West Coast University - California Master of Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

6 credits · lab

Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.

"General Chemistry I and II with lab (6 semester credits or 8 quarter credits)." The full two-semester sequence, but at six credits rather than eight.

3 credits · lab

"Organic Chemistry with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)." One semester with lab, and it does not replace biochemistry: West Coast requires both.

1 semester · 3 credits

"Biochemistry (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)." Required outright and listed alongside organic chemistry rather than as an alternative to it.

No English, composition or writing requirement appears in the prerequisite list.

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.

No psychology course appears in West Coast's seven line prerequisite list.

1 semester · 3 credits

"Human Genetics (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)." An unusual PA prerequisite and easy to miss, since the baseline does not carry it. The course is named human genetics specifically.

6 credits · lab

Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.

"Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (6 semester credits or 8 quarter credits) OR Human Anatomy I with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits) AND Human Physiology I with lab." Six credits rather than the eight the baseline plans for, and the split anatomy plus physiology route needs a lab on each half.

3 credits · lab

Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.

"Microbiology with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)." The lab is part of the requirement, not a preference.

Medical terminology is not among the required prerequisite courses.

500+ hours

Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.

No minimum: "A minimum number of healthcare experience hours are not required for admittance into the program. However, a point value for, paid healthcare experience, shadowing, and volunteerism is assigned during application review. It is to an applicant's best interest to pursue 500 hours or more to be a competitive candidate." The 500 is competitiveness advice, not a floor, and the program does not separate patient care from healthcare experience.

500+ hours

West Coast does not split patient care experience from healthcare experience. It scores "paid healthcare experience, shadowing, and volunteerism" together as one point value and states that no minimum number of hours is required, so no separate patient care figure exists to record.

20+ hours

Scored but not counted: shadowing is named among the experiences given "a point value" during application review, and the page publishes no shadowing hours minimum of its own.

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.

1 letter

Most PA programmes publish no minimum and list it as recommended.

"Submit three letters of recommendation... At least one letter of recommendation is required to come from a medical provider (MDs, DOs, PAs, etc.)." A PA letter answers this line, but so does an MD's or a DO's: the requirement is a medical provider, not a PA specifically.

Three letters are required but only one writer is specified, the medical provider. The rest need only "provide feedback regarding your preparation for a profession in medicine including professionalism, work ethic, moral character, and academic preparation," so no supervisor letter is required. The page does bar letters from family, neighbors, personal providers and religious leaders.