University Career Center
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PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT RESOURCES
When applying for physician assistant programs, it is important that you review the amount and types of experience needed for your
application to be considered. Physician assistant programs are unique in the experience they require. You should carefully review
the admission requirements for each program you apply to, the guidelines on the Centralized Application service for Physician
Assistants (CASPA), and information provided by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). General
recommendations on the experience needed are:
• There are 2 types of experience that programs are looking for: healthcare experience (HCE) and patient care experience
(PCE). HCE includes experience that may not have been directly accountable for patient care, while PCE works directly with
patients. (For more on this see the article 6 Steps to Become a PA - https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2018/08/6-steps-
become-pa/.)
• Most programs require between 1,000 – 3,000 hours of experience. You will need to check each program’s page to see
whether they prefer HCE, PCE, or have other requirements.
• Many students take a gap year when preparing for PA programs in order to gain meaningful experience. Some types of
experience that will increase the competitiveness of your application may include Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT),
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), medical scribes, volunteer with the American Red Cross, or volunteer at a community
hospital. If you are unsure of where to gain experience, talk with a pre-professional advisor or contact the programs you
wish to apply for.
PREREQUISITE COURSES
Most common prerequisite courses:
Principles of Biology I & II – BIOL 1107/L & 1108/L
Human Anatomy & Physiology I – BIOL 2160
Human Anatomy & Physiology II – BIOL 2170
Microbiology – BIOL 4180
Principles of Chemistry I & II – CHEM 1211/L & 1212/L
Biochemistry – CHEM 3711/L
Organic Chemistry I & II – CHEM 3361/L & 3362/L
Intro to General Psychology – PSYC 1101
Probability & Statistics – MATH 2600
Other highly suggested courses are:
Genetics – BIOL 2100
Cellular and Molecular Physiology – BIOL 3200
Abnormal Psychology – PSYC 3200
Histology – BIOL 4140
Required prerequisites can vary from program to program. Be sure to check with each school of interest for their required courses.
**Talk with your academic advisor before choosing courses!
GRE PREPARATION
Some physician assistant programs require prospective students to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). It is important
that you thoroughly read each school’s website to ensure that you have followed their procedure and that you meet their specific
qualifications. The GRE is made up of 3 sections including: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. You
can register for the GRE here. It is highly suggested that you spend time prior to your test date familiarizing yourself with the types
of questions in each section, which you can do through taking a course with a company like Kaplan or Princeton Review, or you can
buy study books online that contain practice tests and examples. Check the CASPA website and each school’s admission page to
ensure that you are submitting your application and test scores by the correct date.
PERSONAL STATEMENTS & SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATIONS
Personal Statements used to apply to physician assistant programs should be general and not program specific. When applying
through the common application service, CASPA, they will forward your information to the schools you select including your general
personal statement. Pay attention to the character count allotted for the essay, and remember that this could take spaces into
account! Follow the instructions listed carefully to ensure that you follow all of the parameters set. CASPA allows for a 5,000-
character limit and asks that you “write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant.”
You should start writing your personal statement early so that you can get adequate feedback prior to submitting your application.
Supplemental applications could be a requirement of the programs you are applying to. Some programs have additional questions
included in the CASPA application while others send out supplemental applications after receiving your full application. It is
important to thoroughly read the requirements of each program that you apply to because they could differ drastically. These
supplemental materials could include additional essays, questionnaires, etc.
OBTAINING LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION/EVALUATIONS
Developing meaningful relationships with faculty is vital when seeking letters of recommendation. Begin thinking about faculty
who you have or will have taken several classes with, have similar research interests with, or that you feel a connection to, so that
you can begin building those relationships from day 1. Remember that a person’s title is not near as important as how well they
know you as a student and as a person. When requesting letters of recommendation, quality highly outweighs quantity. It is ideal
to get at least 1 letter from a physician whom you have shadowed or worked closely with, and at least 1 from a science faculty
member. CAPSA requires each applicant to send at least 3 and no more than 5 evaluations. It is important to note that CASPA uses
a specific process when requesting evaluation information and each evaluator must be listed on the final application. Thoroughly
read the instructions from each program you are applying to and on CASPA to ensure you are following the guidelines.
When asking for letters, remember to be gracious and ask for the letter. “Would you be willing to,” is usually a good way to start the
conversation rather than demanding that they write you a letter. Faculty expect you to ask, and they will most likely agree as long as
they feel comfortable speaking on your behalf. Be sure to give the faculty member, physician, or whomever you plan to ask plenty
of notice, generally a month is suggested. Providing a resume, CV, personal statement, or some other document will show that you
are serious about obtaining a letter and give the faculty member some reference as to what you want them to talk about. ALWAYS
REMEMBER TO THANK YOUR REFERENCES!
INTERVIEWING PREPARATION
When preparing for professional school interviews, a lot of the same rules apply as with most job interviews. Remember to dress
accordingly to interview etiquette and conduct yourself in a professional manner. On Handshake, you can view the Career Center’s
“Dress for Success” handouts by clicking on the Resources tab. In addition, you want to be sure that you practice ahead of time.
“Why do you want to be a physician assistant?” or “Why our program?” are common types of questions that you want to be sure
and prepare for. There are different types of interviews for PA schools such as traditional interviews, video interviews, multiple mini
interviews (MMI), among others. To become more familiar with interview types and preparation, make an appointment with a pre-
professional advisor.
Also, you will want to prepare your own questions to ask. Much like job interviews, you are interviewing the school and program
just like they are interviewing you. Finding a good fit is important for you to thrive in a program. Once the interview is over, it is
always a good idea to write thank you notes. These can be via email or hand-written. Making it to the interview stage is a huge feat,
so you want to make sure that you make the best impression!
MAJORING IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN SCIENCE?
You do not need to have a degree in a science discipline to get accepted to PA school! This is a misconception that many have about
the majority of health professions. Professional programs are seeking out students that will bring a different perspective to their
program, and a major other than a STEM field could help you stand out. However, you must consider the required prerequisites that
will need to be worked into the curriculum of your chosen major. Also, consider seeking out additional challenging science or
medical related courses as electives to make yourself a well-rounded candidate. But be sure to consult with your academic advisor
before choosing courses!
Remember to take into account the amount of hours that is required to be accepted into a physician’s assistant program. When
participating in experiences outside of the classroom, be strategic about working in the required experience for programs.
TIMELINE
Year 1
Meet with a pre-
professional advisor to
start building your
timeline and to explore
options and opportunities
available to you.
Use the Learning Center
for Supplemental
Instruction to maintain a
strong GPA from day 1
especially in science
courses!
Register for professional
memberships and
newsletters to stay up to
date on events and
information.
Explore professional
healthcare careers using
Focus2 and the
Occupational Outlook
Handbook, as well as
attending the Graduate &
Professional School Fair.
Summer 1
*Work with the Career Center to start building your resume or CV to prepare your applications for summer
experiences*
Volunteer at local hospitals or health centers and keep a journal about your experiences. Other summer
experiences could include: research with a faculty member, summer enrichment programs, participate on campus
with community science education programs for youth.
Year 2
Assess academic standing
and plans for completing
prerequisite courses with
Academic Advisor.
Identify and connect with
faculty for mentorship,
research opportunities,
and professional advice.
Seek out campus
leadership opportunities.
Continue gaining
experience in your field as
mentioned above. Attend
the Graduate &
Professional School Fair to
continue growing your
network and knowledge
of programs available.
Summer 2
*Work with a pre-professional advisor to begin looking at schools/programs of interest and choose several*
Start familiarizing yourself with the GRE and the physician assistant school application process available through
the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Continue to gain meaningful shadowing and
volunteer hours. Create a budget that will include the GRE, test preparation, and application fees for each
program of interest including secondary application fees.
Year 3
Begin preparing for the
GRE by registering for a
course with companies
such as Princeton Review,
Kaplan, etc. and choose
test date by the start of
second semester.
Consider what faculty,
advisors, and mentors
could potentially write
your letters of
recommendation and
consult with them so that
you can include their
names on your CASPA
application.
Take the GRE and plan to
have your final GRE score
available in the spring and
be ready to start applying
if you are not taking a gap
year.
Discuss alternatives with
your pre-professional
advisor in case of needed
gap year or change in
career plans. Attend the
Graduate & Professional
School Fair to explore
your options.
Summer 3
The CASPA application opens in mid-April, so you’ll want to complete and submit your application and any
secondary application requirements as early as possible. Continue involvement, research, and/or meaningful
volunteering and shadowing that can be added to your experiences when applying. Keep regular contact with your
pre-professional advisor to fine tune your application strategy, schools of interest, personal statement, and create
your CASPA account.
Year 4
Prepare with the Career
Center for different types
of interviews with schools.
Complete secondary
applications/essays as
requested.
Evaluate acceptance
offers and talk with your
pre-professional advisor
for guidance.
Consider if a gap year
would be in your best
interest to acquire the
needed shadowing or
volunteer hours, practical
experiences, or
prerequisites. If you
decide on a gap year,
begin preparing to sign up
for the GRE in the
upcoming summer.
