ADMISSIONS
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM
2009-2010
AGENDA
 Admissions Process
 Phase I – Application Review
 Phase II - Interviews
 Application Summary
 # of applicants in each phase
 Applicant Data
 Admissions Advising
 Admissions Timeline
 Transcript Reviews
 Post-admissions advising
APPLICATION SUMMARY
APPLICATIONS
 CASPA application
 national application
 online
 Supplemental application
 applicants apply for campus, distance education or both
 opportunity to submit additional essays
# of APPLICATIONS
788
800
700
600
443
500
400
300
424
424
350
232
228
Applications
Reviewed
228
200
100
0
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
Applications
Submitted
2009-2010
# APPLICATIONS
 Total # of completed CASPA applications:

788
 Total # of completed CASPA & supplemental received:

576
541 submitted for campus
 25 submitted for DE/campus
 10 submitted for DE only

 Total # of applications reviewed by PA faculty/staff:

424
401 reviewed for campus
 16 reviewed for DE/campus
 7 reviewed for DE

APPLICATION SUMMARY
 The discrepancy between completed applications
received and applications reviewed is due to
applicants’ appropriate completion or plan to
complete prerequisites, academic performance, or
applicant interest.

Academic performance


3.00 minimum undergraduate GPA w/ specific attention paid to
last 60 credits
Completion of prerequisites

If prerequisites are not completed appropriately, or there is not an
appropriate plan to complete them, the application will not be
reviewed.
# of APPLICATIONS
 Total # of applications reviewed by PA faculty/staff:

424
401 reviewed for campus
 16 reviewed for DE/campus
 7 reviewed for DE

 Total # of candidates who interviewed:

70
59 Campus interviews
 6 DE/campus interviews
 5 DE interviews

 Total # of candidates invited to join the class:

34
28 Campus
 6 DE

ADMISSIONS PROCESS
PHASE I – THE PROCESS
 PHASE I – Application Review (n=424)
 Reviewers
score each application based on:
 Academic
performance
 Health care experience
 Community service
 References
 Overall
 Highly
Impression:
Acceptable (must interview)
 Acceptable (OK to interview)
 Unacceptable (do not interview)
PHASE I – ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
• The admissions committee reviews all college-level
transcripts. Science GPA, trends in grades, and course
difficulty are examined and applicants are expected to present
strong evidence of ability to complete rigorous academic
work.
 Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
 Minimum 3.00 cumulative and science GPA

Attention will be placed on the last 60 credit hours reflecting a level
of academic excellence and/or signs of improvement to 3.00 or
higher
PHASE I – HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE
• Applicants must demonstrate health care experience
sufficient to develop an understanding of the PA
profession, the health care environment, and their
own aptitude for the PA profession. Experiences
should include shadowing a PA and work and/or
volunteering in which responsibilities involve fairly
extensive direct patient contact.
• The average amount of patient contact for the class
we admit varies widely.
PHASE I – COMMUNITY SERVICE
 The admissions committee reviews applications for
outstanding and altruistic commitment to
community service and volunteerism, in addition to
participation and/or leadership in extracurricular
activities.
 This is not a requirement for admission but is a
scored component of the application review.
PHASE I - REFERENCES
• Three references are required. Applicants should
request references from individuals who know them
well and have the knowledge to evaluate qualities
important for success in the PA program and
profession.
• Applicants should have at least one reference from
someone they have worked/volunteered with in the
field of health care.
PHASE I - OVERALL IMPRESSION
 Other important components of the application:
Personal Essays
 Position of leadership
 Honors and awards
 Additional information provided by references

 The impact of these components can be expressed by
the reviewers “overall impression” of the application:
Highly Acceptable (must interview)
 Acceptable (ok to interview)
 Unacceptable (do not interview)

PHASE I – RECOMMENDATION TO
INTERVIEW
 After Phase I review is complete, the reviewers meet to
review results and develop a recommendation to bring to
faculty.




Score
Overall Impression
Grant Initiatives
Re-applicants
 The Distance Education Team meets separately to come
up w/ a recommendation for DE interview candidates.
 Faculty/staff & reviewers meet to discuss the
recommendation, review reports, and determine who to
invite to interview and how to rank alternates.
 70-75 candidates are invited to interview
PHASE II – THE PROCESS
• Following the review of applicants, approximately
70-75 applicants considered to be the most
competitive will be invited to the PA program offices
to be evaluated through on-site personal interviews
with members of the admissions committee.
• Interpersonal and oral communication skills are
evaluated.
PHASE II – INTERVIEWS
 Interviews take place on campus over a 5 day
period
 Candidates are on campus for approximately 3
hours to take part in interview activities:
Orientation by Program Director
 Current PA students visit w/ candidates and provide tour
of the facility
 Two 15 minute interviews with two different interview
teams (2-3 faculty/staff on each team)

APPLICANT DATA
CLASS ENTERING 2010-PROFILE N=424
STATE OF RESIDENCE
RACE/ETHNICITY
Hispanic/
Latino
1
3%
Asian
1
3%
Black or
African
American
White
1
31
WI RESIDENT
28
85%
MN RESIDENT
3
6%
IA RESIDENT
1
3%
IL RESIDENT
1
3%
DC RESIDENT
1
3%
3%
91%
PRIOR EDUCATION
NO DEGREE
11
32%
BACHELOR’S
DEGREE
22
65%
1
3%
MASTER’S
DEGREE
CLASS ENTERING 2010-PROFILE N=424
ED DISADVANTAGED
3
9%
AVERAGE GPA
CUM GPA
3.58
SCIENCE GPA
3.58
BOTH ED & ECON
4
12%
GENDER
Female
28
82%
Male
6
18%
AVERAGE AGE
27
RE-APPLICANTS
10
29%
ADMISSIONS ADVISING
ADMISSIONS TIMELINE 2010-2011
 SEPTEMBER 1st, 2010

Deadline for applicants to submit CASPA application.
 OCTOBER 15th, 2010

Deadline for applicants to submit UW-Madison PA Program
Supplemental Application
 Mid-DECEMBER 2010

Program sends letters to notify candidates if they have been selected
to continue on to the interview phase of the admissions process.
 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2011

Interview component takes place at the PA Program in Madison, WI
 FEBRUARY 2011

Candidates must accept or decline offer of admission
PREREQUISITES - TRANSCRIPT REVIEWS
 The review will list which prerequisite courses have been
completed and which courses are still outstanding.
 To get a transcript review please send unofficial copies of
your transcripts to Erin McCarthy Orth.

Contact information listed on our website under “How to Apply”
 If transcripts are mailed, please include a memo requesting
a transcript review for the Physician Assistant Program and
remember to include your contact information.
POST ADMISSIONS ADVISING
 Re-applicants are welcome to schedule an advising
appointment with Erin McCarthy Orth to review
denied application.
 Please call 800-442-6698 or 608-263-5620 to
schedule an appointment and please request a “postadmissions advising” session.
QUESTIONS?