Cal State San Bernardino’s highly anticipated Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) program is set to welcome its first cohort of students, with applications opening on May 1 through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). This new program is designed to address the healthcare needs of the Inland Empire (IE) by training physician assistants who are committed to serving the region.
Since the announcement of the program last year, significant strides have been made to prepare for its inaugural class. The MSPA program will admit an initial cohort of 40 students, who will train in a newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility on campus. This space will provide students with cutting-edge learning environments and hands-on clinical training.
Founding program director Sonia V. Otte has spearheaded the development of the program with a mission to meet the unique healthcare challenges of the Inland Empire. Otte, who previously helped establish the MSPA program at Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, emphasized the importance of community involvement in the program’s design.
“I started with crafting a mission and vision to ensure that the program aligns with the goals of CSUSB and the needs of the surrounding community,” Otte explained.
The program offers a curriculum that blends classroom instruction with practical experience. Students will begin with a community health and service course to immerse them in local healthcare challenges and cultivate cultural humility in patient care. They will also participate in an applied community and behavioral health series, which focuses on the region’s critical need for behavioral health services.
One of the program’s most innovative features is the integration of telemedicine training. Otte believes this is essential for preparing students for the evolving demands of healthcare delivery.
“I see the hybrid model becoming more common in healthcare,” she said. “Our students will be ready to perform medical assessments both in-person and virtually, starting with the very first class that graduates in 2027.”
The MSPA program also prioritizes local applicants. Preference will be given to individuals who have lived or worked in the Inland Empire, are first-generation college students, are fluent in Spanish (or another language), or are CSUSB graduates. The program aims to train healthcare professionals who will remain in the region, helping bridge the gap in medical care and improving health outcomes for local communities.
“Our goal is to develop graduates who reflect the community they will serve here in the IE,” Otte said.
Prospective students interested in applying are encouraged to review the admissions criteria and prepare their materials for submission via CASPA. The application process opens May 1, 2025, and additional information, including detailed admission requirements, is available on the MSPA program’s website.
CSUSB has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The university anticipates enrolling its first class in August 2025, pending approval of the Accreditation-Provisional status during the ARC-PA meeting in March 2025. Accreditation-Provisional status is granted when a proposed program demonstrates the potential to meet ARC-PA standards. In the event the program does not achieve this status, students will not matriculate, and admissions deposits will be refunded. CSUSB is fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).