University of Detroit Mercy PA Program Interview Guide

The admission page says interviewed applicants are evaluated on:

• professional attitude and aptitude
• understanding of PA practice
• motivation for completing the program and serving disadvantaged populations
• past experience in the "helping" professions and the skills that carry over
• interpersonal and problem solving skills
• personal integrity and maturity
• leadership potential
• the ability to work well as a professional on a health care team

The program's mission is to produce "highly ethical, clinically competent medical professionals" dedicated to serving diverse and underserved populations. Detroit Mercy is a Catholic university in the Jesuit and Mercy traditions, and the second year includes health projects with medically underserved communities.

The program may give additional consideration to Detroit Mercy undergraduates, veterans, applicants from underserved communities and groups underrepresented in the profession.

• Degree: a Master of Science with a major in Physician Assistant, 68 credits.
• Tracks: a full-time two-year track and a part-time three-year track for working professionals, who spread the didactic year over two years. You state a preference when you apply, and seats in each track are limited.
• Start: classes begin in the fall. PAEA lists August 2027.
• Clinical training: ten clinical rotations, community health education and underserved health projects, ending with a preceptorship in primary care. Sample sites include Corewell Health, Henry Ford Health System, the Detroit Medical Center and VA medical centers.
• Class size: ARC-PA approves up to 80. Entering classes were 67, 63 and 62 for the Classes of 2023 to 2025, and PAEA estimates 70 for the next class.
• Who gets in: students who started in 2022, 2023 and 2024 averaged a 3.75, 3.78 and 3.74 undergraduate GPA, a GRE of about 305 to 308 and 2,028 to 2,834 patient care hours.
• Accreditation: continuously accredited since 1972. ARC-PA granted Accreditation-Continued in September 2025 after a probation review, with the next review about April 2029.
• Other routes: a Pre-PA path for Detroit Mercy undergraduates, who are guaranteed an interview if they meet the criteria, and a five-year program for freshmen.

The GPA, GRE, CASPer, prerequisite and hours rules are in the admissions table below.

• Prepare one story per criterion. Eight criteria, eight short stories. Some will cover two, such as a leadership story that also shows teamwork.
• Explain the PA role precisely. Understanding of PA practice is scored. Know how PAs work with physicians, what they do in primary care and why that role fits you.
• Talk about disadvantaged patients with specifics. Motivation to serve them is a criterion and part of the mission. Name the setting, the barrier and what you did.
• Show growth in responsibility. The program wants healthcare or helping experience with increasing responsibility and leadership. Be ready to describe how your role grew over your 1,000 or more hours.
• Bring an integrity example. Personal integrity and maturity are scored, and ethics is a prerequisite course. Have one example where doing the right thing cost you something.
• Know your track. If you asked for the three-year track, be ready to explain how you will balance work and study.

1. Write the eight criteria on a page and map one story from your experience to each. Mark any criterion with no story and find one.
2. Have two partners act as a committee panel. Each asks three questions from the list above and one follow-up on your answer.
3. After the session, have them score you 1 to 5 on each of the eight criteria and name the weakest one.
4. Rewrite the story for the weakest criterion and run it again the next day.
5. Before your March date, do one full run in interview clothes, standing up from a waiting area and walking in, since the interview is onsite.

If you don't have a partner, Confetto's PA school interview prep runs AI mock interviews that ask follow-up questions based on what you said and give rubric-based feedback.

Is the Detroit Mercy PA interview in person?

PAEA's directory says an onsite interview is required. Detroit Mercy's own pages describe a personal interview with members of the admissions committee and don't mention a virtual option as of November 2026.

When does Detroit Mercy interview PA applicants?

Usually in March, give or take a couple of weeks, with the goal of contacting all applicants by mid-April.

Does Detroit Mercy require the GRE or CASPer?

Both. You need a GRE score of at least 291, unless you have a finished US graduate degree with a 3.0 GPA, and all applicants must complete CASPer. Duet is not required, and the MCAT isn't accepted.

What are the Detroit Mercy PA program requirements?

A bachelor's degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, six prerequisites with a 3.0 grade taken within six years, 1,000 hours of healthcare or helping experience, two professional recommendations, the GRE and CASPer, all by January 15. Details are in the admissions table below.

Applying elsewhere? See our guides to the Emory PA program and Baylor College of Medicine PA program interviews, and our how many PA schools to apply to guide.

Sources: University of Detroit Mercy PA program main page, admission and FAQ, goals and outcomes, approved healthcare experience chart and attrition report, the graduate catalog, the PAEA program directory and the ARC-PA accreditation history.

Confetto isn't affiliated with the University of Detroit Mercy. Everything here about the program comes from its public pages, checked in November 2026.

Formats and dates can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.