Pre-Physician Assistant Guidelines

Mark Bohler, Advisor
Department of Biology

Requirements for admission to Physician Assistant (PA) master’s programs program vary. Pre-Physician Assistant students at Converse should contact their intended school directly for program-specific admission requirements. Health care experience is recommended and in some cases required. In addition, some programs require direct patient care while others accept shadowing health care professionals. Applicants are required to take the GRE (Verbal, Quantitative and Writing Components). A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for most programs, although most programs report 3.3 – 3.5 average GPA. The American Academy of Physician Assistants website explains the profession, career opportunities and programs offered in the United States of America.

The table below outlines the prerequisite requirements of many programs. Students should confirm required coursework for specific programs of interest.

Application Tips

Students should be familiar with the specific requirements of the school in which they intend to apply. A GPA of 3.0 or above is desirable. Additionally, you will be required to take the GRE or PA-CAT. It is also to the student’s advantage to explore the physician assistant profession through internships or volunteer opportunities and have the experiences and work hours properly documented.