Class Profile

The Yale PA Online program enrolls students from diverse locations across the United States and from a variety of careers and backgrounds to become the primary care providers our nation needs. Our first cohort, a class of 41 students from 11 states, began classes January 2018.  Our second cohort, a class of 59 students from 24 states, began classes on January 7, 2019. 

Once again, we have admitted students spanning a wide geographic range, from New England to Hawaii. Some students live in rural areas such as Smackover, Arkansas and Richmond, Maine, while others reside in more populous urban centers such as San Francisco, California and Washington, DC. These students bring a variety of life experiences and a breadth of perspectives to the program. For example, twenty-two percent of our students in this cohort have advanced degrees including Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education, Master of Public Health, Master of Science, and Master of Education. The class of 2021 includes military veterans and ten percent of our students in this cohort were the first generation in their families to attend college.

The ages of students in the class of 2021 range from 22 to 58 years (average age 32). The ratio of male to female students is 25%/75%. Academic and career backgrounds also vary greatly among this cohort. The following academic statistics are a representation of the middle 60% of the class (20th–80th percentile):

• GRE scores range from the 61st–93rd percentile for Verbal, 38th–69th percentile for Quantitative, and 59th–92nd percentile for Analytical Writing.
• GPA ranges from 3.59–4.00 (prerequisite), 3.34–3.81 (undergraduate science) and 3.36–3.79 (undergraduate cumulative).

While both GRE scores and GPAs can provide evidence of intellectual ability and academic achievement and potential, we consider and review an applicant’s entire application for other factors pertinent to a successful career as a physician assistant, and that would enrich our class composite, such as work experience and other life accomplishments. The fact that many of our applicants graduated from college or a secondary degree program several years ago makes looking at information beyond standardized test scores and grades particularly important.

For example, while patient care hours are not a requirement for admission, the middle 60% of the 2021 cohort reported from 1179 to 11,370 hands-on patient care hours. Some examples of prior work experience are phlebotomist, radiation therapist, clinical dietician, combat medic, and paramedic.

For the 2022 cohort, we are accepting applications from U.S. citizens and permanent residents residing in any of the 50 states within the U.S. and the District of Columbia.