PA · Little Rock, Arkansas · public
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What UAMS asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 11 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General or Principles of Biology I and II with Labs," 8 credits. The full majors sequence, required in addition to anatomy and physiology rather than folded into them.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
The two-semester sequence with lab. Around a fifth of programs want only one semester or skip general chemistry entirely and start at organic or biochemistry.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry I with Lab," 4 credits. One semester only, with the lab, and it is required on top of the full general chemistry sequence rather than in place of it.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Biochemistry is not on the list. UAMS's chemistry requirement is general chemistry I and II plus organic chemistry I, and the 41 credit total accounts for every listed course, leaving no room for an unlisted biochemistry ask.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English, composition or writing credits appear in the prerequisite list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Statistics, not calculus. The exception is regional: several Oklahoma and Texas programs require college algebra instead and do not count statistics, so check those individually.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
General psychology. Many programs fold it into a broader social or behavioural science block that sociology or anthropology also satisfies.
- Geneticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Genetics or Medical Genetics," 3 credits, no lab. Uncommon as a PA prerequisite and easy to miss when planning coursework around other programs' lists.
- Physiologyrequiredextra here
4 credits · lab
"Human Physiology with Lab," 4 credits. UAMS splits anatomy and physiology into two separate 4 credit courses, each with its own lab, so a single combined A&P course will not answer both lines. Subject to the seven year recency window.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
This line carries "Human Anatomy with Lab," 4 credits, only. The physiology half is listed as its own separate 4 credit course with its own lab. Anatomy is inside the seven year recency window.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology with Lab," 4 credits, and one of the three subjects that must have been completed within seven years of program enrollment.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not among the nine listed prerequisites. Worth taking anyway for the coursework ahead, but it satisfies nothing at UAMS.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"500 hours demonstrating direct patient care, which involves independently providing medical care to patients," completed before the program starts. "The experience does not have to be paid or full-time experience. Volunteer hours may count." There is a cap that catches scribes out: "Up to 250 hours of scribing or pharmacy technician will be accepted; the remaining 250 hours must be from a different form of direct patient care." A 500 hour scribe portfolio therefore only half satisfies this requirement.
- 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
Not required and no minimum published. UAMS recommends shadowing for understanding of the profession but states it cannot count toward the 500 patient care hours.
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
The third required letter comes from "a university/college professor or another physician/PA," so a professor is one of two acceptable choices and no science discipline is specified. A second clinician letter can take this slot instead.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
One of the three required letters must come from "a physician or physician assistant." A PA satisfies it and so does an MD or DO, so this is a clinician letter rather than a PA-specific one. "Letters from family members, friends or relatives will not be accepted."
- Supervisor letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
A second required letter comes from "a supervisor (paid or unpaid)," so a volunteer coordinator qualifies as readily as an employer.
Also on the school’s page
UAMS publishes a closed prerequisite list totalling 41 credits, and the parts add up exactly, so nothing is missing from it: General or Principles of Biology I and II with Labs 8, Human Anatomy with Lab 4, Human Physiology with Lab 4, Microbiology with Lab 4, Genetics or Medical Genetics 3, General Chemistry I and II with Labs 8, Organic Chemistry I with Lab 4, General Psychology 3, and Biostatistics or Statistics 3. "A final grade of C or better is required in each of the prerequisite courses." There is a real recency window: anatomy, physiology and microbiology must be completed within seven years of program enrollment, which is a bar rather than a preference and is the single most common reason a career changer's older coursework fails here. GPA floors are a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate and a 3.0 science, both as calculated by CASPA. On exams, the admission requirements page names neither the GRE nor the PA-CAT, so no test score appears to be part of the application; confirm with the program before concluding a score is unnecessary. Residency shapes the read: "Preference in the selection process is given to Arkansas residents. Highly qualified out-of-state applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply." The program runs 28 months, full time and continuous.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what UAMS still needs from you.
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