About the program
The York College, CUNY 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 York College Physician Assistant program seeks to recruit and educate students from diverse surrounding communities to become highly competent, compassionate, and culturally aware providers of excellent medical care to underserved urban areas. Incorporated in our mission is a priority on increasing access to medical professional education for racial and ethnic minorities, financially disadvantaged students, and first-generation college graduates. Our program is committed to providing strong support so that we may also expect high performance from our students. All students successfully completing the program are eligible to sit for the national PA board examination administered by NCCPA and will have completed a didactic and clinical curriculum emphasizing urban medical care."
The York College PA Program is the gem of Jamaica, NY. Our students are hired immediately after graduation by our clinical rotation facilities. We have an overall 100% pass rate, and our students provide excellent medical care to underserved urban areas.
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: 10 Years · up to 3 outstanding at application
Program overview
York College, CUNY offers a 28-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree based in Jamaica, New York, with the next cohort scheduled to begin in August 2027. The program holds ARC-PA Continued accreditation and graduates students eligible to sit for the NCCPA board examination.
The program's mission is explicit and purposeful: it prioritizes recruiting students from diverse surrounding communities - including racial and ethnic minorities, financially disadvantaged students, and first-generation college graduates - to train providers who will deliver care in underserved urban settings. Applicants who share a genuine commitment to urban medicine and health equity will find the mission closely aligned with that professional identity. The curriculum is built around multiple active-learning methodologies, including case-based, problem-based, systems-based, and team-based learning, with early clinical exposure woven throughout. The didactic and clinical phases together emphasize urban medical care, and clinical rotation sites are embedded enough in the program that students have been hired directly by those facilities upon graduation.
The admissions bar is accessible but firm. A minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 science GPA are required, and applicants must complete at least 750 hours of direct patient care, though paid experience is recommended rather than mandatory. Healthcare experience beyond direct patient care is also required. Prerequisites - including general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology, and statistics - must have been completed within the last ten years, and applicants may carry no more than three outstanding prerequisites at the time of application.
The incoming class is small at 30 students, which supports the program's stated commitment to providing strong individualized support. Applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis with a deadline of December 1, 2026, so early submission is strategically important. Three letters of reference are required. Interviews are conducted as panel interviews and are not required to be onsite. The program accepts out-of-state and international applicants, though international applicants should review the program website for specific conditions. There is no part-time or distance learning option. Separate in-state and out-of-state tuition rates apply, and a seat deposit of $250 is required upon acceptance.
An applicant weighing fit should honestly assess whether their background, patient care experience, and career goals center on urban underserved communities, since the program's curriculum, clinical placements, and mission are all calibrated around that environment rather than serving as general preparation for any clinical setting.