CASPA Manual Introduction

The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) is a clerical service for applicants to participating PA programs. It collects one set of materials from each applicant — an on-line (or optional paper) application, any available standardized test scores, transcripts, and references — then authenticates them and photocopies and distributes them to each member school an applicant designates.

CASPA sends individual applicant and summary data, including a number of GPAs, in both paper and electronic format convenient to each designated school. Programs then conduct their admission process as usual and continue to make all selection decisions. CASPA's role is solely to collect, authenticate, organize, and distribute applicant materials, freeing up program and institution staff and resources.

CASPA was created by PAEA as a service to applicants and member programs. PAEA has contracted with Liaison International, an information technology (IT) company that specializes in serving educational associations within the health professions, to provide the CASPA platform and customer support.

The CASPA platform is a Web-based application service with dedicated portals for each participating program, applicant, and health professions advisor. The portals allow programs, applicants, and advisors real-time access to the information collected and analyzed by CASPA. Through the applicant portal, applicants will be able to access all functions available on the CASPA site, as well as the status of their application materials. Applicants will also be able to update contact information and program designations. Through the admissions portal, programs can manage the applicants who have designated their PA program. Programs can get detailed applicant status information and view applicant information prior to and after mailings. Through the advisor portal, health professions advisors can access applicant status information on students attending or that have attended that particular undergraduate institution.

This manual is designed to help participating programs understand the CASPA process and reports associated with the applications. The CASPA Advisory Committee is dedicated to making this an efficient service that is useful to programs. If you have any suggestions or comments in regard to this manual, please feel free to contact a CASPA committee member as listed in the Contact Information section of this manual.