Biology B.S. - Concentration: Pre-Physician Assistant

Coordinator: Professor Jennifer L. White

This concentration prepares students to be competitive applicants to post-baccalaureate programs leading to licensing as a physician assistant. Students complete a Biology major with a concentration in Pre-PA studies, which includes specific curricular requirements intended to provide background necessary for admission into a Physician Assistant graduate program. Students are also expected to obtain hundreds of hours of clinical experience outside the classroom, and there are many opportunities available at local medical facilities.

Freshmen must meet the following Entrance requirements: 

• Combined SAT score of 1100 or ACT Score of 24;
• High school GPA of at least 3.0;
• College-prep curriculum that includes four years of English, four years of mathematics, three years of science including biology and chemistry.
• Class ranking in the top 40 percent; and
• Permission of the Pre-PA coordinator.
• Students will be evaluated after their junior year by the Pre-PA coordinator.

Succeeding in the Pre-PA Program 

Students may receive a favorable recommendation from the Pre-PA coordinator by the application deadlines of area PA programs if they adhere to the curricular requirements and clinical recommendations. At the discretion of the Pre-PA coordinator, a student who fails to meet the standards for retention after the junior year may be placed on probationary status for one semester, during which all standards must be met for continuance.

Students should plan to complete general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, introductory biology, and anatomy and physiology by the close of the junior year. Other courses recommended for completion by this time are genetics, animal physiology, histology, comparative anatomy, ecology, microbiology, statistics, and pre-calculus..

Students will be evaluated at the end of their junior year. Several hundred hours of clinical experience (direct patient care, shadowing, or health-related experience) in a hospital, clinic, senior care facility, etc., are recommended by graduation to be a competitive applicant to graduate programs.

This may be accomplished through an internship (BIL 486) subject to approval by the Pre-PA Coordinator.

Total Credit Hours: 120

For more information, contact the department at 570-422-3725 or visit www.esu.edu/biol