PA · Greenville, North Carolina · public
East Carolina University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What East Carolina asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 7 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry with lab," 8 semester hours over two semesters. The table adds "may substitute with Organic Chemistry," so an organic sequence can stand in for general chemistry here. Online laboratory courses are accepted though in person is encouraged.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"One semester of upper-level Biochemistry (minimum of 3 semester credit hours)," required beginning with the 2026-2027 cycle. ECU equivalents are CHEM 3770 or BIOL 4880.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English or writing requirement is listed; the non science prerequisites are psychology and statistics only.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Three semester hours of statistics; biostatistics, mathematical statistics and psychology statistics all appear among ECU's listed equivalents. AP credit is accepted for statistics.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Introductory Psychology or higher," three semester hours. One of only two prerequisites for which AP credit is accepted.
- Geneticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
A required 3 semester hour genetics course, not carried by the baseline. ECU's own equivalent is BIOL 2300; no laboratory is listed.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab," 8 semester hours over two semesters. Must be finished before the application is submitted, ideally within five years of it, with a B or better recommended in each course and no more than two C grades across all prerequisites.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
Three semester hours and the table names no laboratory for it, lighter than the baseline's four credits with lab. ECU equivalents are BIOL 2110 or BIOL 3220.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Medical terminology does not appear anywhere on ECU's prerequisite table or admissions page.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No stated minimum and no split between patient care and other healthcare work: "ECU PA does not have a minimum experience hour requirement, however preference is given to applicants who have at least 1,000 accrued health related/patient contact hours." The single combined figure is recorded on the healthcare experience line.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
ECU publishes one combined number and does not separate patient care from healthcare experience: preference goes to applicants with "at least 1,000 accrued health related/patient contact hours." That is a preference, not a minimum, so no floor is recorded. Preferred roles are "medical scribe, EMT, paramedic, medical assistant, and surgical tech," and "Shadowing of a medical provider (MD, DO, PA, NP) is also acceptable."
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No shadowing minimum. Shadowing counts toward ECU's combined experience preference: "Shadowing of a medical provider (MD, DO, PA, NP) is also acceptable."
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommended
No published minimum
Only a handful of programs require a science faculty letter by name. An academic letter is welcome nearly everywhere and mandatory almost nowhere.
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Not required by title. "We require three letters of reference to be submitted directly to CASPA," and priority goes to "letters written by health care professionals (PA, MD/DO, NP) and supervisors of paid employment." A PA letter is the first writer type named. The program will "not review references from family members, family friends, neighbors, or relatives."
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
"supervisors of paid employment" are one of the two writer types ECU prioritizes among its three required letters, but no single writer is mandated.
Also on the school’s page
ECU publishes a seven row prerequisite table in semester hours: anatomy and physiology with lab (8, two semesters), genetics (3), general chemistry with lab (8, two semesters, "may substitute with Organic Chemistry"), microbiology (3), introductory psychology or higher (3), statistics (3), and one semester of upper level biochemistry (3), the last "Required beginning 2026-2027 cycle." Timing is strict: "Prerequisite courses must be completed by the time of initial application submission." Grades: "A grade of B or higher in each prerequisite course is recommended," and "Applicants may not have more than two grades of C or any failing grades in prerequisite courses." The recency window is a recommendation rather than a rule: "We recommend completing prerequisite courses within five years of application submission." Credit sources are open: "Courses may be taken at any regionally accredited institution, including community colleges," "We accept online laboratory courses; however, we encourage in-person laboratory experiences," and "Advanced Placement (AP) credit is accepted for Psychology and Statistics only." A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required, and "Applicants must meet a minimum 3.0 prerequisite and overall GPA to be considered for the program"; the most recent accepted class averaged 3.79 cumulative, 3.74 science and 3.75 prerequisite. No test: "Standardized test (GRE, MCAT, or PA-CAT) completion is not required for application review and admission to our program." Residency is a hard gate: applicants must be permanent residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia or Washington D.C. at the time of application, and "Preference is given to residents of North Carolina." CASPA opens April 30 and the verified application deadline is September 1.
School
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