Utah PA Program Interview: Format, Dates and the Anatomy Test
What happens at the University of Utah PA program interview, how you get one, and how it decides your offer.
Utah interviews in person on five dates in November 2026, four in Salt Lake City and one in St. George. During the interview session you take a test of basic anatomy, physiology and medical terminology, with no study guide. Offers and alternate rankings go out in late November, based on the highest interview scores.
Key facts (2027 entry)
- Format
- An in-person interview plus a short test of basic anatomy, physiology and general medical terminology. PAEA's directory lists the type as a traditional interview. Utah does not publish the interview's length or structure.
- Online or in person
- In person only, on the Salt Lake City and St. George campuses. Applicants living abroad must also come in person.
- When
- November 6, 12, 19 and 20, 2026 in Salt Lake City, and November 14, 2026 in St. George. Interview invitations go out by email in mid-October.
- Who is interviewed
- Applicants with the highest scores on Utah's application review, if the reviewer recommends an interview.
- How the interview counts
- Offers are made and alternates ranked by highest interview score.
- Class size
- About 68 students, starting in May 2027.
- Tests
- No GRE. Utah no longer requires Casper this cycle, and there is no supplemental application.
What happens on the interview day
Utah interviews every candidate in person, on one of its two campuses.
- An interview. Utah does not publish how long it lasts, who sits on the panel or what kind of questions it asks. PAEA's program directory lists it as a traditional interview.
- A science test. You take a test of basic anatomy, physiology and general medical terminology during the interview session. Study guides are not provided.
- Two campuses. Four dates are in Salt Lake City and one is in St. George. Your campus preference on CASPA is taken into account, or you can choose no preference.
- Proof of coursework. If you are retaking anatomy or physiology taken before fall 2019, Utah will ask for proof of completion or enrollment once you are invited to interview.
Review the basics. With no study guide, go back over your anatomy and physiology notes and the common medical terms you use at work.
How offers are decided
Once you are interviewed, the interview decides. Utah extends offers and ranks alternates by highest interview score.
- Not rolling. Utah does not use rolling admissions, but it still urges you to apply early.
- Late November. Acceptances and alternate rankings are released in late November.
- After an offer. You also apply to the University of Utah Graduate School, pass a background check and pay a $1,000 seat reservation in two parts.
- St. George seats. At least two seats at the St. George campus are kept for Utah Tech University graduates.
How you get an interview
Utah scores every verified application that meets the minimums. The highest scorers are invited, if the reviewer recommends an interview.
- Academics. GPA, with emphasis on science GPA, and the quality of your prerequisites. Both GPAs must be at least 3.0, unless your last 30 science credits average 3.50 or more.
- 2,000 hours of health care. Required by the August 1 deadline. Hands-on patient care is preferred, and paid hours count more than volunteer hours. Utah notes the national average is 4,000 to 5,000.
- What doesn't count. Shadowing, student practicum hours, office work in health settings and caring for family members.
- Writing. Your personal statement and your answers to Utah's questions in CASPA are scored.
- Letters. Three are required. They are read but do not add to your application score.
Preference factors
Utah gives preference to applicants with three or more of these factors.
- Utah residency, or living in southern Utah now or in the past five years.
- Military experience.
- Exposure to primary care or to medically underserved people, or roots in or a commitment to return to an underserved community.
- A science GPA above 3.5 or more than 10,000 hours of health care experience.
- Potential fit with the program's mission.
Dates and other details
Utah's deadlines are strict, and it does not grant extensions.
Dates for 2027 entry
- August 1, 2026. Submit your CASPA application.
- September 1, 2026. CASPA must have verified your application.
- Mid-October 2026. Interview decisions arrive by email.
- November 6 to 20, 2026. In-person interviews.
- May 10, 2027. Orientation and classes begin.
The program
The program is 27 months, full time and in person, and leads to a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. Its mission centers on primary care and on medically underserved and marginalized communities.
How to prepare
Utah does not describe its interview questions, so prepare for a classic interview and a knowledge check.
- Know the PA role. Utah lists exceptional knowledge of the PA role and understanding of your own limits among the traits of a strong applicant.
- Connect to primary care. Have a real story about primary care or an underserved community, since both sit at the center of Utah's mission.
- Practice out loud. Answer common questions in two to three minutes each, then ask a friend to push back with a follow-up question.
- Plan your trip. Check which campus your date is on, since St. George and Salt Lake City are far apart, and arrive early.
Talk about your hours. Utah weighs paid, hands-on patient care most, so be ready to explain what you did and what you learned from it.
Practice questions
Questions in the style of a Interview (in person) station, written for applicants to University of Utah, Physician Assistant Program (MPAS). They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.
Why is it important for a PA to know the limits of their medical knowledge, and how will you recognize when you've reached your own?
Describe a real moment when you hit a limit and say exactly what you did next.
You're a PA in a primary care clinic, and a patient's symptoms are unusual and outside your experience. Your collaborating physician is out sick today. What are your next steps?
Keep the patient safe first, then name who else you would call and how you would follow up.
You are a PA. Your supervising physician has just told you to rush through your remaining patient visits because they want to close the clinic early on a Friday. Have the conversation.
Stay respectful, put patients first and offer a practical way to finish on time.
You are a PA. After you introduce yourself, a new patient says, 'Oh, so you're the one who just takes the blood pressure and gets the doctor?' How would you explain what you actually do in a way that builds their confidence?
Explain your role warmly and accurately, without sounding defensive or claiming to be the doctor.
Tell me about a time in your healthcare role when you were asked to do something slightly outside your training or comfort zone. What did you do?
Show that you neither faked it nor refused, and say exactly how you asked for help.
Both NPs and PAs play vital roles in expanding access to care. What is it about the medical model of PA education, as opposed to the nursing model, that fits the way you learn?
Praise the medical model without putting down nursing, and tie it to how you actually learn.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Utah PA interview in person?
Yes. For 2027 entry, interviews are in person on five November dates, four in Salt Lake City and one in St. George.
Is there a test at the Utah PA interview?
Yes. Candidates take a test of basic anatomy, physiology and general medical terminology during the interview session. Utah does not provide a study guide.
Does Utah PA require Casper or the GRE?
No. Utah no longer requires Casper this cycle and does not consider GRE scores. There is no supplemental application either.
Does Utah PA use rolling admissions?
No. Utah reviews applications after its deadlines and releases acceptances and alternate rankings in late November, based on interview scores.
How many health care hours does Utah PA require?
At least 2,000 hours by the August 1 deadline. Shadowing, student practicum hours and caring for family members do not count, and paid hours weigh more than volunteer hours.
Sources
Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.
- University of Utah PA Program: Important Dates · read October 24, 2026
- University of Utah PA Program: Application · read October 24, 2026
- University of Utah PA Program: Requirements · read October 24, 2026
- University of Utah PA Program: FAQs · read October 24, 2026
- University of Utah PA Program: Mission and Goals · read October 24, 2026
- PAEA CASPA Program Directory: University of Utah · read October 24, 2026