PA · Clinton, South Carolina · private
Presbyterian College Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Presbyterian College asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 15 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Biology I and II with labs (Mammalian, Cell or Human; minimum of 8 semester hours or 10 quarter hours)," completed within 10 years of application with a B- or above.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry I and II with labs (minimum of 8 semester hours or 10 quarter hours)," completed within 10 years of application with a B- or above.
- Biochemistryrequireddiffers
4 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Presbyterian's advanced chemistry line: "Organic Chemistry with lab* or Biochemistry with a lab** (minimum 4 semester hours or 5 quarter hours)." Either course satisfies it, but both must carry the lab, and the grade floor differs: "Organic Chemistry must be completed with a C- or above" while "Biochemistry must be completed with a B- or above." Within 7 years of application.
- English or writing-intensiverequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here: "English (minimum of 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours)." No time limit, B- or above.
- Statisticsnot required here
Statistics is not required on its own. It is one of several courses that count toward the 6-hour mathematics block ("Statistics, Algebra, Calculus, Finite Math, or other equivalent Advanced Mathematics"), recorded on the college mathematics line.
- College mathematicsrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Statistics, Algebra, Calculus, Finite Math, or other equivalent Advanced Mathematics (minimum of 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours)." Any mix of those courses answers it; statistics is one option rather than a separate ask. No time limit, B- or above.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Psychology (minimum 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours)," completed within 7 years of application with a B- or above.
- Geneticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Genetics (minimum 3 semester hours, lab optional or 4 quarter hours)," completed within 7 years of application with a B- or above.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs (minimum of 8 semester hours or 10 quarter hours)," completed within 7 years of application with a B- or above.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology with lab (minimum 4 semester hours or 5 quarter hours)," completed within 7 years of application with a B- or above.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here as coursework: "Medical Terminology (minimum of 1 semester hour or 1.5 quarter hours)." No time limit, B- or above. No substitution by work experience is mentioned.
- Social sciences and humanitiesrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Humanities and/or Social Science (minimum of 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours)." This block sits beside the separate 3-hour psychology requirement. No time limit, B- or above.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No separate patient care minimum is published; the only floor is the combined 200-hour healthcare experience requirement recorded on the healthcare experience line. The program's own warning about the gap: "although we require 200 hours of healthcare experience, competitive applicants often have over 1,000+ hours of healthcare experience that includes direct patient contact upon acceptance to the PA program." That is a description of competitive applicants, not a minimum.
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
200+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
Presbyterian publishes one combined healthcare experience minimum and does not split patient care from healthcare experience: "Applicants must complete a minimum of 200 hours within the past 5 years in a paid or unpaid position that requires applicant's participation in the delivery of healthcare in a clinical environment. Shadowing hours to meet this requirement are not accepted." Paid experience is not required. The program does rank roles: "Highly Competitive Patient Care Experience" includes RN or LPN, surgical or radiology technician, hospital technician or inpatient CNA, EMT or paramedic, medical assistant with hands-on patient care, medic or corpsman, clinical nutritionist or dietician, and respiratory therapist; "Other Accepted Less Competitive Health Related Experience" includes dental assistant, lab assistant or phlebotomist, pharmacy technician, community health worker, PT aide, medical technologist, scribe, clinical research assistant with direct patient interaction, and athletic trainer. The Admissions Director has sole discretion and can request proof of hours at any time.
- PA shadowingrequireddiffers
50+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
Required and PA-specific: "applicants must have at least 50 hours of shadowing a clinically practicing physician assistant in the inpatient, outpatient, and/or telemedicine setting within the last 5 years." "Virtual Physician Assistant experiences and Physician Assistant presentations do not fulfill shadowing requirements." "Healthcare experience hours and shadowing hours are not interchangeable and cannot be substituted for one another."
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
The professor reference, where used, may hold a doctoral degree "in any discipline," so no science faculty letter is asked for; recorded on the any-discipline faculty line.
- Faculty letter (any discipline)recommendedextra here
1 letter
The third reference category: "A college or university professor holding a doctoral degree in any discipline where the candidate has been a student in one or more of the classes taught by the faculty member OR an additional person holding the PA-C, MD or DO designation who holds a current license to practice under that designation." A second clinician can stand in for the professor, so the faculty letter is one of two ways to fill the slot rather than a strict requirement.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
One of the three required references must come from "A person holding the PA-C, MD, or DO designation who holds a current license to practice under that designation." A PA is not required specifically; a licensed MD or DO satisfies the same line. The third reference may also be a second PA-C, MD or DO in place of a professor.
- Supervisor letternot required here
No supervisor letter is named. The first reference category is open: "A reference of your choice from someone who has knowledge of your work ethic, academic record, volunteer work or other activities."
Also on the school’s page
Presbyterian publishes a prerequisite checklist in semester hours with three recency tiers. Within 7 years of application: Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs (8), Organic Chemistry with lab or Biochemistry with lab (4), Psychology (3), Microbiology with lab (4), Genetics (3, lab optional). Within 10 years: General Chemistry I and II with labs (8) and Biology I and II with labs (8, "Mammalian, Cell or Human"). No time limit: English (6), Statistics, Algebra, Calculus, Finite Math or other equivalent Advanced Mathematics (6), Humanities and/or Social Science (6), Medical Terminology (1). Every prerequisite needs a B- or better, "except for Organic Chemistry, which requires a minimum grade of C-," and all must be complete by July 31. "Pass/Fail classes will not fulfill prerequisite requirements." AP credit may be considered if the undergraduate institution granted credit, and the program may ask for AP scores to verify. GPA is a hard screen: "a 3.2 science and 3.2 overall GPA on a 4.0 scale at the time of application is required for consideration of admission. Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements at the time of application submission will not advance to the next stage of application review." A baccalaureate from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, received or in progress, is required. On testing: the GRE is required, "GRE in the last 5 years," submitted to CASPA with school code 2176; no minimum score is published. "No, at this time we do not accept the MCAT or PA-CAT." Three references are required, one from each category: a reference of your choice; a licensed PA-C, MD or DO; and a doctoral-degree professor from any discipline who taught you, or a second licensed PA-C, MD or DO. "References from relatives, even if they are healthcare professionals, are prohibited." Rolling admission with interview preference for applicants who have completed every requirement at the time of review.
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