PA · Vermillion, South Dakota · public
University of South Dakota Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What USD asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 5 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits
"Two semesters of Biology 7-8 credit hours," of which "3 credit hours must be from upper-level biological course(s)"; the upper-level 3 is recorded on the advanced biology line, so this line carries the remaining general biology semester. The prerequisite line itself does not say lab, though the AP substitution wording refers to "One semester of general biology with lab." Survey courses are not accepted.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Two semesters of Chemistry with Lab 8 credit hours." AP, CLEP or IB credit accepted by your undergraduate institution can satisfy this one.
- Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Biochemistry 3 credit hours." "Combined Organic/Biochemistry courses are not recommended, but if taken must be 300 level or above. If Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry is a combined course, you must complete the entire course sequence to receive credit."
- English or writing-intensiverecommended
2 semesters · 6 credits
English composition, usually two semesters where it is asked for at all.
- Statisticsrequireddiffers
2 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
"Statistics 2 credit hours (e.g., Biostatistics, General Statistics, Psychology Statistics)." AP, CLEP or IB credit can satisfy it.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two psychology courses: "General Psychology (or other psychology elective) 3 credit hours" and "Abnormal Psychology 3 credit hours." AP credit can cover the general psychology semester but not abnormal psychology.
- Advanced biologyrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
Of the two biology semesters, "3 credit hours must be from upper-level biological course(s)." Highly recommended examples are Cell Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology and Pharmacology; Embryology, Endocrinology, Histology and Neuroscience also qualify.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology with Lab 8 credit hours." "Anatomy and physiology requirements can be fulfilled by a series of two courses of combined anatomy and physiology, or each course taken separately. If anatomy and physiology are taken separately, at least one lab is required if not offered with both courses."
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology with Lab 3 credit hours." A basic microbiology course does not count: USD's own MICR 230/232 is not accepted, only MICR 420/422.
- Medical terminologyrecommended
1 credits
Required outright by nearly half of programs, which is more than its recommended level here suggests. Several refuse a certificate or a free online course and want transcript credit; a few teach it after acceptance instead.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"Complete a minimum of 500 patient care experience hours prior to submission of the CASPA application." The catalog entry does not define which roles count.
- 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
Under a fifth of programs set a shadowing minimum; among those that do the median is 20 hours and a handful ask for 100 or more. Several count shadowing inside their experience total rather than separately, and a few have dropped it from scoring entirely.
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 letterrecommended
No published minimum
Fewer than a third of programs require a letter from a PA. Most ask for a clinician letter that a PA, physician or nurse practitioner satisfies equally, so a PA letter is usually sufficient and rarely necessary.
- Supervisor letterrecommended
No published minimum
A letter from a work supervisor is required by about a quarter of programs. Many name no writer category at all and simply ask for three letters.
Also on the school’s page
USD's program page links its admissions requirements to the 2026-2027 Graduate Catalog entry for the Physician Assistant Studies Department, which is the page read here. Prerequisites in semester credit hours, each with a C or better and complete by June 1 of the entering year: two semesters of Biology (7 to 8 credits, 3 of them upper-level), two semesters of Chemistry with lab (8), two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology with lab (8), Microbiology with lab (3), Biochemistry (3), General Psychology or other psychology elective (3), Abnormal Psychology (3), and Statistics (2). "Survey courses will not be accepted for the prerequisite requirements." AP, CLEP or IB credit accepted by the undergraduate institution can satisfy one semester of general biology with lab, two semesters of general chemistry with lab, one semester of general psychology and one semester of statistics; all other prerequisites need a letter grade, with Pass grades accepted only for COVID semesters (Spring 2020 to Spring 2021). "Clinical and work experiences will not be accepted in place of coursework." Recency is a recommendation, not a rule: "Although not required it is highly recommended that courses be taken within the last 10 years." A bachelor's or master's degree from an institutionally accredited college is required before entering, with no preferred major; applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. GPA floor: "Obtain a cumulative and prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale." Experience: "Complete a minimum of 500 patient care experience hours prior to submission of the CASPA application." CASPA deadline is September 1 with verified applications due by October 15 to be considered for an interview, plus a $40 USD Graduate School fee. The catalog entry does not mention the GRE, the PA-CAT, letters of recommendation or shadowing, and it says these are the minimum requirements and to see the program website for more detail; those items are left at baseline here rather than guessed.
School
usd.edu/paCheck your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what USD still needs from you.
See it for PA school