About the program
The North Central College 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 North Central College Master's Degree Physician Assistant program will prepare our diverse students to become competent medical providers who deliver humane, patient and relationship-centered primary care in collaboration with healthcare professionals while developing future leaders committed to community service, life-long learning and advancement of the PA profession. The Program’s Five Foundational Pillars of Excellence are as follows: Humanism, Scholarship, Innovation, Leadership, and Community."
ON campus simulation lab; anatomage-virtual cadaver lab; inter-professional education experiences; community service; leadership class; Capstone 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: no. 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: 7 Years · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
North Central College offers a 24-month MSPAS program based in Illinois that holds ARC-PA Continued accreditation and accepts out-of-state applicants, though international applicants are not eligible. The program enrolls an incoming class of 32 students each January, with the next cohort starting in January 2027. Applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis with a deadline of September 1, 2026, so submitting early carries real strategic weight.
The program's mission centers on preparing graduates to deliver humane, patient- and relationship-centered primary care while emphasizing community service, leadership, and lifelong learning. Five stated foundational pillars - Humanism, Scholarship, Innovation, Leadership, and Community - shape the overall educational philosophy. Curriculum delivery blends asynchronous, case-based, collaborative, organ-systems, and problem-based learning formats. Distinctive features include an on-campus simulation lab, an Anatomage virtual cadaver lab, interprofessional education experiences, a dedicated leadership course, community service requirements, and a capstone project. The program has no distance learning or part-time options, so students should plan for full-time, on-campus commitment throughout.
Competitive applicants will need to meet a minimum 3.00 overall and science GPA; matriculants have averaged a 3.67 overall and 3.57 science GPA, indicating the admitted pool consistently exceeds the floor. All prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past seven years, and applicants may enter with no more than two prerequisites still outstanding. Required science prerequisites include general chemistry with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, and microbiology with lab, plus a statistics course - each at three credits minimum.
Patient-care experience carries firm requirements: a minimum of 500 direct patient care hours is needed, those hours must be paid, and general healthcare experience is required as well. Three letters of reference are mandatory. Interviews are conducted in a traditional format and are not required to be completed on-site. The seat deposit upon acceptance is $1,500.
Total tuition is estimated at $130,000 with no separate in-state or out-of-state rate distinction, making cost planning straightforward regardless of where an applicant currently resides.
An applicant should assess fit here by honestly weighing whether their paid patient-care background, prerequisite timeline, and interest in a leadership- and community-service-oriented primary care mission align with what this program explicitly values and measures.