Note for All Applicants Regarding Criminal History

Several states have recently passed “Ban the Box” laws for higher education, which prohibit post-secondary institutions from asking applicants about their criminal history during the admissions process. The law further prohibits offering an applicant provisional acceptance to a program subject to a criminal background check. In 2020, California became the fifth state to enact this type of law (Cal Educ. Code 66024.5).

As a result, criminal history questions have been removed from the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), and a criminal background check is not required to matriculate into the KGI MSPA program.

Prior to acceptance, all applicants to the KGI MSPA program must acknowledge the following:

  • An admitted student’s ability to complete the MSPA program successfully and gain PA licensure could be negatively impacted by their criminal history.
  • Clinical experiences are a critical piece of the MSPA program’s requirements for graduation. Many clinical sites will not place a student on a clinical rotation unless they have successfully passed a criminal background check. Background check results that limit the MSPA program’s ability to secure supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) may prevent a student from progressing or graduating from the program.
  • As a part of the licensing process, many states require that graduates undergo a comprehensive background investigation. This process requires the applicant to disclose all past criminal convictions, even if they have been set aside or expunged.

If you have any questions regarding the impact of the “Ban the Box” law, please contact admissions@kgi.edu.