PA · Dayton, Ohio · private
University of Dayton Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Dayton asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 13 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labnot required here
Not on Dayton's prerequisite list; the chemistry ask is two semesters of organic plus biochemistry.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
Both semesters: "Organic Chemistry I with lab: 4 semester hours" and "Organic Chemistry II with lab: 4 semester hours." Ten-year recency window on science prerequisites.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Biochemistry (lab preferred): 3-4 semester hours." Required alongside both semesters of organic chemistry, not instead of them. Ten-year recency window.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not on Dayton's prerequisite list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics: 3-4 semester hours."
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two courses: "General psychology: 3 semester hours" and "Second psychology course: 3 semester hours (i.e., life span development, abnormal psychology)."
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy with lab: 4 semester hours" plus "Human Physiology with lab: 4 semester hours," or, per the page, "Anatomy and Physiology I with lab and Anatomy and Physiology II with lab." Tighter recency than the other sciences: must be completed within seven years of application.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology with lab: 3-4 semester hours." Ten-year recency window.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here as a course: "Medical Terminology: 1-3 semester hours." Non-science prerequisites carry no expiration.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
Dayton publishes no separate patient care minimum. Its single 250-hour health care experience figure can be met by shadowing or patient care; "Roles with direct patient contact are preferred." See healthcare experience.
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
250+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
"Obtain 250 hours of health care experience: Hours can be completed through observing/shadowing or participating in patient care (volunteer work is accepted). Roles with direct patient contact are preferred." The program does not split patient care from healthcare or shadowing hours, so the whole figure is recorded here.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No separate shadowing number. Observing or shadowing hours count toward the 250-hour health care experience figure.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrequiredextra here
20+ hours
"Obtain 20 hours of community service experience: Complete a minimum of 20 hours of unpaid community service work."
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
The academic letter is from a "Recent college professor or advisor in an academic setting," not a science professor specifically.
- Faculty letter (any discipline)requiredextra here
1 letter
One of the three letters: "Recent college professor or advisor in an academic setting." Any discipline; science is not specified.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
One of the three letters: "Physician or Physician Assistant who you have worked with you for at least 6 months." A physician's letter satisfies this line equally.
- Supervisor letterrequireddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
One of the three letters: "Supervisor/manager in the health care industry who can elaborate on your experience and work ethic."
Also on the school’s page
Dayton publishes a semester-hour prerequisite list with no general chemistry, general biology, physics or English on it: Human Anatomy with lab (4), Human Physiology with lab (4), Microbiology with lab (3 to 4), Organic Chemistry I with lab (4), Organic Chemistry II with lab (4), Biochemistry with lab preferred (3 to 4), General psychology (3), a second psychology course (3), Statistics (3 to 4) and Medical Terminology (1 to 3). Grades: "Only grades of C or above will be considered" and "A grade of C- will not qualify for consideration into the prerequisite GPA." Science prerequisites must carry a letter grade, "The program cannot accept pass/fail," and "The University of Dayton PA program does not accept survey or outline science courses." Recency: "All science prerequisites must be done within 10 years of application except for anatomy and physiology, which must be completed within seven (7) years of application. There is no expiration for the non-science prerequisite courses." Applicants "may have up to two outstanding science prerequisite courses when they apply," and "Each applicant is limited to two advanced placement courses." GPA floors: a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution "with a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00," a "minimum prerequisite non-natural science GPA of 3.00, and a minimum prerequisite natural science GPA of 3.00." Testing: "The GRE and/or the CASPer are not requirements for the University of Dayton PA Program." The PA-CAT is not mentioned. Experience is one combined 250-hour figure that the program does not split into patient care and shadowing. Three letters of recommendation from people who have known the applicant at least six months; relatives and friends are not accepted. Application deadline October 1 for the class starting the following August. No transfer or advanced standing.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Dayton still needs from you.
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