PA · Rochester, Minnesota · private
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Mayo Clinic 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.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
lab
"Biology or zoology, 2 courses, at least 1 with lab," beyond anatomy, physiology and microbiology. Part of the biological sciences block of at least 16 semester hours with at least 7 upper division.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Chemistry (general/inorganic), 1 course with lab." Mayo names one course rather than the baseline's two-semester sequence, but the chemistry block as a whole must reach a "Minimum of 15 semester hours, at least 3 hours upper division," so one course rarely suffices on its own.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
lab
"Organic chemistry, 1 course with lab." Required alongside general chemistry and biochemistry, not instead of them.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Biochemistry, 1 course," no lab. Required outright, and it is the usual way to satisfy the chemistry block's 3 upper division hours.
- English or writing-intensiverequireddiffers
7 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here rather than recommended. "English: Minimum of 7 semester hours," made up of "English composition I or writing intensive course," "English composition II or writing intensive course," and medical terminology. The 7 hours are the block total including medical terminology, not the composition courses alone.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Math: Minimum of 3 semester hours. Statistics or biostatistics, 1 course." No time limit, since this is not a science prerequisite.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two named courses, not one: "Psychology: Minimum of 6 semester hours. Developmental psychology, 1 course. Abnormal psychology, 1 course." Introductory psychology alone does not satisfy this.
- Geneticsrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
Listed under "Recommended courses: The following courses will better prepare the applicant for their studies in the Mayo Clinic PA Program." One course. Not required.
- Advanced biologyrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
Recommended, not required: "Additional upper division physiological sciences (cell biology, endocrinology, immunology, virology, etc.), 1 course." A useful way to reach the biological sciences block's 7 upper division hours.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Anatomy and physiology are listed separately, "1 course with lab" each, inside the biological sciences block of at least 16 semester hours with at least 7 upper division. Mayo publishes no per-course credit minimum, so none is recorded. Both fall under the seven year science recency window.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology, 1 course with lab," inside the 16 semester hour biological sciences block. Seven year window applies.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required, one course, listed inside the English block that must total at least 7 semester hours.
- Social sciences and humanitiesrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
One ethics course sits on Mayo's recommended list. Not required, and separate from the required 6 hours of developmental and abnormal psychology.
- Additional science creditsrequiredextra here
No published minimum
"Additional chemistry, 1-2 courses." Mayo does not name which chemistry courses count; the block exists to carry the chemistry total to its "Minimum of 15 semester hours, at least 3 hours upper division." How many courses you need depends on the credit weight of your general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry courses.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"At least 500 hours of direct patient care experience," documented on the required PA Program information sheet uploaded to CASPA. "The minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care experience may be met by such roles as a phlebotomist, certified nursing assistant (CNA), emergency medical technician (EMT), nursing, physical therapy (PT) aid, other patient care careers, or volunteer roles, among others." Volunteer hours count here, which not every program allows.
- 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
8+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
Required, not merely recommended: "At least two 4-hour shifts of PA shadowing," which is 8 hours, restated elsewhere as "At least two half-days of PA shadowing." Mayo frames the number as a floor tied to purpose: "PA shadowing sufficient to distinguish characteristics common to PAs compared to other health professions is represented by two or more 4-hour experiences, depending on the quality of the experiences and the goals of the applicant." Do it before you apply: "that experience will better inform you in your decisions related to your career and education."
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Mayo's academic letter may come from any "professor or instructor," so a science professor satisfies it but is not what the program asks for. Three letters total, no more.
- Faculty letter (any discipline)requiredextra here
1 letter
"Academic: One recommendation that reflects your academic potential (from a professor or instructor)." Any discipline; Mayo does not require a science professor. One of three letters, all through the CASPA Evaluations section.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"Professional: One recommendation that reflects your familiarity with the PA role (from a PA if possible, or another health professional who knows you well)." A PA is preferred but another health professional is accepted, so this is a required letter with a soft edge on the writer.
- Supervisor letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
The third letter: "Professional: One recommendation that reflects your health care commitment (from someone familiar with your personal and professional character dedicated to health care)." Mayo does not require it to come from a supervisor specifically, but a patient care supervisor is the natural writer for it.
Also on the school’s page
The longest prerequisite list on this path, published as five credit-hour blocks totalling 14 to 15 courses, and these terms are for the traditional pre-PA to master's option (the 3+2 option follows the affiliated institution's own prerequisites instead). Biological sciences: "Minimum of 16 semester hours, at least 7 hours upper division," covering anatomy with lab, physiology with lab, two courses of biology or zoology with at least one lab, and microbiology with lab. Chemistry: "Minimum of 15 semester hours, at least 3 hours upper division," covering general or inorganic chemistry with lab, organic chemistry with lab, biochemistry, and 1 to 2 additional chemistry courses. Math: minimum 3 semester hours of statistics or biostatistics. Psychology: minimum 6 semester hours, developmental and abnormal. English: minimum 7 semester hours, composition I and II or writing intensive courses, plus medical terminology. "An upper division course is taught at a junior or senior level of college/university instruction, generally indicated by a 300- or 400-level course number. Introductory or survey courses are not considered upper division." Recency: "All science prerequisite courses must be completed within seven years of admission. There is no time limit in the other prerequisite courses." Every prerequisite needs a C or better and "All admission prerequisites must be completed at the time of application," not by matriculation. GPA is the hardest line here: "Cumulative GPA and science (biology/chemistry) GPA each of 3.50 (on 4.00 scale) in all higher education work," with a discretionary alternative based on the last 60 credit hours if you contact the Program Director. Recommended but not required: genetics, ethics, an additional upper division physiological science, and a scientific inquiry or research course. The program does not state a GRE or PA-CAT policy on this page, so nothing is recorded on testing; TOEFL iBT above 89 total with at least 25 speaking is required where English is not the applicant's primary language. Applicants also upload a 500 word three-part essay, a PA Program information sheet and a PA prerequisite form to CASPA. The cohort is 24 students in Rochester, Minnesota, and the program notes seat counts are "pending accreditation approval" and that current or former Mayo Clinic employment is one of its preference factors.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Mayo Clinic still needs from you.
See it for PA school