24 Months Out: Hours and Prerequisites
PA school timelines are shaped by healthcare experience (HCE/PCE) accumulation. Most competitive applicants log 1,000+ patient care hours before applying — and these hours take time to accumulate.
- Begin or continue patient care work (scribing, MA, CNA, EMT, etc.)
- Complete remaining prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry vary by program)
- Track every PCE hour with start/end dates, supervisor contact info, and a clear duty description
12 Months Out: Letters and Personal Statement
Twelve months out:
- Fall before applying: Identify letter writers (typically 1 PA + 1 supervising clinician + 1 professor). Have informal conversations to gauge willingness.
- December–February: Begin drafting your CASPA narrative (5,000 characters). Schedule shadowing or volunteering that fills any gaps in your application.
- February: Formally ask letter writers. Send writer packets with deadlines.
Spring: GRE and Final Prep
If you need the GRE for any target program, take it in February or March. Have official scores sent to CASPA before submission.
- Polish CASPA narrative through 3–5 revision passes
- Order transcripts to CASPA in late March or early April
- Finalize your school list and verify each program's PCE/HCE requirements and deadlines
April–May: Submit CASPA
CASPA opens in late April. The single most important decision for PA applicants is to submit as early as possible. The majority of PA programs use rolling admissions and many fill significant portions of their cohort before published deadlines.
- Submit CASPA within 2–3 weeks of opening if your application is complete
- CASPA verification typically takes 4–6 weeks during peak season
- Programs receive your verified application and begin their own supplemental processes
Summer–Fall: Interviews
Many PA programs interview from August through January, with some interviewing as early as June. Decisions roll out continuously. Some programs interview in waves; others on a continuous rolling basis.
Program deadlines vary widely — some close September 1, most by January 1. By the time you submit in November, many cohorts are partially filled even at programs with later deadlines. Early submission is the single highest-leverage decision in the PA cycle.
