Become a Physician Assistant
In educational collaboration with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, Saint Mary's offers a five-year program for PAs.
This highly competitive program for incoming first-year students will put you on the fast track to begin a meaningful and versatile career in the medical field — and to ultimately work within the Midwest for the world-renowned Mayo Clinic Health System.
Program Details
As part of this accelerated program, you will spend three years studying at Saint Mary’s new state-of-the-art Science and Learning Center on our Winona Campus (with limited seats also available at University of Minnesota Rochester).
The following two years, you will learn from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences faculty at Saint Mary’s Rochester Campus and have clinical learning experiences at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and throughout Mayo Clinic Health System.
At the conclusion of your fourth year, you will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biology - Health Science degree from Saint Mary’s University, and at the end of your fifth year, you will earn a Master of Health Sciences in PA Studies Degree from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
This allows you to:
- Complete your degree in five years, saving on time and tuition costs.
- Put yourself in a position to work for Mayo Clinic, one of the nation’s leading medical care organizations.
- Learn from the best in the nation, which will give you a tremendous advantage.
- Gain flexible skills needed in a variety of settings: family medicine, urgent care, pediatrics, surgery, and emergency medicine.
Program Costs
Years 1-3, students will pay Saint Mary’s Physician Assistant program tuition and fees, and qualify for Saint Mary's scholarships and need-based assistance. The 2020-21 tuition for the 3+2 PA program is $41,400. Tuition and fees for the 2021-22 academic year will be made available in October 2020.
Years 4-5, students will pay Mayo Clinic tuition and fees.
Admission Information
All applicants must speak with an admission counselor prior to submitting their application.
- Online application with three essay questions*
- Transcripts
- A letter of recommendation and an evaluation from one science teacher*
- A minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Math ACT sub-score of 26 or higher, or Math SAT sub-score of 610 or higher
- If unable to submit an ACT or SAT score, applicants will take a Saint Mary's University Math Placement Exam online before the application deadline
- Personal interview
- The ideal candidate will understand the roles and responsibilities associated with a career as a PA.
- Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate leadership, commitment to practice locally, maturity, resilience, compassion, service, and military service.
- Preparations in mathematics are required with courses that prepare students for college calculus.
* The essay questions, teacher evaluation form, and letter of recommendation can be emailed to admission@smumn.edu.
Once accepted into Saint Mary's University, your application will be forwarded for consideration for the 3+2 program.
Applications open: Aug. 1, 2020
Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2020
Recommended application to Mayo Clinic by Dec. 10, 2020
Invitations sent for personal interviews: Dec. 16, 2020
Interview acceptance deadline: Dec. 21, 2020
Personal interviews: Jan. 11 - 15, 2021
Acceptance notifications sent: Jan. 25, 2021
Deadline to accept 3+2 seat: Feb. 3, 2021