Welcome to the Pre-physician Assistant (Professional Pre-Diploma)

The biology pre-physician assistant program is for students preparing to apply for admission into a physician assistant program. The field is one of the fastest-growing in the country due to a shortage of primary care physicians as well as economic pressures on healthcare costs. What You’ll Do The curriculum includes required and supporting courses typically required for admission into physician admission programs. Students can select electives in virology, immunology, pathogenic bacteriology, epidemiology, health physics, and toxicology. Gain hands-on experience with required 80 hours outside the classroom experiential learning opportunity shadowing PAs, doctors, and nurses or working at a hospital. Learn in courses devoted to medical terminology, psychology, chemistry, and mathematics. Prepare for MMS schools with rigorous coursework in anatomy, physiology and molecular genetics. Physician Assistants complete a Master’s of Medical Science (MMS). The application process is very competitive. Many programs require substantial (500-2000 hours) of creditable medical employment. This may be fulfilled as a Certified Nurse Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, and other allied health fields. Students considering becoming a Physician Assistant should consult the websites of the institutions they plan to attend for requirements and qualifications for admission.