A1 I have applied to the Program for September intake, when can I expect to hear about my application?

The timeline for MPAS admissions is:

• January 15th:  Deadline for application submission.
• February:  Application Review by Admissions Committee
• March:  Interview short list finalized
• April: Candidates interviewed

We will contact all applicants who are selected for interview no later than the last working day in February.  If you have not been contacted by that date, you have not been selected for interview and you will receive a letter from the Faculty of Graduate Studies office by the end of April.

Interviews take place over 1 full day during the first 2 weeks of April each year.  Interview Day is from 7:00am - 6:00pm and includes Multiple Mini Interviews.  Further details are provided to those who are invited for interview.

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  A2 How many students do you accept each year?

We accept 15 students per year.

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  A3 How many applications do you receive each year?

We receive an average of 180 applications per year.

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  A4 What is a competitive GPA for the MPAS program?

A competitive GPA for the MPAS program is 3.5.

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  A5 How exactly is the GPA calculated?

The GPA is calculated on the most recent 60 credit hours of study, no matter if it was full time or part time study. If you are enrolled in degree and/or pre-requisite courses at the time of application, your interim GPA will be calculated until all final transcripts are received (see below), at which time they will be recalculated to ensure you meet the minimum 3.0 requirement. * If you are enrolled in the final year of a Bachelor's degree and/or any of the 3 required courses (Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Biochemistry) at the time of application to this Program:

• You are still required to submit official transcripts by the application deadline of January 15th for the courses you have completed at time of application;
• You must provide proof of enrolment at time of application and by the deadline date of January 15th in whatever form your institution will provide it. Some institutions provide a letter, some provide an email; we will accept any form of proof of enrolment.
• Final official transcripts of the Bachelor's Degree and/or required courses must be sent immediately upon completion of the degree or courses and must be received no later than the last working day in May of the intake year you have applied for (i.e. if you are applying for September 2017 intake, final official transcripts must be received by May 31, 2017).

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  A6 I have more questions about the GPA calculation, can the MPAS program answer them?

No, the GPA requirement is administered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Please contact Graduate_Admissions@umanitoba.ca for additional inquiries on GPA calculation.

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  A7 If my Bachelor’s Degree is in a health science field but did not include Biochemistry, Human Anatomy and Human Physiology , do I have to take them prior to applying?

Yes. Biochemistry, Human Anatomy and Human Physiology are required courses. Please click for more information on Anatomy and Physiology. Please see Biochemistry requirement information on the Admission Requirements page. If your Bachelor’s Degree did not include these courses, you are required to have completed or be enrolled in* at time of application all 3 undergraduate level courses (three credit hours each) prior to applying to the program (*see Admission Requirements page).

ASSET COURSES: Microbiology, Psychology (not required but would enhance your application)

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  A8 Am I eligible if I have a 3 year Bachelor's Degree?

No, the minimum requirement is a four year undergraduate degree or equivalent (see below).

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  A9 Am I eligible if I have a 3 year Bachelor's Degree plus other education (College, University courses, etc.)?

This would be considered on a case by case basis. If an applicant with combined education was thought by the MPAS Admissions Committee to meet the degree requirement as described by the general guidelines below, the applicant could be invited for interview. If the applicant was ranked among the top 15 after interview, the MPAS Admissions Committee would submit a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies for an exceptional admission. The Dean of Graduate Studies would review the Program's recommendation and determine if the combined education is the equivalent of a 4 year Bachelor's Degree.

Please note we cannot provide more specific information other than below as to what may be considered the equivalent of a 4 year Bachelor's Degree. We ask that applicants decide based on the information below if they feel they may meet the requirement, and if so submit their fully completed application.

Generally speaking, if applicants have a 3 year degree plus additional courses, the additional courses should:

1. Equal one full year of university credit hours.
2. Be 3rd and 4th year undergraduate level courses.
3. Of the 3rd and 4th year undergraduate level courses, there must be a minimum of 12 hours of 4th year undergraduate level courses.

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  A10 Can I apply if my degree was not completed in Canada?

Yes, providing you are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada. Please click on International Application Assessment for information and if you have further questions please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies at graduate_admissions@umanitoba.ca

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  A11 What is the salary range for Physician Assistants (PA) in Manitoba?

The initial PA salary scale in Manitoba is $80,000 - $100,000 per year. Additional salary would apply to positions that involve shift work, on-call responsibilities, and overtime. Please contact your home Province's health department and/or Regional Health Authorities to inquire about their PA salaries.

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  A12 Is this program recognized across Canada in terms of licensure / employment? 

Each jurisdiction in Canada has its own regulation for Physician Assistants. Manitoba is the leader in Canadian PA practice regulation since 1999 and PAs are associate members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba. New Brunswick has had legislation in place since 2009 and Alberta since January 2011 through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. Ontario has legislation allowing PA practice under the Delegated Medical Authority of their Medical Act. Other provinces and territories are investigating various models for introducing and enabling PA practice. The University of Manitoba MPAS program is accredited by the Canadian Medical Association Conjoint Accreditation and graduates are eligible to sit the National Certification Examination. As such we imagine they will be able to work across the country.

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  A13 What is the path to PA registration and licensure in Manitoba?

In August 2009, changes in Legislation were implemented to include a "Physician Assistant" register at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM). This new category is now on the CPSM website. Physician Assistants in Manitoba are currently registered by the CPSM. Please visit the CPSM website for current registration requirements at http://www.cpsm.mb.ca/index.php

Once registered/entered in the Physician Assistant Register, you are eligible for licensure after fees are paid, appropriate questions are answered and you are actively commencing practice.

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  A14 Am I required to successfully complete an exam to be eligible for licensure?

There is a national certification exam created and administered by the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC). At present, this exam is not required for licensure in Manitoba.

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  A15 Can I apply for this Program if I am not a Canadian Citizen?

No, eligible applicants must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada.

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  A16 Is there a language requirement for this program?

Yes, the language requirement can be found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website at http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/graduate_studies/admissions/139.html

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  A17 What will job availability be like across Canada?

There has been ample interest and support for the PA profession among Physicians. Please contact your home Province’s health department and/or Regional Health Authorities to inquire about potential practice opportunities for PAs.

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  A18 Is there any student funding available?

Please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies web page for information on various bursaries, awards, Financial Aid and Awards Office etc. http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/graduate_studies/funding/index.html

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  A19 Is this program recognized in the United States?

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) does not accredit programs outside of the US at this time. We have been careful to meet all their requirements, and are still in negotiation with them. As it stands at the present time, Canadian trained PAs are not certifiable in the US.

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  A20 What is a Physician Assistant (PA) / What is a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?

  A20 A What is a Physician Assistant or PA?

Physician Assistants or PAs are medically educated clinicians who practice medicine within a formalized relationship with physicians. PAs are academically prepared as medical generalists who work with negotiated autonomy in a variety of medical settings.

In Canada, the PAs’ scope of practice is described at https://capa-acam.ca/about-pas/scope-of-practice/, however their degree of practice authority will vary in each provincial jurisdiction. In Manitoba PAs are Regulated Associate Members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba http://cpsm.mb.ca/registration/categories-of-registration/physician-assistants . Canadian Certified Physician Assistants are indicated by the “CCPA” behind their name.

Information about PA education in Manitoba can be found at http://umanitoba.ca/physicianassistant Information about the PA profession in Canada can be found at http://capa-acam.ca/

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  A20 B What is a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner [RN(NP)]?

The designation RN(NP) [or its equivalent registered nurse, extended practice [RN(EP)] refers to a registered nurse who has completed advanced education (or has demonstrated substantially equivalent education and experience), and has passed an approved examination demonstrating extended practice competencies.
More information can be found here.

RN(NP)s are independent practitioners who practice under the authority of the Registered Nurses Act and extended practice regulations. RN(NP)s practice in many different settings and across the lifespan. Information becoming an RN(NP), including education, can be found here.

For more information about RN(NP)s

• please contact: College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba

Additional Resources:

• Nurse Practitioners Association of Manitoba (NPAM) 
• Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) 

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