Welcome to the Canadian PA Guide on Calgary MPAS!
Last Updated July 30, 2026
This is not an official Calgary MPAS resource. Information is updated when available, but always verify details on the Official Program Website.
PA PROGRAMS > ALBERTAUniversity of Calgary
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
The University of Calgary recently launched their Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, a 2-year graduate degree designed to prepare PAs for practice in Alberta and beyond. The program launched their inaugural class of 20 students in 2024.
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Address:
G204 Health Sciences Centre
3330 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 4N1Email: mpas@ucalgary.ca
Phone: 403-220-5287
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Instagram
@calgarympas
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2 years
Duration
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20 students
Class size
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$19,507.50 - $20,808 CAD/year
Tuition
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September
Start Date
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Full Time, In-Person
Format
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Accredited with Condition
APPLY TO CALGARY MPASPA Admissions Guide
CALGARY MPAS > ADMISSIONSAdmission Requirements
Status
Undergraduate Study
Minimum GPA
Prerequisite Courses
Health Care ExperienceEligibility
Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person (refugee status). A completed four-year bachelor's degree is also required, with official degree conferral by July 1.
cGPA
Calgary requires a minimum GPA of 3.20 out of 4.0 (approximately 80%) calculated over your last 2 years of study (minimum 60 units). Calgary calculates GPA using its own 4-point system, converting each grade to its point value before averaging. Applicants can estimate their GPA using their Self-Calculated GPA resource resource.
Pre-Requisite Courses
Calgary requires completion of coursework in:
Human Anatomy: 3.0 units (min. B grade)
Human Physiology: 3.0 units (min. B grade)
Health Care Experience Hours
Calgary requires 500 hours of patient-facing healthcare experience in a clinical setting. This includes direct patient care roles, clinical placements from healthcare programs, and supervised volunteer work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care, or community health settings. The Calgary MPAS Guide to healthcare experience outlines several broad categories:
Direct patient care
Clinical Support (Indirect patient care)
Health-Related work (Non-Clinical)
Observational Experiences
Other (choose this category if you feel the experience is relevant, but does not fit into the other categories).
Proof of English Language Proficiency
If you completed your education outside Canada or English is not your first language, you must demonstrate English Language proficiency through standardized testing: TOEFL (105), IELTS (7.5), CAEL (70), PTE (75), Duolingo (145), or Cambridge C1/C2 with a score of 200. Alternatively, completing their Academic Communication Certificate with an A-minus minimum in each course satisfies this requirement.
CALGARY MPAS > ADMISSIONSPreferred Admission Criteria
Calgary MPAS also outlines preferred admission criteria, which if you have is advantageous to your application but not required to apply.
The program gives priority to candidates who are rooted in Alberta. You get this advantage if:
You’ve lived in Alberta (or NWT, Yukon, or Nunavut) continuously for at least 24 months at any point after turning 15. OR
You served on active duty with the Canadian Armed Forces (not reserves) or the RCMP for the 24 months right before the program starts.
CALGARY MPAS > ADMISSIONSPA Admission Process
Application Portal
Supporting Documents
REFERENCES
Pre-Interview Assessments
Final InterviewApplications are submitted through the University of Calgary Graduate Studies Application Portal. If you have not previously applied to UCalgary, you will need to create an eID account before starting your application.
Once this is created you can now begin your Online Application! See Calgary MPAS’ How to Apply PDF Guide for detailed steps.
Required Materials
Applicants must submit:
Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
References: Contact information for two references who have directly supervised or managed your work. At least one reference must be from a healthcare-related experience. Examples include employers, direct supervisors, clinical preceptors, volunteer coordinators, or academic advisors.
Casper Test: Completion of the Casper situational judgment exam before the application deadline. Results are sent directly to the MPAS program.
Personal Essay: A 500-word essay describing the skills and attributes that will support success in the program, and how applicants envision their future role as a Physician Assistant.
Qualtrics Survey: An additional survey completed after submitting the application, providing further information for the admissions committee.
CALGARY MPAS > ADMISSIONSKey Application Dates
Applications Open
Application Deadline
Reference Letters Due
Casper Exam TBD before
Final Interviews
Admission Offers
PROGRAM STARTOpen Your Application
Applications for the September 2027 intake open on October 1, 2026. Once the portal opens, start your application and begin collecting any documents you'll need. It’s also a good time to ask your referees if they’re willing to support your application.
Write the Casper Test
The Casper test must be completed by January 21, 2027. Since several testing dates are available, booking early gives you more flexibility and avoids last-minute issues. Your results are automatically sent to the Calgary MPAS program.
Confirm References
Professional reference forms are due by January 29, 2027 at 11:59 PM MT. Don’t assume your referees will remember the deadline. A polite reminder a week beforehand can go a long way.
Interview Season
Selected applicants are usually invited to interview in early April, with interviews taking place in May. If you receive an invitation be sure to use the time to do practice questions with verbal responses and review the interview format as per instructions in the invitation email from the program.
Admission Decisions
Admission offers are generally released in late May. This timeline is similar to most Canadian PA programs, so applicants applying to multiple schools can expect to hear back around the same time.
CALGARY MPAS > ADMISSIONSApplicant Stats & Cohort Profiles
Calgary MPAS has published their MPAS Admission statistics for both applicants and accepted students, offering insight into the academic profiles of each entering class.
These numbers are intended as a guide and are not reflective of benchmark for admissions. Meeting or exceeding these averages does not guarantee an interview or acceptance.
Admissions decisions are made using a holistic review process that considers many factors beyond published statistics (e.g. GPA, # of HCE hours), including application materials and interview performance.
PROGRAM OVERVIEWAbout Calgary’s MPAS Program
About
University
Degree
Location
Length
DeliveryThe Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at the University of Calgary is the first PA training program of its kind in Alberta. Approved by Alberta Advanced Education in March 2024, the program welcomed its inaugural cohort of 20 students in August 2024, marking a significant expansion of PA education across Western Canada.
This intensive, two-year, 93-unit course-based graduate degree is designed to prepare graduates for direct entry into clinical practice, working under physician supervision.
You can view full programming and course descriptions on the University of Calgary Academic Calendar.
CALGARY MPAS > AboutYear 1: Pre-Clerkship
Year 1 focuses on building the knowledge and clinical skills needed before entering full-time clinical training in Year 2. The curriculum spans four terms (September to August) completing 45 units into three integrated course groups (~12 courses): Students complete all 12 required courses including:
PA Fundamentals: Diagnosis and management of common and complex medical conditions across the lifespan.
Foundations of Practice: Professionalism, ethics, health equity, teamwork, patient advocacy, and the PA role within the healthcare system.
Clinical Skills: Medical interviewing, physical examination, clinical reasoning, diagnostic testing, procedures, and documentation.
Learning takes place through classroom instruction, simulation, and clinical observation experiences in both primary care and specialty settings.
PA FundamentalsFoundations of PracticeClinical SkillsCALGARY MPAS > AboutYear 2: Clerkship
Year 2 is dedicated to clinical training through 14 rotations completed in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community settings across Alberta.
Core Rotations: Required placements in major medical specialties that provide broad clinical experience. Rotation assignments are determined by the program.
Selective Rotations: Opportunities to train in a subspecialty within a required core discipline. For example, during a General Surgery rotation, students may complete a selective in Orthopaedic Surgery, Neurosurgery, or Plastic Surgery.
Elective Rotations: Optional placements that allow students to explore areas of interest and gain experience aligned with their career goals.
Rotations range from 2 to 4 weeks and are complemented by two longitudinal Foundations of Practice courses.
CALGARY MPASPost-Graduation
Step 1: Certification as a Physician Assistant
Graduates of Calgary’s MPAS program are eligible to challenge the Physician Assistant Certification Examination (PACE) through the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC).
Successful completion of PACE allows graduates to use the Canadian Certified Physician Assistant (CCPA) designation, which is the national certification credential for PAs in Canada.
Step 2: Register to Practice
PAs can practice in Canadian jurisdictions where the profession is regulated and recognized.
In Alberta, PAs must register with the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) before practicing. Graduates planning to work in another province or territory must complete the registration process through the appropriate regulatory authority in that jurisdiction.
Step 3: Begin Clinical Practice
Once certified and registered, PAs can work across a wide range of healthcare settings, depending on provincial regulations, employer needs, and the individual PA/MD supervisory relationship.
APPLY TO CALGARY MPASApplicant Resources
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01. Pre-PA Community Chats
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02. Application Prep Guides
Calgary MPAS StudentsPodcast Interviews
Calgary MPASPA Student Infographics
