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Anyone know if there is a requirement for applicants to McMaster Physician Assistant program to have had a certain number of hours of clinical patient-interaction for admissions? If yes, does volunteer patient-interaction qualify? Thanks.

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based on last year's application...no required hours.

 

Anyone know if there is a requirement for applicants to McMaster Physician Assistant program to have had a certain number of hours of clinical patient-interaction for admissions? If yes, does volunteer patient-interaction qualify? Thanks.
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  • 2 weeks later...

http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/physicianassistant/prospective_students.html

 

"Admission Procedures

 

By June 2011, applicants must have completed a minimum of two years of undergraduate work. A year is the full block of work specified for a year or level of the program as indicated on the university transcript and in the appropriate university calendar. If requested, applicants must provide evidence that this requirement has been met by June 30th of the year of entry. Only degree courses at an accredited university will be considered. A minimum of 10 full-courses or 20 half courses (two years) are required. Courses that employ small group, self-directed or inquiry learning are excellent preparation for the PA program. There is no requirement for applicants to have carried a full course load. By February 3, 2011, applicants are expected to have achieved an overall simple average of at least 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale for consideration. Higher grades may be required. OMSAS Scale

 

Students currently registered in a 2nd year program at university must provide an official interim transcript showing results for all courses from their first academic year and results from their current 1st semester of their second academic year. Additionally, all courses registered for their 2nd semester must be indicated on the official transcript. Official transcripts must be submitted and received by McMaster prior to the February 3, 2011 deadline.

 

By February 3, 2011, applicants must have achieved an overall simple average of at least a 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale. While an overall simple average of at least 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale meets the minimal criterion for consideration for admission, prospective applicants should be aware that given the rapidly rising level of competition for a limited number of positions, a significantly higher GPA would provide them with a more reasonable chance of admission. Due to changes from year to year in the level of competitiveness, an exact figure in this regard cannot be provided.

 

Marks on supplementary and summer courses will be included in the grade point average calculation.

 

Graduate work will not be considered unless it is complete and the degree has been conferred by the application deadline, February 3, 2011. Individual grades received for course work taken as part of a graduate degree will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average.

 

Upon acceptance, successful applicants will be required to provide detailed medical information, including a record of completion of required immunizations, evidence of Basic Cardiac Life Support certification (Adult and Child CPR) and a satisfactory Police Records Check (at the applicant’s expense) upon entering the program and annually thereafter.

Admission Procedures

 

Applicants are required to submit both:

 

* An application (including the appropriate fee) through the:

 

Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)

 

170 Research Lane

 

Guelph, ON, N1G 5E2

 

http://www.ouac.on.ca

 

* Supplementary application

 

Both applications and all supporting documentation must be received by February 3, 2011. Upon receipt of the application, supplementary application and certified transcripts, selected applicants will be invited to an interview.

 

Current McMaster University students may NOT need to apply through OUAC, please contact the PA program office for more information about possible internal application for transfer.

 

The admissions committee will consider:

 

* Transcripts and GPA

* Supplementary application

* Interview - MMI

 

The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI)

 

McMaster has always been an innovator in the field of medical education. The Multiple Mini-Interview, or MMI, is one example of how McMaster has approached an accepted process, like the traditional interview and revolutionalized it. Researchers at McMaster hypothesized that increasing the number of encounters for each interviewed applicant would lead to a more reliable assessment of the individual. This proved to be exactly the case. The MMI increases the overall reliability of the interview in judging an applicant's merits. It also dilutes the effect of a single misrepresentative showing by an applicant in any one interaction. Pioneered at McMaster in 2002, the MMI is currently being adopted at other schools across both Canada, the United States and internationally.

 

During the MMI, applicants will move between interview "stations" in a 12-station circuit. Each station lasts eight minutes and there is a two minute break between each one. At each station, applicants will interact with, or be observed by, a single rater. The stations deal with a variety of issues, which may include but are not limited to, communication, collaboration, ethics, health policy, critical thinking, awareness of society health issues in Canada and personal qualities. Applicants are not assessed on their scientific knowledge.

 

Supplementary Application

 

The Physician Assistant Education Program at McMaster uses a supplementary application to help assess applicants. The supplementary application is now available. The deadline for completing the supplementary application is February 3rd, 2011."

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PAstudent, Do you have a rough idea of what the cut-off GPA avg was for your admission year?

 

The application for the PA program, like the MD program, is holistic. The absolute cut-off is a 3.0 on the OMSAS scale. So that is the LOW end. I quote from the McMaster PA Program web-site:

 

"By February 3, 2011, applicants must have achieved an overall simple average of at least a 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale. While an overall simple average of at least 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale meets the minimal criterion for consideration for admission, prospective applicants should be aware that given the rapidly rising level of competition for a limited number of positions, a significantly higher GPA would provide them with a more reasonable chance of admission. Due to changes from year to year in the level of competitiveness, an exact figure in this regard cannot be provided. " http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/physicianassistant/prospective_students.html

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"By February 3, 2011, applicants must have achieved an overall simple average of at least a 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale. While an overall simple average of at least 3.0 on the OMSAS 4.0 scale meets the minimal criterion for consideration for admission, prospective applicants should be aware that given the rapidly rising level of competition for a limited number of positions, a significantly higher GPA would provide them with a more reasonable chance of admission. Due to changes from year to year in the level of competitiveness, an exact figure in this regard cannot be provided. " http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/physicianassistant/prospective_students.html

 

I got his part, I was just curious as to if you were aware of if the cut-off was higher or not for last year. My GPA right now is 3.67. I thought maybe you (in collaboration with fellow classmates) traded GPA info and had a rough idea of the what the more true cut-off was.

 

Thanks for answering my questions.

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I got his part, I was just curious as to if you were aware of if the cut-off was higher or not for last year. My GPA right now is 3.67. I thought maybe you (in collaboration with fellow classmates) traded GPA info and had a rough idea of the what the more true cut-off was.

 

Thanks for answering my questions.

 

Highstrung, re-read what I wrote and what the quote says. The cutoff is 3.00 on the OMSAS scale. There is no other cut-off. It is a holistic application. That is what the cut-off was last year and that is what it is this year. I have a feeling you are not actually looking for a cut-off, but rather you are trying to ask about the average entering gpa, just wording it poorly? Will someone get an interview with a 3.0? That all depends on the rest of the application. A 3.67 is a good GPA. Good luck.

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I emailed admission office and they mentioned the cutoff last year was ~3.53.

 

Hi Kyleh,

 

Please forgive my informed skepticism but I would very-much like to see the email if you don't mind. Was it Nancy, Danielle, or Lydia who gave you that information?

 

Perhaps you mean the average GPA of the entering class or of those invited to interview? The cut-off (i.e. the GPA which you need to meet to be considered) was/is 3.00 on the OMSAS scale.

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Hi Kyleh,

 

Please forgive my informed skepticism but I would very-much like to see the email if you don't mind. Was it Nancy, Danielle, or Lydia who gave you that information?

 

Perhaps you mean the average GPA of the entering class or of those invited to interview? The cut-off (i.e. the GPA which you need to meet to be considered) was/is 3.00 on the OMSAS scale.

 

I believe that is what he meant and what I was inquiring about. All programs have cut-offs, however they change as applications come in, in most cases.

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Yes, sorry the average GPA for the entering class was 3.56.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hello Kyle,

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in the Physician Assistant Education Program.

 

Last year the competitive gpa was 3.56.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

Physician Assistant Education Program

Faculty of Health Sciences

McMaster University

1200 Main St. W. MDCL 2201

Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5

http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/physicianassistant

905-525-9140 ext 22872

fax: 905-527-0131

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Yes, sorry the average GPA for the entering class was 3.56.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hello Kyle,

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in the Physician Assistant Education Program.

 

Last year the competitive gpa was 3.56.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

Physician Assistant Education Program

Faculty of Health Sciences

McMaster University

1200 Main St. W. MDCL 2201

Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5

http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/physicianassistant

905-525-9140 ext 22872

fax: 905-527-0131

 

Yup, that makes sense. :)

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  • 7 months later...
Does anyone please share their views regarding PA mini interviews and how to prepare for it?

 

See threads on mmis for the md program. Same stuff applies. And, of course, make sure you actually know what a PA is and what the Program is about. You would be surprised how many applicants don't know much about PAs.

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