PA · Center Valley, Pennsylvania · private
DeSales University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What DeSales asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 12 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
3 credits
General Biology, minimum 3 credits. No lab is required, though the program highly recommends one when enrolling in a new science course.
- General chemistry with labrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
One General Chemistry course, minimum 3 credits, no lab required. DeSales asks for one semester rather than the two-semester sequence.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
3 credits
Organic Chemistry, minimum 3 credits, no lab required. Listed alongside general chemistry rather than as an alternative to biochemistry.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Not among DeSales's ten prerequisites; organic chemistry is required instead.
- English or writing-intensiverequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here: "English Composition I, English Composition II", each a minimum of 3 credits. "Writing-intensive courses may be accepted if English Composition was not required in your curriculum. AP courses will also satisfy the requirement."
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Statistics, minimum 3 credits.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
General Psychology, minimum 3 credits.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
"Human Anatomy & Physiology I, and Human Anatomy & Physiology II", each a minimum of 3 credits and both "completed within five years of applying". No lab is required; exceptions to the five-year window "may be considered if you have been actively working in the medical field since completing the courses or graduating."
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
Microbiology, minimum 3 credits, "completed within five years of applying". No lab is required.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not on DeSales's prerequisite list.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"A minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care experience (paid, volunteer, or shadowing). The experience must be completed within the United States." DeSales counts shadowing toward this number. Roles it names: "Emergency Medical Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Surgical Technician, Patient Care Technician/Associate, Dietician, Medical Scribe, Pharmacy Technician, Campus Health Center Volunteer, Athletic Trainer, Physical Therapy Assistant, Mental Health Worker." The 500 must be complete before matriculation in late August; the program recommends at least 250 at submission, and competitive applicants have already met the minimum. Matriculants averaged 2,165 hours over the last five cycles.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
DeSales publishes one direct patient care figure and does not carry a separate healthcare experience number. "Usually, the more varied the experience, the better for incoming students."
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
"Shadowing of clinically active physician assistants is encouraged in order to gain an understanding of the role. We also accept up to 50 hours of virtual shadowing, provided there is contact information in CASPA." Shadowing counts toward the 500 direct patient care hours here.
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
Instructors or professors are named without a science restriction; recorded on the any-discipline faculty line.
- Faculty letter (any discipline)recommendedextra here
1 letter
"A minimum of three letters of recommendation, maximum of five. Appropriate references include instructors or professors, academic advisors, and supervisors." No writer is mandated; an instructor or professor of any discipline is one of the named choices.
- PA letternot required here
No PA letter is required; the three to five letters may come from instructors, advisors or supervisors.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Named but not mandated: appropriate references include "supervisors, especially those supervising you during your direct patient care experiences. We highly recommend that you do not submit a reference from someone you have shadowed for only a brief time, or a family member or friend."
Also on the school’s page
DeSales lists ten prerequisite courses on its graduate admission page: "Our ten prerequisite courses must each be a minimum of 3 credits. These courses are: English Composition I, English Composition II, General Psychology, Statistics, General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Human Anatomy & Physiology I, and Human Anatomy & Physiology II." "All prerequisite coursework must be completed and passed with a grade of 2.0 or better before matriculation into the program." Recency: "Three of these courses must have been completed within five years of applying: Microbiology, Human Anatomy & Physiology I, and Human Anatomy & Physiology II. Exceptions may be considered if you have been actively working in the medical field since completing the courses or graduating." No laboratory is required with any science course; the program FAQ says that if you have already taken the course "you do not need to repeat the course with the lab component" but that taking a lab with any new science course is highly recommended. "Writing-intensive courses may be accepted if English Composition was not required in your curriculum. AP courses will also satisfy the requirement." "No more than two prerequisite courses should remain after the December 1 deadline." A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a CASPA-verified minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and minimum science GPA of 3.0 is required. Testing is required: "The Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or MCAT score must be submitted to CASPA by the December 1 deadline", and "Applicants should achieve a PA-CAT score of 483 or higher, a GRE score of 290 or higher, or an MCAT score of 491 or higher." GRE program code 0540. Over the last five cycles matriculated students averaged a 3.79 GPA, 3.75 science GPA, 2,165 direct patient care hours, 916 service/volunteer hours and a 309 combined GRE. CASPA verification deadline December 1, no supplemental application. Applicants from a country where English is not the primary language need a TOEFL of 90 or higher.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what DeSales still needs from you.
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