PA · Columbia, South Carolina · public
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What USC Columbia asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 10 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"General Chemistry, Lecture and Lab: 6 credit hours lecture, 2 credit hours lab."
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry, Lecture and Lab: 4" semester credit hours. Organic is named specifically; biochemistry is not on the table.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Not on USC's table. The chemistry ask is General Chemistry with lab plus Organic Chemistry with lab, recorded on the organic chemistry line.
- English or writing-intensiverecommended
2 semesters · 6 credits
English composition, usually two semesters where it is asked for at all.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics: 3" semester credit hours.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Introductory Psychology or Higher Level Psychology: 3" semester credit hours.
- Geneticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Genetics: 3" semester credit hours. No lab is listed and no expiration applies.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology, Lecture and Lab: 6 credit hours lecture, 2 credit hours lab." "We do NOT accept comparative, animal, or mammalian anatomy and/or physiology courses." The one prerequisite with a recency cutoff: "Anatomy and Physiology courses completed prior to the fall 2019 academic term will NOT be accepted."
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology: 3" semester credit hours. The table lists lecture and lab explicitly for A&P and chemistry but not for microbiology, so no lab is recorded.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here: "Medical Terminology (can be a certificate): 1." The one prerequisite that may be Pass/Fail, and it "may be taken through a United States institution, healthcare institution, or employer for a certificate or CEU hours."
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No separate patient care minimum is published. The only floor is the combined 500-hour health care exposure requirement recorded on the healthcare experience line, and shadowing counts toward it. Applicant scoring weighs "Number of patient care hours" and preference goes to 2,000 or more, which describes competitive applicants rather than a minimum.
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
USC publishes one combined number and does not split patient care from healthcare experience: "You must have at least 500 documented health care exposure hours completed by the time you submit your CASPA application. Preference is given to applicants with 2,000 or more hours. You can obtain these hours through paid, volunteer or shadowing experiences. We do not accept virtual shadowing hours." Acceptable forms include shadowing of a PA, NP, MD or DO, EMT or paramedic, military medic, corpsman, surgical or radiological technician, CNA, laboratory technician with phlebotomy, phlebotomist, athletic trainer, scribe, nursing (CNA, LPN, RN, CMA), PT or OT and their assistants, home health with verified duties, medical interpreter, dietician, pharmacy technician, respiratory therapist, ophthalmic technician and behavioral or ABA therapy. Unacceptable: veterinarian assistant, physician's office receptionist or administrator, massage therapist, chiropractic, acupuncture, aesthetician, dental hygienist or assistant, inpatient transport or orderly, health fitness specialist, patient sitter and optometric technician. Hours are not updated after the deadline. The Class of 2028 averaged 3,070.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
No standalone shadowing minimum. "Shadowing of PA, NP, M.D./D.O." is the first entry on the list of acceptable clinical experience and counts toward the 500 health care exposure hours. "We do not accept virtual shadowing hours."
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
Three letters minimum with no specified sources; no faculty letter is named.
- PA letternot required here
"You must include a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation." No writer type is specified, so no PA letter is asked for.
- Supervisor letternot required here
Three letters minimum with no specified sources; no supervisor letter is named.
Also on the school’s page
USC publishes a short prerequisite table in semester credit hours: Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology lecture and lab (6 lecture plus 2 lab), Genetics (3), General Chemistry lecture and lab (6 lecture plus 2 lab), Organic Chemistry lecture and lab (4), Microbiology (3), Introductory Psychology or higher level Psychology (3), Statistics (3), and Medical Terminology (1, "can be a certificate"). "Your prerequisite coursework must be completed at the time of applying and verified by CASPA for consideration. You may not have any pending prerequisite courses when you submit your application." Recency: "Prerequisite courses, with the exception of Anatomy and Physiology do not expire. Anatomy and Physiology courses completed prior to the fall 2019 academic term will NOT be accepted." "All prerequisite courses must be passed with a 'C' grade or better. 'C minus' grades or below will not be accepted." "Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.2 prerequisite GPA as calculated by CASPA," and preference goes to cumulative and science GPAs of 3.2 or higher. Pass or Satisfactory grades are accepted though a letter grade is preferred; online labs are accepted; AP and IB credit is accepted; courses must come from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, community colleges included. A baccalaureate from a U.S. regionally accredited institution must be complete by July 15 of the entering year. On testing: the GRE is required. "You must take the GRE within 5 years of applying to our program and no later than July 15. We do not have a required score, but preference is given to scores of 300 and above." Verbal and quantitative are superscored; analytical writing is not reviewed. "Applications will NOT be considered without a GRE score. The GRE requirement is optional ONLY for applicants who have previously completed a Master's degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited institution." CASPA GRE code 3541. The PA-CAT is not mentioned. Letters: "you must include a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation"; no sources are specified. Preference is given to South Carolina residents, USC alumni, U.S. veterans, GPAs of 3.2 or higher, GRE of 300 or higher and 2,000 or more health care exposure hours. The program accepts only U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The Class of 2028 averaged a 3.78 overall GPA, 3.80 prerequisite GPA, GRE 306 and 3,070 health care exposure hours; 30 seats from more than 1,000 applicants. "All admission requirements listed must be met for consideration. The PA Program does not allow exceptions."
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