What 332 PA programmes actually require.
Every prerequisite below is counted across the 332 PA programmes whose own published list we have read for the 2026-27 cycle, which is every programme in the catalog. Each school has its own page with the list and the page it came from.
- Lists read
- 332 of 332
- from each school's own admissions page
- Cycle
- 2026-27
- check each school's page before you rely on a line
97% of PA programmes require anatomy and physiology, the most of any subject. Shares are of the 332 lists read. “Required” means the school states it as a prerequisite; “recommended” means it is named but not a gate.
Coursework
| Subject | Required by | Share | Recommended by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anatomy and physiology | 321 | 97% | 4 |
| Microbiology | 309 | 93% | 10 |
| Statistics | 274 | 83% | 19 |
| General chemistry with lab | 265 | 80% | 2 |
| Psychology | 227 | 68% | 28 |
| Biochemistry | 194 | 58% | 44 |
| Biology with lab | 192 | 58% | 2 |
| Medical terminology | 151 | 45% | 54 |
| Organic chemistry with lab | 143 | 43% | 15 |
| Genetics | 91 | 27% | 26 |
| English or writing-intensive | 76 | 23% | 30 |
| Social sciences and humanities | 55 | 17% | 3 |
| College mathematics | 52 | 16% | 0 |
| Advanced biology | 45 | 14% | 14 |
| Additional science credits | 16 | 5% | 4 |
| Physiology | 10 | 3% | 0 |
| Sociology | 8 | 2% | 1 |
| Calculus | 3 | 1% | 2 |
| Foreign language | 3 | 1% | 2 |
| Nutrition | 3 | 1% | 6 |
| Physics with lab | 3 | 1% | 5 |
Experience hours
| Subject | Required by | Share | Recommended by | Median minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient care experience | 183 | 55% | 132 | 500 hours |
| PA shadowing | 59 | 18% | 250 | 20 hours |
| Healthcare experience | 55 | 17% | 242 | 500 hours |
| Non-clinical volunteering | 12 | 4% | 40 | 100 hours |
| Research | 0 | 0% | 1 | none published |
Letters
| Subject | Required by | Share | Recommended by |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA letter | 75 | 23% | 152 |
| Supervisor letter | 67 | 20% | 145 |
| Faculty letter (any discipline) | 41 | 12% | 30 |
| Physician letter | 15 | 5% | 11 |
| Science faculty letter | 5 | 2% | 209 |
| Committee letter | 0 | 0% | 2 |
How this was counted: each school’s list is recorded as its difference from the path’s standard set, read from the school’s own page and quoted verbatim. A school that publishes nothing about a subject inherits the standard line for it. You are responsible for checking any figure you act on against the school’s own admissions page; each school’s page here links to it. Nothing here is a substitute for the admissions office.
Every school, by state.
A school marked “standard” follows the path’s standard set on its page here; its own admissions page is the place to confirm it.
Alabama
Arizona
- Arizona School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
- Chamberlain University Phoenix Physician Assistant Program
- Creighton University Physician Assistant Program Phoenix
- Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program Goodyear
- Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program Glendale
- Northern Arizona University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Arizona Physician Assistant Program
Arkansas
California
- A.T. Still University Central Coast Physician Assistant Program
- California Baptist University Physician Assistant Program
- Chapman University Physician Assistant Program
- Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant Program
- Dominican University of California Physician Assistant Program
- Keck Graduate Institute Physician Assistant Program
- Loma Linda University Physician Assistant Program
- Marshall B. Ketchum University School of Physician Assistant Studies
- Point Loma Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program
- Samuel Merritt University Physician Assistant Program
- Southern California University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
- Stanford University Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University California - Los Angeles Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University California Dual MSPAS/MPH Physician Assistant Program
- University of California-Davis Physician Assistant Program
- University of California-San Diego Physician Assistant Program
- University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- University of the Pacific Master of Physician Assistant Studies
- West Coast University - California Master of Physician Assistant Program
- Western University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
Colorado
Connecticut
- Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant Program
- Sacred Heart University Physician Associate Studies Program
- University of Bridgeport Physician Assistant Program
- University of New Haven Physician Associate Program
- University of Saint Joseph Physician Assistant Program
- Yale University Physician Associate Program
District of Columbia
Florida
- AdventHealth University Physician Assistant Program
- Barry University Physician Assistant Program
- Florida Gulf Coast University Physician Assistant Program
- Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Florida State University Physician Assistant Program
- Gannon University Physician Assistant Program, Ruskin
- Larkin University Physician Assistant Program
- Lincoln Memorial University Physician Assistant Program, Tampa
- Miami Dade College Physician Assistant Program
- Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program, Fort Lauderdale
- Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program, Fort Myers
- Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program, Jacksonville
- Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program, Orlando
- Palm Beach Atlantic University Physician Assistant Program
- South College Physician Assistant Program, Orlando
- South University Physician Assistant Program, Tampa
- South University Physician Assistant Program, West Palm Beach
- University of Florida Physician Assistant Program
- University of South Florida Physician Assistant Program
- University of Tampa Physician Assistant Program
Georgia
- Agnes Scott College Physician Assistant Program
- Augusta University Physician Assistant Program
- Berry College Physician Associate Program
- Brenau University Physician Assistant Program
- Emory University Physician Assistant Program
- Mercer University Physician Assistant Program
- Morehouse School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- South University Savannah Physician Assistant Program
Illinois
- Chamberlain University Chicago Physician Assistant Program
- Dominican University Physician Assistant Program
- Midwestern University Downers Grove Physician Assistant Program
- North Central College Physician Assistant Program
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant Program
- Rush University Physician Assistant Program
- Southern Illinois University Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University Illinois Physician Assistant Program
Indiana
- Butler University Physician Assistant Program
- Franklin College Physician Assistant Program
- Indiana State University Physician Assistant Program
- Indiana University Physician Assistant Program
- Taylor University Physician Assistant Program
- Trine University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Evansville Physician Assistant Program
- University of Saint Francis Physician Assistant Program
- Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
- Brescia University Physician Assistant Program
- Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Kentucky Physician Assistant Studies Program
- University of the Cumberlands Physician Assistant Studies Program, Northern Kentucky Campus
- University of the Cumberlands Physician Assistant Studies Program, Williamsburg
Louisiana
- Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Physician Assistant Program
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans Physician Assistant Program
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport Physician Assistant Program
- Xavier University of Louisiana Physician Assistant Program
Maryland
- Frostburg State University Physician Assistant Program
- Mount St. Mary's University Physician Assistant Program
- Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Program
- Towson University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Maryland Baltimore Physician Assistant Program
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore Physician Assistant Program
Massachusetts
- Assumption University Physician Assistant Studies Program
- Bay Path University Physician Assistant Studies Program
- Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- MCPHS University Physician Assistant Studies Program, Boston
- MGH Institute of Health Professions Physician Assistant Studies Program
- Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program
- Springfield College Physician Assistant Studies Program
- Tufts University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Westfield State University Physician Assistant Program
Michigan
- Central Michigan University Physician Assistant Program
- Concordia University Ann Arbor Physician Assistant Program
- Eastern Michigan University Physician Assistant Program
- Grand Valley State University Physician Assistant Program
- Lawrence Technological University Physician Assistant Program
- Michigan State University Physician Assistant Program
- Oakland University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Detroit Mercy Physician Assistant Program
- University of Michigan-Flint Physician Assistant Program
- Wayne State University Physician Assistant Program
- Western Michigan University Physician Assistant Program
Minnesota
- Augsburg University Physician Assistant Program
- Bethel University Physician Assistant Program
- College of St. Scholastica Physician Assistant Program
- Concordia University, St. Paul Physician Assistant Program
- Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
- Saint Catherine University Physician Assistant Program
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
- Fairleigh Dickinson University Physician Assistant Program
- Kean University Physician Assistant Program
- Monmouth University Physician Assistant Program
- Rowan University Physician Assistant Program
- Rutgers University Physician Assistant Program
- Saint Elizabeth University Physician Assistant Program
- Seton Hall University Physician Assistant Program
New York
- Albany Medical College Physician Assistant Program
- Canisius University Physician Assistant Program
- Clarkson University Physician Assistant Program
- CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- D'Youville University Physician Assistant Program
- Daemen University Physician Assistant Program
- Hofstra University Physician Assistant Program
- Ithaca College Physician Assistant Program
- Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program
- Long Island University Physician Assistant Program
- Marist University Physician Assistant Program
- Mercy University Physician Assistant Program
- Nazareth University Physician Assistant Program
- New York Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program
- Northeast College of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
- Pace University Pleasantville Physician Assistant Program
- Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital Physician Assistant Program
- Rochester Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program
- St. Bonaventure University Physician Assistant Program
- St. John's University Physician Assistant Program
- Stony Brook University Physician Assistant Program
- SUNY Downstate Medical Center Physician Assistant Program
- SUNY Upstate Medical University Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University (Long Island) Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University (Manhattan) Physician Assistant Program
- Touro University (Middletown) Physician Assistant Program
- University of Mount Saint Vincent Physician Assistant Program
- Wagner College Physician Assistant Program
- Weill Cornell Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Yeshiva University Physician Assistant Program
- York College, CUNY Physician Assistant Program
North Carolina
- Campbell University Physician Assistant Program
- Duke University Physician Assistant Program
- East Carolina University Physician Assistant Program
- Elon University Physician Assistant Program
- Gardner Webb University Physician Assistant Program
- High Point University Physician Assistant Program
- Lenoir-Rhyne University Physician Assistant Program
- Methodist University Physician Assistant Program
- North Carolina A&T State University Physician Assistant Program
- Pfeiffer University Physician Assistant Program
- South College Asheville Physician Assistant Program
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physician Assistant Program
- Wake Forest University Physician Assistant Program
- Wingate University Physician Assistant Program
Ohio
- Ashland University Physician Assistant Program
- Baldwin Wallace University Physician Assistant Program
- Case Western Reserve University Physician Assistant Program
- Cedarville University Physician Assistant Program
- Kettering College Physician Assistant Program
- Lake Erie College Physician Assistant Program
- Marietta College Physician Assistant Program
- Mercy College of Ohio Physician Assistant Program
- Miami University Physician Associate Program
- Mount St. Joseph University Physician Assistant Program
- Ohio Dominican University Physician Assistant Program
- Ohio University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Dayton Physician Assistant Program
- University of Findlay Physician Assistant Program
- University of Mount Union Physician Assistant Program
- University of Toledo Physician Assistant Program
- Ursuline College Physician Assistant Program
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Alvernia University Physician Assistant Program
- Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program
- Carlow University Physician Assistant Program
- Chatham University Physician Assistant Program
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Physician Assistant Program
- Delaware Valley University Physician Assistant Program
- DeSales University Physician Assistant Program
- Drexel University Physician Assistant Program
- Duquesne University Physician Assistant Program
- Elizabethtown College Physician Assistant Program
- Gannon University Physician Assistant Program, Erie
- King's College Physician Assistant Program
- Marywood University Physician Assistant Program
- Mercyhurst University Physician Assistant Program
- Misericordia University Physician Assistant Program
- Penn State University Physician Assistant Program
- Pennsylvania College of Technology Physician Assistant Program
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Saint Francis University Physician Assistant Program
- Saint Joseph's University Physician Assistant Program
- Salus University Physician Assistant Program
- Seton Hill University Physician Assistant Program
- Slippery Rock University Physician Assistant Program
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Thomas Jefferson University Center City Physician Assistant Program
- Thomas Jefferson University East Falls Physician Assistant Program
- University of Pittsburgh Hybrid Physician Assistant Program
- University of Pittsburgh Physician Assistant Program
- West Chester University Physician Assistant Program
- Widener University Physician Assistant Program
Rhode Island
South Carolina
- Charleston Southern University Physician Assistant Program
- Medical University of South Carolina Physician Assistant Program
- North Greenville University Physician Assistant Program
- Presbyterian College Physician Assistant Program
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
Tennessee
- Bethel University Physician Assistant Program, Tennessee
- Lincoln Memorial University Physician Assistant Program, Harrogate
- Lincoln Memorial University Physician Assistant Program, Knoxville
- Lipscomb University Physician Assistant Program
- Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Program
- Middle Tennessee State University Physician Assistant Program
- Milligan University Physician Assistant Program
- South College Knoxville Physician Assistant Program
- South College Nashville Physician Assistant Program
- Trevecca Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center Physician Assistant Program
Texas
- Army Medical Center of Excellence Physician Assistant Program
- Austin College Physician Assistant Program
- Baylor College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program
- Baylor University Physician Assistant Program
- Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program Round Rock
- Hardin-Simmons University Physician Assistant Program
- Sam Houston State University Physician Assistant Program
- South University Austin Physician Assistant Program
- Tarleton State University Physician Assistant Program
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Physician Assistant Program
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Physician Assistant Program
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Physician Assistant Program
- University of North Texas Health Science Center Physician Assistant Program
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Physician Assistant Program
- University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Physician Assistant Program
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Physician Assistant Program
- West Coast University Texas Physician Assistant Program
Utah
Virginia
- ECPI University Physician Assistant Program
- Emory & Henry College Physician Assistant Program
- James Madison University Physician Assistant Program
- Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University Physician Assistant Program
- Mary Baldwin University Physician Assistant Program
- Radford University Physician Assistant Program
- Randolph-Macon College Physician Assistant Program
- Shenandoah University Physician Assistant Program
- South University Richmond Physician Assistant Program
- University of Lynchburg Physician Assistant Program
Washington
West Virginia
Check your own transcript against every school on your list.
Cyclios keeps these lists beside your coursework, hours and letters, and tells you what each school still needs from you.