PA · Lebanon, New Hampshire · private
Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program Lebanon prerequisites
What Franklin Pierce NH 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
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Biology (4 credits with lab)." One semester.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Chemistry I (4 credits with lab)" and "Chemistry II (4 credits with lab)."
- Organic chemistry with labrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
Recorded as the alternative, not an extra requirement: the line is "Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (4 credits with lab)." One four-credit course with lab in either subject satisfies it; see the biochemistry line.
- Biochemistryrequireddiffers
4 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
An either-or line, and unusually the lab is required: "Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (4 credits with lab)." One four-credit organic chemistry course with lab satisfies this instead of biochemistry.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English or writing course appears on the required or recommended course list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics (3 credits)." One of the two prerequisites that need no lab.
- Psychologyrecommendeddiffers
1 semester · 3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.
Psychology is on the "Recommended Courses (not required)" list, not the required one.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credits with lab)" and "Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credits with lab)."
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology (4 credits with lab)."
- Medical terminologynot required here
Medical terminology appears on neither the required nor the recommended course list.
- Nutritionrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
Nutrition is on the "Recommended Courses (not required)" list with genetics, immunology, cell biology and psychology. No credit count is stated.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"Applicants are required to demonstrate at least 500 hours of patient care experience. We define 'Patient Care Experience' as experience in which you are involved in hands-on direct care of a patient that is not for academic credit. Examples of direct patient care experiences include, but is not limited to, employment or volunteer experiences as a nurse, EMT, paramedic, CNA, phlebotomist, respiratory therapist, etc." The FAQ is explicit that medical scribe hours do not count toward it.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
No separate figure. The program's only stated number is the 500 hands-on hours on the patient care line; broader "Medical or healthcare experience" is listed among the favorable factors weighed after the minimums are met.
- PA shadowingrequireddiffers
20+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
PA-specific and strict: "A minimum of 20 hours shadowing a PA-C is required and, while a shadowing verification form is not mandatory, we do reserve the right to contact provider(s) to verify the shadowing experience. Note that shadowing healthcare providers other than PA-Cs will not meet the requirement, nor will hours spent with PA co-workers."
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Professors are one of the diverse sources the FAQ suggests, with no science requirement and no faculty letter mandated.
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Three letters are required and no writer is mandated; the FAQ says "We cannot specify from whom you should obtain them, but do suggest they be diverse, i.e. professors, employers, co-workers, etc." A "Letter of recommendation from a healthcare provider and/or supervisor" is listed as a favorable factor, which is where a PA letter earns credit.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Favorable rather than required: "Letter of recommendation from a healthcare provider and/or supervisor" appears under Additional Favorable Academic Achievements. Three letters total through CASPA.
Also on the school’s page
This is the New Hampshire-based, on-ground 27-month program in Lebanon; Franklin Pierce's Goodyear hybrid program is recorded separately. The page publishes a compact list, "Required (31 Semester credits)": anatomy and physiology I and II (4 each with lab), biology (4 with lab), chemistry I and II (4 each with lab), microbiology (4 with lab), statistics (3), and "Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (4 credits with lab)." Recommended but not required: genetics, immunology, cell biology, nutrition, psychology. "All prerequisite courses must be passed with a grade of 'C' or better and be completed prior to matriculation," and "Applicants may apply with up to two outstanding prerequisites," which the FAQ says must then be finished "with a 'B' or better." GPA floors are firm and the science floor is above the usual 3.0: "Applicants must possess a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale," using CASPA-calculated GPAs with no recalculation; the FAQ notes accepted applicants average 3.5 on both, an average rather than a minimum. No recency cutoff: the FAQ says "There are no expiration dates on prerequisites. If your prerequisites are more than five years old, we recommend considering taking a refresher course." AP, CLEP, audit and professional school credits are not accepted; online courses are accepted from regionally accredited institutions provided the labs are included; "With the exception of Psychology and Statistics, all prerequisites must have a lab." On tests, the FAQ answers "Am I required to take the GRE?" with "No," and the PA-CAT is not mentioned. A bachelor's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution must be confirmed before matriculation. Applicants born outside the United States who did not graduate from a US high school must submit TOEFL iBT scores with no exceptions. CASPA opens in late April and closes October 1, applications must be verified by November 1 with three letters, review is first-come first-served with interviews typically November through May, and there is no supplemental application or program fee. Favorable factors listed after the minimums: overall or science GPA of 3.5 and above, research, a letter from a healthcare provider or supervisor, overcoming adversity, multilingual ability, military or government service, voluntary service, medical or healthcare experience, Franklin Pierce students or alumni, residents of Vermont or New Hampshire, and underserved or rural background. A direct entry pathway takes up to five Franklin Pierce undergraduates per cohort.
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