About the program
The Emory 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: "The Emory Physician Assistant Program recruits educates and mentors a diverse group of students to become highly regarded physician assistants providing compassionate health care of the highest quality."
Ranked in the top 10 for more than 25 years, Strong heritage of Community Engagement, South Georgia Farmworker Project
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. Veteran support programs are available; consult the program directly for details.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 10 Years · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
Emory University's physician assistant program in Georgia awards a Master of Medical Science degree and runs 29 months, with the next cohort starting August 2027. It holds continued ARC-PA accreditation and accepts out-of-state and international applicants, with some exceptions for the latter noted on the program's website. The incoming class is capped at roughly 55 students, and there is no part-time or distance-learning option.
Applicants need to take an honest look at their patient-care background before applying. The program requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of paid direct patient care alongside additional healthcare experience, making it a poor fit for candidates whose hours are unpaid or whose clinical exposure is passive in nature. The floor for both overall and science GPA sits at 3.00, but admitted students typically arrive with a 3.7 overall and 3.6 science GPA, so competitive applicants should aim well above the minimum. Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the last ten years, and no more than two prerequisites may be outstanding at the time of application. Required courses include eight credits of general chemistry with lab, four credits each of general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, and human physiology with lab, plus three credits of statistics with lab.
The curriculum blends case-based and systems-based learning with early clinical exposure and team-based work, reflecting an approach that rewards students who can integrate knowledge across organ systems and collaborate effectively with peers. The program's mission centers on training a diverse student body to deliver compassionate, high-quality care, and community engagement runs through the curriculum in a meaningful way - most notably through the South Georgia Farmworker Project, which gives students direct exposure to an underserved agricultural population. Applicants drawn to rural health disparities or community-oriented practice will find that emphasis genuinely embedded in the program's identity rather than tacked on.
Admissions operate on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis with a final deadline of June 15, 2026, so earlier submission meaningfully improves an applicant's position. Interviews are conducted in a Multiple Mini Interview format and are not required to be onsite. At least two letters of reference are required. Total tuition comes to $121,780, with a $1,000 seat deposit required upon acceptance.
An applicant should judge fit here by asking honestly whether their paid clinical hours, GPA trajectory, and interest in community-engaged and underserved-population medicine align with what this program consistently produces and values.