EIU Pre-Health Pathways

Pre-Physican Assistant

Physician Assistants (PAs) are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. PAs practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality. With thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are versatile and collaborative.

PAs are educated at the master’s degree level. There are more than 250 PA programs in the country and admission is highly competitive, requiring a bachelor’s degree and completion of courses in basic and behavioral sciences as prerequisites. Incoming PA students bring with them an average of more than 3,000 hours of direct patient contact experience, having worked as paramedics, athletic trainers, medical assistants, or certified nursing aides for example. PA programs are approximately 27 months (three academic years), and include classroom instruction and more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations. Some programs may require the GRE or MCAT for admission. The average GPA of matriculants is 3.5/4.0. Attributes such as demonstrated caring attitude toward others, strong communication skills, emotional stability under stress and problem-solving ability are important selection factors.

Each PA program has different requirements. It is very important to identify early which programs you plan to apply and plot out their requirements accordingly.

Additional information about PA programs and important links can be found at the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Physician Assistant Education Association websites.

Advising sheet

Non-Biology Advising sheet