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PA · New Haven, Connecticut · private

Yale University Physician Associate Program prerequisites

What Yale asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 9 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.

Read from the school’s pageCheck it with the school

Coursework

  • General chemistry with labnot required here

    Not on Yale's prerequisite list. The only chemistry line is one semester of organic chemistry or biochemistry.

  • Biochemistryrequired

    1 semester · 3 credits

    One semester of organic chemistry OR biochemistry, 3 to 5 credits. Either satisfies the line; Yale does not require both.

  • English or writing-intensivenot required here

    Not on Yale's prerequisite list.

  • Statisticsrequired

    1 semester · 3 credits

    One semester of statistics or calculus, 3 to 5 credits. Calculus is an accepted substitute here, which many PA programs do not allow.

  • Psychologynot required here

    Not on Yale's prerequisite list.

  • Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers

    6 credits

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

    One semester of human anatomy and one semester of human or animal physiology, 3 to 5 credits each, or "a combined two-semester course (6-10 credits)." Anatomy lab is "strongly recommended but not required"; physiology lab is "not required." Unlike most programs, Yale applies no recency window.

  • Microbiologyrequireddiffers

    3 credits

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

    One semester, 3 to 5 credits, lab "not required."

  • Medical terminologynot required here

    Not on Yale's prerequisite list.

Experience hours

  • Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers

    1000+ hours

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

    Not a hard minimum. "Competitive applicants are recommended (but not required) to have a minimum of six months full-time healthcare employment, or 1,000 total hours of hands-on patient care experience and/or community service in a healthcare setting. Preference is given to applicants having experience that requires a period of training and results in direct (hands-on) patient care." Named examples include EMT, paramedic, registered nurse, medical assistant, CNA, ER tech, physical therapy aide, medical scribe and personal care provider, so Yale counts scribing here. "Hours associated with the completion of academic degrees, certifications, or training will not count." For the Fall 2025 class, hours of experience ranged from 500 to 4,416 total 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

    No number published. "Applicants are encouraged to 'shadow' a PA to become knowledgeable of the role of the physician assistant; this experience does not count as patient care experience." The program cannot help arrange it: "Due to legal considerations, the Yale University PA Program is not able to assist PA Program applicants with obtaining PA shadowing experiences."

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 letternot required here

    Yale asks for a letter from a healthcare professional who has observed you working, not from a PA specifically.

  • Supervisor letterrequireddiffers

    1 letter

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

    "At least one recommendation must be submitted by a healthcare professional who has observed the applicant in either a volunteer or employment capacity." Yale names a healthcare professional rather than a PA specifically, so a physician, nurse or PA all answer it.

Also on the school’s page

Yale publishes a short, closed prerequisite list of five one-semester courses, each 3 to 5 credits: statistics or calculus, human anatomy, human or animal physiology, organic chemistry or biochemistry, and microbiology. "Anatomy and Physiology requirements can also be met with a combined two-semester course (6-10 credits)." No general chemistry, physics, psychology, English or medical terminology prerequisite is listed. Labs are unusually relaxed: anatomy lab is "strongly recommended but not required" and physiology and microbiology labs are "not required." There is no recency window at all, which is rare on this path: "Courses that may have been taken at any period of time in the past are considered and do not 'expire'." "On-line courses from regionally accredited institutions are acceptable." A "minimum cumulative science GPA of 3.0 is required" and a baccalaureate degree must be completed before matriculation. "A maximum of one prerequisite course may be 'in progress' at the time the CASPA application is submitted" and it "must be completed by December 31st with a grade of 'B' or better." On testing, the GRE is mandatory: "The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) official score is required of all applicants. We do not waive this requirement." The program's apply page does not name the PA-CAT.

School

medicine.yale.edu/pa

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