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PA · Lock Haven, Pennsylvania · public

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What Commonwealth U PA asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 14 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.

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Coursework

  • Biology with labrequiredextra here

    6 credits

    "2 Courses of Biology or Zoology," with examples of cell biology, general biology, principles of biology, molecular biology, ecology, zoology and biodiversity. Labs are preferred, not required. No credit count is stated.

  • General chemistry with labrequireddiffers

    6 credits

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

    "2 Courses of General Chemistry." "Science courses with labs are preferred," so the lab is not a hard requirement here. No credit count is stated.

  • Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here

    3 credits

    "1 Course of Organic Chemistry (at least 3 credits)." Lab preferred, not required.

  • Biochemistrynot required here

    Not on Commonwealth's list; organic chemistry is the required chemistry beyond the general sequence.

  • English or writing-intensiverecommended

    2 semesters · 6 credits

    English composition, usually two semesters where it is asked for at all.

  • Statisticsrequired

    1 semester · 3 credits

    Statistics, one course, B or better.

  • Psychologynot required here

    Not on Commonwealth's prerequisite list.

  • Geneticsrequiredextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    "Human Genetics" is on the required list. No credit count is stated.

  • Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers

    6 credits

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

    Listed as separate "Human Anatomy" and "Human Physiology" courses, each needing a B or better and "completed within 5 years of matriculation." Labs preferred, not required. No credit count is stated.

  • Microbiologyrequireddiffers

    3 credits

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

    Microbiology, "completed within 5 years of matriculation." Lab preferred, not required.

  • Medical terminologynot required here

    Not on Commonwealth's prerequisite list.

Experience hours

  • Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers

    400+ hours

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

    A recommendation, not a minimum: "We also recommend all applicants obtain a minimum of 400 hours of direct, quality, human patient contact experience." Examples given include athletic trainer, behavioral health technician, CNA, clinical pharmacist, dietician, EMT, medical assistant, medical scribe, military medic, paramedic, physical therapist and aide, radiology technician, RN, respiratory therapist and sonographer. "We will consider other health care experience as well, including volunteer experience." Note that the program counts scribing here.

  • 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 shadowingrecommendeddiffers

    40+ hours

    Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours.

    "The Admissions Committee recommends that all applicants observe or directly work with a physician associate for a minimum of 40 hours." Virtual shadowing is not considered.

Letters

  • Science faculty letternot required here

    No faculty letter is named among the three required letters.

  • PA letterrecommendeddiffers

    1 letter

    Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

    "Applicants must submit a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation. At least one recommendation from a current or former PA-C is preferred." Preferred, not required.

  • Supervisor letternot required here

    Three letters are required with no writer specified beyond a preferred PA-C; no supervisor letter is named.

Also on the school’s page

Commonwealth University (Physician Associate MHS, the former Lock Haven program) lists prerequisites as course counts with a B or better in each: "2 Courses of General Chemistry, 1 Course of Organic Chemistry (at least 3 credits), 2 Courses of Biology or Zoology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Human Genetics, Microbiology, Statistics." "Science courses with labs are preferred," not required. Recency: "Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology courses must be completed within 5 years of matriculation." "We will not accept a Pass/Fail (P/F) grade for any of the prerequisite courses." Online courses are accepted "as long as the course is taken through a United States Accredited Institution," and AP credit counts if "your undergraduate institution accepted your AP credits and it is on your transcript." "We will not offer an interview to any applicant that has more than three outstanding prerequisites"; all must be finished before the program starts in May. "A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution" and an "overall grade point average (GPA) and a science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale" are required. Experience is recommended rather than required: "We also recommend all applicants obtain a minimum of 400 hours of direct, quality, human patient contact experience," and "The Admissions Committee recommends that all applicants observe or directly work with a physician associate for a minimum of 40 hours." Letters: "Applicants must submit a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation. At least one recommendation from a current or former PA-C is preferred." The page does not mention the GRE, PA-CAT or CASPer. Applications must be completed and verified by CASPA by November 1.

School

commonwealthu.edu/academics/programs/physician-associate-mhs

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