PA CASPA Application Time Frame

[cwillard]

Hey guys! I’m new to the forum and the idea of going into a P.A. program, so I’m still doing research. I have all the prerequisite courses I need, but not the healthcare experience hours or volunteering/shadowing hours. I am moving in a few months and just got a job starting on the care hours - but my question is where do I go from here?
I know it’s about a year long process, from taking the GRE, to the CASPA application, to the secondary application and then to hearing a decision. But, if I start the process in summer 2020, am I looking at admission in 2021? That’s been the most confusing part is trying to figure the timeline out as far as acceptance to actual start.
If anyone could give me some insight or even a few helpful pointers/tips, I would be forever thankful.

[morganlynn]

To answer your question in short, Yes.
In more detail, to make yourself the best possible applicant, you will want as many hours as possible working clinically and about 50 hours of shadowing. And as you know, this takes time.
You could apply to the next cycle, which would open April of 2020, meaning you would start your program in Spring or Fall of 2021 depending upon the school. Applying next spring would lead to an interview in the summer/fall of 2020. Hope this answers your question!