Gettysburg College announces a partnership with the Penn State College of Medicine (COM) Physician Assistant Program. Gettysburg and the Penn State COM have created this Early Assurance Program for highly qualified applicants seeking careers in primary care.
Gettysburg College is pleased to announce an extension of its postgraduate partnership established in 2025 with the Penn State College of Medicine (COM), through which highly qualified Gettysburg sophomores can apply for provisional acceptance to medical school. Beginning today, Gettysburg will partner with the Penn State COM to offer an Early Assurance Program for the Penn State COM Physician Assistant (PA) Program. This Early Assurance Program provides conditional admission to the Penn State COM PA Program for Gettysburg students. Through this partnership agreement, highly qualified applicants from Gettysburg can receive assurance of admission to the program one year ahead of the traditional timeline.
Students who wish to receive early consideration for the Penn State COM PA Program must apply during their junior year at Gettysburg. If accepted into the Early Assurance Program, students must complete all prerequisite coursework and required health care experience hours before matriculating into the PA program.
To qualify for consideration for the Early Assurance Program, students must also meet GPA and GRE scaled score thresholds, and demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in primary care upon program completion.
“We are pleased to partner with Penn State College of Medicine to offer students access to this Early Assurance Program,” said Gettysburg College Provost Jamila Bookwala. “I want to thank our partners at Penn State and the members of our Health Professions Advising Committee, including Director Katy Mattson, Prof. Matt Kittelberger, and Prof. Josef Brandauer, for their leadership, collaboration, and continued commitment to providing opportunities for our students to pursue postgraduate studies in health care fields.”
“This initiative reflects our broader commitment to expanding access to health care education and addressing regional workforce needs. By aligning undergraduate and graduate education, we are creating a sustainable pathway that supports students and strengthens health care delivery,” said Larissa D. Whitney, DBA, MHS, PA-C, assistant dean and program director of the College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program.
About Penn State College of Medicine
Penn State College of Medicine, founded with a $50 million gift from the Milton S. Hershey Foundation, educates more than 1,700 students and trainees across its Hershey and University Park locations. The college offers M.D., Ph.D., master’s and dual-degree programs and partners with Penn State Health to advance research, medical education and patient care. Guided by Penn State’s strategic priority to transform health care through academic and clinical synergy, the college delivers breakthrough medicine powered by Penn State.
Related Links:
External Links:
By Michael Vyskocil
Main photo by Diptiman Das ’27
Additional photos by Abbey Frisco and the Penn State College of Medicine
Posted: 02/20/26