PA · Long Beach, Mississippi · public
University of Southern Mississippi Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Southern Miss 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
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
3 credits
A standalone general biology line beyond anatomy and physiology and microbiology: "Biology (lab not required)" for 3 credit hours. The laboratory is explicitly not required, but it must still be a course intended for science or health majors.
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
The two-semester sequence with lab. Around a fifth of programs want only one semester or skip general chemistry entirely and start at organic or biochemistry.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
Organic chemistry is named specifically and the laboratory is mandatory: "Organic Chemistry with lab" for 4 credit hours. One semester answers it; the program does not ask for the second semester of the organic sequence.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Biochemistry is not on the prerequisite list. The program names organic chemistry with lab instead, and does not offer biochemistry as a substitute.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English composition or writing prerequisite is listed.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Statistics, not calculus. The exception is regional: several Oklahoma and Texas programs require college algebra instead and do not count statistics, so check those individually.
- Psychologynot required here
No psychology or behavioral science prerequisite appears. The six line table is anatomy and physiology, biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology and statistics.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
The full A&P sequence with lab, the one course essentially every program names. Recency windows bite hardest here: several programs expire A&P specifically, one at three years, while leaving the rest of the list alone.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
Three credits and the laboratory is waived: "Microbiology (lab not required)." Still must be a course for science or health majors.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Medical terminology is not mentioned anywhere in the admission requirements.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"500 minimum Direct Patient Care (DPC) hours," which "Can be paid or unpaid (volunteer) hours." The timing is the sharp edge: "ALL DPC hours must be complete at the time of application," so hours you are still accruing over the summer do not count toward the floor.
- Healthcare experiencenot required here
The program counts direct patient care and shadowing only, and publishes no broader healthcare experience figure.
- PA shadowingrequireddiffers
16+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
Required rather than recommended, and small: "16 hours total required (at least 4 hours must be with a practicing PA)." The rest may be with any prescribing clinician, since "All hours must be completed with a 'prescribing' clinician (e.g. PA, MD, DO, NP)." Like the patient care hours, shadowing must be finished before you submit.
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.
- Physician letterrequiredextra here
1 letter
The program requires a clinician letter without narrowing it to a physician: of the two references, include "at least 1 reference from a 'prescribing clinician' (PA, MD, DO, NP)." A PA, MD, DO or NP all answer this line. "References from family members or friends are not accepted."
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Not required by title. Only two references are asked for, and the requirement is that at least one comes from a "prescribing clinician (PA, MD, DO, NP)"; a PA is one of four writers who satisfy it, not the mandated one.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
No supervisor or employer letter is named. The program asks for two references with one from a prescribing clinician, and rules out family members and friends.
Also on the school’s page
Southern Miss publishes a short six line prerequisite table and, unusually for this path, a January matriculation. Every prerequisite needs a C or better; "Grades of C- or below not accepted," and at most two courses may carry a non grade such as Pass or Fail. "All prerequisite science (not including statistics) courses should be those intended for 'science or health' majors." Two GPA floors apply rather than one: a 3.00 minimum overall and a 3.00 minimum prerequisite GPA, both on a 4.0 scale, alongside a bachelor's degree from a United States accredited institution. On tests the program is explicit and short: "Standardized testing: None required." Neither the GRE nor the PA-CAT is asked for. Experience must be finished before you apply, not before you matriculate: "ALL DPC hours must be complete at the time of application." The page states no recency or expiration window on prerequisite coursework and places no restriction on online or community college credit. Application fee is $60. For the cycle the page describes, CASPA opens April 1, 2026, the final deadline is August 31, 2026, and anticipated matriculation is January 4, 2027, so plan a summer application for a winter start rather than the usual autumn one.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Southern Miss still needs from you.
See it for PA school