University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT | Public | Profile verified July 09, 2026
Quick Stats
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Program length | 27 months |
| Start term | May |
| Application deadline | Aug. 1 |
| Review model | Regular review |
| Testing | No GRE |
| Minimum science GPA | 3.0 |
| First accredited | Research pending |
| Next ARC-PA review | Research pending |
Mission Statement
Prepares PAs for primary care and service to rural and medically underserved populations.
Curriculum and Program Shape
Utah Physician Assistant Program is a 27 months entry-level PA program beginning in May. The published cohort signal is 44 seats.
Application Mechanics
The current directory reports a Aug. 1 deadline, regular review, and no gre. Applicants should confirm the CASPA status requirement and any supplemental deadline for the active cycle.
Fit Profile
Confidence: Medium
What They Say They Want: Prepares PAs for primary care and service to rural and medically underserved populations.
What They Actually Prioritize: The clearest published signals are paid clinical experience, underserved service, veterans. The program's academic floors, patient-care policy, and application timing should be treated as separate screens.
Ideal Candidate Traits:
- Paid clinical experience
- Underserved service
- Veterans
Non-Obvious Differentiators
Confidence: Medium
| # | Differentiator | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paid clinical experience | University of Utah gives this signal unusual weight through its published mission, format, or admissions requirements. | Official program profile |
| 2 | Underserved service | 2,000 paid direct care hours creates a concrete screen that applicants should address with role detail and verified hours. | PAEA directory |
| 3 | Veterans | 27 months of training with a may start shapes timing, cost, and applicant readiness. | Program facts |
Insider Knowledge
Confidence: Medium
Student Culture
The cohort and program length suggest a close, compressed professional learning environment. Applicants should connect collaborative experience to the demands of a full-time clinical curriculum.
Clinical Training
2,000 paid direct care hours. That policy is an admissions signal as well as a threshold: strong applicants can explain the clinical judgment, responsibility, and patient contact inside their hour total.
Academic Environment
The published minimums are 3.0 overall and 3.0 science. Minimums establish eligibility; the transcript trend and performance in prerequisites still shape readiness.
Community and Service
Prepares PAs for primary care and service to rural and medically underserved populations.
Supplemental Essay Prompts: Decoded
Confidence: Pending current-cycle prompt verification
Mission and Program Fit
What they are really asking: Does the applicant's record show sustained alignment with the populations, training model, and clinical priorities named by the program?
Insider approach: Use one program detail and one applicant experience. Explain the connection through an action already taken, then show how the program extends that work.
Application Ammunition
These are optional, evidence-grounded anchors. Use one only when it naturally deepens the applicant's own story.
| Item | Why It Is Powerful | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Paid clinical experience | Connects a published program signal to a specific part of the applicant's record. | Why this program |
| Underserved service | Connects a published program signal to a specific part of the applicant's record. | Mission fit |
| Veterans | Connects a published program signal to a specific part of the applicant's record. | Interview preparation |
Hidden Gems
Strategic Initiative
Prepares PAs for primary care and service to rural and medically underserved populations.
Prerequisite Pattern
Human anatomy with lab, Human physiology, Microbiology with lab, Statistics, Chemistry. A course-level audit should also check labs, credit totals, grades, recency, and online-course rules.
Clinical Placement and Graduate Outcomes
Program-level PANCE and attrition data should be pulled from the program's current public outcomes pages before comparison. Cohort year and denominator belong beside every rate.
Interview Prep: Known Signals
Known interviewer rosters are not published in this pilot profile.
| Signal | Preparation angle |
|---|---|
| Patient-care depth | Prepare one case that shows scope, judgment, teamwork, and a clear boundary around your role. |
| Mission fit | Use a sustained service commitment connected to the population or care setting named in the mission. |
| Program readiness | Explain how academic habits and recent performance support a 27 months intensive curriculum. |
Coach's Note
Lead with the strongest documented overlap between your clinical record and University of Utah's published priorities. Address paid hours requirement directly. Keep every program reference tied to something you have already done.
Data Confidence Ratings
| Section | Confidence | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation baseline | High | Current ARC-PA directory and program action history. |
| Admissions requirements | High | Program-supplied PAEA or official-program data; verify for the current cycle. |
| Accreditation | High | ARC-PA status source linked below. |
| Fit and strategy | Medium | Interpretation of published mission and requirements. |
| Supplemental prompts | Pending | Current prompt text not yet independently verified. |
Sources
| # | Source |
|---|---|
| 1 | Official program page |
| 2 | PAEA program profile |
| 3 | ARC-PA accreditation source |
Generated by PASchool-Fit Intelligence System | July 09, 2026