Assumption University Physician Assistant Studies Program prerequisites

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

"Biology with Lab (8 semester hours)." Assumption asks for general biology separately from the anatomy, physiology and microbiology lines.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

"Chemistry with Lab (8 semester hours)." Assumption names the discipline rather than the general chemistry sequence specifically.

1 semester · 3 credits

One row, three ways to fill it: "Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, or Cell-Molecular Biology (must have one of these courses, Biochemistry encouraged) (3 semester hours)." Biochemistry is preferred but not compulsory.

No English or writing requirement appears in the 36 semester hour prerequisite list.

1 semester · 3 credits

Statistics, not calculus. The exception is regional: several Oklahoma and Texas programs require college algebra instead and do not count statistics, so check those individually.

1 semester · 3 credits

General psychology. Many programs fold it into a broader social or behavioural science block that sociology or anthropology also satisfies.

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Split into two four hour courses, each with its own lab: "Human Anatomy with Lab (4 semester hours)" and "Human Physiology with Lab (4 semester hours)." This is the one prerequisite Assumption puts a clock on: coursework does not expire generally, but anatomy and physiology taken more than 10 years ago should be retaken.

3 credits

Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.

"Microbiology (lab encouraged) (3 semester hours)." Three hours rather than four, and the lab is encouraged rather than required.

Not among the eight prerequisite lines Assumption publishes.

2000+ hours

Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours.

One of the highest published floors on this path: "All applicants must have at least two thousand (2,000) hours of documented direct patient care experience." The hours must be earned "in a setting where there is contact with a medical supervisor or medical control (working with or for a physician, PA, or other healthcare providers)," and the program names EMTs, military medics, nurses, medical assistants, nursing assistants, ER technicians, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, surgical technicians and medical scribes as acceptable. Note that Assumption counts scribing as direct patient care, which many programs do not.

500+ hours

Many programs publish one combined healthcare figure instead of splitting patient care from healthcare exposure; where they do, the number lands here. Median published minimum is 500 hours.

20+ hours

Under a fifth of programs set a shadowing minimum; among those that do the median is 20 hours and a handful ask for 100 or more. Several count shadowing inside their experience total rather than separately, and a few have dropped it from scoring entirely.

No published minimum

Only a handful of programs require a science faculty letter by name. An academic letter is welcome nearly everywhere and mandatory almost nowhere.

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

A preference, not a rule. "The program requires at least three (3) letters of recommendation," ideally from PAs or physicians, with clinical supervisors, science professors and pre-health advisors also valued. The program "will not consider personal letters, letters from family or relatives, or letters from individuals who have only a cursory knowledge of the candidate."

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

Clinical supervisors are named among the valued writers for the three required letters, but no specific writer is mandated.