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PA · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · private

Chatham University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What Chatham asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 16 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.

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Coursework

  • Biology with labrequiredextra here

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    Human Biology: "Two terms of 100- or 200-level undergraduate coursework, including labs." Accepted examples include General Biology 1 and 2, Intro to Biology 1 and 2, Cell Biology, Organismal Biology, Evolution and Ecology, and AP Biology exam credit on the transcript. "Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Human Anatomy and Physiology do not fulfill this requirement."

  • General chemistry with labrequired

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    Inorganic Chemistry: "Two terms of 100- or 200-level undergraduate coursework, including labs."

  • Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here

    1 semester · 4 credits · lab

    Organic Chemistry: "One term of 100- or 200-level undergraduate coursework, including a lab." Grade of B- or better.

  • Biochemistrynot required here

    Not among Chatham's 11 prerequisites; organic chemistry with lab is required instead, and biochemistry does not count toward the Human Biology block.

  • English or writing-intensiverequireddiffers

    1 semester · 3 credits

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

    "One term of a writing-intensive English course or AP English Exam credit."

  • Statisticsrecommendeddiffers

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.

    Statistics is recommended by the PA faculty, not required.

  • Psychologyrequired

    1 semester · 3 credits

    "One term of 100 or 200 level undergraduate psychology or AP Psychology Exam credit." Developmental Psychology is recommended in addition.

  • Geneticsrecommendedextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Recommended, not required, and "does not substitute for the Human Biology requirement."

  • Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers

    6 credits · lab

    Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.

    "One term of each, undergraduate or graduate-level, with a lab for Anatomy. We accept one term of Human/Vertebrate Anatomy with lab and one term of Human/Vertebrate Physiology OR one term of Anatomy & Physiology I with lab and one term of Anatomy & Physiology II with lab, but no 'mixing and matching' between these two paths." A&P older than 5 years is not rejected, but Chatham encourages a refresher through HMX. No credit count is stated.

  • Microbiologyrequireddiffers

    3 credits

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

    "One term of 100- or 200-level undergraduate coursework." No lab is stated, unlike the biology and chemistry lines.

  • Medical terminologyrequireddiffers

    1 credits

    Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.

    Required here, one of the 11: "One term of 100- or 200-level undergraduate coursework." Certificate coursework is not accepted, so a for-credit course is needed.

  • Nutritionrecommendedextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Named in the PA faculty's recommended, not required, coursework alongside statistics, developmental psychology, pathophysiology, pharmacology and neuroscience.

Experience hours

  • Patient care experiencenot required here

    "We do not require direct patient care hours or the GRE or PA-CAT." Chatham requires PA shadowing instead.

  • Healthcare experiencerecommended

    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.

  • PA shadowingrequireddiffers

    32+ hours

    Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.

    "32 hours of PA shadowing is required and 16 hours must be completed by August 1, 2026" (the year before matriculation). "Applicants with 32 completed hours will be given priority interview consideration." "Telehealth shadowing is acceptable, provided the PA is actively engaged with a patient." "Shadowing a physician or nurse practitioner will not satisfy the shadowing requirement. Shadowing must be unpaid." Hours completed after CASPA submission may be updated in Chatham's portal.

Letters

  • Science faculty letternot required here

    The required academic letter is "from a college professor or academic advisor" with no science restriction; recorded on the any-discipline faculty line.

  • Faculty letter (any discipline)requiredextra here

    1 letter

    "One from a college professor or academic advisor," required at submission. "Students who have not been enrolled in any college coursework in the past three (3) years may submit an additional work or volunteer letter in place of the academic letter."

  • PA letternot required here

    Chatham's named letters are an academic and a volunteer or work supervisor; no PA letter is required, though the third letter is the candidate's choice.

  • Supervisor letterrequireddiffers

    1 letter

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

    "One from a volunteer or work supervisor," required at submission. Three letters in total; the third "may be the candidate's choice," and all must be written within the past year.

Also on the school’s page

Chatham (MPAS, Pittsburgh) publishes 11 prerequisite courses in terms rather than credits: Medical Terminology (one term, 100 or 200 level), Anatomy and Physiology (one term of each with a lab for Anatomy, or A&P I and II both with lab, "but no 'mixing and matching' between these two paths"), Microbiology (one term), a writing-intensive English course or AP English credit, Intro/General Psychology or AP Psychology credit, Human Biology (two terms with labs), Inorganic Chemistry (two terms with labs), and Organic Chemistry (one term with lab). "A grade of 'B-' or better is required for each of the 11 prerequisite courses and must be completed within the last 10 years." "Pass/Fail grades and/or certificate coursework will not be accepted." "Beginning in the 2029-2030 admissions cycle (for a PA program Fall 2030 start), AP credits will not be accepted for science pre-requisites. We will accept AP credits for English and Psychology only." Students whose A&P is more than 5 years old "are encouraged to refresh their knowledge by taking an online fundamentals course through HMX." Prerequisites must be fully completed by June 1 of the matriculation year, and "Applicants with four or more incomplete prerequisites will not be considered for an interview." Recommended but not required: "Genetics (does not substitute for the Human Biology requirement), Statistics, Nutrition, Developmental Psychology, Additional/Advanced Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, Cadaver Lab Dissection, Pharmacology, Neuroscience or Neuroanatomy." GPA: "A cumulative overall GPA of 3.25 and science GPA of at least 3.25, as calculated by" CASPA, plus "A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution." The line that sets Chatham apart: "We do not require direct patient care hours or the GRE or PA-CAT." Instead, 32 hours of PA shadowing is required. Three letters, "All recommendations must be written within the past year." CASPA verified by October 1; the team recommends submitting by early August. Fall 2026 matriculants averaged a 3.86 overall and 3.86 science GPA.

School

chatham.edu/academics/graduate/physician-assistant-studies

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