The developing Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) program at Cal State San Bernardino is preparing to welcome its first cohort of students, with applications set to open on May 1 through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).

Since its announcement last year, the MSPA program has made significant progress toward launching its inaugural class. The program, designed to train physician assistants with a strong emphasis on community-based healthcare, will enroll an initial cohort of 40 students. The cohort will train in a newly renovated facility on campus, ensuring students have access to state-of-the-art learning spaces and hands-on clinical experiences.

Founding program director Sonia V. Otte has led the program’s development with a clear mission: to address the healthcare needs of the Inland Empire region.

“I started with crafting a mission and vision and ensured that it aligns with the mission, vision, goals and values of CSUSB and the surrounding community,” said Otte.

Otte, who previously established the MSPA program at the Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, highlighted CSUSB’s unique focus on community engagement.

The program’s curriculum blends classroom and practical experiences, with students beginning their studies with a community health and service course. This early hands-on experience will help students understand local healthcare challenges while fostering compassion and cultural humility in patient care. Students will also participate in an applied community and behavioral health series, allowing them to gain clinical experience while addressing a critical need in the Inland Empire: behavioral health services.

Another distinctive feature of the MSPA program is the integration of telemedicine into training. The program will prepare students to perform medical assessments both in-person and virtually, ensuring they are ready for the evolving demands of healthcare delivery.

“I see the hybrid model as becoming more common,” Otte said. “I wanted our students to be prepared for that type of work immediately upon graduation, beginning with our first class, which will be graduating in 2027.”

With a commitment to serving the Inland Empire (IE), the MSPA program seeks applicants who are aligned with the program’s mission and vision. Preference in admissions is given to individuals who have lived or worked in the IE, are first-generation college students, are fluent in Spanish (or a language other than English), and/or are CSUSB graduates. The goal is to train healthcare professionals who will remain in the region, helping to bridge the gap in medical care and improve health outcomes for local communities.

“Our goal is to develop graduates who resemble the community they will be serving here in the IE,” Otte said.

With applications set to open on May 1, prospective students are encouraged to review admissions criteria and prepare their materials for submission through CASPA.

More information about the program and application requirements can be found on the MSPA program website.

Accreditation Status of MSPA Program

CSUSB has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The university anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2025, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the March 2025 ARC-PA meeting.

Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation-Provisional status is also granted when a proposed program appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the ARC-PA Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. In the event the program does not earn accreditation-provisional status, students will not matriculate, and admissions deposits will be refunded. CSUSB is fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).