Required courses
View a list of required courses for pre-professional programs in the Course Catalog
Pre-physician assistant
The physician assistant (PA) receives an academic and clinical education to practice medicine under the supervision of a doctor of medicine or osteopathy. This working relationship is fundamental to the physician assistant profession and enhances the delivery of high quality health care. Within this relationship, physician assistants make clinical decisions and provide a broad range of diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and health maintenance services.
Pre-physician assistant timeline
- Meet with a pre-professional peer advisor to discuss your academic goals and plans
- Begin basic science courses (pre-calculus, general chemistry, introductory biology, etc.)
- Join campus student organizations (i.e. Pre-PA Club, etc.)
- Develop good study habits and seek tutoring services, if necessary!
- Seek and begin volunteer/ community experience and continue throughout undergraduate years
- Begin looking into acquiring paid patient care hours and, if necessary, certifications such as EMT, CNA, etc.
- Choose a major, if you haven't already done so
- Explore all health career options
- Start becoming familiar with requirements for various programs
- Seek summer internships or research experience
- Research schools in which you are interested (utilize “PAEA Program Directory” to start)
- Continue working on paid patient care hours, if applicable
- Attend the University Professional and Graduate School Fair
- Make a list of schools you are interested in and research them thoroughly
- Find out the earliest date to submit an application
- Some programs require that an applicant have a bachelor degree at the time of application, not prior to matriculation (i.e. you may need to apply after completing your bachelor degree, not during your senior year)
- Take GRE, if necessary (depending on prospective programs)
- Reality check: What are your chances?
- You may need to apply after completing your undergraduate degree depending on number of hours, etc.
- Apply to schools
- Ask people to write letters of recommendation
- Sign-up for pre-professional workshops such as interview and personal writing workshop
- Retake GRE, if necessary
- Confirm that you meet graduation requirements
- Complete secondary applications if necessary
- Prepare for interviews
- Confirm your commitment
- Seek honors & scholarships for graduate school
- Send appropriate people thank you notes and inform them of your success or future plans