Physician Assistant

HPU’s School of Health Sciences, which already houses undergraduate programs in exercise science and athletic training, launched a new Physician Assistant Studies program in 2015. The program will equip students to work in a field where 78 percent of graduates have multiple job offers, according to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Students wishing to apply to Physician Assistant Schools will need to consult the specific prerequisites of the schools to which applications are made. Most PA schools will require that applicants have first hand experience in patient care. For example, this requirement may be satisfied by obtaining CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) or EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) credentials and working as a Nursing Assistant or Emergency Technician. The amount of experience required varies from 150 to 2000 hours. Most PA programs are Masters level programs.

HPU students have been accepted or interviewed at the following PA schools:

• High Point University
• Wake Forest University
• Elon University
• Duke University
• Wingate University
• Methodist University
• George Washington University

All prerequisites must have been completed and each school must be carefully consulted.

Prerequisite courses commonly required include:

• BIO 1399. Introduction to Biological Principles and Literature (4 credits)
• BIO/EXS 2060. Human Physiology ( 4 credits)
• BIO/EXS 2070. Human Anatomy (4 credits)
• BIO 3040. Microbiology (4 credits)
• CHM 1010-1020. General Chemistry (8 credits)
• CHM 2510-2520. Organic Chemistry* (8 credits)
• BCH 3220. Biochemistry* (3 credits)
• PSY 2000. Introduction to Psychology (4 credits)
• PSY 2300. Lifespan Development*(4 credits)
• PSY 2250. Abnormal Psychology* (4 credits)
• STS 2020. Introduction to Statistics (4 credits)
• ATR 1300. Medical Terminology* (1 credit)

*Recommended or required by some programs

Any area of concentration may be chosen as a major, provided the courses required by the PA School are taken. Additional upper level courses in the biological sciences may be required depending upon the program, e.g. Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics, Immunology.

Applicants should expect to take the Graduate Record Examination and to hold a Bachelors degree in order to apply to Masters programs. Application may be made to a minority of schools after completion of 60 to 90 credits of course work.

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