Choosing a career as a Physician Assistant (PA) is a rewarding decision for those passionate about healthcare. PAs provide hands-on patient care, diagnose and treat illnesses, and work in various medical specialties, offering professional versatility. The team-based approach allows collaboration with physicians and healthcare professionals, fostering a supportive work environment. Enjoying a unique blend of autonomy and collaboration, PAs make autonomous decisions in patient care under physician supervision. Competitive compensation further underscores the value of a PA career, making it an appealing choice for individuals seeking a dynamic and fulfilling path in healthcare.

There is no agreed-upon set of competencies for applicants to PA programs. However, as the career is very similar to that of a physician, developing the competencies for medical school will also prepare you for PA school. These competencies include: 

Professional Competencies

• Commitment to Learning and Growth
• Cultural Awareness
• Cultural Humility
• Empathy and Compassion
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Reliability and Dependability
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Service Orientation
• Teamwork and Collaboration

Thinking and Reasoning Competencies

• Critical Thinking
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Scientific Inquiry
• Written Communication

Science Competencies

• Human Behavior
• Living Systems

There is much variation in the course requirements for different PA schools. Because of this significant variation, we recommend that you create a list of schools of interest and list the prerequisites for each school to help you ensure that you meet their specified requirements. We have listed some of the more common requirements across PA schools, but again, each school has its own list, so you must do your research!

Common prerequisites:

• General Chemistry 1 and 2 (each with lab)
• Introductory Biology 1 and 2 (each with lab)
• Anatomy & Physiology 
• Microbiology
• Organic Chemistry
• Physics
• Biochemistry
• Math (calculus and/or statistics)
• English

There is variation between the PA schools in the standardized test they require (and if they even require one). For many years, the schools that required the test required the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). However, in recent years a new test has been developed known as the PA-CAT. In contrast to the GRE, which is a more general test of reading comprehension and quantitative reasoning, the PA-CAT assesses more scientific knowledge. We encourage you to determine the schools to which you plan to apply and then research which test they require so that you can prepare appropriately. 

Many PA programs require extensive clinical experience with hands-on patient care, often around 1,000 hours or more. They may also very specifically define what they will consider hands-on patient care. We encourage you to research the requirements at the schools to which you plan to apply so you can ensure you have met their specific requirements.

There is a common application for PA schools: the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). It is recommended that you apply for PA school in the spring of the year before you plan to enroll, so about 16 months ahead of the time you plan to enter PA school. If your goal is to enter PA school immediately following graduation, this would mean that you would need to apply during the spring of your junior year. However, due to the large number of clinical hours required for most PA schools, the majority of applicants take 1-2 years between graduation and matriculation to meet those requirements.