Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

The statements that follow are generalities; they cannot cover all aspects of each individual application. They are meant to provide some insight into MEDEX values and priorities as we select each class for training. Bear in mind that we do not expect to find “perfect” candidates-- weaknesses in some areas can be countered by strengths in others. Our aim is to come to a fair judgment about each application as a whole and an individual’s readiness for PA training in our program. Please use the following information to self-assess and to determine ways to present the strongest application.

Questions by Topic

Clinical Prerequisites Information
Academic Prerequisites Information
Information for Military Applicants
International Medical Graduate Information
Doctorate Level Professional Training
Degree and Site Choice Options
GRE Information
The CASPA Application
The MEDEX Supplemental Application
Additional Application Information
When to Apply to the University of Washington
Accommodations

Clinical Prerequisite Information

All applicants, regardless of the degree option they are applying to, are required to meet the minimum academic and 4000 hours (2 years) paid, direct hands on clinical patient care prerequisites. Typically our strongest candidates have more than the minimum 4000 hours of paid experience in the in the direct delivery of patient care and average over 6 years. Click here for specific details.

Q: What does clinical experience mean to MEDEX Northwest?

A: When considering clinical experience we look for evidence of significant patient care responsibility in your previous paid positions adding up to a total of 4000 hours or more. We value broad-based primary care experience to experience that is highly specialized or technical experience.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE DOES NOT QUALIFY toward the initial two-year-experience prerequisite.

Once your clinical experience prerequisite is satisfied, we then look at volunteer experience as a way of supplementing and strengthening your clinical experience background. Volunteer hours will not replace any paid experience.

Q: How recent does my clinical experiences have to be?

A: The MEDEX Program has a very competitive applicant pool of individuals with recent clinical experience. We usually think of recent as being within the last 2 years. There are a few exceptions, i.e. if you have left clinical practice to become a full-time student. The strongest applicants are currently involved in health care.

Q: What types of clinical experiences qualify?

A: Examples of what can be considered as clinical experiences are; nursing, medical assistants, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and military corpsman. Other experience includes, but is not limited to, community health aides, physical therapist, licensed massage therapy and, experience in clinical research. For more information about allied health fields that may satisfy the direct hands on patient care experience requirement please visit the Clinical Experience Prerequisite page.

Q: Does Peace Corps experience qualify?

A: Peace Corps experience does count as long as you were involved in some form of clinical role. If your experience was as a teacher or construction manager the experience would not count as clinical experience.

Q: Does volunteer service or time spent shadowing a PA count towards clinical experience?

A: Volunteer and shadowing experiences is valuable experience and adds to an understanding of the PA role in healthcare and expands the understanding of primary care. Volunteer experience is a great way to supplement your experience but does not replace any clinical paid time and will not count as part of the initial 4000 hours.

Q: Where do I find someone to shadow?

A: Most applicants are already connected to the medical community through their job experience and we encourage you to start networking. Ask around; get someone to recommend someone they know. All states have a PA professional organization that can often refer you to practicing PAs that are willing to speak with potential applicants. The PA organizations also hold annual meetings and continuing medical educational seminars – another good place to meet and network.

Q: I do not have any patient care experience. How do I get into your program?

A: The MEDEX Program is designed to train people with prior health care experience who desire a new profession as a Physician Assistant. Our program is not designed to train people for their first experience in health care. The strongest Physician Assistant applicants are those who have a variety of skills, experience and academics. Use the resources available to you through the PAEA website to find the PA program that is most consistent with your background and goals.

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Academic Prerequisite Information

We look for evidence of ability to succeed in an intense, scientific, graduate-level curriculum. Good grades in college science courses taken within the last five years include: human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, biology or microbiology.

Each prerequisite course must have a minimum B- grade (2.7 GPA) regardless of the degree option applying for.

Each prerequisite courses must be taken as "stand alone" courses, separate from any prior training program. Courses can be taken at any regionally accredited community college or university for a grade. This may include some college courses completed on-line but check the accreditation of the on-line institution before registering for courses.

Basic written communication skills are essential. The required college level English courses for applying to the Bachelor’s option must be taken at an accredited community college or university in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. Remember that at least one of the English courses must be a basic composition above a 100 level course.

Q: How old can my prerequisite courses be?

A: We strongly recommend that your A&P courses be taken within the last five years. By taking recent academics, you are refreshing your memory, study habits, and time management, which will contribute to your success in the program. Otherwise, there is no expiration date for prerequisite coursework.

Q: What is considered an Anatomy and Physiology course?

A: Courses that will satisfy the Anatomy and Physiology requirement must specifically focus on Human Anatomy and Physiology. Courses such as Invertebrate Zoology or Mammalian A&P do not fulfill this requirement.

Q: When do the prerequisite courses need to be complete?

A: All MEDEX prerequisite course work should be completed by the October 1st deadline. This applies to all applicants applying to either the Bachelors or Masters degree option. Prerequisite courses taken Fall Quarter, completed after October 1st, 2012 will not be considered when evaluating prerequisites. Your application cannot be reviewed for an interview until we have a complete application packet. The later an application is completed the fewer interview slots will be available. Applicants applying to the Master’s degree option must complete their bachelor’s degree by December 31st, 2012 to qualify for applying to the UW Graduate School. Coursework planned for Spring or Summer quarter of the upcoming year will not be accepted.

Q: Do you accept CLEP credits?

A: No

Q: Are DANTES credits accepted?

A: Yes

Q: Can I take the prerequisites at a community college?

A: The prerequisite courses can be taken at any regionally accredited community college or university. If you are not sure of the accreditation status, inquire at the school. We do not give preference to university courses over community college courses. Remember all courses must appear for credit with a grade on an official college transcript.

Q: Can I take an online course to satisfy prerequisites?

A: Yes, but if you have no recent “in classroom” experience it may benefit you to take a traditional course rather than an online course. If you choose to take a course online, please remember that courses that have been audited or taken for Pass/Fail grades will not satisfy the minimum grade requirement per class of B- or better.

Q: What GPA do you require? What is the average GPA for incoming students?

A: Applicants applying to the Bachelor’s of Clinical Health Services degree option will not have a cumulative GPA minimum requirement. For Applicants applying to the Master’s of Clinical Health Service degree option we require a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the last 90 credits (60 semester credits).

Regardless of the degree option you are applying for each prerequisite course must have a grade of B- (2.7 GPA) or better. We are also interested in an applicant’s ability to satisfactorily master the complexity of graduate level courses. Grades received in prior coursework can be an indicator of a student’s ability to be successful in the MEDEX Program. The average combined overall GPA of incoming class in 2012 was 3.31 for both the masters and bachelors students.

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Information for Military Applicants

MEDEX Northwest began in the late 1960's with former military medics and corpsman coming out of Viet Nam with no work available to them as civilians. At the same time, physicians in rural communities were asking for help in providing medical care to their communities. MEDEX has a long history of training former military members to become PAs and military members are attracted to MEDEX because of our history. We are proud of our heritage and will continue to provide access to training for military members interested in becoming PAs.

Q: Does my military training count for A&P?

A: Yes, but we need to see a document from the appropriate service indicating either the recommended credit equivalent or a total number of hours in a particular subject. Ten hours of training satisfies one quarter-credit hour. To fulfill the entire A&P prerequisite, you will need 100 hours. We must see the credits or hours documented as well as the grade earned. A copy of your AARTS/SMART/ACE transcripts will be needed to verify this information.

Q: What additional documentation is required to complete my application?

A: All applicants with prior military experience are required to complete the Military section of the MEDEX Supplemental application. All former service members are required to submit the DD214 to complete the supplemental application. Current active duty service members and reservist are also required to complete the military section of the supplemental application.

Q: How can I acquire my DD-214 to submit with my application?

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to the DD-214 online: vetrecs.archives.gov. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time. SOURCE: AFRNS

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International Medical Graduates

Q: I am an internationally trained medical doctor (IMG) can I apply to the MEDEX program?

A: International Medical Graduates are welcome to apply to the MEDEX program and are required to meet the same minimum standards for either the Master's degree option or bachelors degree option and follow the same application process as all other applicants to the MEDEX Northwest program.

Q: Will the clinical experience I have in my home country qualify for meeting the clinical prerequisite?

A: Typically our strongest candidates have more than the minimum 4000 hours of paid experience in the direct delivery of patient. Most International Medical Graduates we accept also have some experience in the US health care system. We do not accept hours completed during residency or internship within another training program.

Q: How do I provide my academic transcripts from Medical School?

A: When applying to MEDEX using the CASPA application enter all academic information into the CASPA application. You will be required to send official translated copies of your international transcripts directly to MEDEX Northwest.
DO NOT SEND YOUR FOREIGN TRANSCRIPTS TO CASPA. CASPA only accepts foreign evaluations!

All International Medical Graduates are required to submit official copies of the translated transcripts directly to MEDEX Northwest on or before the application deadline of October 1st. These transcripts are required and will be used to verify the academic information entered into the CASPA application. MEDEX cannot verify your academic information without the required translated, course – by – course transcript evaluation. Submit official foreign transcripts to an approved foreign transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. Arrange for foreign transcript reports to be sent directly to MEDEX from the foreign transcript evaluation agency. For a list of frequently used translation agencies click here.

Q: Is the TOEFL required?

A: Official TOEFL scores are required by UW Graduate School for all foreign applicants who did not complete a bachelors degree at an institution in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. The completion of college level English courses at a community college in the United States does not replace the need for the TOEFL exam scores. International graduates who have completed a Master's degree in their home country or in the United States will also need to complete the TOEFL exam. More information about what scores are acceptable can be found here: http://www.grad.washington.edu/policies/memoranda/memo08.shtml.

Q: Do you require the ECFMG or the USMLE?

A. No. MEDEX does not required either the ECFMG or the USMLE exam scores. Please note: If you have completed either of these exams the scores do not replace the need for completed academic of clinical prerequisites for MEDEX Northwest.

Q: Do I need to complete the entire program?

A. Yes. All students accepted to MEDEX (including IMGs) must complete all courses offered by MEDEX Northwest, regardless of their prior degree status to graduate from our program.

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Prior Doctorate Level Professional Training

If you have attended any portion of medical school or any doctoral level professional training, in the United States or any other country, you also are required to complete the IMG section of the supplemental application. Doctoral level professional training includes degrees in chiropractic medicine, osteopathic medicine, etc.

Q: How do I provide my academic transcripts from my medical school or professional training program?

A. MEDEX requires that your complete academic history be entered into the CASPA application. All, undergraduate coursework, US medical school, and doctoral level training program course information must be entered in the CASPA application. All original transcripts must be submitted to CASPA for verification.

Q: I completed internship or residency through my professional training program, will that count toward the clinical prerequisite?

A. No. MEDEX does not consider internship or residency hours for meeting the MEDEX paid, clinical prerequisite as those hours are completed as part of your training. Please see the clinical experience section above for more details about the paid clinical requirement.

Q: Do I need to complete the entire program?

A. Yes. All students accepted to MEDEX (including IMGs) must complete all courses offered by MEDEX Northwest, regardless of their prior degree status to graduate from our program.

Degree and Site Choice Options

Q: What degree options are available through MEDEX?

A: MEDEX Northwest, the Physician Assistant Training Program at the University of Washington, School of Medicine is a certificate program and offers a Masters in Clinical Health Services degree or Bachelors in Clinical Health Services degree.

Applicants interested in attaining a masters degree in conjunction with their Physician Assistant training will apply to either the Seattle or Spokane training site. These are the only two sites accepting students into the masters option. If applying to the masters option in the 2012/2013-application cycle you need to have a prior bachelor’s degree to be eligible. For a complete list of MCHS degree option prerequisites see details provided on the Master’s Prerequisite page.

Applicants interested in attaining a bachelors degree in conjunction with their Physician Assistant training will apply to either Yakima, WA. or Anchorage, AK. These are the only two sites accepting students into the bachelors option. A prior bachelors degree will not be required when applying to bachelors sites. For details about this option please see the BCHS degree option prerequisites.

Q: I already have a Bachelors degree but I want to go to Yakima or Anchorage, can I go there and just get a second Bachelors?

A: Yes, this is certainly an option for those with a prior bachelors degree. They would receive a second bachelor’s if they meet general university requirements for graduation.

Q: Can I apply to both degree options if I do not have a preference?

A: Applicants can only apply to be in either the bachelors or masters sites… not both. Students will not be allowed to transfer from one-degree option to the other. Review the details and prerequisite information for each degree option to determine which degree option is most appropriate for you.

Q: What if I don’t have a site preference? Can I go anywhere?

A: Applicants will select a first and perhaps a second choice of sites based on the degree option you are applying to and whether you satisfy the prerequisites for that degree option. If you are applying for the bachelors degree then your site choices are Yakima or Anchorage and you would have to meet the prerequisites for the bachelors program. If you are applying to the masters degree option your site choices are Seattle and Spokane and you would need to meet the prerequisites for the master’s program. You cannot select Seattle or Spokane if you do not have a prior bachelors degree and meet the masters prerequisites. You cannot apply to a Masters site with a Bachelors site as a second site choice.

Q: If I go to Yakima or Anchorage do I have to stay the second year for my clinical training?

A: Not necessarily although the Anchorage site is meant to train students to practice in Alaska to help meet the health needs of that state. So Alaska students are encouraged to stay for both years. Clinical year placements are open to students from all sites and are located throughout the WWAMI region. We do expect that applicants from Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Nevada would desire to be closer to home their second year but, clinical placements are made on an individual basis in collaboration with the MEDEX Clinical Team. The ultimate goal is to provide students with the best clinical training opportunities to become a solid primary care practitioner.

Q: Where will I do my clinical training?

A: MEDEX has over 600 clinical training sites throughout the WWAMI region plus Nevada and Oregon. There are clinical training opportunities in hospitals, private clinics, prisons, specialty clinics, community health centers, farm worker clinics and Indian Health sites. All students are expected to travel some during their clinical rotations and each student will have an underserved experience

Q: Do I have to come to Seattle if I apply for the Anchorage Yakima or Spokane training site?

A: Students are required to be at the Seattle site for 6 weeks during the first Summer Quarter (2013). This includes a two-week in-class wrap-up to the online Anatomy and Physiology course and the 4-week Basic Sciences in Clinical Medicine course. Attendance at these courses is required of all MEDEX students. Passing both the Basic Sciences in Clinical Medicine course and Anatomy and Physiology is necessary to proceed in Fall Quarter.

Additionally, Masters students will be required to be in Seattle for two weeks during the summer between the didactic and clinical year (summer 2014).

In addition to the summer coursework, students from Spokane and Yakima will come to Seattle for second year clinical orientation in August and mid-year finals in March of their second year. Students at the Anchorage satellite will stay in Anchorage for both clinical orientation and mid-year finals at the same time.

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Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Q: Is the GRE required if applying to the Master’s degree option?

A: Yes, the GRE is required by UW Graduate School and must be within the last 5 years. Scores older than 5 years are no longer available through the testing agency.

Q: What is the minimum score required for the GRE?

A: We have not placed a minimum score on the GRE for this application cycle. We are collecting the data to determine what the GRE actually tells us about student performance. We are encouraging applicants to prepare to score well on the exam.

Q: Where do I send my GRE scores?

A: Please send official GRE scores directly to the University of Washington using the institution code 4854.

Q: I have not taken the test yet can I still submit the CASPA application without these scores?

A: No, GRE scores must be self-reported on the CASPA application. You must have scores availble to enter prior to submitting the application. Be sure send official GRE scores directly to the University of Washington.

Q: I already have a masters degree do I still need to take (or re-take) the GRE?

A: No, The GRE will not be required for applicants with a prior masters degree earned at a regionally accredited institution.

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The CASPA Application

Q: Does my CASPA application, references and transcripts ALL have to be received by CASPA by the earliest designated program’s deadline or will documents be added whenever they arrive at CASPA?

A: All required documents must be received by CASPA before verification of your application will begin. The CASPA verification process will take approximately 4-6 weeks and perhaps longer during peak application deadline times. Once an applicant’s file is complete and has been verified it will be forwarded to the designated programs. If all documents are submitted by the earliest program deadline that you are applying to, Anything added at a later date will be forwarded in January to each designated program as a revision or addition to the original application file.

Q: Do I need to enter all academic information or just the last 90 credits?

A: Remember to enter your entire academic history beginning with your first college course to the most recent course taken. MEDEX requires that a full academic history be completed in the CASPA application and all transcripts from each college attended be submitted directly to CASPA.

The depth and length of formal medical training, such as nursing, military corps school, etc., is also reviewed here as well as under medical experience.

Q: I applied last year through CASPA do I need to start over completely to reapply? Can’t they just pull up my old applicant file?

A: CASPA has updated the application system and now offers the option to bring applications forward from one cycle to the next. If you are a re-applicant who submitted and paid for the CASPA application in the last admissions cycle you now have the ability to update your previous application and submit it for the 2012 /2013 admissions cycle. Be sure to review and update each section of the CASPA application and add any new information to each section. All references and academic transcripts must be re-submitted directly to CASPA. The format of the CASPA application is web based. References and the applicant’s personal statement may be different from the previous year. As inconvenient as this may be for the applicant it does ensure accuracy and verification of all information submitted for a particular application year.

Q: What if I’m taking classes this spring or summer quarter but want to submit my application before the quarter is over to meet a specific program deadline?

A: On the CASPA application, please enter any course work you are currently completing in the PLANNED OR IN PROGRESS section of the application. Once your current CASPA application documents have all arrived and been verified your file will be sent to your designated program(s). When you have completed this quarter’s courses you should submit an official transcript to CASPA and MEDEX documenting this. CASPA updates may not happen until the end of the admissions cycle so it’s best to always send a copy to the individual programs you have applied to. It is up to each individual program to decide how these updates effect the selection and admission of their new students.

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The MEDEX Supplemental Application

Q: Am I able to complete the MEDEX Supplemental application on paper and send it in?

A: No, the MEDEX supplemental application is available on line for electronic submission only. We recommend that you print and save a copy before you submit it but we do not need a paper copy. We have a supplemental application specific to the degree option you will be applying for. You will not be able to fill out both.

Q: Is it to my advantage as an applicant to apply early to MEDEX (before the Oct. 1st deadline)?

A: Yes, MEDEX has an early application deadline and applicants applying to any of the four sites should submit their CASPA application by September 1st and their MEDEX supplemental application by September 1st. Submitting applications early allows for plenty of processing time and may provide an opportunity to interview earlier in the cycle - though early interviews are not gauranteed.

Another advantage to applying to both CASPA and MEDEX early is to provide an opportunity to correct any errors on the applications or request any documentation needed to clarify any of the information provided in either application.

Q: Is it more difficult to get into the program if I am an applicant from outside the WWAMI region?

A: We are a regional training program, and actively recruit students from the Pacific Northwest, WWAMI region and Nevada. Every year we have students from outside the WWAMI region who meet the MEDEX program mission but it is more competitive for these applicants.

Q: I am attending another PA program but would like to transfer to MEDEX. Do you accept transfer students?

A: MEDEX does not accept transfer students from other PA training programs but you are welcome to apply as any other applicant.

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Additional Application Information

References

You need to have submitted to CASPA three recent references from health care professionals who know you well enough to comment upon your qualifications and aptitude for this profession.

CASPA offers the opportunity for your references to submit electronically. Once you identify the references you would like to use in your CASPA application, CASPA will send a link to the references you have identified. Your references will be asked to completed the form and provide a letter for electronic submission. There will be a space on the reference permission form to enter the date that you will need the reference submitted by. We would encourage you to put the date as being at least two weeks before the application date to avoid your application being held up for late receipt of this reference.

We ask that you submit references from both a physician and a mid-level provider. We would prefer to have a reference submitted by a PA. Ideally, these should be from people who have worked closely with you in a medical setting and are able to evaluate your medical skills. You may submit (not required) one additional paper reference as part of your MEDEX supplemental application. Remember to follow up with your references. This fourth reference form is optional and will need to be sent directly to MEDEX in paper form as we are unable to process electronic reference letters at this time.

DO NOT use the MEDEX Supplemental reference form to send references to CASPA. CASPA will not accept references completed for individual programs. MEDEX does not need a copy of the references you submitted to CASPA. CASPA will forward the reference letters to us with your completed, verified application.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is your opportunity to summarize all the factors in your life that have led you to choose a career as a physician assistant. Your MEDEX supplemental application statement should speak to why you feel you are a good candidate for the MEDEX program specifically. It should be logical, persuasive, personal, and grammatically correct. Your personal statement should tell us something about you as an individual that we cannot see in your transcripts and job summaries. It must be entered into the on-line supplemental application, not sent separately.

Geographic Origin/Underrepresented Populations

As a program, we are committed to training physician assistants who will serve where they are most needed. We give preference to applicants from our service area (Washington, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Nevada), and from rural or other medically underserved areas. We look for prior work experience in an area that is medically underserved and give preference to those who seem likely to continue such work.

Community Service and Leadership

Community involvement includes activities outside of college or an applicant’s professional job in which they have participated for the betterment of the community. Specifically this means volunteer service, i.e. community service organizations such as community councils, grange, PTA, etc.; professional organizations, boards, and committees; and/or any other types of volunteer work. We used this information to gain a broader view of candidates as potential MEDEX students. Because PA’s, as primary health providers, are active, integrated members of their communities, evidence of previous community ties and involvement can indicate an interest in continuing that role as PA.

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Applying to the University of Washington

Q: When do I apply to the University of Washington?

A: We will provide details about how and when to apply to the University of Washington undergraduate or graduate admissions office after students are selected. Please do not apply to the University of Washington at the same time as applying to MEDEX Northwest.

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Accommodation

Q: If I may need disability accommodation whom do I speak with?

A: The University of Washington and MEDEX are committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the admission and application process, contact the Disabilities Services Office (DSO) at 206 543-6450 (voice); 206 543-6452 (TTY), 206 685-7264 (FAX) or dso@u.washington.edu. More information about DSO can be found at http://www.washington.edu/admin/dso/. To request disability accommodation as an enrolled MEDEX student; contact Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) at 206 543-8924 (Voice), 206 543-8925 (TTY), 206 616-8379 (FAX) or uwdss@u.washington.edu.
More information about DRS can be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/.