PA · Aurora, Colorado · public
University of Colorado Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What CU Anschutz 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
- General chemistry with labrequireddiffers
7 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
"Two courses: 7 semester or 12 quarter credits," and "One chemistry course must include a lab." Only one of the two needs the laboratory, and the credit floor is seven rather than the usual eight.
- Biochemistrynot required here
The chemistry requirement stops at two courses with no subject named. Neither biochemistry nor organic chemistry appears in the published prerequisites.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English, composition or writing credits appear in the published prerequisite list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter credits." This one sits in the before-matriculation group rather than the before-submission group, so it may still be outstanding when you apply.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
"Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits." Introductory psychology alone does not answer this, and like statistics it is due before matriculation rather than before submission.
- Advanced biologyrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Upper Division Biology. Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits." This is the line carrying CHA/PA's only recency window: these courses must be "completed within five years of the application deadline," so plan them late rather than early. No lab is stated.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
"Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits," and the sequence "can be completed as one anatomy course and one physiology course or two combined anatomy & physiology courses." The prerequisites page names a lab requirement for chemistry only, not for this line.
- Microbiologynot required here
Microbiology is not named. CHA/PA asks instead for two upper division biology courses and lets the applicant choose them, so microbiology can count toward that block without being required in its own right.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not among the prerequisites CHA/PA lists.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No minimum exists here: "CHA/PA does not require medical experience." The program publishes averages for accepted students on its Admissions Statistics page, which describe who got in rather than what is required.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
Same line. CHA/PA draws no line between patient care and healthcare experience because it requires neither.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No shadowing number is published on the prerequisites or how-to-apply pages, and the program's statement that it "does not require medical experience" covers this too.
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommended
No published minimum
Only a handful of programs require a science faculty letter by name. An academic letter is welcome nearly everywhere and mandatory almost nowhere.
- PA letternot required here
The how-to-apply page asks only for "three letters of recommendation" and names no writer, so no PA letter is required.
- Supervisor letternot required here
Same line. Three letters are required, but the program specifies no relationship the writers must have to you.
Also on the school’s page
CHA/PA splits its prerequisites into two groups. Due before you submit: chemistry, "Two courses: 7 semester or 12 quarter credits" of which "One chemistry course must include a lab"; anatomy and physiology, "Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits," which "can be completed as one anatomy course and one physiology course or two combined anatomy & physiology courses"; and upper division biology, "Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits." Due before you matriculate: psychology, "Two courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter credits," and statistics, "One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter credits," plus the baccalaureate degree. The only recency window applies to one line: the upper division biology courses must be "completed within five years of the application deadline." "All prerequisite courses must have a grade of 'C' or higher to be accepted," and applicants need "a minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0." On experience, the program states outright that "CHA/PA does not require medical experience" and points applicants to its Admissions Statistics page for the averages of accepted students, which are averages and not floors. On exams, neither the GRE nor the PA-CAT is mentioned on the prerequisites or how-to-apply pages; CASPer is, and "The last CASPer test date accepted for the 2026-27 admissions cycle is August 25, 2026." The CASPA application "must be complete (not verified) by September 1st at 11:59 pm Eastern Time," and all other materials are due September 1st at 11:59 pm Mountain Time.
Check your transcript against this list
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