About the program
The Alvernia University Physician Associate Program PA program is described in PAEA's published program data; full curriculum details, faculty, and admissions cycle specifics are maintained on the program's own website.
From the program's mission statement: "Guided by our Franciscan foundation, the Alvernia University Physician Associate Program is committed to working collaboratively with students and the community to foster and support their development as Physician Associates that practice with moral courage and will provide sensitive, compassionate, ethical, professional, proficient, and person-centered care."
The emerging Alvernia University Physician Associate Program will be the only PA program in Berks County. We have a progressive modular curriculum which will include early development of critical thinking and early experiential learning. State of the art facilities will include a medical simulation lab, multiple clinical skills labs, patient-care simulation rooms, and a virtual anatomy lab. We are committed to incorporating service into the curriculum to be in alignment with University values.
Matriculant data
Actual stats for students who enrolled in the most recently reported cohort, sourced from PAEA's published program data.
Admission policies
Out-of-state applicants are accepted. International applicants: yes, with exceptions. please visit the program's website. DACA status applicants are considered. Distance learning is not offered. Part-time enrollment is not available. On-campus housing is available.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 10 Years
Program overview
Alvernia University's Physician Associate Program in Pennsylvania is a 24-month, full-time program awarding a Master of Medical Science degree, with its inaugural cohort scheduled to begin in August 2026. The program currently holds Provisional ARC-PA accreditation status, which applicants should factor into their planning. Rolling admissions means applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a final deadline of April 1, 2027, so early submission carries a practical advantage.
The program's Franciscan identity shapes its stated mission in concrete ways. The curriculum is designed to develop physician associates who practice with moral courage and person-centered care, and service is built directly into the coursework to reflect those institutional values. The pedagogical approach is notably varied, drawing on asynchronous, case-based, problem-based, team-based, and organ-system learning formats. The program describes a modular structure that introduces critical thinking and hands-on experiential learning early in training. Facilities include a medical simulation lab, multiple clinical skills labs, patient-care simulation rooms, and a virtual anatomy lab. If it launches as planned, it will be the only PA program in Berks County.
The admissions bar is accessible but specific. The minimum overall GPA is 2.80, while prerequisite coursework requires at least a 3.00. Prerequisite courses - including general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, and statistics - must have been completed within the past ten years. The patient-care requirement is relatively modest at 200 hours, but those hours must be paid and in a direct patient-care role; healthcare experience is required separately as well. The GRE is required and the program does not accept the MCAT. Applicants must also complete the CASPer assessment and submit at least three reference letters. There is no required on-site interview in the current process.
Total tuition is $90,000 with no differential rate for out-of-state students, who are accepted along with international applicants under certain conditions noted on the program's website. The seat deposit is $1,000. The incoming class is capped at 30 students, making it a small cohort environment. No part-time or distance learning options are available.
An applicant should assess fit here primarily around the program's Franciscan service orientation, comfort with a newly launching program under Provisional accreditation, the relatively low patient-care hour threshold, and whether the Berks County location and facilities align with their clinical training goals.