Applicant Information

The statements that follow are generalities; they cannot cover all aspects of each individual application. They are meant to provide some insight into MEDEX values and priorities. MEDEX aims to come to a fair judgment about each application as a whole and an individual’s readiness for the MEDEX Physician Assistant (PA) program.  

About the Program

Campus locations

MEDEX has campus locations in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma, WA; Anchorage, AK; and Kona, HI.   

Applicants may select two (2) preferred campus locations on the CASPA Application. MEDEX aims to place applicants at their first campus location preference, however, due to the size and competitiveness of the applicant pool and the seats available at each campus, some applicants may be offered an interview and subsequent seat at their second campus preference.   

MEDEX is reserving five (5) seats at the minimum at its Spokane Campus for current or permanent qualified Montana residents for the class entering 2025. 

Because MEDEX and our campus communities, including preceptors, expect our graduates to remain and practice in Alaska or Hawaii after graduation from the program, to be considered a competitive candidate for the Anchorage and Kona campuses, MEDEX expects the applicant to have a personal connection to the state hosting the campus. For example, family and close friends residing in the state, or the applicant having lived, attended school, or worked in the state in the past would be considered a personal connection.    

Clinical rotations

MEDEX has over 700 clinical training education sites throughout the WWAMI region, plus Hawaii. There may also be other underserved site options in the western U.S. Clinical training education opportunities are available in hospitals, private clinics, prisons, specialty clinics, community health centers, farm worker clinics, and Indian Health sites.   

Clinical placements are made on an individual basis in collaboration with the MEDEX Clinical Team. All students are expected to travel during their clinical rotations and each student will have experience with an underserved community. To meet the healthcare needs of Alaska and Hawaii, students at these campuses are placed throughout these states. 

Degrees offered and program length

Master of Clinical Health Services (MCHS) 

The MEDEX Northwest PA program is a 27-month full-time course of study leading to a Master of Clinical Health Services degree.   

The two primary components of the curriculum are the classroom (known as didactic) phase and the clinical phase.    

Students who successfully complete the program also earn a Certificate of Completion, which qualifies them to take the national certification examination.   

PharmD/MCHS Dual Degree  

MEDEX Northwest and the Pharmacy Doctorate (PharmD) Program at the University of Washington have agreed to cross-instruct a limited number of students for the developing role of PharmD–PA-C. MEDEX places a high priority on developing new niches of physician assistant practice as a strategy for increasing healthcare access throughout the region. The PharmD-PA dual degree program creates the unique opportunity to place cross-trained individuals in academic instructional settings, such as residencies, in clinics providing care to the urban and rural medically underserved, and in hospitalist roles. 

The PharmD-PA option is only available to students already enrolled in the PharmD Program at the University of Washington. Students must be second-year PharmD students in good academic standing.  

MEDEX PA National Certification Examination (PANCE) exam pass rate

The most recent PANCE pass rate information is available on the MEDEX website here.   

Part-time study and/or working while enrolled

Part-time study and/or working while enrolled 

MEDEX is a full-time educational program that requires regular independent study. Students are expected to be in the class from about 8am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend/evening workshops and are also expected to be available for training during the clinical year when their preceptors are available.   

Employment during MEDEX studies is strongly discouraged since it interferes with study time and concentration.  

Employment and work-related activities should not interfere with attendance, and are not valid excuses to miss class, miss scheduled clinical rotations or fail to submit required coursework on a timely basis.*  

It is especially important that students represent themselves as PA students only in clinical settings during the formal experiences (clinical rotations) arranged by the program. While shadowing is useful prior to PA school, this informal kind of arrangement is no longer appropriate during PA education.  

Students who work in a health-related profession during breaks in the academic schedule must limit their scope of practice to the health profession for which they hold a current, valid license or registration.  

*Exceptions may be arranged for federally- or state-required service for members of the Reserves or National Guard.  

Transferring from another PA program

MEDEX does not accept transfer students from other PA education programs, however students are welcome to apply to MEDEX along with all other applicants. 

WWAMI

WWAMI is the regional educational program of the University of Washington School of Medicine, including Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. MEDEX Northwest follows this same geographic footprint as a regional PA program. 

Academic Prerequisites

Advanced placement

Advanced Placement (AP) courses will not meet MEDEX Science and Statistics prerequisites. MEDEX Science and Statistics prerequisites must be taken at the college level.   

AP Coursework can only be used to meet the MEDEX English requirements when it appears on a college transcript. 

Anatomy and Physiology prerequisite

A competitive Human Anatomy & Physiology course should cover the structure and function of the human body. A comprehensive study will provide an in-depth knowledge of the skeletal, muscular, integumentary, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and nervous systems specific to the human body. Courses that will satisfy the A&P requirement must specifically focus on human anatomy and physiology.   

Courses such as those covering invertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, or mammalian A&P do not fulfill this requirement.   

Bachelor degree requirement

MEDEX does not have a specific degree that is preferred for eligibility to the program, however applicants with more extensive health-related science backgrounds are considered more competitive as taking upper division sciences can help to prepare for the rigors of the MEDEX curriculum. The bachelor’s degree must be completed by December 31st in the year of application to qualify for applying to the UW Graduate School.   

Biology prerequisite

A competitive General Biology course should cover cell processes and structure, genetics, molecular biology, metabolism, and energetics. Animal Biology and Microbiology courses do not meet the General Biology prerequisite. General Biology courses are commonly named General, Cellular, or Molecular Biology. These courses will be considered as meeting the General Biology prerequisite.   

Human Biology courses will only be considered if the course is not a survey Human Anatomy & Physiology course.   

Labs are recommended, but not required.   

Biochemistry will not be accepted as a biology course and can only be used to satisfy the chemistry requirement.   

Chemistry prerequisite

A competitive Chemistry course should cover chemical reactions, stoichiometry, atomic theory and structure, chemical bonding, equilibrium, and acid/bases.   

Chemistry courses that MEDEX will consider include Biochemistry, Organic, Inorganic, and General Chemistry. Organic Chemistry courses should cover the structure, nomenclature, and synthesis of organic compounds. Biochemistry courses should cover chemical events in living systems, including proteins, enzymes, DNA, and metabolism.   

Biochemistry will not be accepted as a biology course and can only be used to satisfy the chemistry requirement.  

College-level Examination Program (CLEP) credits

MEDEX does not accept CLEP credits.  

Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES)

MEDEX does not accept DANTES or DSST credits. 

English prerequisite

A competitive English course should focus on the instruction of writing, including critical reading and writing, expository writing, grammar, rhetoric, and analysis of research or literature. Courses should be completed in an English or Writing department.    

In addition to the required Composition course, commonly accepted courses include a second Composition course and Literature courses.    

Advanced Placement (AP) credit will satisfy this requirement and must appear on an official college transcript. If the transcript does not identify the AP credits as being applied towards English, then the applicant must have the institution send a letter to MEDEX on official letterhead indicating AP credit was earned in English.     

International Baccalaureate (IB) English credits may be applied towards the MEDEX English prerequisites.  

Speech courses and Medical Terminology will not be considered for this requirement.    

Courses completed in Behavioral and Social Sciences, Humanities, and Science Writing may meet MEDEX English prerequisites IF there is significant research, theory, analysis and writing of an extensive paper.  

English courses taken in foreign countries are considered English as a Second Language (ESL) unless taken in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom, and therefore do not meet the English course requirement.   

Grade point average (GPA) minimum requirement

Applicants are required to have a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA for the most recent 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits). Competitive applicants will commonly have a GPA at or above a 3.45.   

 Courses that have been audited or taken for Pass/Fail grades will not satisfy the minimum B- (2.7) or better grade requirement per course.  

International Baccalaureate (IB) credits may be applied towards the MEDEX English prerequisites only.  

 

Introductory and survey courses

Survey courses are often not comprehensive and therefore not appropriate for fulfilling any of the MEDEX prerequisites. Introductory courses may meet MEDEX minimum requirements, but they will not be viewed as competitive compared to upper division coursework. Applicants are encouraged to take higher level sciences to prepare for the rigor of the program.  

Microbiology prerequisite

A competitive Microbiology course should cover the medical aspects of microbial cell structure and function, including their roles in health and disease. Study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites should be included. An understanding of transmission, immunity, response, control and prevention will be covered in a comprehensive Microbiology course curriculum.  

Microbiology courses MEDEX accepts will be a general Microbiology course or Microbiology for Health Sciences. A 200-level (or higher) course is recommend.  

Microbiology taken as part of a certificate or professional degree training program will not be accepted.  

Online prerequisites and degrees

MEDEX does accept online courses and degrees taken through a regionally accredited U.S community college or university for a letter grade or grade on a 4.0 scale.  

MEDEX will accept courses with a virtual lab, as the lab portion of the course is not a prerequisite.  

Courses that have been audited or taken for Pass/Fail grades will not satisfy the minimum B- (2.7) or better grade requirement per course.   

Prerequisite courses due date

All MEDEX prerequisite coursework must be completed by the application deadline.  Applications cannot be reviewed until MEDEX has a complete application packet. The later an application is completed, the fewer interview slots will be available. Coursework planned for spring or summer quarter of the upcoming year will not be accepted.  

Prerequisite courses minimum grade requirement

Each prerequisite course must be completed with a B-/2.7 or higher to qualify. Any course completed with a grade lower than this will not meet MEDEX requirements. The only exceptions are AP or IB courses for English, courses completed in the military that are documented on JST or CCAF transcripts, and courses documented through narrative transcripts provided by Evergreen State College.   

Statistics prerequisite

A competitive Statistics course should cover probability, descriptive methods, sampling, inferences, interpreting data, hypothesis testing,and regression.  

MEDEX will consider comprehensive Statistics courses taken within any department, including math, sciences, and psychology. Biostatistics is recommended to meet this requirement.  

Time limits on prerequisite courses

Prerequisite science course should ideally be completed within the last five (5) to seven (7) years. There is no timeline for the English and Statistics courses. When considering prerequisites, MEDEX uses the most recent qualifying course with the best grade.   

CASPA Application

Academic history

Schools Attended 

Applicants must report all institutions attended, regardless of relevance to MEDEX and whether completed coursework was transferred to another institution, including but not limited to: 

  • courses taken in high school for college or university credit 
  • summer courses 
  • community college courses 
  • U.S. Military academies (note that this does not include courses on SMART or JST transcripts) 
  • post-baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral work 
  • study abroad, Canadian, and foreign work, etc.  

Each institution should only be listed once, regardless of the number of degrees earned or gaps in the dates of attendance. Once an application is submitted, previously entered colleges and universities cannot be edited but applicants are able to add new colleges and universities. More information is available here

Transcripts 

Applicants are required to send official transcripts for each institution to CASPA. 

Applicants must also enter transcript information exactly as it appears on each transcript.If there are inaccuracies, the application will be sent back to the applicant, and this will result in delays in submitting. All courses must be included, even if the applicant did poorly or later repeated the course. Transfer credits should be listed at the institution where they were originally taken. Once an application is submitted, previously entered coursework cannot be edited, but new coursework can be added. More information is available here

Foreign Transcripts  

Coursework completed outside of the U.S. must be entered into the CASPA application. Applicants must submit official international transcripts to an approved international transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. MEDEX prefers World Education Services (WES) but is open to considering evaluations done by other organizations listed on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.  

Applicants must also arrange for international transcript reports to be sent directly to MEDEX from the transcript evaluation agency on or before the application deadline. Applicants should not send international transcripts to CASPA. CASPA accepts only evaluations of international education. More information is available here

Campus Locations

MEDEX Northwest offers its curriculum at five campus locations. Applicants may select two (2) preferred campus locations. Applicants are required to list regional connections and/or describe the reason for their campus preferences if they select Alaska and/or Hawaii. 

Evaluations

CASPA will accept up to five (5) references however MEDEX only requires three(3). Preferred letters of reference come from clinicians who have supervised the applicant in a health care setting, and can thoroughly address patient care abilities as well as speculate on prospects for becoming a successful PA in the future.  

MEDEX also prefers references from both a physician and a mid-level provider;specifically, a PA. Ideally, these should be from people who have worked closely with the applicant in a medical setting and are able to evaluate clinical skills. 

CASPA offers the opportunity for evaluators to submit letters electronically.Once an applicant has listed references in the CASPA application, CASPA will send a link to those persons. References will be asked to complete the form and provide a letter for electronic submission. There will be a space on the reference permission form to enter the date by which the applicant will need to have the reference submitted. MEDEX encourages applicants to put the date as being at least two (2) weeks before the application deadline to avoid their application being delayed due to late receipt of the reference. 

Experience: Documenting clinical hours

MEDEX requires clinical experience hours to be entered into the CASPA application including, job title, supervisor name, job start and end dates, total number of hours in each position, and a concise job description outlining direct patient care duties. Applicants should follow CASPA directions carefully to ensure hours are documented accurately for each position. 

Experience must be from paid position(s) and not volunteer work. The only exception is work as a paramedic or EMT when all emergency services are provided only on an all-volunteer basis. Clinical experience gained through a training program, as a student, does not count toward satisfying the 2,000-hour paid requirement. 

Experience: Volunteer service

Volunteer experience is a great way to supplement work experience, but does not replace any required clinical paid time and will not count as part of the minimum 2,000 hours. Community involvement includes activities outside of college or an applicant’s professional job in which he or she has participated for the betterment of the community. Specifically, this means volunteer service, i.e., community service organizations such as community councils, grange, PTA, professional organizations, boards, committees, and any other types of volunteer work. MEDEX uses this information to gain a broader view of candidates as potential students. PAs, as primary health providers, are active, integrated members of their communities. Evidence of previous community ties and involvement can indicate an interest in continuing that role as PA. Applicants with more than 96 hours of leadership and/or volunteer work are considered competitive. 

Family Practice/Primary Care

Applicants are required to answer the questions in this section to indicate and describe previous experience with family medicine, primary care, rural, and/or underserved populations. Family Medicine and primary care are often used synonymously. However, MEDEX views Family Medicine as a medical specialty that manages common and long-term illnesses in children and adults, focusing on overall health and well-being.  

 As defined by the Health Resources & Services Administration, (HRSA) Primary Care is the provision of integrated, accessible health services by clinicians who are accountable for  

  • addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, 
  • developing a sustained partnership with patients, and  
  • practicing in the context of family and community. 

MEDEX considers Primary Care specialties as: family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology. Urgent Care provided as part of comprehensive primary care services may also be considered primary care. These are NOT considered as primary care: 

  • Emergency departments 
  • Inpatient hospital settings 
  • Ambulatory surgical centers 
  • Independent diagnostic testing facilities 
  • Skilled nursing facilities 
  • Inpatient rehabilitation facilities 
  • Hospices 

Underserved experiences include those in which you were working primarily with people in 

medically underserved communities. Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) are areas or populations designated by HRSA as having too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty or a high elderly population. 

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

MEDEX is not requiring GRE scores for the 2024-2025 application cycle. Please provide if available. Scores will not be considered in the application process and will be for internal programmatic data-tracking only. 

How to apply

Candidates apply using the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) application. Select University of Washington to apply to the MEDEX Northwest program; including all five MEDEX campuses. The application must meet all requirements and be submitted per the application timeline in the current admissions cycle to be considered. More information can be viewed here.  

International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

Applicants with prior medical school education and experience completed outside the United States are required to complete this section of the CASPA Application.  

IMGs are also required to submit official copies of their translated transcripts directly to both CASPA and MEDEX Northwest at medex@uw.edu on or before the final application deadline.   

Military Applicants

All applicants with prior military experience as well as active-duty service members or current National Guard or Reserve are required to complete the Military section of the CASPA application.  

An additional military-specific personal statement (limit to 500 words) must be completed as a supplement to the CASPA statement and the general MEDEX personal statement (and reapplicant statement if applicable).   

Equivalent Proof of Service documents (SF 180 or a statement from current commander listing status and good standing) are required if the applicant is continuing military service.   

Documentation of training and coursework completed through the military may be sent directly to MEDEX Northwest at medex@uw.edu. Applicants should include the CASPA ID number on any supporting documents. Transcripts for Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard may be obtained through the new  Joint Services Transcript service. Air Force transcripts are available through CCAF.  

Personal Statements

Applicants are required to submit a personal statement on the CASPA application. This is limited to 5,000 characters and asks the applicant to describe why they want to be a Physician Assistant. Meaningful content typically conveys the applicants understanding of the PA role and profession, demonstrated teamwork, quality writing, examples of problem solving and critical thinking skills, time management, and a high-level of motivation and self-awareness.  

Family Practice/Primary Care Personal Statement  

Applicants are asked to describe any prior or current experience with family medicine, primary care, rural, or underserved populations. Applicants with no experience may describe their intent and commitment to practice within these populations.   

International Medical Graduates (IMGs)   

Applicants who completed previous medical education outside of the U.S. are required to submit a personal statement (no more than 500 words) describing how they plan to transition from being a physician or independent provider to being a PA.   

MEDEX Personal Statement   

All applicants are required to submit a program-specific statement that speaks to why an applicant feels he or she is a good candidate for the MEDEX program, specifically. It should be logical, persuasive, personal, and grammatically correct. The personal statement should tell us something about the individual that is not in transcripts and job summaries.  

Military applicants  

Veterans and active members of service are given opportunity to write a personal statement (maximum of 500 words) that addresses which aspect of their profession or clinical Military experience prepared them to enter the MEDEX program and become a PA.   

Reapplicants  

Applicants who have applied within the last five (5) years are asked to submit a personal narrative (no more than 500 words) that describes what they have done to strengthen their application since previously applying.  

Reapplicants

CASPA offers the option to bring applications forward from one cycle to the next. Reapplicants who submitted and paid for the CASPA application in the last admissions cycle now have the ability to update a previous application and submit it for the current cycle (with a new fee). Reapplicants should review and update each section of the CASPA application with any new or updated information. All references and academic transcripts must be resubmitted directly to CASPA. This process ensures accuracy and verification of all information submitted for a particular application year.  

Clinical Requirement

Recency of clinical experience

MEDEX has a very competitive applicant pool of individuals with recent clinical experience. Recent experience is considered as being within the last two (2) years. There are a few exceptions, i.e., if an applicant has left clinical practice to become a full-time student. The strongest applicants are currently involved in health care.  

Required versus recommended hours

All applicants are required to meet a minimum of two thousand (2,000) hours (1-year) of paid, direct, hands-on clinical patient care experience. The strongest candidates typically have more than four thousand (4,000) hours of paid experience in the direct delivery of patient care.  

What qualifies as clinical experience

When considering clinical experience MEDEX looks for evidence of significant patient care responsibility in paid positions adding up to a total of two thousand (2,000) hours or more. MEDEX values primary care experience over technical or highly specialized experience.  

Once the clinical experience prerequisite is satisfied, MEDEX will consider volunteer experience as a way to supplement and strengthen clinical background. Volunteer hours will not replace any requirement for paid experience.  

Examples of common, competitive types of clinical backgrounds include nurses (at any level), medical assistants, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and military corpsmen or medics. Other experience includes but is not limited to community health aides, physical therapists, licensed massage therapists, and clinical research assistants. For more information about allied health fields that may satisfy the direct, hands-on patient care experience requirement please visit the Clinical Experience Prerequisite page.  

Competitiveness of the Program

Characteristics of an ideal candidate

Applicants may review the Competitive MEDEX Applicant Profile for details on how to strengthen an application beyond what is required.  

Geographic origin or underrepresented

MEDEX is committed to educating PAs who will serve where they are most needed. Preference is given to applicants from the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) service region and Hawaii, and from other rural or medically underserved areas.  In addition, MEDEX is reserving a minimum of five (5) seats at its Spokane Campus for current/legal/permanent residents of Montana.  

Military Applicants

MEDEX has roots in educating former military members and continues to value the experience and perspective these students bring to the classroom and the profession. However, applicants with military experience do still need to meet the same academic and clinical prerequisites that all other applicants do to qualify to apply to MEDEX.  

Number of accepted students

MEDEX typically interviews three hundred (300) applicants each year and accepts up to one hundred and seventy (170) students at its five (5) campuses annually.   

Primary care

MEDEX looks for work experience in primary care and/or in an area that is medically underserved and gives preference to applicants who seem likely to continue such work.  

COVID-19 Updates ***Temporary *** 

Pass/Fail grades

MEDEX Northwest will accept prerequisite courses completed on a pass/no pass grading scale for courses taken between Jan 2020 – December 2022. Students must still have earned at least a 3.0 grade-point-average (on a 4-pointscale) from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution for the last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits from a baccalaureate degree (for a Master’s, doctoral, or professional degree, the total cumulative average may be used). Additional credits earned from an accredited institution after degree conferment may be included in calculating GPA.  

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

GRE requirement

MEDEX is not requiring GRE scores for the 2024-2025 application cycle. Please provide if available. Scores will not be considered in the application process and will be for internal programmatic data-tracking only. 

International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

Advanced standing

MEDEX Northwest does not offer advanced standing to any student regardless of their prior degree status in order to graduate from the program. 

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores

MEDEX does not require either the ECFMG or USMLE exam scores. Please note:Scores from either of these exams do not replace the need for completed academic or clinical prerequisites for MEDEX Northwest. 

Eligibility

IMGs are welcome to apply to the MEDEX program and are required to meet the same minimum standards as other applicants. They must follow the same application process as all other applicants to the MEDEX Northwest program.

Foreign academic credits

When applying to MEDEX using the CASPA application, enter all academic information into the CASPA application. Applicants will be required to send official translated copies of their international transcripts directly to the UW Graduate School if admitted to MEDEX. 

Submit official international transcripts to an approved international transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. Arrange for international transcript reports to be sent directly to CASPA from the transcript evaluation agency by the application deadline. DO NOT SEND INTERNATIONAL TRANSCRIPTS TO CASPA. CASPA accepts only evaluations of international education. 

These transcripts are required and will be used to verify the academic information entered in the CASPA application. MEDEX cannot verify academic information without the required translated, course-by-course transcript evaluation. 

Foreign IMG clinical experience

Typically, IMG experience gained outside of the U.S. does qualify towards meeting the MEDEX 2,000-hour minimum clinical requirement. Most IMGs accepted also have some experience in the U.S. healthcare system. MEDEX does not accept hours completed during residency or internship within another educational program toward the prerequisite.  

English proficiency requirement

English language proficiency (ELP) is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Please visit the UW Graduate School Policy 3.2: Graduate school English Language Proficiency Requirements for more information. Applicants choosing to demonstrate English proficiency with TOEFL must send their official scores to CASPA by the application deadline using the ETS Code #3709. The minimum score accepted on the TOEFL iBT test is a 92. 

Student visa sponsorship

Since MEDEX is a self-sustaining program, it cannot sponsor student visas. In addition, MEDEX will not accept students on an F-1 Student Visa orJ-1 Exchange Visitor Visa. For this reason, applicants will need to have U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency status by Dec. 31st in the year of application to be considered.  

Military Applicants

MEDEX Northwest began in the late 1960s and has a long history of training former military medics and corpsmen to become PAs. The first five (5) MEDEX classes were all military veterans who were placed in rural communities after a period of classroom instruction. MEDEX is proud of its heritage and will continue to provide access to education for military veterans interested in becoming PAs.  

The percentage of military veteran applicants accepted to MEDEX in any given year is generally well above the national average for PA programs.  

Advanced standing

MEDEX Northwest does not offer advanced standing to any student regardless of their prior degree status to graduate from the program.  

Military training credit for Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) prerequisite

Military training credits can satisfy at least part of the Anatomy and Physiology requirement. Typically, one hundred (100) hours of training in A&P satisfies this entire requirement, but MEDEX will need to evaluate military transcripts to determine what training can be considered.  

The Joint Services Transcript (JST) has centralized the process of obtaining military transcripts for all services except Air Force (please consult CCAF for Air Force transcripts).  For fast and efficient transcript processing, please obtain your military transcripts from the JST system and then upload to CASPA, or please request that military transcripts be sent directly from JST to MEDEX Northwest, University of Washington.  

Preference to military applicants

MEDEX has roots in educating former military members and continues to value the experience and perspective these students bring to the classroom and the profession. However, applicants with military experience do still need to meet the same academic and clinical prerequisites that all other applicants do to qualify to apply to MEDEX.  

Requesting military service records

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) provides an online records request system.  Both the DD214 and SF 180 forms are available through this site.  

University of Washington support to veterans

The University of Washington has a long history of educating and supporting veterans and provides academic benefits counseling, academic and career counseling, and wellness counseling. To access information regarding services provided by the UW please visit the UW Veterans Center web site.  

Yellow ribbon

UW does not participate in the Yellow Ribbon program, as post 9/11, VA benefits will cover full resident tuition and fees (assuming the student has 100% entitlement). For MEDEX which is fee based the benefits cover the full tuition cost every quarter. The Yellow Ribbon program is mostly used for private schools where the tuition payment has a yearly cap. Asa public school we don’t have a yearly cap on the tuition payment. The VA will cover full resident tuition for all of our degree programs, no matter if it is an undergraduate program, law school, med school or MEDEX.   

University of Washington Disability Resources

Disability Accommodations

The University of Washington and MEDEX are committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities.  

To request disability accommodation in the admission and application process, contact the Disabilities Services Office (DSO) at:  

206 543-6450 (voice)  
206 543-6452 (TTY)  
206 685-7264 (FAX)  
dso@u.washington.edu.  

More information about DSO can be found at http://www.washington.edu/admin/dso/.  

To request disability accommodation as an enrolled MEDEX student, contact Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) at:  

206 543-8924 (Voice)  

206 543-8925 (TTY)  
206 616-8379 (FAX)  
uwdss@u.washington.edu.  

More information about DRS can be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/.  

Financial Aid

The most common source of financial aid is through federal loans, available online through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Because maximum federal aid awards may fall short of covering all expenses, students may also supplement their expenses with bank loans and may rely on help from working spouses, family support, or personal savings.   

Out-of-state tuition and fees

Since MEDEX is a self-sustaining program, tuition and fees are the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. 

Program costs

Visit here for a list of the most current tuition and fees. 

Scholarships

MEDEX Scholarships 

MEDEX Northwest has established several in-house scholarship funds with an emphasis on primary care, a focus on the medically underserved, and leadership potential.  One is focused on emergency medicine. An announcement to first-year didactic students in Fall quarter invites students to apply for these scholarships. Scholarships are awarded at the April MEDEX Alumni Reception & Awards Ceremony in SeaTac, WA. This annual event coincides with the Western Washington meeting of the Washington Academy of Physician Assistants (WAPA).  Students must be currently enrolled to be eligible to apply. 

Other Scholarships 

Other scholarship information can be found on many websites, and most public libraries maintain lists of educational scholarships and loans in their reference areas. There are links to various scholarships and lists of available scholarships on the UW Office of Student Financial Aid website and through the UW Scholarship office. Professional associations also offer scholarships to currently enrolled PA students who meet certain criteria. WAPA, the American Academy of Physician Assistants Veterans Caucus and the Physician Assistant Foundation sponsor just a few of these awards annually. Look for the websites that are free and do not require registration fees unless that is something you choose to do. 

To make the search for scholarship opportunities easier, MEDEX has compiled a list of opportunities. The list is expansive and includes many scholarships meant for physician assistant students and healthcare workers. Please visit each website to view the most up-to-date opportunities available. 

Withdrawals and refunds

Students requesting a leave of absence for any substantial length of time should be aware they are subject to the official UW withdrawal policy for tuition forfeiture or refunds based on the UW quarter calendar (rather than the dates of the MEDEX quarters). Depending on the specific time during the UW quarter that a leave or withdrawal is requested, a student may be responsible for paying that quarter’s tuition.  

MEDEX follows the UW Academic Calendar for adding/dropping courses, withdrawals, and tuition/fee assessment deadlines.  

Shadowing

Obtaining shadowing experience

Most applicants are already connected to the medical community through their job experience and we encourage you to start networking. All states have a Physician Assistant (PA) professional organization that can often refer you to practicing PAs who are willing to speak with potential applicants. PA organizations also hold annual meetings and continuing medical educational seminars, which provide good places to network.  

Visit the UW Career & Internship Center for possible opportunities with Seattle, Puget Sound and Washington State hospitals, clinics and service providers.   

Check with local clinics to see if they have a PA, then contact the PA directly about possible shadowing. Some clinics may not allow shadowing due to HIPAA regulations.  

Virtual shadowing is accepted however in-person is preferred.