About the program
The Howard 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 mission of the Howard University Physician Assistant Program is to educate and cultivate compassionate, competent, and culturally diverse physician assistants committed to increasing access to health care in medically underserved communities. The program will provide an exceptional educational opportunity and experience for professional and ethical students of high academic potential, with an emphasis on Black students and other underrepresented minorities in medicine. The program faculty is dedicated to preparing, empowering, and training healthcare professionals who are inclusive in their delivery of care to meet the needs and improve healthcare disparities in diverse populations."
Steps from the nations's capitol, on-campus simulation and clinical skills labs, robust and varied clinical rotations, dedicated faculty with over 20 years of clinical experience on average.
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. Veteran support programs are available; consult the program directly for details.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 7 Years · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
Howard University's physician assistant program, located in Washington, D.C., awards a Master of Physician Assistant Studies over a 27-month curriculum beginning in August 2027. The program currently holds provisional ARC-PA accreditation, which applicants should weigh carefully when evaluating the program's track record and board eligibility planning. With an incoming class of approximately 20 students, this is an intimate cohort that reflects the program's deliberate and focused approach to training.
The mission is explicit and consequential: the program prioritizes educating clinicians who will work in medically underserved communities and reduce healthcare disparities, with a stated emphasis on recruiting Black students and other underrepresented minorities in medicine. Applicants who share that professional orientation and background will find the mission directly aligned with their goals. The curriculum draws on multiple pedagogical approaches - case-based, problem-based, team-based, and organ/systems-based learning - giving students varied frameworks for developing clinical reasoning. Faculty carry an average of over 20 years of clinical experience, and the program offers on-campus simulation and clinical skills labs alongside what it describes as robust and varied clinical rotations. Being steps from the nation's capital situates students in a health system with considerable diversity in patient populations and institutional settings.
The minimum GPA threshold sits at 3.00 across overall, science, and prerequisite coursework, though matriculants have averaged a 3.73 overall and 3.70 science GPA, indicating meaningful competition above the floor. Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past seven years, and applicants may carry no more than two outstanding prerequisites at the time of application. Required science prerequisites include general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, and microbiology with lab, along with a statistics course. All prerequisite GPA calculations use a seven-year lookback window.
The patient-care requirement is 800 hours of paid direct patient care, which is non-negotiable - unpaid or volunteer hours do not satisfy this requirement. Healthcare experience beyond that is recommended but not required. Three letters of reference are mandatory. The application deadline is January 15, 2027, and all applications are reviewed together after that date rather than on a rolling basis, so submitting early offers no advantage beyond ensuring completeness. Interviews are conducted onsite and may take traditional, panel, or group formats.
Total tuition runs $125,093 with a $700 seat deposit. Out-of-state and international applicants are accepted, though international applicants should consult the program website for specific eligibility conditions. The program does not offer part-time enrollment or distance learning options.
An applicant should choose this program primarily based on genuine commitment to serving underserved populations and a desire to train within a historically Black university environment - those whose personal and professional goals match that mission will be the strongest candidates regardless of their numbers.