PA · Dublin, Ohio · public
Ohio University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Ohio University asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 12 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Biology I & II with labs, 8." Alternates accepted: "Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Molecules and Cells, Genetics, Botany, Zoology. The course must contain a laboratory." Within 10 years of matriculation.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Chemistry I & II with labs, 8." Alternates: "Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry II, Physical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Medical Chemistry. Courses must contain a laboratory." Within 10 years of matriculation.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry I with lab, 4. Organic Chemistry I or II. Must contain laboratory or must take lab separately." Within 10 years of matriculation.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Biochemistry, 3-4. Biochemistry, Biological Chemistry, Biomolecules, Metabolism, Nutritional Chemistry. Laboratory is not required." Required alongside organic chemistry. Within 10 years of matriculation.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not on OHIO's prerequisite table.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics, 3-4. Intro to Statistics, Biostatistics, Stats for the Behavioral Sciences, Biometry, Quantitative Methods in Psychology." Within 10 years of matriculation.
- College mathematicsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"College Algebra, 3-4. Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus." No expiration date. Counted in the math/science GPA.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two courses, neither counted in the math/science GPA and neither with an expiration date: "General Psychology, 3-4" and "Developmental or Abnormal Psychology, 3-4" (Child, Adolescent or Lifespan Development, Human Growth and Development, Physiological Psychology, Neuropsychology also accepted).
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
7 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
Two courses: "Human Anatomy with lab, 4" and "Human Physiology with or w/o lab, 3-4" ("Lab course preferred. Human physiology without a lab is accepted"). A&P I and II combination courses are accepted if both are taken. Both "must be taken within 5 years of matriculation."
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology with lab, 3-4. Immunology, Micro-Organisms. Course must contain a laboratory." Within 10 years of matriculation.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here: "Medical Terminology, 1. Medical Terminology, Advanced Medical Terminology. Certificate courses are not accepted." Within 10 years of matriculation; not counted in the math/science GPA.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
Required with no minimum: "Students are required to have patient care experience acquired within five years of matriculation. Experiences can be full-time, part-time, or volunteer ... The program does not require a minimum number of hours." Proof on employer letterhead, signed by HR or an immediate supervisor, is required for the non-shadowing hours reported in CASPA. The FAQ lists accepted roles such as medical assistant, nursing assistant, patient care technician, home health aide, surgical technician, athletic trainer, CNA and EKG technician; OHIO students may substitute PA 2100.
- 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 shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
Under a fifth of programs set a shadowing minimum; among those that do the median is 20 hours and a handful ask for 100 or more. Several count shadowing inside their experience total rather than separately, and a few have dropped it from scoring entirely.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
No number: "Candidates may report community service and leadership experience acquired within five years of matriculation. Experiences will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of the experience, along with the number of hours reported."
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
Only two letters, one clinician and one academic or professional observer; no science faculty letter is asked for.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"At least one letter of recommendation must be from a non-related, practicing PA or Physician (MD or DO)." A physician's letter satisfies this line as well as a PA's. Two letters in total.
- Supervisor letternot required here
The second letter is from "someone who has observed the applicant in an academic or professional setting"; a supervisor is one option, not a requirement.
Also on the school’s page
OHIO's prerequisite page publishes a semester-hour table with accepted alternates: Human Anatomy with lab 4, Human Physiology with or without lab 3 to 4, Biology I and II with labs 8, Microbiology with lab 3 to 4, Chemistry I and II with labs 8, Organic Chemistry I with lab 4, Biochemistry 3 to 4, Statistics 3 to 4, College Algebra 3 to 4, Medical Terminology 1, General Psychology 3 to 4, Developmental or Abnormal Psychology 3 to 4. Recency: "Human Anatomy (lecture and lab) and Human Physiology prerequisite courses must be taken within 5 years of matriculation. All other science prerequisite courses, medical terminology, and statistics must be taken within 10 years of matriculation. General Psychology, Abnormal/Developmental Psychology, and College Algebra have no expiration date." "Math/Science GPA must be a minimum of 3.0 to apply," calculated from the math and science prerequisites (psychology and medical terminology excluded), alongside "A Minimum Cumulative CASPA Calculated GPA of 3.0." No more than three prerequisites may be outstanding at application, no more than two of them in the math/science GPA, and all must be complete by December 31 of the application year. Lecture and lab pairs "must be taken as a series at the same institution." "No work/life, CLEP, technical, or vocational skill credit will be accepted"; AP and College Credit Plus are accepted within 10 years if reported individually on transcripts. A bachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited U.S. institution must be conferred by matriculation. Testing, from the admissions page (https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/physician-assistant/admissions): "The GRE General Test is required for admission," scores sent to CASPA (code 0957) by August 1 and "valid within five years of matriculation"; no minimum is published; the PA-CAT and CASPer are not mentioned. Patient care: "Students are required to have patient care experience acquired within five years of matriculation ... The program does not require a minimum number of hours," and proof on employer letterhead signed by HR or a supervisor is required for the hours reported in CASPA. Two letters: one from "a non-related, practicing PA or Physician (MD or DO)," the other from "someone who has observed the applicant in an academic or professional setting." Special consideration for permanent residents of Appalachia or medically underserved areas, U.S. military members and veterans, and OHIO graduates. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. CASPA verified deadline August 1 for the cohort that begins the following January; the supplemental application is by invitation.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Ohio University still needs from you.
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