Admissions FAQs
General
- Q: Does Yale require a supplementary application?
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A: No. The only requirement besides the CASPA application is official record of your GRE scores.
- Q: When does the program begin?
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A: The program holds orientation during the same week as the medical school. This is generally the last week of August just prior to Labor Day.
- Q: What is the deadline for application?
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A: September 1 of each year applications are due for matriculation in the August of the following year. The September 1st deadline refers to CASPA submission and having all prerequisites completed by this date. We expect that some applications will arrive from CASPA after the September 1st deadline. Should someone submit their CASPA application on September 2, it will not be accepted.
- Q: Will I be subject to a criminal background check as a Yale student?
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A: Please note that several clinical training sites require criminal background checks. Incoming students must consent to criminal background assessment prior to matriculation.
- Q: Does Yale rank applicants based on the university they attended?
- A: No. Each application is reviewed on its own merit and we do not maintain a university ranking systemcollapse
- Q: I am a history major at a local university. Do I need to get a second degree in the sciences in order to apply to your program?
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A: We do not have a specified list of majors required for admission. Many students come from liberal arts backgrounds but complete the science prerequisites as electives for their major.
- Q: I completed my undergraduate course work at a university outside the United States. How will you evaluate my transcripts?
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A: You must submit your transcripts and credentials to the World Education Service (www.wes.org) for official evaluation.
- Q: Do you accept undergraduate degrees from a foreign institution?
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A: If your credentials have been deemed comparable to an undergraduate degree by World Education Service, we do accept the coursework. International students must complete one year of education in the United States, Great Britain or Canada prior to application.
- Q: Do I need to take the TOEFL or TSE?
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A: Anyone whose first language is not English will be required to take the electronic TOEFL or the paper TOEFL and the TSE.
- Q: I am trained as a physician from a country outside the United States who has been unable to complete the USMLE examinations. How do I apply to your program?
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A: Yale does not accept applications from individuals who have completed their medical training as physicians.
- Q: I completed one year of medical school and would like to apply to your program. Am I eligible for matriculation?
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A: We do not accept applications from physicians who have completed their medical school training. We do accept applications from individuals who started medical school but for a variety of reasons did not complete their training.
Prerequisites
- Q: How is the science grade point average calculated?
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A: Grades and corresponding course credits in all biology, chemistry and physics courses from undergraduate and graduate work are used to calculate the science grade point average. This calculation is derived automatically from the CASPA application.
- Q: I have taken organic chemistry twice because my first grade was a "C." When calculating the GPA do you use the first grade or the second grade?
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A: Since the science grade point average includes all science course work, it would use both organic chemistry grades in the calculation.
- Q: Is the science GPA calculated using only the courses that fulfill prerequisite requirements or from the entire transcript of science courses?
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A: The science GPA is calculated using the entire transcript(s) of science courses.
- Q: I did poorly in my undergraduate science course work and have maintained a very high GPA in my post-baccalaureate studies. Will Yale use just my post-baccalaureate studies GPA since the grades are more representative of my current knowledge base?
A: No, the science GPA is calculated using grades from the undergraduate and post-graduate period.
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- Q: What types of courses satisfy the upper division biology course requirement?
One semester of human or animal physiology at the 200-level or higher, taken at a four-year institution. If animal or human physiology is not offered at an applicant’s institution, two semesters of anatomy and physiology at the 200-level or higher will be considered. Please note that animal or human physiology is preferred.
Two additional semesters of biology at the 300- or 400-level, taken at a four-year institution.
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- Q: Is there one area of biology that is considered preferable for the two upper division biology courses?
A: The two upper division courses can be in any area of biology. Many students have completed courses in microbiology; others apply with genetics, immunology, or directed biological research.
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- Q: If I took my biology and chemistry courses more than ten years ago, am I required to retake the science prerequisites?
A: We do not require that the science courses be taken within a certain amount of time relative to the application. When the admissions committee reviews the file, they will assess the individual's familiarity with the prerequisite subjects in general.
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- Q: My last prerequisite for Yale's program will be completed by September 5th of this year. Would this date disqualify me as an applicant?
A: Yes. All prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline of September 1.
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- Q: If I take biochemistry this fall, can I submit my application in advance of completing this course?
A: If you have taken organic chemistry, then you have already met our prerequisite requirement and may complete biochemistry during the process of applying to the program If you have not taken organic chemistry and are using biochemistry to meet our requirements, then you must complete the course before the September 1 deadline.
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- Q: I am working this year, trying to fulfill the work experience hours required by many PA programs. Does Yale consider medical mission trips adequate work experience?
A: Yale does not have a proscribed type of health care experience that is required for admission. The number of patient care hours varies dramatically in each incoming class. For the Class of 2009, the range of work hours is 124 to over 30,000.
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- Q: How does Yale define "direct patient care?"
A: Yale does not have a minimum requirement for patient care hours. The Admissions Committee expects that those who apply can articulate the role of the physician associate in the delivery of health care and the issues related to access to care for disenfranchised patients.
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Prequisites: GRE
- Q: Will Yale accept the MCAT as a substitute for the GRE?
A: No. All applicants are expected to complete the graduate record examination.
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- Q: I took the GRE in 2001. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) keeps the scores for only five years. Do I need to retake the GRE?
A: If you have an official copy of your scores, we do not require that you retake the examination.
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- Q: I have a graduate degree and would like an exemption from taking the GRE.
A: In an effort to insure fair admissions practices, we do not waive prerequisite requirements for any applicant. You are required to produce GRE scores in your application.
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- Q: What is the minimum score required on the GRE?
A: We do not have a minimum score on any specific section of the GRE, but competitive applicants have overall scores above the 50th percentile. The mean verbal, quantitative and written scores for the Class of 2009 are 566, 690 and 4.6 respectively.
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- Q: What is the latest deadline for completion of the Graduate Record Examination?
- A: All prerequisites must be completed by September 1 of the year one is applying to the program. We recommend you take the GRE at least three weeks before the application deadline to facilitate our timely receipt of your scores.collapse
Admissions Process
- Q: When will I be notified that my application is complete and has been forwarded to the Admissions Committee?
A: You will receive an email when your file is complete and we have your GRE scores.
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- Q: By what date will Yale inform me of the invitation to interview for the PA program?
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A: It is our goal to extend the invitation for an interview one month prior to the interview dates. Since this date depends on our chosen interview days, the date varies by a few weeks each year. Generally, you should hear from the program in the last week of October at the latest.
