Download Physician Assistant Admissions Guide as a printable PDF
A physician assistant is a graduate of an accredited PA educational program who is authorized by the state to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician. PAs are invaluable members of the healthcare team and work in concert with physicians to ensure the highest quality of care for patients and is one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare. The following is a brief guide to PA requirements while here at The University of Alabama.
Prerequisities
Each physician’s assistant graduate program establishes its own set of prerequisites. Check the websites of each individual program that you are considering in order to obtain a current list of undergraduate course prerequisites and other requirements. Please note each program’s requirements for direct patient contact hours vs. shadowing hours.
| Subject Area | Recommended Courses |
|---|---|
| General Biology | BSC 114 and 115 (lab) and BSC 116 and 117 (lab) or honors equivalent |
| Anatomy and Physiology | BSC 215 and BSC 216 (or BSC 400, BSC 424, and BSC 425 if majoring in Biology) |
| Microbiology | BSC 310 and BSC 312 (lab not required for all programs) |
| General Chemistry | CH 101 and CH 102 or honors equivalent |
| Organic Chemistry | CH 231 (required by some programs) |
| Mathematics | MATH 112 |
| Statistics | PY 211 or BSC 380 recommended |
| Psychology | PY 101; PY 358 or PY 352 |
| Medical Terminology | HD 203 (Medical Terminology) |
| Highly Recommended | BSC 450 (Biochemistry) BSC 315 (Genetics) |
All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C-” or higher.
Entrance Exams
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is a standardized examination that consists of three multiple-choice sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative, and Verbal. The GRE is designed to measure general academic ability. Most American PA schools require it. Typically, students take the GRE about one calendar year prior to their intended date of matriculation to professional school. The GRE is a nationally standardized test, similar to the ACT and SAT. A GRE score is good for three years at most schools, so taking the test in the spring of junior year does not necessarily mean that you must enter PA school right after college graduation.
Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) is a specialized content-specific exam that is designed to measure an applicant’s knowledge of prerequisite science courses that are required for PA school. It is a 240-item assessment covering nine science subject areas. While this is a relatively new exam, some programs are incorporating it as an option for their admissions requirements, and a few schools are requiring it for admission. Please research your schools of interest to see which exam they prefer. More information about the exam can be found at the PA-CAT Website.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Minimum GPA requirements vary from program to program, but MOST programs have a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement. In addition, most programs require that all prerequisite courses must be passed with a “C” or better.
Direct Patient Care Hours (DPC)
Many PA programs value when an applicant has had hands-on experience with patients, outside of observational job shadowing. We encourage our student applicants to seek opportunities such as working as a patient care technician, a nursing aide, a medical assistant, etc. Every program may differ on what they will accept for DPC hours, so it is important to choose something that will apply to the programs in which you are interested. For more information about direct patient care opportunities in Tuscaloosa, please visit our prehealth website. Please note each program’s requirements and differences for direct patient contact hours vs. shadowing hours.
Timeline
Freshman Year
- Get to know your Health Professions Advisors.
- Make an appointment.
- Start taking basic sciences (See chart on first page)
- Visit your professors during office hours.
- Begin getting involved with volunteer and service opportunities (campus and community).
- Look into getting involved in undergraduate research.
- Join student organizations (Pre-PA Society, AED, etc.)
- Start obtaining Direct Patient Contact (DPC) hours (this is different from shadowing) over school breaks.
- Consider getting a certification in a healthcare field to get DPC hours.
Sophomore Year
- Continue with the next sequence of courses.
- Stay involved in extracurricular activities (shadowing, volunteering, etc.).
- Consider leadership positions in your organizations.
- Visit your professors during office hours.
- Meet with a Health Professions Advisor to begin to assess competitiveness.
- Keep obtaining your Direct Patient Contact Hours.
- Identify PA programs that you may want to apply to.
- Develop GRE/PA-CAT preparation plan.
Junior Year
- Fall
- Talk to Health Professions Advising about competitiveness.
- Work on your personal statement.
- Obtain 4-5 Letters of Recommendation
- Continue to obtain Direct Patient Contact hours. (Program DPC hour requirement must be complete prior to submitting application).
- Spring and Summer
- Register, study for, and take the GRE or PA-CAT
- Complete and submit CASPA Application
- Continue engaging in activities.
Senior Year
- Fall
- Submit CASPA Application if you haven’t already.
- Wait to be contacted for an interview by PA programs.
- Continue with activities and service commitments.
- Spring and Summer
- Talk with a Health Professions Advisor about Plan B (if necessary).
- Finish degree requirements
- Graduate.