PA · Brooklyn, New York · public
SUNY Downstate Medical Center Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What SUNY Downstate asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 18 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Biology 1 with lab and General Biology 2 with lab (Must be designated for Science Majors)": 8 credits, in-person lab, within eight years.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry 1 with lab and General Chemistry 2 with lab (Must be designated for Science Majors)": 8 credits, in-person lab.
- Biochemistryrecommendeddiffers
1 semester · 3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.
Not required on its own. Biochemistry is one of five courses that can fill the named upper-division science slot (see the additional science credits line) and is on the recommended additional courses list alongside organic chemistry.
- English or writing-intensiverequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 6 credits and list it as recommended.
"English": 6 credits.
- Statisticsnot required here
Downstate's mathematics prerequisite is "not Remedial Math nor Statistics"; statistics appears only on the recommended additional courses list.
- College mathematicsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Mathematics (not Remedial Math nor Statistics)": 3 credits. Statistics explicitly does not satisfy this line.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two courses: "General Psychology" 3 credits and "Abnormal Psychology or Life Span Psychology" 3 credits. "More than one course may be required to fulfill the Life Span Psychology prerequisite."
- Geneticsrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
On the recommended additional courses list, and one of the five subjects that can satisfy the named upper-division science course.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Anatomy & Physiology 1 with lab and Anatomy & Physiology 2 with lab (Must be designated for Science Majors)": 8 credits, in-person lab, within eight years of matriculation.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology (not Bacteriology) with lab (Must be designated for Science Majors)": 3 to 4 credits, in-person lab.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not on Downstate's prerequisite list.
- Social sciences and humanitiesrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Humanities or Social Science courses": 6 credits, in addition to the two psychology courses.
- Additional science creditsrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Two upper division science courses" at 6 to 8 credits. "One MUST be Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pathophysiology, Genetics, or Pharmacology. These courses are generally physical/life science courses numbered 300 or higher." "Research Science courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement." Upper-division courses from a community college are accepted but proof of upper-division status may be required.
- Nutritionrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
Nutrition is on Downstate's list of recommended additional courses; "Competitive applicants have completed more than four (4) of the above recommended courses."
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No separate patient care minimum. Downstate's single 500-hour health-related experience requirement is recorded on the healthcare experience line; hands-on patient care roles count toward it, and the program "reserves the right to reject experiences deemed to be of little value."
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
Downstate publishes one combined number and does not split patient care from healthcare experience, so it is recorded here. "A minimum of 500 hours of health-related experience (Health care experience should be obtained in the United States over a period of time in a hospital or clinical setting in which you interact with patients, physicians or other health care professionals such as: nurse, nurse's aide, corpsman, medical laboratory technologist, respiratory therapist, emergency medical technician, counselor). Volunteer direct patient care experiences and shadowing may also be used towards meeting this requirement." Candy striper style hospital activities "cannot be applied." Hours must be completed within five years of matriculation and documented by a signed supervisor letter on letterhead.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No separate figure. "Volunteer direct patient care experiences and shadowing may also be used towards meeting" the 500-hour health-related experience requirement.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrequiredextra here
250+ hours
"A minimum of 250 hours of non-clinical volunteer work (Community Service). Non-clinical community activities should not be completed in a clinical setting nor should it involve interaction with patients, physicians or any members of the health care profession regardless of the duties performed." "An altruistic activity that is not paid or remunerated in a tangible way, such as: working in a soup kitchen, working in a homeless shelter, tutoring disadvantaged children." Hours must be completed within five years of matriculation and documented by a site supervisor letter on letterhead describing leadership, responsibilities, length and hours.
Letters
- Science faculty letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"Letters should be written by: a current/former College Science Professor and the other from a clinician." Three letters in total, submitted electronically.
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
One letter must come "from a clinician (Physician Assistant, MD, Nurse practitioner, or other Health Care Professionals e.g. Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist, and Occupational Therapist)." A PA answers it but so does any other health care professional, so this line is recorded as recommended rather than required.
- Supervisor letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"As part of the letters of recommendation, applicants should include a letter from their site supervisor describing their responsibilities, length of the activity, hours devoted to the activity and how they function in their role," for the clinical hours and again for the community service hours. The application instructions require this documentation dated and signed on institutional letterhead.
Also on the school’s page
Downstate publishes a credit table: Anatomy & Physiology 1 and 2 with lab 8, General Biology 1 and 2 with lab 8, General Chemistry 1 and 2 with lab 8 (all three "Must be designated for Science Majors"), Microbiology (not Bacteriology) with lab 3-4, Mathematics (not Remedial Math nor Statistics) 3, General Psychology 3, Abnormal Psychology or Life Span Psychology 3, English 6, Humanities or Social Science courses 6, and two upper-division science courses 6-8, one of which must be Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pathophysiology, Genetics or Pharmacology. "A grade of B is the acceptable minimum in the following prerequisite courses. Competitive applicants are those who have earned B+ or higher grades in the prerequisite science courses with labs." "Science courses with a laboratory requirement must include an in-person (on-site) lab component and be designated for science majors. Online courses, including those with virtual lab components, will not be accepted toward the fulfillment of science prerequisites." Recency is eight years: "All prerequisite coursework must be completed within eight (8) years prior to the planned date of matriculation," with exceptions reviewed case by case. Recommended additional courses: Organic Chemistry, Genetics, Biochemistry, Neuroanatomy, Nutrition, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Statistics, "or other upper-division biology courses at the 300-400 level. Competitive applicants have completed more than four (4) of the above recommended courses." A baccalaureate in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 are required. Experience is unusual: 500 hours of health-related experience and, separately, 250 hours of non-clinical community service, both completed within five years of matriculation and both documented by a signed supervisor letter on letterhead. The requirements page does not mention the GRE, PA-CAT or CASPer; the general application instructions say only that applicants to programs that require a standardized test must upload a score report. Three letters of recommendation. The MS program starts in the summer only, and interview preference is given to Temple University undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students under an MOU. "An invitation to interview at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Physician Assistant program does not guarantee admission."
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what SUNY Downstate still needs from you.
See it for PA schoolAlso in New York
- Albany Medical College Physician Assistant ProgramAlbany
- Canisius University Physician Assistant ProgramBuffalo
- Clarkson University Physician Assistant ProgramPotsdam
- CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant ProgramNew York
- D'Youville University Physician Assistant ProgramBuffalo
- Daemen University Physician Assistant ProgramAmherst
- Hofstra University Physician Assistant ProgramHempstead
- Ithaca College Physician Assistant ProgramIthaca
- Le Moyne College Physician Assistant ProgramSyracuse
- Long Island University Physician Assistant ProgramBrooklyn
- Marist University Physician Assistant ProgramPoughkeepsie
- Mercy University Physician Assistant ProgramBronx