That's right! All Pre-PA's should mark their calendars. CASPA (The Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) opens for the 2023-2024 cycle on April 27th, which is in 80 days!
There are 300 accredited PA programs listed on the ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant) website, most of which use CASPA as their primary application vehicle. Therefore, it is vital that Pre-PA students understand the components of CASPA, as well as the timeline.
CASPA has four core sections:
Personal Information: biographic and basic contact information
Academic History: data from academic transcripts and standardized tests
Supporting Information: see below
Program Materials: specific to each program
The "Supporting Information" section of CASPA is the opportunity to list experiences, achievements, licenses, certifications, and letters of recommendations. Said another way: this is your time to shine! This is your opportunity to highlight your leadership abilities, clinical skills, healthcare exposure, volunteer work, and more! The CASPA essays offers you 5,000 characters to tell your story and answer the question, "Why PA?"
Here is a link to the 2023 CASPA cycle timeline.
If you are a Pre-PA student, and have questions about the upcoming CASPA application cycle, or would like assistance on your CASPA application, please click here for a free 30-minute consultation.