Cyclios

PA · Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania · private

King's College Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What King's College 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.

Read from the school’s pageCheck it with the school

Coursework

  • Biology with labrequiredextra here

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    "General biology (8 credits)," preferably with labs. Lab exceptions considered only where the institution offered none.

  • General chemistry with labrequired

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    "General chemistry (8 credits)," preferably with labs.

  • Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here

    1 semester · 4 credits · lab

    "Organic chemistry (4 credits)," preferably with lab. One semester, not the full sequence. Organic is what King's names; biochemistry is not on the list.

  • Biochemistrynot required here

    Not on King's list; organic chemistry (4 credits) is the advanced chemistry prerequisite here.

  • English or writing-intensivenot required here

    Not on King's prerequisite list.

  • Statisticsnot required here

    Not on King's prerequisite list.

  • Psychologynot required here

    Not on King's prerequisite list.

  • Geneticsrequiredextra here

    1 semester · 3 credits

    "Genetics (3 credits)." The one prerequisite where "no lab is necessary."

  • Anatomy and physiologyrequired

    2 semesters · 8 credits · lab

    "Anatomy and physiology (8 credits)," preferably with labs. Cannot be taken online. Candidates with degrees 10 or more years old are encouraged to retake it.

  • Microbiologyrequired

    1 semester · 4 credits · lab

    "Microbiology (4 credits)," preferably with lab. Cannot be taken online. Candidates with degrees 10 or more years old are encouraged to retake it.

  • Medical terminologynot required here

    Not on King's prerequisite list.

Experience hours

  • Patient care experiencerequireddiffers

    300+ hours

    Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours.

    King's calls hands-on hours Category I: "Of these 500 hours, a minimum of 300 must be Category I." Examples of Category I from the program's PDF: EMT, pharmacy technician, athletic trainer, medical assistant, CNA, home health aide, physical therapy aide, medical scribe, volunteering at camps with ill or mentally challenged clients (maximum 10 hours per day); "Only hours of actual patient contact can be claimed." Paid or volunteer. Caring for a family member, lifeguarding, babysitting and personal training do not count. Must be complete and documented by the CASPA deadline; no recency limit.

  • Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers

    200+ hours

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

    King's total is 500 clinical hours: at least 300 Category I, and "the remainder can be Category II." Category II examples: "Training Courses such as First Aid, CPR, Nurse's Aide, EMT," "Observation of a Physician Assistant," "Observation of a Physician, Nurse Practitioner, or other medical practitioners." Additional Category I hours also fill the balance; this line is the remaining 200 needed to reach 500.

  • PA shadowingrequireddiffers

    8+ hours

    Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.

    "These hours must also include eight hours of physician assistant shadowing." PA shadowing is counted inside the 500 as Category II.

Letters

  • Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers

    1 letter

    Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

    The suggested instructor letter, "preferably someone they had for multiple science classes."

  • PA letternot required here

    No PA letter is named; the suggested clinical letter is from "a professional that a student has worked with in a clinical setting."

  • Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers

    1 letter

    Most PA programmes publish no minimum.

    "Candidates need two letters of reference. We suggest one letter from a professional that a student has worked with in a clinical setting and one from an instructor, preferably someone they had for multiple science classes." The clinical professional is this line; two letters are required, the sources are suggested.

Also on the school’s page

King's lists six prerequisite science courses for graduate (2-year MSPAS) candidates, all "from any two or four-year regionally accredited U.S. college or university, preferably with labs (excluding Genetics, where no lab is necessary), by the end of the spring semester prior to the start of the program in August": anatomy and physiology (8 credits), general biology (8 credits), general chemistry (8 credits), organic chemistry (4 credits), genetics (3 credits), microbiology (4 credits). Lab exceptions "may be considered" where the institution offered a 3 credit lecture with no 1 credit lab, a 3 credit course combining lecture and lab, or a 4 credit lecture with no lab. "Candidates must have a cumulative GPA and a cumulative science GPA of 3.2. GPAs will not be rounded." "No grade less than a C- can be accepted for any prerequisite science courses (satisfactory or pass grades will also not be accepted)." Repeated courses count both grades. "We do not award Advanced Placement." "We cannot accept required science courses that have been taken online," with a COVID exception only through spring 2022. No hard recency window, but "while we consider candidates who possess degrees granted 10 or more years ago, we encourage these candidates to retake prerequisite courses like anatomy and physiology and microbiology." No more than two prerequisite science courses may be outstanding in the spring before matriculation and none in the summer. Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution required by the end of that spring. Testing: "We do not require GRE, MCAT, or USMLE scores"; no PA-CAT or CASPer is mentioned. Experience: "Candidates must complete 500 clinical hours by the CASPA application deadline. The hours may be voluntary or paid. Of these 500 hours, a minimum of 300 must be Category I while the remainder can be Category II. These hours must also include eight hours of physician assistant shadowing." The program's clinical hours PDF says "There is no required timeframe" for the hours. Two letters of reference are required. TOEFL required for non-native English speakers without a U.S. bachelor's degree. CASPA deadline October 1 for the class entering Fall 2027; a personal statement is required and other experiences (work, community service, extracurriculars) are scored though not required.

School

kings.edu/programs/graduate/physician-assistant.html

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