The concept of a physician assistant (or physician associate) was first developed in 1965. Today the physician associate is a highly valued member of the health care team. Physician associates are distinguished from other advanced health care practitioners by the extent to which they are given decision-making authority regarding patient care, diagnosis, and treatment. The twenty-eight-month Yale program, established in 1970, is committed to educating students for generalist medical practice. As of March 2026, the Yale School of Medicine (YSM) Physician Associate Program has graduated 1,541 physician associates who are employed in a variety of settings throughout the nation. Graduates practice in rural as well as urban areas, emergency rooms, a variety of hospital settings, health maintenance organizations, clinics, and solo and private practices. They possess a variety of skills, which enable them to take a medical history; perform a physical examination; order and interpret diagnostic tests; diagnose illness and formulate patient treatment plans; counsel patients; perform medical procedures; and assist in surgery.

Mission 

The mission of the YSM Physician Associate Program is to educate individuals to become outstanding clinicians and to foster leaders who will serve their communities and advance quality healthcare for all.

AdmissionS 

The admissions process is highly selective and competitive. Selection is based on a multitude of factors including academic history, community or leadership involvement, patient care experience, and interpersonal effectiveness. For additional information regarding admissions, please visit the PA Program website at https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/admissions.

Academic Considerations

Students must have a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation. The Admissions Committee closely examines applicant records for evidence that individuals are capable of successfully completing graduate-level science work. An undergraduate science major is not required, but applicants must complete the following prerequisites: one semester of statistics or calculus, one semester of organic or biochemistry, one semester of anatomy with or without lab, one semester of animal or human physiology, and one semester of microbiology. Please visit https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/admissions/prerequisites-experience-skill/#academic-prerequisites for further details. A cumulative science grade point average of 3.0 is required. The program considers Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (required) and performance in science courses as indicators of academic ability in light of an applicant’s past records.

Experiential Considerations

Applicants must have some awareness of the intricacies of medical care delivery as it exists today and demonstrate their commitment to a profession that helps the sick and injured. The majority of the PA Program’s students have had one year of direct patient contact experience in a variety of health care roles such as orderly, nurses’ aide, military corpsman, nurse, medical scribe, phlebotomist, or emergency medical technician. Experience need not be in a hospital setting. At least one thousand hours of direct, hands-on patient care experience is highly recommended to be competitive for admission.

Interpersonal Considerations

The program values one’s ability to work skillfully, thoughtfully, responsibly, and constructively with people. The Admissions Committee screens applicants to determine their career commitment, interpersonal skills, and willingness to work with the supervision of a physician. In addition to scholastic potential and interpersonal skills, applicants must have the physical capacities and personal characteristics necessary to meet the full requirements of the program’s curriculum and to graduate as skilled and effective physician assistants. Policy on nonacademic considerations is outlined in our Technical Standards, which are available at https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/admissions/prerequisites-experience-skill.

Application for Admission

The application deadline for the class entering in August 2027 is September 1, 2026. Program information on how to apply is available on the PA Program website, https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/admissions/apply. Online applications for admission are processed through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) at https://caspa.cas.myliaison.com/applicant/login. The program also requires a supplemental application, available at https://www.applyweb.com/yalepa.

This publication is true and correct in content and policy at the time of its printing. The PA Program and the university reserve the right to revise its policies throughout the year and to reflect any such modifications in the online version of this bulletin.

Curriculum Structure and Goals 

The program is divided into a didactic phase of twelve months and a clinical phase of sixteen months. In addition, a capstone project is included in the clinical phase of the curriculum, with two four-week blocks of protected time for capstone-related activities. The program provides a combination of medical courses and clinical experiences to ensure that Physician Associate students are prepared for their careers as professionals in interprofessional medical teams. Through problem-based learning, case studies, hands-on patient care, and capstone work, Yale Physician Associate students are well prepared to join hospital-based teams and private practices in both primary care and specialties.

A Master of Medical Science (M.M.Sc.) degree is awarded upon completion of the program.

The Didactic Phase

The first calendar year is devoted to coursework in basic and clinical sciences. Courses include:

• Anatomy I, II, III
• Basic Science I, II, III
• Clinical Medicine I, II, III
• Epidemiology and Methods I, II
• Patient Assessment I, II, III
• Pharmacology I, II, III
• Practice, Policy, and Ethics I, II, III
• Prevention, Population Health and Patient Centered Care I, II, III

The Clinical Phase

Each student completes thirteen four-week rotations in a variety of medical specialties to acquire broad experiences in primary, emergency, and surgical care.  Nine rotations are mandatory: Internal Medicine I, Internal Medicine II, General Surgery, Primary Care/Family Med I, Primary Care/Family Med II, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Emergency Medicine. The remaining four rotations are reserved for subspecialty electives (please see departmental listings for available clinical elective rotations). Students also complete a longitudinal practice enhancement course which includes didactic sessions to prepare one for clinical practice, hands-on technical training, simulation experiences, and preparation for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam. Two four-week blocks during the clinical phase are reserved for completion of a capstone project.

Although many rotations are in the New Haven area, the experience of the student is expanded by exposure to rotations in other geographic settings. Consequently, students entering the program should expect to spend some rotations outside of New Haven. Students should expect to provide their own transportation and housing for all rotations away from New Haven. Students may also choose to broaden their experience by applying for a selective global health clinical rotation elective with the Quileute Tribe in La Push, Washington; the Navajo Tribe in Gallup, New Mexico; Sanatorio Allende in Córdoba, Argentina; or Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

The capstone project will critically appraise and apply evidence to patient care or current clinical challenges to produce a scholarly product for dissemination. Medical librarians, clinical faculty advisers, and clinicians throughout the Yale community will guide students through the project. 

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the Physician Associate Program, a student must successfully complete their didactic year (60 credits), all clinical rotations (52 credits), the practice enhancement course (4 credits) and the capstone project (4 credits). Additionally, they must attend all mandatory professionalism, practice-related, and skills-building sessions held during all phases of the program, achieve 75 percent or greater on the capstone project, and achieve 75 percent or greater on all summative assessments which include: a multiple-choice examination, a written examination, clinical skills assessment, technical skills assessment, and an entrustable professional activities assessment.

Calendar

The academic calendar for the Physician Associate Program can be found at https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/curriculum/pa-academic-calendar.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the Physician Associate program for the 2026–2027 academic year is $54,147 for first- and second-year students, and $18,049 for third-year students. Student fees and other expenses—including books, supplies, and equipment; room and board; personal expenses and transportation; Yale Health Hospitalization coverage; and travel to rotations—are estimated at an additional $48,053 for first-year students, $49,856 for second-year students, and $16,993 for third-year students. For more information, visit https://medicine.yale.edu/pa/tuition-financial-aid/student-budget/#pa-budget-2026-2027.