Marquette University PA Program Interview: Format and Prep

Marquette fills 75 seats a year from two pools. About 25 seats, give or take five, go to Marquette undergraduates, and about 50 go to applicants from outside Marquette. Both pools apply through CASPA by August 1.

Accelerated track for Marquette undergraduates

There is no direct admission to the PA program out of high school. Instead, students start as Biomedical Sciences (BISC) majors on the pre-PA curriculum. They can apply as early as the summer after sophomore year and, if admitted, enter the PA program the summer after junior year. The bachelor's degree is finished by the end of the first spring term of the PA program. Rising juniors can apply with two science prerequisites still in progress, and transfer students need at least 30 credits at Marquette first. Meeting the requirements doesn't guarantee a seat.

Graduate path for degree holders and seniors

Applicants with a bachelor's degree, or seniors about to finish one, apply through the same CASPA cycle. Marquette says most accepted graduate applicants have a degree in the basic or biomedical sciences, and you can apply with one science prerequisite in progress.

The program's mission is to develop PAs who reflect Marquette's Catholic, Jesuit identity and become excellent clinicians and national leaders. Its ideal graduate is compassionate, spiritually centered and "dedicated to doing justice in generous service to others." The program describes its approach with the Jesuit idea of cura personalis, care for the whole person.

The application page says Marquette applies preference to academically strong applicants who are first-generation college students, come from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds, have military experience, speak English as a second language, or are from medically underserved or rural areas.

• Degree and length: a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) over 28 months.
• Start: summer. PAEA lists May 2027 for the class that applied by August 1, 2026.
• Campus: Milwaukee, in a building made for PA education with simulation labs.
• Class size: 75. PAEA lists the latest matriculants' average GPA as 3.8 overall and 3.7 science.
• Clinical year: sites across the United States in urban, suburban and rural areas, with possible elective rotations in Belize and South Africa. Plan to spend up to half the year outside Milwaukee.
• Accreditation: Accreditation-Continued from ARC-PA, with the next validation review expected in July 2033.

See our Marquette PA program stats page for more numbers. GPA, prerequisites, hours, letters and the deadline are in the admissions table below.

• Explain the PA role clearly. Knowledge of the profession is a stated selection factor. Be able to describe how a PA works with physicians and the team, in your own words.
• Talk about service, not just hours. The mission speaks of justice and generous service. Pick a service story where you learned something about the people you served.
• Know what cura personalis means to you. Have one patient story that shows you cared for the whole person, not just the complaint.
• Show maturity. Marquette names motivation, maturity and the ability to work with people. Prepare a story about a setback you handled well.
• If you are a Marquette student, connect it. Mention a BISC course or faculty member that shaped your path. If you are outside Marquette, say why its program fits you.
• Plan the trip. PAEA lists the interview as on site, so plan travel to Milwaukee and practice face to face.

1. Write a 60-second answer on what a PA does and how PAs work with physicians, then say it out loud without notes.
2. Pick three stories: service, a setback and caring for a whole person. Tell each in under two minutes.
3. Sit across from a friend in person and answer six questions from the list, with one follow-up each.
4. Ask your friend to rate eye contact and how calm you sounded, since the interview is face to face.
5. Repeat two days later with new questions and a different partner.

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 Marquette PA interview in person?

PAEA's program directory says an on-site interview is required. Marquette's own pages say only that interviews are offered to select applicants.

Can I get into Marquette PA straight from high school?

Not directly. You enter as a Biomedical Sciences major on the pre-PA track and apply to the PA program as early as the summer after sophomore year. About 25 of the 75 seats target Marquette applicants.

Does Marquette require the GRE or CASPer?

The GRE is optional (code 5872). Marquette's pages don't mention CASPer or the PA-CAT as of November 2026, and PAEA lists no required test.

What are the Marquette PA program requirements?

A 3.0 cumulative GPA, 200 hours of patient contact in the US, three letters, the prerequisites with a C or better and an $85 supplemental fee. CASPA materials are due August 1.

When does Marquette send interview invites?

Marquette doesn't say as of November 2026. PAEA lists its review as starting after the deadline has passed.

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

Sources: Marquette Physician Assistant Studies application, graduate application, Marquette undergraduate application, FAQ, mission and goals, about, curriculum, prospective students, accreditation and supplemental fee pages, the Marquette bulletin, and PAEA's program directory entry.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Marquette 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.