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Your Path to Physician Assistant Schools

A Physician Assistant practices medicine as a clinician with direct patient care responsibilities under the supervision of a licensed physician. The curriculum in a PA program is equally intense, but not as long as medical school, making it attractive for students who wish to complete their studies earlier and begin their direct patient care sooner.

The courses outlined below will help you meet the undergraduate course requirements for admission to a Physician Assistant program.

Sample Post-Bacc Pre-PA Curriculum:

  • 2 semesters General Biology with labs, 8 credits
  • 2 semesters Advanced Biology with labs, 6 credits OR
  • 2 semesters Chemistry with labs, 8 credits
  • 1 semester Anatomy and Physiology, 4 credits (Note: Many programs require 6 or 8 credits with labs)
  • 2 semesters English (including composition), 6 credits
  • 2 semesters Psychology or Sociology, 6 credits

Highly Recommended:

  • Statistics, Microbiology, Nutrition, Physics, and Organic Chemistry

Curriculum Tracks for the PA Program

Researching programs of interest and summarizing the courses required will be necessary before you can determine your specific needs. Our advisor is available to assist you regarding your plan. These plans include more courses than some programs require. Also, you may have recently completed some of the required courses as part of your undergraduate degree, thereby reducing the number of courses needed.

Option A: Summer Term Start

Summer Term

  • 2 Anatomy and Physiology with labs: ANPS 19 and ANPS 20, 4 credits each (also available during the academic year)

Fall Term

  • 1 Principles of Biology, BIOL 001, 4 credits
  • 1 Chemistry, CHEM 31, 4 credits
  • 1 English, 3 credits
  • 1 Abnormal Psychology, PSYC 152, 3 credits
  • Prep for and/or take GRE

Spring Term

  • 1 Principles of Biology, BIOL 002, 4 credits
  • 1 General Chemistry 2, CHEM 32, 4 credits
  • 1 Statistics, STAT 111, 3 credits
  • 1 Nutrition, NFS 43, 3 credits

Summer Term

  • 1 Genetics, BCOR 101, 3 credits
  • 1 Sociology, Social Organization of Death & Dying, SOC 154, 3 credits

Option B: Fall Term Start

Fall Term

  • 1 Human Anatomy & Physiology, ANPS 19, 4 credits
  • 1 Chemistry, CHEM 31, 4 credits
  • 1 English, 3 credits

Spring Term

  • 1 Human Anatomy & Physiology, ANPS 20, 4 credits
  • 1 General Chemistry 2, CHEM 32, 4 credits
  • 1 Statistics, STAT 111, 3 credits
  • 1 Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, PSYC 152, 3 credits

Summer Term

  • 2 Principles of Biology courses with labs, BIOL 001 and 002, 4 credits each

Fall Term

  • 1 Biochemistry, Agricultural Biochemistry, PBIO 185, 3 credits
  • 1 Microbiology, Microbiology & Infectious Disease, MMG 101, 4 credits
  • 1 Nutrition, NFS 43, 3 credits
  • Between terms prepare and/or take GRE

Spring Term

  • 1 Genetics, BCOR 101, 4 credits
  • 1 Psychology, 3 credits
  • 1 English, 3 credits

A Note from Your Advisor

Course requirements and timetables for Physician Assistant programs vary widely. Students should research programs of interest; one good source of information is the American Academy of Physician Associates. Developing a spreadsheet to assess common denominators in requirements to decide course choices is recommended. You can then plan your optimal curriculum in conjunction with your advisor.

Contact an advisor

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