Overview

The physician assistant (PA) profession originated at Duke in 1965. Dr. Eugene A. Stead Jr., then-chairman of the Department of Medicine, believed that mid-level practitioners could increase consumer access to health services by extending the time and skills of the physician. Today, physician assistants are well-recognized and highly sought-after members of the health care team. Working interdependently with physicians, PAs provide diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in virtually all medical specialties and settings.  Currently, each incoming class is made up of 90 students with distinct backgrounds, experiences and personalities.  Having students from many medical backgrounds makes the learning experience extraordinary, but it also means each new class will have a personality as distinctive as the individual members who comprise it.

Admission

Admission to the Duke PA Program is very competitive. The following information describing recent candidates will allow prospective applicants to realistically assess their chances of admission, and to plan accordingly.

For the 2025 incoming PA class, 2116 completed supplemental applications were received. Two hundred forty-three applicants were interviewed. Ninety applicants accepted the offer of admission for the Fall 2025 entering class. PA class size is typically 90 students per year.

The ranges of academic and experiential qualifications for the matriculating applicants for Fall 2025 are as follows:

Although this represents the range of qualifications among accepted candidates, each application is evaluated on its individual merits.

Candidates offered admission to the PA Program must undergo and pass a criminal background check and drug screening as a condition of program matriculation, prior to the start of the clinical year, and as needed for either ongoing surveillance or clinical site credentialing.

Duke is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Duke does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status, in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, employment, or any other institution program or activity.