PA · Poughkeepsie, New York · private

Marist University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What Marist asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 8 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 I with Lab (4 credits)" and "General Biology II with Lab (4 credits)". No recency limit on this sequence.
General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry I with Lab (4 credits)" and "General Chemistry II with Lab (4 credits)". No recency limit on this sequence.
Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry I or Principles of Organic Chemistry with Lab (4 credits)". Subject to the seven-year recency requirement. A second semester of organic chemistry can substitute for the separate biochemistry line.
Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Biochemistry I (3 credits - lab not required)". A second semester of organic chemistry may substitute. Subject to the seven-year recency requirement.
English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not on Marist's prerequisite list.
Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics (3 credits)". No recency limit.
Psychologynot required here
Not on Marist's prerequisite list.
Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab" and "Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab", 4 credits each, or Human Anatomy with lab combined with Human Physiology with lab. Both semesters fall under the seven-year recency requirement (Fall 2020 or later). C or better; C- is not accepted.
Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology with Lab (4 credits)". Subject to the seven-year recency requirement.
Medical terminologynot required here
Not mentioned on Marist's admissions page or FAQ.

Experience hours

Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"A minimum of 500 clinical hours of direct, hands-on patient care is required at the time of application submission." The FAQ names radiology technician, respiratory therapist, cardiovascular therapist, paramedic, EMT, CNA, patient care technician or assistant, medical assistant, PT aide, and phlebotomist as acceptable. Excluded: "shadowing, laboratory testing with no patient contact, non-clinical research, lifeguard, secretarial, front-office, or clerical work", and "we do not count any patient care hours where academic credit was earned."
Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
Marist publishes no healthcare experience figure and explicitly excludes secretarial, front-office and clerical work from its clinical hours. Such work does not count toward the 500 hour requirement here.
PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No hours published, and shadowing is expressly excluded from the 500 direct patient care hours. The FAQ adds: "Volunteer work that is primarily observation is a good way to become familiar with a healthcare environment, but it is not considered direct patient care."

Letters

Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
The third of the three letters has no writer type specified on the page, so a science professor is a sensible but not mandatory choice.
PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"One reference must be from a Physician or Physician Assistant/Associate." A physician letter satisfies this same slot. "Personal references will not be considered."
Supervisor letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"Another must be from a supervisor associated with the applicant's direct patient care experience." Three letters of reference in total.

Also on the school’s page

Marist publishes a credit-specific list split into two groups. With no time limit: General Biology I and II with Lab (4 credits each), General Chemistry I and II with Lab (4 credits each), and Statistics (3 credits). With a seven-year recency requirement (Fall 2020 or later for this cycle): Anatomy and Physiology I and II with Lab (4 credits each, or Human Anatomy with lab combined with Human Physiology with lab), Microbiology with Lab (4 credits), "Organic Chemistry I or Principles of Organic Chemistry with Lab (4 credits)", and "Biochemistry I (3 credits - lab not required)", for which a second semester of organic chemistry may substitute. Prerequisites must be complete by January 15, 2027. Minimum grade is C in every course; "C-" will not be accepted. No psychology, English, physics or medical terminology line is published. GPA: "The minimum academic standard for admission is a 3.0 Overall GPA, 3.0 Science GPA and 3.0 Biology, Chemistry, Physics (BCP) GPA calculated by CASPA." A baccalaureate degree from an accredited or equivalent institution must be awarded prior to matriculation. Experience: "A minimum of 500 clinical hours of direct, hands-on patient care is required at the time of application submission." Letters: "Three letters of reference must be received for an application to be complete." Exams: the FAQ states "No. We do not require the GRE or MCAT." The PA-CAT is not required in general, but "Applicants that have taken all the prerequisite coursework with a grade of 'C or above' but have not met the seven-year recency requirement may take the PA-CAT (pa-cat.com) examination to be considered." CASPer is not mentioned. CASPA applications must be verified by October 1, 2026.

School

marist.edu/science/physassist

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