About the program
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore 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 Physician Assistant Program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore is dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for all students, with an emphasis on supporting those from diverse backgrounds. Our mission is to empower students to deliver compassionate and competent care to patients in underserved and diverse communities locally, nationally, and globally."
https://wwwcp.umes.edu/pa/
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: 6 Years · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore offers a 28-month Master of Medical Science degree program in physician assistant studies, holding ARC-PA Continued accreditation. The program begins in August 2027 and accepts both out-of-state and international applicants, though it does not offer distance learning or a part-time track, meaning candidates must be prepared for a full-time, on-campus commitment.
The program's mission centers explicitly on serving underserved and diverse communities, locally, nationally, and globally, with a stated priority on recruiting students from diverse backgrounds. This makes it a particularly strong fit for applicants whose own experiences or goals align with community health, health equity, or work in medically underserved settings. The curriculum is organized around an organ-based and systems-based learning framework across the 28 months of study.
On the admissions side, the minimum overall GPA is 3.00 and the minimum prerequisite GPA is 2.00, though matriculants typically arrive with a 3.5 overall and a 3.0 science GPA, so competitive applicants should aim well above the floor. Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past six years, and applicants may enter with no more than two outstanding prerequisites. Required science courses include general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, and statistics. The prerequisite lab requirement applies across nearly all science coursework, so applicants should verify they have lab components on record.
The program requires a minimum of 500 direct patient care hours, and those hours must be paid - volunteer or observational experience will not satisfy this requirement on its own. General healthcare experience is also required separately. Applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis with a deadline of November 1, 2026, so submitting early meaningfully improves the chances of receiving an interview invitation. The selection process includes both a traditional interview and a group interview format, both conducted on-site.
Total tuition is estimated at $131,320, with a seat deposit of $1,498 due upon acceptance. The incoming class is approximately 30 students. Three letters of reference are required at minimum.
An applicant should assess fit here primarily by asking whether a career focused on underserved and diverse patient populations genuinely reflects their professional goals, and whether their paid patient care hours and science coursework - with labs intact and completed within six years - are already competitive with the typical matriculant profile rather than simply meeting the stated minimums.