Updated
Keck Graduate Institute PA Program Interview: Format & Prep
Key facts (2026-27)
- Format
- Individual interviews, group interviews and a written response to a prompt about the PA profession
- Where
- Online via Zoom
- Length
- About 6 hours (full attendance mandatory)
- Decisions
- Rolling basis, notified by early March, with two $500 non-refundable deposits ($1,000 total)
Checked November 2026 against KGI: Chan Family Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPA) and KGI: MSPA Admissions Requirements and Procedures (2026-2027 Cycle). Confirm details in your invitation.
Keck Graduate Institute requires an admissions interview for its Chan Family Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPA), a 27-month, 124-credit program approved for a maximum class size of 40 students by the ARC-PA. KGI uses a holistic admissions process that weighs your GPA alongside community service, clinical shadowing, life experience, and interpersonal and communication skills. In KGI's own Pre-PA preparation track, students train across three formats: individual interviews, group interviews, and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Sources: KGI 2025-26 Academic Catalog (School of Health Sciences & MSPA Program), ARC-PA Accreditation History: Keck Graduate Institute, KGI News: KGI Announces MS in Physician Assistant Studies Program. Last checked November 3, 2026.
What the KGI PA interview assesses and how to prepare
Keck Graduate Institute lists an admissions interview as a general requirement for the Chan Family Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPA) in its 2025-26 Academic Catalog. KGI evaluates candidates through its admissions interview process without listing the GRE, MCAT, PA-CAT, Kira Talent, or Casper as MSPA requirements in the catalog. Confirm your specific schedule, platform, and session lengths in your interview invitation email or at kgi.edu/mspa.
KGI's Postbaccalaureate Pre-PA Certificate (PPA) program trains prospective PA applicants using simulated individual interviews, group interviews, and Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). When KGI announced the MSPA program, the school stated that while a strong GPA is important, it uses a holistic process that evaluates community service, clinical shadowing experience, life experience, and interpersonal and communication skills. To practice answering out loud across MMI, panel, and traditional formats, Confetto offers AI mock interviews for PA school applicants with rubric-based feedback. Start your free week on our PA School Interview Questions and Mock Interviews page.
- Individual interview preparation: Rehearse concise answers about your motivation to become a PA, your clinical shadowing, and why KGI's Claremont campus fits your goals.
- Group interview preparation: Practice building on another applicant's point before adding your own perspective, and invite quieter teammates into the discussion.
- MMI station preparation: Practice reading a short scenario, naming the core ethical or clinical conflict right away, weighing two options, and committing to a clear next step.
| Item | Official KGI and ARC-PA detail |
|---|---|
| Degree name | Chan Family Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPA) |
| School and location | School of Health Sciences, 535 Watson Drive, Claremont, CA 91711 (Member of The Claremont Colleges) |
| Maximum class size | 40 students (per ARC-PA accreditation history) |
| Program length and credits | 27 months, year-round across 7 semesters (124 semester credit hours: 15-month didactic phase and 12-month clinical phase) |
| Accreditation status | ARC-PA Accreditation-Provisional (first accredited March 2022, next comprehensive review March/April 2027) |
| Program leadership | Christy Eskes, DHSc, MPA, PA-C (Program Director) and Alan Rothfeld, MD (Medical Director) |
| General admission requirements | Completed online application (CAS), personal statement, resume/CV, letter of recommendation, official transcripts, admissions interview, and fee |
| Holistic review criteria | GPA, community service, clinical shadowing experience, life experience, and interpersonal and communication skills |
Mission, values, and what sets the Chan Family MSPA apart
Your answers to "Why KGI?" should connect to the School of Health Sciences (SHS) mission: "The School of Health Sciences is dedicated to the education of innovative healthcare professionals who will serve the needs of individual patients, diverse communities, and the healthcare system as a whole. Our programs emphasize interprofessional collaboration, leadership, evidence-based practice, and person-centered care."
KGI highlights five specific features of the Chan Family MSPA program that you can tie to your clinical and volunteer background. If you are also comparing medical programs in the region, see our guide to the Keck USC Med School Interview: Questions and Format, which is a separate institution from Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont.
- Emphasis on acute care: KGI emphasizes patient-centered medicine in acute, high-pressure settings such as the emergency room or operating theater, supported by Fundamentals of Surgery and Emergency Medicine (MSPA 5401).
- Entrepreneurial emphasis: KGI trains PA students in entrepreneurship, health policy, coding, billing, and healthcare delivery systems (MSPA 5103 PA Professional Practice III) for semi-autonomous environments.
- Interdisciplinary integration: MSPA students collaborate with KGI students in pharmacy (PharmD), occupational therapy (OTD), human genetics and genetic counseling (MSGC), and medical device engineering (MSMDE), including interprofessional case-based learning in the Clinical Integration and Application series.
- Genomics and personalized medicine: KGI differentiates its curriculum with instruction in clinical genetics, molecular mechanisms of disease, and pharmacogenetics (introduced in MSPA 5121 Basic Medical Sciences and MSPA 5211 Pharmacotherapeutics I).
- Community roots in Southern California: KGI emphasizes minimizing health and educational disparities in underrepresented communities in Southern California and Los Angeles County, supported by Community Health (MSPA 5161).
12 practice interview questions with our example answers
Our team wrote the 12 practice questions and example answers below around KGI's holistic admissions criteria, the School of Health Sciences core values, and the MSPA curriculum. Use them as blueprints, not scripts. For broader preparation, read our guide to PA school interview questions.
1. Why do you want to attend the Chan Family MSPA program at Keck Graduate Institute? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "I want to train at KGI because the program pairs acute care readiness with interprofessional collaboration. Working as an emergency department technician in Southern California, I saw how much a patient's outcome in the trauma bay depends on fast coordination between the PA, the clinical pharmacist, and the surgical team. In KGI's curriculum, I am excited about taking Fundamentals of Surgery and Emergency Medicine in the second fall term before starting rotations, and working through interprofessional cases in the Clinical Integration and Application courses alongside PharmD and OTD students. I also value that KGI is part of The Claremont Colleges and roots its training in local community health, which matches my goal of practicing emergency medicine in Inland Southern California."
2. KGI emphasizes an entrepreneurial approach to PA practice and teaches the business of healthcare. Why does that matter to you as a future clinician? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "When I shadowed a PA at a community clinic, I noticed that half of her frustration came from system bottlenecks rather than medical mysteries. Patients waited three weeks for prior authorizations on asthma inhalers or missed follow-ups because intake forms were only in English. Learning healthcare delivery systems, billing, and entrepreneurship in PA Professional Practice III matters to me because a PA who understands how a clinic is funded and run can fix those bottlenecks. I want the tools to propose a cost-effective workflow change to clinic leadership and measure whether it helps patients get care faster."
3. Tell us about a time you worked with someone from a different discipline or background to solve a problem for a patient or client. Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "On an inpatient medical-surgical floor, I helped care for an older man recovering from a hip fracture who kept refusing physical therapy. The nursing staff thought he was unmotivated, and the physical therapy aide was ready to sign off. Because I spoke Spanish with his daughter during visiting hours, I learned he was terrified that standing up would tear his stitches after hearing a neighbor's story about a failed surgery. I shared that with the PA and the occupational therapist on rounds. The PA showed him his incision and explained the hardware stability, while the OT adjusted his transfer routine so he felt in control. Listening across roles got him walking that afternoon."
4. How has your community service prepared you to minimize health disparities in diverse communities? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "For two years, I volunteered at a weekend food and blood pressure screening pantry in Pomona. At first, we handed out printed hypertension brochures, and almost all of them ended up in the trash. When I asked visitors what they actually cooked at home, I realized our brochures listed ingredients nobody in the neighborhood bought. I worked with two volunteers to rewrite our nutrition handouts around affordable staples from the local market and added visual salt comparisons for patients with low health literacy. That taught me that reducing disparities starts with asking a community what fits their daily life, an approach I will build on in KGI's Community Health course."
5. Describe a high-pressure situation in an acute or fast-paced setting. How did you communicate and make decisions? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "During a night shift on an ambulance crew, we responded to a multi-car collision where two patients needed transport and a bystander family member was panicking and trying to climb into the rig. My partner was stabilizing a patient with chest pain, so I had to manage the scene and triage the second driver. I lowered my voice, gave the family member one concrete job gathering the patient's medication bottles and ID, and completed a rapid primary survey on the second driver. Keeping my voice calm and giving single-step instructions kept the family member safe and got our vitals to the receiving emergency department on time."
6. KGI places a strong emphasis on genetics, genomics, and personalized medicine. How do you see genomics shaping the role of a PA? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "Most patients first ask about genetic risk or medication side effects in an outpatient clinic where PAs practice every day. While shadowing a primary care PA, I watched her review a pharmacogenomic panel for a patient who had failed three antidepressants. Seeing the metabolic variant on paper helped the patient stop blaming himself and helped the PA choose a medication that worked. Because KGI integrates clinical genetics in Basic Medical Sciences and pharmacogenetics in Pharmacotherapeutics I, I will be ready to explain what a test can and cannot tell a patient and know when to collaborate with a genetic counselor."
6 more KGI practice questions with example answers
Show details
7. Tell us about a clinical shadowing experience that confirmed your decision to become a Physician Associate rather than a physician or nurse practitioner. Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "Shadowing a PA in orthopedic surgery showed me the balance of autonomy and team collaboration I want. In the morning, the PA ran his own post-operative clinic, removing sutures, interpreting X-rays, and adjusting pain regimens while consulting the attending surgeon on one complex infection. In the afternoon, he scrubbed in as first assist in the operating room. I loved seeing how a PA's generalist medical training let him move from outpatient management to the operating theater in a single day as part of a unified physician-PA team."
8. Describe a time you made a mistake or received difficult feedback. How did you reflect and respond? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "During my first month as a medical assistant, I roomed a patient for a diabetic foot check and recorded her vitals, but I forgot to ask her to remove her socks and shoes before the PA walked in. Afterward, the PA pointed out that my oversight delayed the clinic schedule and made the exam feel rushed. I owned the mistake without excuses. That evening, I taped a small rooming checklist by visit type to my clipboard, shoes off for diabetes visits and gown ready for skin checks, and shared it with the next new hire."
9. Scenario (MMI style): A patient in the emergency department demands an antibiotic for a viral upper respiratory infection and threatens to leave a bad clinic review if you refuse. How do you handle this? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "First, I would validate the patient's frustration, since waiting in an emergency department while feeling miserable is exhausting. Before discussing medications, I would complete a thorough history and physical exam so the patient sees I am taking their symptoms seriously. Then I would explain in plain language why an antibiotic targets bacteria, not viruses, and that prescribing one today would expose them to side effects like diarrhea or allergic reactions without helping them recover faster. I would offer a concrete symptom relief plan, explain which red-flag symptoms should bring them back, and answer their questions."
10. Scenario (MMI style): You are in the didactic phase of PA school and notice a classmate in your small group copying answers from a previous cohort's practical exam rubric. What do you do? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "Academic integrity in PA school is tied to patient safety, because the skills tested in Patient Assessment are the skills we use on real patients in rotations. First, I would speak with my classmate privately right after the session. I would state what I saw calmly, ask what is going on, and remind them that KGI's Honor Code requires us to earn evaluations honestly. I would encourage them to stop using the unauthorized rubric and talk with the instructor if they are struggling. If they used it on an exam, I would follow KGI's Academic Integrity Policy and report the concern."
11. How will you handle the workload of a year-round, 27-month, 124-credit curriculum without burning out? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "The didactic phase runs across four consecutive terms and peaks at 21 credits in the second fall term. I prepared for that pace by building study habits while working full-time and taking evening classes. I study in active recall blocks rather than rereading notes, review material the same day it is taught, and protect Sunday afternoons to exercise and meal-prep. With KGI's cohort capped at 40 students, I also plan to lean on small study groups early rather than waiting until an exam goes poorly."
12. What is one healthcare challenge in Southern California that you want to work on during your Capstone Project? Example answer written by our team. The applicant is invented: "While volunteering in Los Angeles County, I saw how many patients with substance use disorders cycled through the emergency department without connecting to outpatient recovery support. KGI's Advanced PA Professional Practice II course includes Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Waiver training alongside Capstone Project development. For my capstone, I want to study barriers to starting buprenorphine in acute and primary care settings in the Inland Empire and design a discharge protocol connecting emergency department patients directly to local community clinics."
A 7-day preparation checklist for your KGI interview
Use this seven-day plan (written by our team) to organize your stories and practice out loud before your KGI MSPA interview day.
- Day 1: Map your stories to KGI's holistic criteria: community service, clinical shadowing, life experience, and interpersonal communication.
- Day 2: Draft your "Why KGI?" answer around at least two differentiators: acute care, entrepreneurship in healthcare, genomics, or interdisciplinary collaboration with pharmacy, OT, genetics, and medical device engineering.
- Day 3: Record yourself answering Questions 1, 4, 7, and 8 on camera and trim any rambling.
- Day 4: Practice MMI scenarios (Questions 9 and 10) with reading and speaking timers, committing to a clear decision.
- Day 5: Practice a group discussion prompt with peers on a Southern California community health challenge (such as primary care shortages in Los Angeles County).
- Day 6: Prepare two faculty questions about interprofessional cases in the Clinical Integration and Application series or the Capstone Project.
- Day 7: Check your camera, microphone, lighting, and interview invitation link, then rest.
Curriculum, admissions requirements, and KGI Pre-PA pathways
By our calculation from the 2025-26 KGI Academic Catalog, the 15-month didactic phase accounts for 80 of the 124 total semester credit hours (about 64.5% of the degree), averaging 20.0 credits per semester across Fall 1 (19.0 credits), Spring 1 (20.0 credits), Summer 1 (20.0 credits), and Fall 2 (21.0 credits). The 12-month clinical phase accounts for 44 credit hours (about 35.5%) across Spring 2 (16.0 credits), Summer 2 (11.0 credits), and Fall 3 (17.0 credits), including the three-course Advanced PA Professional Practice series (covering the Capstone Project and Medication Assisted Treatment Waiver training) and eight 6-week Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs): Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Women's Health, Behavioral and Mental Health, and one Clinical Elective. Students return to campus after each rotation for callback day activities (written exams, practical exams, and case presentations) and complete a mandatory program-provided PANCE review course after the final SCPE.
KGI lists these general requirements for MSPA admission: a completed online application (noting it differs for CAS applications), personal statement, resume or CV, letter of recommendation, official transcripts, admissions interview, and application fee. Compare general PA benchmarks in our guide to PA School Requirements: GPA, Prerequisites, Tests, Hours. Prospective applicants can also build credentials through KGI's Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences in the 24.0-credit Postbaccalaureate Pre-PA Certificate (PPA, offering up to 1,000 patient and clinical-care hours) or the 48.0-credit Master of Science in Applied Life Sciences (MS) Pre-health track, whose Premedicine Professional Development course requires PA prerequisite courses and a 3.0 or higher cumulative and/or science GPA.
The ARC-PA granted the KGI Physician Assistant Program Accreditation-Provisional status in March 2022 with a maximum entering class size of 40 students, reaffirmed that status in March and September 2025 (accepting KGI's report addressing Standards A2.03, B3.07c, and B4.01b), and scheduled the next comprehensive evaluation for March/April 2027. Ready to practice your KGI PA interview out loud? Start your free week on our PA School Interview Questions and Mock Interviews page.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Keck Graduate Institute PA program?
According to the 2025-26 KGI Academic Catalog, the Chan Family Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPA) is a full-time, 27-month, year-round program completed over seven semesters (124 semester credit hours). It consists of a 15-month didactic phase and a 12-month clinical phase.
What is the class size for the KGI PA program?
Per the ARC-PA accreditation history for Keck Graduate Institute, the program is approved for a maximum entering class size of 40 students.
Is the Keck Graduate Institute PA program accredited?
Yes. The ARC-PA granted the Keck Graduate Institute Physician Assistant Program Accreditation-Provisional status in March 2022, reaffirmed that status in March and September 2025, and scheduled the program's next comprehensive evaluation for March/April 2027.
What clinical rotations are required in the KGI MSPA curriculum?
During the 12-month clinical phase, students complete eight 6-week Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs): Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Women's Health, Behavioral and Mental Health, and one Clinical Elective.
What does KGI look for in PA program applicants?
KGI states that while a strong GPA is important, it uses a holistic admissions process that evaluates community service, clinical shadowing experience, life experience, and interpersonal and communication skills. An admissions interview is required.