About the program
The University of Texas – Medical Branch at Galveston 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 develop and graduate academically and clinically exceptional physician assistants."
Get an MPAS from the first medical school in Texas and one of the first PA programs in Texas. The UTMB PA program has a Gross Anatomy course with a full cadaver lab. The UTMB PA program serves the needs of the area through multiple community organizations. Students are part of a Faculty Coached Learning Team that meets weekly to foster a strong sense of community within the large class size. The program offers unique clinical experiences such as burns, autopsy, and correctional managed care.
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.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 10 Years
Program overview
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston offers a 26-month MPAS program that holds ARC-PA Continued accreditation and admits a new cohort each July. With an incoming class size of 90 students, it is one of the larger PA programs in Texas, and applicants should understand that scale is a deliberate part of the program's structure rather than an oversight - weekly Faculty Coached Learning Teams are built specifically to create cohesion and accountability within that larger group.
The program's competitive bar sits at a 3.7 overall GPA and 3.6 science GPA among recent matriculants, though the stated minimums are 3.0 in both categories. That gap is meaningful: applicants near the floor will need to distinguish themselves on other dimensions. Notably, paid direct patient care and general healthcare experience are recommended but not required, which opens the door slightly wider for career-changers or applicants still building their clinical hours, though having that background will clearly strengthen a file.
Curriculum delivery leans heavily on active learning methods - case-based, problem-based, systems-based, and team-based learning are all central approaches. Early clinical exposure is built in, and the program includes a full cadaver gross anatomy lab, which is worth noting for applicants who want hands-on anatomical training from the start. Clinical rotations include distinctive placements in burns, autopsy, and correctional managed care, experiences not commonly available in most PA programs and genuinely useful for applicants drawn to underserved or complex care environments. The mission is direct: produce academically and clinically exceptional PAs, with a stated commitment to serving community organizations in the surrounding area.
Prerequisites must be completed within the past ten years and include Human Anatomy with lab (4 credits), Human Physiology with lab (4 credits), Microbiology with lab (3 credits), and Statistics (3 credits). Three letters of reference are required. The application deadline is September 1, 2026, for the July 2027 start, and admission is rolling on a first-come, first-served basis - submitting early is a practical advantage, not just a suggestion. Interviews are conducted in a Multiple Mini Interview format and require an onsite appearance. A $1,000 seat deposit is required upon acceptance, and the program has separate tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students; out-of-state and international applicants are accepted, though international applicants should review eligibility details on the program's website.
An applicant should seriously consider fit here if they want active, integrated learning within a large cohort structure, value access to uncommon clinical placements, and can meet the competitive GPA profile - and should submit early given the rolling review process.