PA · Omaha, Nebraska · private
College of Saint Mary Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What College of Saint Mary asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 11 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry with lab (minimum 8 semester credits). Two semesters in a sequenced course."
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry with lab (minimum 4 semester credits). At least one semester as required for Biochemistry (two semesters preferred)." One semester with lab satisfies it; the second semester is a stated preference.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Required alongside organic chemistry, not instead of it: "Biochemistry, Lab recommended but not required. Must be a course for which Organic Chemistry is a prerequisite for it (minimum 3 credits)." A survey biochemistry course that does not require organic chemistry will not count.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English composition or writing course appears on College of Saint Mary's prerequisite list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics (minimum 3 credits)."
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two specific psychology courses rather than an introductory one: "Abnormal Psychology (minimum 3 credits)" and "Developmental/Lifespan Psychology (minimum 3 credits)." General psychology alone does not satisfy this line.
- Advanced biologyrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Upper-level Biology course (lab preferred) (minimum 3 credits)." The program names no list of acceptable courses; the lab is preferred, not required.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab (minimum 8 semester credits). Minimum of one semester of each or two semesters of a combined sequenced course." Separate anatomy and physiology courses or the combined A&P I and II sequence both answer it.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology with lab (minimum 3 credits)." Three credits rather than the baseline four, lab required.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required, not merely recommended as in the baseline: "Medical Terminology. Either a college/university course or certificate program will be acceptable. (minimum 1 credit)."
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
College of Saint Mary publishes no separate patient care hour minimum. Its single experience requirement is "Minimum of 300 hours of healthcare clinical experience," recorded on the healthcare experience line because the page does not distinguish hands-on patient care from other healthcare work. Bring direct patient care hours anyway; nothing here says they are not needed, only that no separate floor is stated.
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
300+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
"Minimum of 300 hours of healthcare clinical experience." This is one combined number; the program does not split patient care experience from healthcare experience. Among the factors the committee evaluates it lists "Medical and/or clinical experiences (shadowing, volunteering, etc.)," so shadowing and volunteer clinical time appear to be considered, but the page does not state which roles count toward the 300 hours.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No shadowing hour figure is published. Shadowing is named as an example of the "Medical and/or clinical experiences" the committee evaluates.
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
"Academic" individuals are one of the two preferred reference types, without naming science faculty specifically. Three professional references total.
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
No PA letter is named. The requirement is "Three professional references (academic and supervisory individuals are preferred)" with "no family or friends." A PA who supervised you fits the supervisory preference but is not required.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Preferred rather than required: "Three professional references (academic and supervisory individuals are preferred)." Family and friends are excluded.
Also on the school’s page
College of Saint Mary publishes a full prerequisite list with credit minimums: anatomy and physiology with lab (8), microbiology with lab (3), an upper-level biology course (3), general chemistry with lab (8), organic chemistry with lab (4), biochemistry (3), abnormal psychology (3), developmental or lifespan psychology (3), statistics (3), and medical terminology (1). "Minimum grade of 'C' in all prerequisite courses," and in-progress or planned courses "must be successfully completed by July 1st of planned year of entry." The page states no recency window for prerequisites. GPA floors are stated three ways: "Minimum cumulative overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale," "Minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale," and a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0. On tests the page is explicit: "No GRE or standardized test is required" and "No CASPer or Altus Suite Assessment is required"; the PA-CAT is not mentioned. The experience requirement is a single combined figure, "Minimum of 300 hours of healthcare clinical experience," and the page does not split hands-on patient care from other healthcare experience; it lists "Medical and/or clinical experiences (shadowing, volunteering, etc.)" among what the committee evaluates. Letters: "Three professional references (academic and supervisory individuals are preferred)" and "no family or friends." A bachelor's degree from a US regionally accredited institution is required; holders of a non-US degree must document equivalency and complete "an additional 24 credit hours in biology or chemistry departments at a U.S. regionally accredited college," and TOEFL or IELTS applies where English is not the native language. Applications go through CASPA. The page says nothing about online, community college, AP or CLEP credit.
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