PA · Albuquerque, New Mexico · public
University of New Mexico Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What UNM asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 12 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry I for STEM Majors Lecture & Lab" and "General Chemistry II for STEM Majors Lecture & Lab," each a minimum of 4 semester credit hours (5 quarter hours). The STEM majors version, not a survey course.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry I Lecture & Lab, minimum 4 semester credit hours / 5 quarter hours." One semester is required; Organic Chemistry II with lab is on the highly recommended list. Within 10 years of application, C or better.
- Biochemistryrecommendeddiffers
1 semester · 3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.
"Biochemistry or Biological Chemistry" sits on the "Highly Recommended Coursework (not required)" list rather than the required one; minimum grade B- if taken.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not on UNM's prerequisite or highly recommended lists.
- Statisticsrecommendeddiffers
1 semester · 3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits and list it as required.
"Statistics" is highly recommended, not required; minimum grade B- if taken. Statistics does not satisfy the psychology line.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Psychology, minimum 3 semester credit hours / 4 quarter hours (Any Psychology course [not Statistics])." The one prerequisite with no 10 year age limit.
- Geneticsrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Genetics or Molecular Genetics" on the "Highly Recommended Coursework (not required)" list; minimum grade B- if taken, within 10 years.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy & Physiology I Lecture & Lab" and "Human Anatomy & Physiology II Lecture & Lab," each a minimum of 4 semester credit hours (5 quarter hours). C or better, within 10 years of application, labs not online.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology Lecture & Lab, minimum 4 semester credit hours / 5 quarter hours." C or better, within 10 years.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not on UNM's prerequisite or highly recommended lists.
- Nutritionrecommendedextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Nutrition" on the "Highly Recommended Coursework (not required)" list; minimum grade B- if taken, within 10 years.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequireddiffers
1000+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours.
"Applicants must have completed a minimum of 1,000 direct patient care hours at the time of application, either in a patient care setting or a significant community care environment. Experience must involve patient care in a healthcare setting to be accepted. Hours may be earned through a paid or volunteer position." Example roles include certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, patient care technician, surgical technician, pharmacy technician, laboratory technician, EMT, PT/OT aide, phlebotomist, athletic trainer, medical scribe, nurse and home health care provider. "Hours completed as part of an educational training or certification program, such as clinical rotations, are not accepted." The incoming class averaged 6,306 hours.
- 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
"Encouraged but not required and does NOT count toward clinical experience." No number published.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
"Demonstrated involvement in community service work (unpaid) is encouraged but not required." The program's strongest-candidate profile cites more than 1,000 volunteer hours, which is a benchmark and not a minimum.
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
A professor is one of several acceptable non-clinical references for the third letter; no science faculty letter is asked for.
- PA letterrequireddiffers
2 letters
Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.
"Three evaluations/letters of recommendation are required ... Two letters of recommendation must be from clinical references," meaning Physician Assistants, Medical Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine or Nurse Practitioners. Any of the four answers each of the two clinical slots; a PA is not specifically required. Letters go through CASPA only.
- Supervisor letternot required here
The third letter "may be from a non-clinical professional reference" such as an employer, volunteer organization or professor, "not a family member or friend." A supervisor is one option, not a requirement.
Also on the school’s page
UNM publishes seven required prerequisites, each with a minimum of 4 semester credits (5 quarter hours) unless noted and a minimum grade of C: Microbiology lecture and lab, General Chemistry I and II "for STEM Majors" lecture and lab, Organic Chemistry I lecture and lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II lecture and lab, and Psychology (3 semester credits, "Any Psychology course [not Statistics]"). A second list is "Highly Recommended Coursework (not required)" with a minimum grade of B-: Organic Chemistry II with lab, Biochemistry or Biological Chemistry, Genetics or Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Nutrition and Statistics. Immunology has no key in this vocabulary and is recorded here only. Science prerequisites and highly recommended courses "must be taken within 10 years of application" (spring 2016 or later for the 2026-2027 cycle); psychology has no age limit. "No more than two prerequisite lecture courses and no prerequisite labs should be taken online." GPA floors are "minimum GPAs of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale" in both a math and science calculation (courses within 10 years) and the cumulative last 60 credit hours. A bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution must be conferred no later than December 31 of the application year. On testing: "Testing is not required for admission." The PA-CAT is "recommended (not required)" with "no minimum score needed," and the GRE and MCAT "are not required" and "do not affect an applicant's candidacy in any way." "Highest consideration is given to applicants who are residents of New Mexico or have strong demonstrated ties to our state." The program describes its strongest candidates as bringing GPAs above 3.8 in both calculations, more than four of the highly recommended courses, more than 8,000 hours of high-level patient care work, more than 1,000 hours of volunteer work, and proficiency in Spanish, Native languages, Vietnamese or ASL; those are benchmarks, not minimums. The incoming class averaged a 3.77 cumulative GPA and 6,306 clinical hours.
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