A physician assistant in the making
Physician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients. (Source: United State Department of Labor, Healthcare Occupations)
Required coursework
Prerequisite courses vary greatly among PA schools,. Information about the various PA schools, as well as a list of their required coursework, can be found in the PAEA Program Directory. Courses to consider include, but are not limited to:
- BIOL 2110 and 2110L & BIOL 2120 and 2120L
- BIOL 2550 and 2550L & BIOL 2560 and BIOL 2560L
- CHEM 1770 and 1770L & CHEM 1780 and 1780L
- CHEM 3310 and 3310L & CHEM 3320 and 3320L OR CHEM 2310 and 2310L
- BBMB 3010 or 3030 or 3160
- PSYCH 1010
- STAT 1010
Experience Hours
Most PA programs require a set number of patient care hours be completed prior to application to their program. The number of hours varies greatly, so it is important to review the requirements of the schools to which you plan to apply. It is also important to understand what types of experiences PA programs count towards these hours. Some programs will require direct patient care while others will count shadowing. Additionally, some programs require paid experiences while others will accept volunteer hours. Because the number of hours can be very high, it is important to start exploring the requirements and gaining experience early in your preparation process.