LIU PA Program Interview: Format, Questions and Requirements

The Division of Physician Assistant Studies' mission is to educate students "of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds" to become competent, compassionate, high quality healthcare providers.

The program's goals add community service, which it calls "a fundamental cornerstone" of PA practice, and professionalism, including taking part in events that raise awareness of the PA role. LIU also says the program "requires dedication, a high ethical standard, and professionalism" along with skill and medical knowledge.

The committee reviews applicants holistically, with a focus on academic performance, clinical experience, personal qualifications, letters and the personal statement. The statement should show your motivation for becoming a PA. LIU's technical standards ask for the interpersonal skills to work with people "from all levels of society, all ethnic backgrounds and all belief systems."

• Degree and length: a 28-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, with 40 didactic and 46 clinical credits. PAEA lists the degree type as an MPAS.
• Campus: LIU Brooklyn. The program sits in the School of Health Professions on the Brooklyn campus, and PAEA lists a single LIU PA program.
• Start: PAEA lists September 2027, and the curriculum starts with a fall semester.
• Clinical training early: the didactic year includes weekly clinical experiences, and the student handbook says students are scheduled to take histories and do physical exams with patients at The Brooklyn Hospital.
• Clinical year: ten five-week clerkships over about fifteen months, with a two-day End-of-Rotation Meeting back on campus after each one.
• Class size: up to 42. Entering classes were 42, 42 and 39 for the Classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
• Outcomes: first-time PANCE pass rates of 97%, 95% and 91% for those three classes, against national rates of 92%, 92% and 91%.
• Accreditation: LIU's page says ARC-PA extended Accreditation-Probation status at its June 2025 meeting until its next review in July 2027. The program was first accredited in September 1972 and says it was the first in the region approved by the New York State Education Department.

The GPA minimums, prerequisites, hours and GRE rule are in the admissions table below.

• Practice ethical and teamwork questions on purpose. LIU names them as a scored category. Have a simple way to reason out loud: the facts, who is affected, your options and what you would do first.
• Make your motivation specific. Your personal statement and the interview are both judged on motivation for becoming a PA. Tie it to patients you cared for, not to the profession in general.
• Work on your level of comfort. LIU scores it directly. Practice with a stranger or on camera until you can answer without rushing.
• Prepare three questions for the team. Good ones are about the didactic-year visits at The Brooklyn Hospital, the End-of-Rotation Meetings or how the program supports community service. Avoid questions the program page already answers.
• Know your hours. LIU wants 400 direct patient care hours when you apply and 500 by the time you start. Be ready to explain what you did, not only the job title.
• Be ready for the accreditation topic. If you ask about the probation status, ask calmly how it affects students. LIU's page describes probation as a temporary accreditation status.

1. Write a two-minute answer to "why PA" that names one patient and one moment. Cut anything generic.
2. Ask a partner to give you three ethical prompts and two teamwork prompts you haven't seen. Answer each in under two minutes using facts, people, options and first step.
3. Have the partner score you on the five LIU categories: comfort, answers, motivation, ethics and teamwork, and your questions.
4. End each session by asking the partner your three questions for the team, and drop any that the program page already answers.
5. Repeat two days later with new prompts, and on camera if you don't know whether your interview will be virtual.

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 LIU PA interview virtual or in person?

LIU doesn't say as of November 2026. PAEA's directory says an onsite interview is not required. Go by your invitation email.

Does LIU require the GRE?

Yes. You must complete the GRE by the CASPA deadline of January 15, with no minimum score (GRE code 2831). PAEA says LIU won't accept the MCAT instead. LIU's pages don't mention CASPer or the PA-CAT as of November 2026.

How many patient care hours does LIU require?

At least 500 hours of direct patient care before you start, with at least 400 done when you submit CASPA. LIU's list includes scribing, volunteer patient care and shadowing a physician, PA or dentist.

When does LIU send decisions after the interview?

The Admissions Committee meets after each interview session, and LIU says decisions go out by email within two weeks.

Is LIU's PA program accredited?

Yes, on Accreditation-Probation. LIU's page says ARC-PA extended that status in June 2025 until its next review in July 2027.

Applying elsewhere? See our guides to the George Washington University PA program and Emory PA program interviews, and our how many PA schools to apply to guide.

Sources: LIU Brooklyn MS Physician Assistant Studies page and PA student handbook 2025-2026, the PAEA program directory and the ARC-PA accreditation history.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Long Island University. 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.