About the program
The Carroll University 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: "Educate physician assistants to provide comprehensive quality health care to all, to be respectful of patient values, to be committed to ethical principles and to be grounded in evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning. Graduates will contribute to the profession and their communities and be prepared to practice medicine in a variety of primary care settings under the supervision of physicians. Graduates will also be prepared to provide service to medically underserved communities and diverse patient populations."
Program offers inter-professional, hands on experience in year 1 through the Waukesha Free Clinic at Carroll University which serves medically underserved community members. Simulators are used to support case based, systems learning with a focus on a culturally sensitive approach to healthcare.
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. DACA status applicants are considered. Distance learning is not offered. Part-time enrollment is not available. On-campus housing is available. Veteran support programs are available; consult the program directly for details.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 5 Years · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
Carroll University offers a 24-month MPAS program based in Wisconsin, set to begin in May 2027, with an application deadline of October 1, 2026. Accredited by ARC-PA with continued status, the program accepts out-of-state and international applicants but does not offer part-time enrollment or distance learning options. The incoming class is capped at 32 students, making it a relatively small cohort.
The program's mission centers on preparing graduates to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based care across primary care settings, with particular emphasis on serving medically underserved and diverse patient populations. This focus is reflected in a hands-on interprofessional experience embedded in the first year through the Waukesha Free Clinic at Carroll University, which provides students direct exposure to underserved community members early in their training. Simulation is also integrated throughout to support the program's case-based and systems-based learning approach, with cultural sensitivity woven into clinical reasoning development. The curriculum blends case-based, organ/systems-based, and collaborative team learning frameworks.
Applicants need a minimum overall and science GPA of 3.00, though matriculants typically arrive with a 3.53 overall GPA and a 3.41 science GPA, suggesting competitive applications trend meaningfully above the floor. A key distinction here is that paid direct patient care experience is required, not just recommended, and the minimum threshold is 500 hours. Healthcare experience beyond direct patient care is not separately required. Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past five years, and no more than two prerequisites may be outstanding at the time of application. Science prerequisites include general chemistry (12 credits), general biology (6 credits), human anatomy (3 credits), human physiology (3 credits), microbiology (3 credits), and statistics (3 credits).
Interviews are conducted in a traditional format and are required on-site. Applicants must submit a minimum of three letters of reference. Applications are reviewed after the October 1 deadline has passed, meaning the program uses a non-rolling post-deadline review process rather than rolling admissions. Total tuition comes to $116,480 with a $500 seat deposit.
This program is a strong fit for applicants with paid hands-on patient care backgrounds who are genuinely drawn to primary care and community health service, particularly those interested in working with underserved populations and comfortable in a small, simulation-integrated learning environment.