Pre-Physician Assistant Program

Most physician assistant (PA) programs are master's level programs and a bachelors degree is required for admission. However, PA schools vary in their prerequisite courses, so please use the list of courses below as a guideline. Be sure to work closely with a pre-health professions adviser to make sure you are getting the courses you need for the school(s) you plan to apply to.

Admission Requirements

• Biology 111 (Integrative Biology: Molecules and Cells)
• Biology 112 (Integrative Biology: Organisms, Ecology and Evolution)
• Biology 313 (Cell Biology)
• Biology 341 and 342 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II)
• Biology 315 (Microbiology)
• Biology 443 (Genetics)
• Chemistry 111 and 112 (General Chemistry I and II)
• Chemistry 231 and 232 (Organic Chemistry I and II)
• Biology 434 (Biochemistry)
• Math 112 (Statistics)

Some schools will substitute two semesters of organic chemistry for biochemistry. Completing Guilford College’s Foundations and Explorations requirements usually satisfy additional course requirements in English, the humanities and social sciences.

Course Recommendations

Students should plan to take Chemistry 111 and 112 in their first or second year, and Biology 111 in thier first year.

Suggested Activities

Many PA programs require significant amounts (500+ hours) of clinical experience prior to admission. There are a number of ways to fulfill this requirement, including but not limited to work as an EMT, paramedic, CNA, emergency room technician, phlebotomist, etc. It is essential that applicants know the requirements of the programs they plan to apply to. This information can be obtained from individual program web sites or from the online PA Programs Directory, which is available from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) for an annual fee of $35.

The Standardized Admissions Exam

Many PA programs require the subject test of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), but some do not. This information can be obtained from individual program web sites or from the online PA Programs Directory, which is available from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) for an annual fee of $35.

Applying to Physician Assistant Programs

Most PA schools subscribe to the Central Application Service for Physican Assistants (CASPA). Students who wish to apply to PA school should complete this common application, which will then be distributed to all the PA schools to which the student plans to apply. The completed application should be submitted by August of the year before the student plans to matriculate in PA school.

Physician Assistant Sample Tracks