Mercer University PA Program Interview: Format and Questions

The department's mission is to educate patient-centered medical providers of the highest quality who are critical thinkers and lifelong learners. Its core values are compassion, collegiality, service, ethical behavior, integrity and respect. One program goal is to prepare students to deliver primary care in a variety of clinical settings.

The admissions page says review is holistic. It also gives extra admissions consideration to applicants with HRSA-defined factors, such as military service, being a first-generation college student, or coming from an economically disadvantaged background or a medically underserved area, and to Mercer graduates. First-time Mercer undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences or the College of Health Professions can also join the Accelerated Special Consideration Program (ASCP), which guarantees an interview to students who keep a 3.2 overall and science GPA and complete 90 to 111 semester hours at Mercer, with at least 500 patient care hours in CASPA.

Patient care counts heavily. Mercer wants direct, hands-on care and says roles without direct patient care responsibilities "are not competitive." Its list of desirable roles includes medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, nurse's aide, phlebotomist and patient care technician. Shadowing a PA is encouraged but does not count as direct patient care.

• Degree and length: a Master of Medical Science (MMSc), full time, over seven consecutive semesters (28 months).
• Start: January. The cycle now open in CASPA is for Spring 2028 entry.
• Campus: Atlanta, Georgia, in Mercer's College of Health Professions.
• Class size: 70 students a year. The program has run since 2008.
• Clinical year: three semesters of full-time rotations, with nine core rotations including family medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics and behavioral medicine. Every student completes at least one core rotation serving an underserved population.
• Dual degree: an MMSc/MPH option for students interested in rural and underserved primary care, applied for separately after PA admission.
• Accreditation: Accreditation-Continued from ARC-PA, with the next validation review expected in September 2027.

Mercer's MD program has its own interview. See our Mercer University School of Medicine interview guide. GPA minimums, prerequisites, hours, letters and the deadline are in the admissions table below.

• Practice three settings. PAEA lists traditional, panel and group interviews. Practice one-on-one, in front of two or three people, and in a group where you have to share the floor.
• Know your direct patient care hours cold. The Class of 2028 averaged 3,069 hours. Be ready to say what your hands did for patients, not just where you worked.
• Bring the six values into stories. Compassion, collegiality, service, ethical behavior, integrity and respect. Pick one story for each, and make at least one about a disagreement with a teammate.
• Have a primary care answer. The program trains PAs for primary care in many settings and requires an underserved rotation. Know why that fits you.
• Connect your background to Mercer's extra consideration. If you are a veteran, a first-generation student or from an underserved area, say how it shaped the care you want to give.
• Prepare for a camera. PAEA says an on-site interview is not required, so practice on video with good light and sound in case your day is virtual.

1. Write one two-minute answer to "Why Mercer?" that names the underserved rotation, primary care and one value from the list.
2. Answer five questions from the list one-on-one with a friend, with one follow-up per answer.
3. Do the same five with two people asking in turn, as a panel would.
4. Run a 15-minute group task with three friends, such as ranking patients for one open clinic slot, and have someone note how often you invited others in.
5. Record one full answer on video and check that you look at the camera and finish under two minutes.

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 Mercer PA interview virtual?

Mercer's own pages don't say as of November 2026. PAEA's program directory lists an on-site interview as not required. Check your invitation for the mode.

Is the Mercer PA interview an MMI?

No MMI is listed. PAEA's directory lists traditional, panel and group interview types for Mercer.

Does Mercer require the GRE or CASPer?

CASPer is required (Professional Health Sciences), and the last eligible test date this cycle is in March 2027. The GRE is optional. If you send it, use ETS code 0441.

When is the Mercer PA application deadline?

April 1, 2027 for Spring 2028 entry, and your CASPA application must be complete and verified by then. Mercer suggests having everything in two to three weeks before the deadline.

What are the Mercer PA program requirements?

A bachelor's degree, a 3.00 overall GPA and a 2.9 science GPA, 1,000 hours of direct patient care, three letters, CASPer and a prerequisite list with C or better grades. You can have no more than four prerequisites outstanding when you apply.

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

Sources: Mercer College of Health Professions PA admissions requirements, PA FAQ (PDF), vision, mission and values, PA program, message from the chair, accreditation, Goal 1 outcomes (PDF), Goal 3 outcomes (PDF) and information sessions, and PAEA's program directory entry, and Mercer advising's ASCP for physician assistant page.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Mercer 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.