubric. Concord evaluates academic preparation through GPA, repeated courses, the personal statement, GRE and references; PA motivation and perseverance through healthcare experience, the statement and references; and program fit through service, leadership, the statement and references. West Virginia residents and Concord students or alumni receive additional rubric points.
Applicants who meet the application-score cutoff receive an interview invitation by email. Faculty then combine application and interview scores and make rolling decisions. If the cohort fills before interviews end, qualifying applicants may still interview for a possible wait-list position. Concord does not publish the cutoff or criterion weights. Official applicant evaluation process
Interview details
Confirmed
Traditional applicants who meet Concord’s application-score cutoff are invited by email. In-person interviews are encouraged, while Zoom may be coordinated when it is more practical. During the interview, Concord evaluates academic preparedness, motivation to become a PA, perseverance, professionalism, ethical and moral reasoning, leadership and career-goal fit. Fast-track Concord students must interview in person. Official interview process
Not published
Concord does not publish the Fall 2027 interview dates, number or length of interviews, interviewer composition, question count, station format, advance materials, scoring weights or whether candidates complete other assessed activities. Do not assume an MMI, panel or closed-file format.
Who this program may suit
Concord may suit applicants seeking a small, campus-based PA program with an explicit mission around rural and underserved care, community service, public health and leadership. Its published rubric rewards academic preparation, PA motivation, healthcare exposure, service and leadership; applicants should be ready to connect those experiences to the program’s mission.
Applicants should also weigh that the program is new and holds Accreditation-Provisional. ARC-PA lists its first accreditation in March 2025, a maximum class size of 24 and a next review in January 2028. Concord program mission · ARC-PA accreditation history
Practice and next step
Record: Answer the featured access-and-fairness prompt aloud. State the competing duties, identify who may be disadvantaged, propose a practical next step and explain how you would communicate it professionally.
Review: Check whether your reasoning is structured, your trade-off is explicit and your response shows ethical judgment without losing empathy. Mark one weakness in clarity, evidence or delivery.
Second attempt: Record the same prompt again with one deliberate adjustment, then compare both attempts. Continue with the Physician Assistant Interview Essentials path to practise motivation, professionalism, leadership and program-fit answers.
Frequently asked questions
Does Concord use rolling admissions?
Yes. Concord encourages early submissions and says faculty make decisions on a rolling basis. The current page does not publish the Fall 2027 application deadline. Official admissions page
What GPA and experience does Concord require?
Traditional applicants need at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, a 3.0 prerequisite GPA and 40 PA-specific shadowing hours. There is no fixed healthcare or direct-patient-care hour minimum, although little or no experience can reduce the likelihood of an interview. Official requirements
Is the interview virtual or in person?
Traditional candidates may coordinate either an in-person interview, which Concord encourages, or Zoom when more practical. Fast-track candidates must interview in person. Official interview process
What does Concord assess in the interview?
The school names academic preparation, PA motivation, perseverance, professionalism, ethical and moral reasoning, leadership and career-goal fit. It does not publish the question or station format. Official evaluation process
What is Concord’s accreditation status?
ARC-PA lists Concord as Accreditation-Provisional, first accredited in March 2025, with its next review in January 2028. ARC-PA accreditation history
Sources
- Concord University Physician Assistant Program — program structure, admissions requirements, evaluation, interviews, decisions and post-acceptance conditions; reviewed 2026-08-22.
- ARC-PA Concord University Accreditation History — Accreditation-Provisional status, March 2025 first accreditation, maximum class size 24 and January 2028 next review; reviewed 2026-08-22.
Recommended preparation
Physician Assistant Interview Essentials
Build a credible PA interview foundation through four focused spoken responses: profession-specific motivation, interprofessional teamwork, fair clinical decision-making, and reflective use of feedback.
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