Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Advanced medical training for in‑demand physician assistants serving all areas of Canadian health care.
Why choose this program?
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program gives you the skills and knowledge to become a highly capable healthcare professional. You'll get comprehensive training in various areas such as clinical medicine, patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, pharmacology, and surgical procedures.
In this two-year, full-time program, a first of its kind in Maritime Provinces, you'll build skills through supervised clinical rotations across settings such as primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, obgyn, pediatrics, psychiatry, and more.
Careers
As a graduate of this program, you'll have the confidence and skills to step into diverse clinical settings with immediate employability. This advanced training accelerates long‑term growth, offering career flexibility, strong job stability, and pathways into leadership, education, and specialized practice across Canada.
Physician assistants are known for flexibility and versatility in clinical practice. With the ability to transition between disciplines without retraining, PAs bring adaptable, team-based care to wherever patients need them most.
This degree prepares you to work across primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, and various specialties. As a physician assisant, you can build a rewarding career in hospitals, clinics, community health centres, and academic or research settings across Canada’s health care system.
Program options
Professional: This course-based master’s program will enable you to acquire specialized knowledge, enhance critical skills, and advance your career. Learn more about professional master's degrees at Dal.
Practicum: Participate in clinical rotations to build your hands-on, practical skills.
All graduate programs at Dalhousie are collaboratively delivered by a home Faculty and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Admission requirements
You'll need to meet the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum requirements as well as any program-specific admission requirements before you can apply.
The next deadline to apply for this program is
- December 14, 2025 (for section 1 of the application)
- January 11, 2026 (for section 2 of the application) for a January 2027 start.
Section 1 and Section 2 deadlines vary by entry year; see MPAS admissions deadlines table.
Program-specific requirements
This program requires you to meet the following criteria:
- 4-year undergraduate degree or a graduate degree from a recognized, accredited university.
- Transcripts should show 90-120 earned credit hours for the undergraduate degree.
- Graduate degrees are accepted, but applicants must provide unofficial transcripts for both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or B average.
- Historically a 3.7 is considered competitive.
- GPA calculated using the last 60 credit hours of study (up to 15 credit hours from graduate degrees can be applied).
- All applicants must have completed prerequisite courses in Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Human Physiology from a recognized, accredited university.
Admissions requirements are reviewed annually and updates may occur.
For information about accepted English language proficiency tests, please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies English language proficiency requirements.
- Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents; Maritime residency quotas apply.
- CASPer required.
- Program uses short-answer questionnaire/supplemental and MMI as part of selection.
- Two reference letters required.
Financial information
Questions about tuition and fees? Contact Student Accounts.
Email student.accounts@dal.ca or phone 902-494-3998.
