About the program
The Chamberlain University – Chicago 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: "To educate and empower competent, compassionate, and culturally sensitive physician assistant professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities and nations."
The curriculum is delivered in an integrated organ-based modular approach with underserved community focus. Extensive use of simulation and task trainers with integration of point of care ultrasound.
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. Transfer students are accepted.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 10 Years · up to 6 outstanding at application
Program overview
Chamberlain University's Chicago campus offers a 24-month program awarding the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree, currently holding Provisional ARC-PA accreditation with a first cohort scheduled to begin in September 2027. Because the program is brand new, prospective applicants should weigh what that accreditation status means for licensure eligibility in their intended practice states before applying.
The admission bar is accessible relative to many established programs. The minimum GPA requirement sits at 3.00 for both overall and science coursework, and matriculants have averaged a 3.58 overall and 3.47 science GPA, suggesting competitive applicants still benefit from solid academic records even though the floor is moderate. Notably, paid direct patient care and healthcare experience are recommended but not required, which makes this program worth considering for career-changers or recent graduates who have accumulated some clinical exposure but not an extensive formal patient-care history. Applicants should still treat healthcare experience as a meaningful differentiator given the competitive nature of PA admissions broadly.
The curriculum is built around an integrated organ-based modular framework that moves through the body system by system, using case-based learning to tie basic science to clinical reasoning. The program places a deliberate emphasis on underserved communities, which aligns with its mission to develop culturally sensitive practitioners who can serve diverse populations. Simulation and task trainers are woven throughout, and point-of-care ultrasound is integrated into training - a growing skill set in modern clinical practice that not all programs address explicitly at the curriculum level. There is no part-time or distance-learning option; this is a full-time, on-site commitment in Chicago.
Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past ten years and includes general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, microbiology with lab, human physiology, and statistics. Programs allow up to six prerequisites to be outstanding at the time of application, which gives flexibility to applicants still finishing coursework. The GRE is required; MCAT scores are not accepted. Three letters of reference are required, and all finalists participate in a required onsite panel and group interview.
The estimated incoming class size is 50 students. Total tuition is $110,290 with a $1,000 seat deposit. Rolling admissions with an application deadline of April 1, 2027 means submitting early carries real strategic value. The program accepts out-of-state and international applicants, with TOEFL required for the latter.
An applicant should choose this program if they are comfortable entering a newly launched cohort under provisional accreditation, are drawn to an urban underserved-care mission, and want structured simulation and ultrasound training embedded in their didactic experience from the start.