Elon’s School of Health Sciences welcomed two new classes of graduate students to the university community this week.
The 27-month, full-time Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program enrolled 38 students. The three-year, full-time Doctor of Physical Therapy program enrolled 46 students. Admission for both programs is highly selective.
Physician Assistant Studies
The class of 38 students represents undergraduate institutions such as Wake Forest University, University of Virginia, Davidson, University of Florida, University of South Carolina and Duke University. Students range in age from 22 to 37 with an average age of 25, and have a variety of health care experiences, averaging 2,454 hours each. The average GPA is 3.63 and the average GRE score on the revised scale is 311 (which translates to 1250 on the prior scale). Enrolling students come from 14 states including Colorado, Massachusetts and Utah.
The Department of Physician Assistant Studies enrolled its charter class in 2013. The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Elon University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Elon University.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The class of 46 students represents undergraduate institutions such as the College of William & Mary, UNC-Chapel Hill, Calvin College, The Ohio State University, Syracuse and Elon University. Students range in age from 21 to 41 (with an average age of 24) and come from 15 states including California, New Jersey and Ohio. The average GPA is 3.59 and the average GRE score on the revised scale is 306 (which translates to 1180 on the prior scale).
Elon’s DPT program has built a reputation for excellence and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy (CAPTE). The Department of Physical Therapy Education was created in 1996 offering a master’s degree, and enrolled its first doctoral students in 2003.