About the program
The University of Missouri – Kansas City 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 competent, compassionate, and culturally-aware Physician Assistants who are prepared to meet the healthcare needs of our community. Graduates will advance the Physician Assistant profession through clinical excellence, service, and dedication to professional stewardship."
A member of the Health Science District, where multiple health sciences schools and programs are located, the UMKC PA Program is part of the School of Medicine (SOM) and is connected to a hospital serving as one of its many clinical rotation sites. PA students have the SOM resources available to them, including a clinical simulation lab located across the street and within the SOM. These multiple schools and programs allow for multiple interprofessional education opportunities throughout the cu
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. 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: No Requirement
Program overview
The University of Missouri - Kansas City offers a 29-month Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant program housed within the School of Medicine, with an accreditation status of Continued from ARC-PA. The program accepts out-of-state applicants but does not accept international students, and there is no part-time or distance learning option available. Cohorts begin in January, and the estimated incoming class size is 20 students, making this a smaller, more intimate program where each seat carries meaningful weight in the admissions process.
The mission centers on producing competent, compassionate, and culturally aware PAs prepared to serve community healthcare needs, with graduates expected to contribute to the profession through clinical excellence, service, and professional stewardship. The curriculum follows an organ-based and systems-based learning model, which is a common approach that groups coursework around body systems rather than isolated disciplines, generally helping students build integrated clinical reasoning as they progress.
A notable structural advantage is the program's location within Kansas City's Health Science District, where multiple health sciences schools share proximity. Being embedded in the School of Medicine gives PA students access to a clinical simulation lab directly across the street and opens opportunities for interprofessional education alongside students from other health professions programs. One of the affiliated hospitals serves as a clinical rotation site, giving students exposure to institutional resources from early in training.
The minimum GPA requirement for both overall and prerequisite coursework is 3.00. Required prerequisites include one course each in general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, and statistics. There is no time limit placed on when prerequisites must have been completed. Paid direct patient care experience is recommended but not required, and healthcare experience broadly is listed as not required, which makes this program potentially accessible to applicants who are still building their clinical hours at the time of application.
Three letters of reference are required. Interviews are conducted in a Multiple Mini Interview format and are not required to be completed onsite, which reduces travel burden for out-of-state candidates. The application deadline is June 15, 2024, for the January 2025 start, and all applications are reviewed after that set deadline has passed rather than on a rolling basis.
Tuition rates differ for in-state and out-of-state students, and a seat deposit of $750 is required upon acceptance. Applicants should assess fit by honestly weighing whether the program's small cohort size, School of Medicine integration, interprofessional learning environment, and flexible patient care requirements align with their own academic background and professional goals.