PA · Nashville, Tennessee · private

Lipscomb University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What Lipscomb asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 9 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
"Biology for science majors, 8 credits minimum. Biology coursework (examples may include Biology I, genetics, cell, virology, immunology, molecular, etc.) with associated laboratory experience. Introduction and survey-type courses will not satisfy this requirement." This block sits beside the anatomy and physiology sequence, not inside it.
General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
General Chemistry I and II, 4 credits minimum each, each "with associated laboratory experience. Introduction and survey-type courses will not satisfy this requirement." Higher coursework substitutes: "Organic Chemistry I or any other upper-level chemistry may be mapped to this requirement," and the same for the second semester.
Biochemistrynot required here
Not on Lipscomb's prerequisite list. Organic chemistry and other upper-level chemistry appear only as optional substitutes for the general chemistry semesters.
English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not among the seven prerequisite courses Lipscomb names.
Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics, 3 credits minimum. General statistics or biostatistics could fulfill this prerequisite. No Calculus or other math coursework fulfills this requirement."
Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Psychology, 3 credits minimum. General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Developmental Psychology could fulfill this prerequisite. Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP credit will also be accepted." This is the only prerequisite Lipscomb takes AP or CLEP credit for.
Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II, 8 credits minimum. Two-course sequence with laboratory experience." Lipscomb also allows the split route: "A 4-credit Human Anatomy course with a lab, or a 4-credit Human Physiology course with a lab, could also fulfill this prerequisite."
Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology, 3 credits minimum. Microbiology coursework with associated lab work (if applicable)." Three credits rather than the usual four, and the lab is qualified with "if applicable" rather than required outright.
Medical terminologynot required here
Not among the seven prerequisite courses Lipscomb names.

Experience hours

Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
Required with no number attached: "Lipscomb requires all applicants to document patient care experience at the time of application submission. However, we do not require a specific number of hours to be considered as an applicant." Hours may be paid or volunteer, and "updates to patient care experiences or hours will not be accepted after application submission," so the CASPA description has to be detailed on the first pass.
Healthcare experiencerecommended
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.
PA shadowingrequireddiffers
20+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
Mandatory rather than recommended, but unnumbered: "PA shadowing experience is also a mandatory requirement that must be documented at the time of application submission. However, there is no minimum number of hours required for application processing." "Virtual PA shadowing experiences are not accepted. To count toward this requirement, all PA shadowing must be conducted in person."

Letters

Science faculty letternot required here
Lipscomb requires "a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation" and does not name who must write them, so no science faculty letter is specifically named.
PA letternot required here
Lipscomb requires "a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation" and does not name who must write them, so no PA letter is specifically required.
Supervisor letternot required here
Lipscomb requires "a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation" and does not name who must write them, so no supervisor letter is specifically required.

Also on the school’s page

Lipscomb publishes a seven-course prerequisite list totalling 33 credits and states the requirements apply to the 2026-2027 admissions cycle. GPA floors are read from CASPA at the moment of submission: "CASPA-calculated minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0" and "CASPA-calculated minimum overall science GPA: 3.2", and the program "does not replace grades or recalculate GPAs based on coursework completed after application submission." Every prerequisite needs a C or better, must come from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, must be finished by the end of the spring semester before fall matriculation, and carries a ten year recency window: "All prerequisites must have been successfully completed within ten (10) calendar years of the planned year of matriculation into PA school. For example, an applicant who expects to enroll in Fall 2027 must have completed all prerequisites no earlier than 2017." No more than two prerequisites may be outstanding at the time of application. On exams, asked whether the GRE or PA-CAT is required, the program answers: "No, our program does not require applicants to submit these scores, nor do we advantage those students who have taken these examinations." AP or CLEP credit is accepted for the psychology prerequisite only. Letters: "The School of Physician Assistant Studies requires a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation for admission consideration," with no writer named. A supplemental application with a $75 fee follows the CASPA-verified application.

School

lipscomb.edu/paschool/graduate-program

Check your transcript against this list

Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Lipscomb still needs from you.

See it for PA school

Also in Tennessee

All PA programmes, compared