Berry College Physician Associate Program prerequisites

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

The two-semester sequence with lab. Around a fifth of programs want only one semester or skip general chemistry entirely and start at organic or biochemistry.

1 semester · 4 credits · lab

"Organic Chemistry - 4 credits," lab required, alongside the separate 3 credit biochemistry line. The PA baseline does not carry organic chemistry; Berry requires both it and biochemistry.

1 semester · 3 credits

Roughly half the programs that ask for an upper chemistry accept either biochemistry or organic chemistry for the same single line, so one course often covers both entries on this list.

1 semester · 3 credits

Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as recommended.

"English composition/writing - 3 credits." Required here, not merely recommended, and one course answers it.

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

Berry splits the sequence into two 4 credit lines, human anatomy and human physiology, each with lab required. Eight credits in total, and the ten year recency window applies to both.

3 credits

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

"Microbiology - 3 credits." Berry's table marks lab required on anatomy, physiology, general chemistry and organic chemistry only, and not on this line.

1 credits

"It is strongly recommended, but not required, that applicants successfully complete a medical terminology course or certification." A certification counts as well as a course.

500+ hours

Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.

Berry publishes no patient care minimum and does not separate patient care from other healthcare experience: "There is no minimum number of hours required. Generally, competitive applicants should have at least 1000 accrued patient contact and/or clinical experience hours at the time of application submission." That 1000 is a competitive figure Berry compares against the pool, not a floor, so it is not recorded as one.

500+ hours

Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.

"Healthcare-related experience is required." Berry pools everything into one bucket: "Patient contact and/or clinical experiences may include health-related, patient care, shadowing, and volunteer experiences as defined by CASPA." No number is required, and the program reviews the hours comprehensively against the applicant pool.

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.

Berry names no science faculty letter. Its three writers are a certified PA, a professor or six month supervisor, and a healthcare professional, and the professor slot is not limited to the sciences.

1 letter

Berry's third letter: "One letter must be from a healthcare professional (i.e., physician, nurse, healthcare supervisor)." A physician is not the only writer who satisfies it, so a nurse or a healthcare supervisor answers this line too.

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.

"One letter must be from a nationally certified and state-licensed Physician Assistant." Three letters total, and Berry will not accept letters from friends, family, relatives or your own healthcare providers.

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.

Berry's second letter is either or: "One letter must be from a professor with whom the student completed one or more college-level courses, or from a supervisor who has worked with the applicant for six months or more." A professor in any discipline answers it, so a work supervisor is not strictly necessary.