Creighton University Physician Assistant Program Phoenix prerequisites

General chemistry does not appear on Creighton's prerequisite list. The chemistry requirement is organic chemistry plus biochemistry, both of which normally sit behind general chemistry at your own institution.

3 credits

"Organic Chemistry 3 credit hours." Creighton requires organic chemistry in addition to biochemistry, not instead of it, and unlike the anatomy, physiology and microbiology lines it does not mark a lab as required.

1 semester · 3 credits

"Biochemistry 3 credit hours," required alongside organic chemistry rather than as an alternative to it.

No English or composition credits are listed among the eight required prerequisites.

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

The most easily missed line at this program: the required course is Abnormal Psychology, 3 credit hours, and introductory psychology does not answer it. "We will not accept the following courses, or similar courses, in lieu of our requirement: General Psychology, Introductory Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology, etc." The course must cover "terminology, classification, etiology, assessment, and treatment of the major disorders."

1 semester · 3 credits

Listed by name under "Strongly Recommended" alongside immunology and pathophysiology.

1 semester · 3 credits

The two other courses under "Strongly Recommended" are immunology and pathophysiology. Neither is required, but the scored review weighs "higher course load and academic rigor."

2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

Two four credit courses, each with lab: "Human Anatomy & Physiology I or Human Anatomy (Lab required)" and "Human Anatomy & Physiology II or Physiology (Lab required)." A combined sequence or the separate anatomy and physiology courses both work. Survey and non-majors science courses are not accepted.

1 semester · 4 credits · lab

"Microbiology (Lab required) 4 credit hours." The lab is not optional here, and a non-majors survey microbiology will not count.

1 credits

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

Required rather than recommended: "Medical Terminology 1 credit hour." It is also the one prerequisite where a pass/fail grade is accepted.

250+ hours

Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours.

"Patient Care: Minimum 250 hours required. A minimum of 250 hours of patient care experience must be accrued at the time of application submission." The hours must be in hand when you apply, not by matriculation. Quality is weighed as well as quantity: "Direct, hands-on patient care in a clinical setting is preferred over observation-only experiences," and "Both volunteer and paid experiences are acceptable." Roles Creighton names include athletic trainer, CNA, clinical nutritionist or dietician, clinical research assistant, community health worker, EMT, emergency room tech, phlebotomist or lab assistant, medic or medical corpsman, medical assistant, medical scribe, paramedic, Peace Corps volunteer, physical therapy aide, and RN or LPN. 250 is a floor and the preference factors include "quality and quantity of patient care experiences."

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.

Stated outright: "PA Shadowing: Not required." Creighton is one of the programs where shadowing hours earn nothing on the application, though the patient care requirement asks for hands-on work rather than observation anyway.

No published minimum

"Service (Volunteer and Community Enrichment): Strongly Recommended." No hour figure is published. Creighton weighs this deliberately: "We value the Jesuit principles of service," and "Applicants will be evaluated on their demonstrated commitment to service to humankind through non-medical volunteer activities," judged on "the breadth and depth of their service activities."

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

Academic sources are among the suggested writers, but Creighton names no discipline and requires no faculty letter.

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

"Letters of Recommendation: Three (3) letters required. Letters are not required from a specific source." A PA or physician letter is offered only as an example of an appropriate source, so no PA letter is mandatory. "The letters should come from professional sources, not family members or friends."

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

Not required by type. A "current or former work supervisor" is one of Creighton's suggested sources for the three letters, alongside a PA or physician and academic sources such as an advisor, instructor or professor, and the program stresses these "should be considered suggestions for references only."