Leslie Mean is a 23-year-old single white female who presents to the PA school admissions committee on her second attempt to get into PA school.
She has a 3.68 overall GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She never sat for the GRE, because most PA programs stopped requiring it.
She has two years of hands-on clinical experience working as a CNA and a long history of volunteer work, which exemplifies her desire to help her community.
She is kind and considerate and has reference letters that demonstrate her maturity and strong interpersonal skills.
She was accepted into PA school on her second attempt.
Who is Leslie, and why did she get into PA School?
When asking the question: What do I need to do to get into PA school? You would be smart to talk to Leslie.
Leslie is a hypothetical PA school applicant who went on to become a PA school student, an entirely average PA school student.
She also embodies what PA schools across the country are looking for at this very moment.
How do I know this?
Because PAEA publishes the numbers, and I went and got them. 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — the most ever. In the cycle before that, 34,625 applied and 13,195 matriculated. Those figures, and the profile of the students who got in, come straight out of PAEA's CASPA applicant and matriculation data files.
So when I tell you what the average admitted student looks like, I am not describing a stereotype. I am describing 13,195 real people who started PA school in the most recent class PAEA has counted.
As much as I like to talk about not being average and differentiating yourself from the pack, it's nice to know what average is. Average provides a baseline by which you can measure your progress, set goals, and develop an application timeline.
Does this mean you have to be just like Leslie to get into PA school?
Absolutely not, first, factors such as race, age, ethnicity, etc., are of no importance, and you certainly don't have to be female to get into PA school (I am living proof).
But it is safe to assume that most schools are looking to keep their graduation and certifying exam pass rates high. They have an incentive to take fewer risks, and because of this, anything below average is considered a risk.
Thus, take a good look at Leslie and focus on factors that you can control to differentiate yourself, like your academic standing, your experience, your volunteer activities, your references, and your essay.
If you set the bar at Leslie and end up being a Mother Theresa, I am fairly sure you will be accepted into PA school, although I have no data on religious preference and PA school acceptance rates. 🙂
What are your chances of getting into PA school?
- 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — up from 30,049 four cycles earlier. The applicant pool has grown every single year.
- In the last cycle with complete numbers on both sides, 34,625 applied and 13,195 started PA school — 38.1%. Careful with that figure: it is matriculants divided by applicants, not an acceptance rate, and PAEA does not publish it as one. I am doing that arithmetic for you.
- From a program's side of the desk it looks nothing like 38%. Applicants apply to an average of 8.45 programs each — roughly 292,000 applications chasing about 13,200 seats, or 22 applications for every single seat.
- Both pictures are true, and confusing them is the most common mistake I see pre-PAs make. You are not applying once. You are applying eight times. That is the whole reason your personal odds look so much better than any one program's.
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs and finished the cycle with a median of 1 acceptance. One yes is all you need.
- 29% of this year's applicants were re-applicants, up from 24% four cycles ago. Nearly three in ten people in the pool got told no before and came back anyway. If that is you this year, read that sentence twice.
So, what does an average PA school applicant who is admitted to PA school (i.e., student) look like?
Let's take a look:
In studies, the five most influential noncognitive factors known to have an effect on PA school admissions are faculty interactions, career motivation, knowledge of the PA profession, maturity, and professionalism. - Journal of Physician Assistant EducationClick To Tweet→ The average PA school student is 23 — and getting younger
- The median age of a matriculating PA student is 23, and the average is 23.71.
- 82.9% of matriculants are between 20 and 25. The single biggest misconception about PA school is that it is full of second-career thirty-somethings. It is not.
- But the range runs from 18 to 68. Read that again if you are a career-changer convinced you have aged out. Somebody started PA school at 68.
- The class is getting younger, fast. The average matriculant age has dropped from 25.67 to 23.71 in four cycles — nearly two full years. Pre-PAs are figuring this out earlier and applying sooner.
| Age at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 19 | 43 | 0.3% |
| 20–25 | 10,932 | 82.9% |
| 26–30 | 1,517 | 11.5% |
| 31–35 | 378 | 2.9% |
| 36–40 | 150 | 1.1% |
| 41–45 | 68 | 0.5% |
| 46 and older | 38 | 0.3% |
| Did not report | 69 | 0.5% |
Median 23 · average 23.71 · range 18 to 68. Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195).
→ Four out of five PA students are women
The PA profession skews heavily female, and the gap is widening. 81.45% of matriculating students are women, up from 77.27% four cycles ago.
- Female: 81.45% (10,747 students)
- Male: 18.48% (2,439 students)
- Declined to state: 0.07%
| Cycle | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 81.45% | 18.48% |
| 2023–2024 | 80.33% | 19.56% |
| 2022–2023 | 78.52% | 21.39% |
| 2021–2022 | 78.30% | 21.39% |
| 2020–2021 | 77.27% | 22.52% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data (n = 13,195 in the most recent cycle).
So yes — the majority of your future classmates will be women, and more so every year. That mirrors healthcare broadly, where women make up most of the workforce.
I want to be careful here, because this is a place where people love to speculate. The data reports who matriculates. It does not report why. I have seen it claimed that women are "more likely to be accepted" than men — there is nothing behind that, so I am not repeating it.
If you are a man reading this and wondering whether you belong in a class that is four-fifths women: you do. I am living proof, and so are 2,439 of the students who started last year.
→ Two out of three admitted students hold a Bachelor of Science
Almost everyone who starts PA school already holds a bachelor's degree, and it is usually a BS. A small but real slice arrives with a master's already finished.
| Degree held at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science | 8,730 | 66.2% |
| Bachelor of Arts | 1,629 | 12.3% |
| Master of Science | 323 | 2.4% |
| Other bachelor’s | 131 | 1.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts and Science | 86 | 0.7% |
| Master of Public Health | 69 | 0.5% |
| Bachelor of Science in Education | 50 | 0.4% |
| Master of Arts | 46 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Applied Science | 35 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 33 | 0.3% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle. Top 10 degrees only, so this does not account for every degree held by all 13,195 matriculants.
→ What do admitted PA students major in?
Biology dominates, but not as completely as people assume. Here are the ten most common majors among students who actually got a seat.
| Undergraduate major | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 3,602 | 27.3% |
| Health science | 1,503 | 11.4% |
| Psychology | 936 | 7.1% |
| Biological sciences | 762 | 5.8% |
| Biomedical science | 750 | 5.7% |
| Exercise science | 722 | 5.5% |
| Kinesiology | 604 | 4.6% |
| Neuroscience | 538 | 4.1% |
| Public health | 502 | 3.8% |
| Human biology | 378 | 2.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Top 10 majors only, so this does not capture every major.
Group the biology-flavored majors together — biology, biological sciences, biomedical science, human biology — and they account for about 42% of the entering class. That makes sense, because a bio degree quietly knocks out most of your prerequisites along the way.
But look at the rest of that list. Psychology is the third most common major in the country. Exercise science, kinesiology, public health, neuroscience. There is no such thing as a "PA major." Programs care that you finished the prerequisites and did well in them. They do not care what your diploma says.
I have said this for twenty years and I will keep saying it: major in something you will actually work hard at. A 3.8 in a subject you love beats a 3.1 in biology you slogged through, every time.
Here are some tips on how to choose the best undergraduate major for PA school.
→ Matriculating PA students had a median of 3,200 patient contact hours
PA school applicants come to the table with a variety of medical experiences, especially if they are strong applicants.
This is the single most misunderstood number in PA admissions, so slow down here. The hours a program requires and the hours the people who actually get in have are two completely different numbers.
| The two numbers people confuse | Hours |
|---|---|
| What programs require — median minimum direct patient care | 500 hours |
| What matriculants actually had — median direct patient contact | 3,200 hours |
Requirement: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (2021–22); 67.4% of programs required direct patient care, median minimum 500 hours, range 80–2,500. Matriculant hours: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 53.
Meeting the minimum makes you eligible. It does not make you competitive. If a program says 500 and you show up with 500, you are bringing about a sixth of what the median admitted student brought. Aim for 2,000 hours as a floor, and 3,000+ if you can get them.
Experience in one of the following areas is common:
- Nursing
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Allied Health
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Registered Radiologic Technologist
- Athletic Trainer
- Emergency Services
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Paramedic
- Emergency Room Technician
- Miscellaneous
-
- Phlebotomist (that was me!)
- Medical Researcher
- Medical Volunteer
-
Medical Experience Statistics for PA School Applicants
96.1% of admitted students had been employed in a healthcare field before PA school. The most commonly reported roles were medical assistant (34.8%), nursing assistant (33.0%), scribe (21.4%), EMT/paramedic (17.8%) and home health aide (10.3%). Students could pick more than one, which is why the column below adds to well over 100% — most people did two or three of these jobs on the way in.
| Health Care Employment Prior to PA School | Percent |
| Medical assistant | 34.8% |
| Nursing assistant | 33.0% |
| Scribe | 21.4% |
| EMT/Paramedic | 17.8% |
| Home health aide | 10.3% |
| Emergency room technician | 8.8% |
| Phlebotomist | 7.8% |
| Clinical research coordinator/assistant | 7.0% |
| Physical therapy assistant | 5.5% |
| Pharmacy technician | 4.0% |
| Medical reception/records | 3.8% |
| Medical technician | 3.7% |
| Ophthalmic technician/assistant | 3.2% |
| Surgical technician/assistant | 2.8% |
| Athletic trainer | 2.7% |
| Healthcare administrator | 2.7% |
| Medical lab technician | 2.3% |
| Dental assistant/hygienist | 1.3% |
| Radiologic technologist | 1.1% |
| Health services researcher | 1.0% |
| Source: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 52 (n = 3,117). Students could select more than one role, so these do not sum to 100%. |
How many patient contact hours do PA students actually have?
Here is the full spread of direct patient contact hours among students who started PA school in 2022. Notice how enormous the range is — the top 10% arrived with nearly ten thousand hours, while the bottom 10% got in with 840.
| Direct patient contact hours | Hours |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 840 |
| 25th percentile | 1,750 |
| Median | 3,200 |
| 75th percentile | 5,600 |
| 90th percentile | 9,600 |
| Mean | 4,994 |
Student self-reported hours, derived from weeks worked × hours per week — which is why the mean (4,994) runs far above the median. A handful of second-career nurses and paramedics with 20,000+ hours drag the average up. The median is the number to plan against.
Admissions directors Q&A: What are some of the points that are extremely impressive to you in the application?
Commitment to community, overcoming adversity, a WELL written narrative, great letters of reference from someone that REALLY knows you, ability to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously, and activities that show a particular passion for something are what we look for in a PA school applicant - Penn State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ Do you still need to take the GRE for PA school?
For most applicants in 2026, no — and this is the biggest change in PA admissions since I first wrote this post.
The last time PAEA formally counted, reviewing program websites in 2021–22, 52.2% of PA programs required the GRE. Today it is a minority requirement. Our own running list of PA schools that don't require the GRE puts it at 92 of 338 programs (about 27%) as of July 2026, and an independent prerequisite tracker counted 86 of 318 (27.0%) in April 2026. Two people counting separately landed in the same place.
| Share of PA programs requiring the GRE | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2021–22 — PAEA Curriculum Report 6 | 52.2% |
| July 2026 — program-by-program trackers | about 27%, or roughly 1 in 4 |
The 2021–22 figure is PAEA's own count. The 2026 figure comes from program-by-program trackers, not PAEA, which has not published an update — I am labeling it that way rather than dressing it up as official. Note too that "requires" and "accepts" are different things: another ~70 programs will look at a GRE score if you have one but do not ask for it.
So what does this mean for you? It means the GRE is now a targeting decision, not a rite of passage. Build your program list first, then find out whether anyone on it wants a score. Plenty of applicants never take it.
If you do need one: among the programs that published a GRE expectation in PAEA's last count, the average total was about 307 — roughly 153 verbal, 152 quantitative, and 4.1 on analytical writing. A composite around 300 is workable, and above 310 is genuinely strong.
A note on what I am not telling you. You will find tables all over the internet listing "mean GRE scores of matriculated PA students," often down to a decimal. PAEA's student survey does not ask matriculants for their GRE scores at all — the only GRE data in it is how much people spent on prep books. Any national matriculant GRE average you see, including the one that used to sit in this post, is not coming from where it claims to.
| Admission exam | Share of programs requiring it (2021–22) |
|---|---|
| TOEFL (international applicants only) | 97.0% |
| GRE | 52.2% then; about 27% in 2026 |
| CASPer | 17.2% |
| PA-CAT | 5.6% |
| MCAT | 4.9% |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (February 2023; review of 273 accredited program websites, October 2021–February 2022, of which 268 had usable admissions data). This is the most recent national count PAEA has published.
Percentiles matter more than raw scores. Every GRE administration differs slightly in difficulty, which is exactly why the percentile exists. If your score sits above the 50th percentile, treat it as competitive and put your energy somewhere it will move the needle more — like your hours, your grades, and your personal statement.
→ What GPA do you need for PA school?
Students who got into PA school last cycle had a 3.68 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. Both have climbed every year for four straight cycles.
But here is the number almost nobody publishes, and it is the most useful one on this page. Compare the people who applied with the people who got in, in the same cycle:
| GPA, 2024–2025 cycle | Everyone who applied | Everyone who got in | The gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative undergraduate | 3.47 | 3.68 | +0.21 |
| Science | 3.36 | 3.61 | +0.25 |
The science gap is bigger than the overall gap. That is the whole ballgame. Admissions committees are not just reading your cumulative number — they are pulling out your science coursework and reading that. A quarter of a grade point is the difference between the average applicant and the average admit.
| Cycle | Applicant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant science GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 3.47 | 3.68 | 3.61 |
| 2023–2024 | 3.47 | 3.67 | 3.60 |
| 2022–2023 | 3.45 | 3.64 | 3.57 |
| 2021–2022 | 3.43 | 3.62 | 3.55 |
Source: PAEA CASPA applicant and matriculation data files. Applicant GPAs for the 2025–2026 cycle are already in: 3.48 cumulative undergraduate, 3.37 science — the pool keeps getting stronger.
| What programs set as a minimum | Value |
|---|---|
| Median minimum overall GPA (97.4% of programs state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated overall minimums | 2.5 – 3.5 |
| Median minimum prerequisite GPA (94.1% state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated prerequisite minimums | 2.0 – 3.5 |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6. A 3.0 gets your file read. A 3.68 gets you admitted. If you are sitting below the median right now, the fix is an upward trend and a strong recent science block — not despair. Programs read the trajectory, not just the number.
→ What is the racial and ethnic makeup of PA students?
Most matriculating PA students are white — but that is changing faster than almost anyone realizes.
White matriculants have fallen from 66.8% to 59.1% in four cycles. Every other group grew. This is one of the fastest demographic shifts in health professions education right now, and it is happening quietly.
| Race / ethnicity | Matriculants | 2024–2025 | 2020–2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,801 | 59.1% | 66.8% |
| Asian | 1,998 | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| Hispanic | 1,734 | 13.1% | 11.0% |
| Black or African American | 690 | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Two or more races | 576 | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| American Indian | 23 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian | 8 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Did not report | 365 | 2.8% | 1.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Unlike PAEA's student survey, these categories are mutually exclusive and sum to 100%.
The direction of travel is genuinely encouraging. PAEA also reports that applicants from groups underrepresented in medicine grew by about 35% over the same stretch, rising from 21.4% to 25.5% of all applicants. That matters — patients do better when the people caring for them reflect the communities they come from.
→ How many PA programs should you apply to?
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs (mean 8.6).
- They received a median of 1 acceptance (mean 1.8). Most people who get in, get in once.
- Across the whole applicant pool the average is 8.45 programs — so eight is genuinely the national habit, not a rule of thumb somebody made up.
My honest advice: eight to twelve well-chosen programs, where "well-chosen" means you actually meet the prerequisites and the mission fits you. Firing off twenty applications to schools whose minimum coursework you have not finished is expensive and does nothing. Build your list first, then count it.
→ Pucker up, baby. Most PA students are single!
80% of matriculating students are single (including engaged), and 20% are partnered.
91.4% have no legal dependents. For the 8.6% who do, the average is two dependents, with a maximum of five. If you are applying with kids at home, you are not alone, and you are not disqualified — roughly one in twelve of your classmates is doing exactly the same thing.
| Legal dependents | Percentage of matriculants |
|---|---|
| Without dependents | 91.4% |
| With dependents | 8.6% |
→ Where do PA students grow up?
Not where you would guess. Six in ten matriculants grew up in a town or small city of fewer than 50,000 people, and only 5.6% came from a metro area of over a million. PA education has deep small-town roots, and a lot of programs are actively looking for students who intend to go back.
| Size of the community where the student spent most of their life | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Isolated rural (under 2,500) | 8.0% |
| Small town (2,500–9,999) | 22.6% |
| Large town (10,000–49,999) | 30.1% |
| Mid-size city (50,000–99,999) | 18.1% |
| Large city (100,000–1 million) | 15.6% |
| Urban (over 1 million) | 5.6% |
→ Do you need money and connections to get into PA school?
I get some version of this question constantly: everyone applying seems to come from a medical family with money, and mine doesn't. The data says otherwise, and it is not close.
CASPA asks every applicant a set of questions about disadvantaged background. Here is how the students who got in answered them.
| Among students who started PA school last year… | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Went to a high school where many students got free or reduced-price lunch | 4,774 | 36.2% |
| Come from a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area | 2,681 | 20.3% |
| Come from a family that receives public assistance | 2,021 | 15.3% |
| Went to a high school where few seniors earned a diploma | 448 | 3.4% |
| Took part in a Health Careers Opportunity Program | 148 | 1.1% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Students could answer yes to more than one.
More than one in three admitted PA students came from a high school where hunger was common enough to be measured. One in five came from a place without enough clinicians. Those students got in. Read that again if you have been quietly wondering whether people like you get into PA school.
And here is the part I care about most: those are exactly the PAs the country needs. Students who come from underserved places are far more likely to go back and practice in them. If that is your story, it is not a weakness in your application. It is the strongest thing you bring.
Admissions directors Q&A: Who is the perfect PA school applicant?
Our program will look to utilize a holistic approach to admissions. We look at academic success, life experiences, and community activities to evaluate all candidates. There is no one mold to fit the PA profession. However, PAs need strong communication skills, leadership, grit, and a willingness to support the community - Michigan State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet Students need to be well organized, know how to manage their time and outside influences, and have a genuine desire to help and care for people. PA school is rigorous, so we recommend honest conversations with family and friends ahead of your start. - CWRU PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ PA school students don't smoke pot and are not drug dealers or part of the Italian Mafia
Assume yes to both. Every PA program I am aware of requires a criminal background check, and the large majority require drug screening before you can start clinical rotations — hospitals demand it of the program, so the program demands it of you.
I am giving you that as my read of the landscape rather than a statistic, because the percentages that used to sit here were attributed to a PAEA student report that does not measure this at all. Check the program's own admissions page — that is the only source that binds them.
If you have something in your history, disclose it early and honestly. I have watched applicants with old convictions get into PA school. I have also watched applicants get pulled from a class over something small they tried to hide. The offense is almost never the thing that ends it. The nondisclosure is.
Some Important Points
It's Not Rocket Science: It is important that a candidate demonstrates reasonable aptitude in the hard sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology. It is more likely that the committee may overlook a grade of C in U.S History or Spanish I. They will be less tolerant of a marginal grade in the sciences.
Show compassion: Your GPA is stellar, and you've amassed an impressive amount of medical work experience in the little spare time you have while keeping your grades pristine, but you still get that dreaded rejection letter. Why?
You didn't do enough volunteer work. Volunteering exemplifies your desire to help your fellow man—the attribute identified by schools as one of the most integral to becoming a successful PA.
Students who have had experience in working with underserved populations, rural or diverse populations, performing volunteer service or disaster relief, or other experiences that illustrate a drive and compassion for others often stand out to the admissions committee!
The view from the top isn't that crowded
It's an easy race to the bottom, so set your sights on the top.
People deflate when they read that only about a third of applicants get in each year. I think that is exactly backwards. Being in the top third of any field is not nearly as hard as it sounds — because most of the competition is not doing the work you just did by reading this far.
You have just read the whole thing. You know what the median actually is on hours, on GPA, on how many programs to apply to — and you know which "statistics" floating around the internet are made up. That already puts you ahead of most of the people you are competing with.
If you aim high, you will be competing with a much smaller minority, and your odds of getting an acceptance letter will increase dramatically. It also helps if you apply to 12 programs. 😉
What is new for the 2026–2027 CASPA cycle
- The cycle opened April 30, 2026 and closes April 1, 2027.
- The COVID-19 impact essay is gone. In its place is a new situational question asking how future PAs should use emerging technology — AI, telemedicine, wearables — while keeping care patient-centered.
- There is now an AI attestation. You confirm the application is your own work. Write your own essay. I mean it.
- Fees are $185 for the first program and $65 for each additional one. Fee waivers are available at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, cover your first two programs, are first-come first-served, and the submission window is now 21 days.
- There are 330 ARC-PA accredited PA programs as of May 2026, and eight more were granted provisional accreditation at the April 2026 meeting. The number of places to apply keeps growing.
Sources — so you can check my work:
- Applicant counts, applicant GPAs and re-applicant share: PAEA CASPA Applicant Trend Numbers, cycles 2021–2026 (posted May 2026). This is where the 35,280 applicants for 2025–2026 comes from.
- Matriculant counts, GPA, science GPA, age, gender, race, majors, degrees and disadvantaged-background data: PAEA CASPA Matriculation Data, 2020–2025 (posted March 2026), covering the 2024–2025 entering class (n = 13,195).
- Programs per applicant and URiM growth: PAEA, "PA Program Applications Show Growth, Persistence."
- Admission exams, minimum GPAs and minimum patient-care hours: PAEA Curriculum Report 6, a review of 273 accredited program websites.
- Patient contact hours, prior healthcare roles, programs applied to, marital status, dependents and where students grew up: PAEA By the Numbers: Student Report 6, PAEA's most recent national student survey. CASPA's data files do not measure these, so this is the only national source for them.
- Accredited program counts: ARC-PA, Currently Accredited Programs.
- Cycle dates, fees and application changes: PAEA 2026–2027 CASPA Applicant Guide.
Where a number is my own arithmetic on PAEA's figures rather than something PAEA publishes directly — the 38.1% matriculation rate, the 22-applications-per-seat figure — I say so in the text. Where a number simply does not exist, I say that too instead of filling the gap. Numbers on this page were last verified in July 2026.
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Hi Stephen,
I’m in my first year as an undergrad student working toward applying to PA school in the future. I’m taking/working toward all the correct prerequisites, going to work my HCE hours over Summer break, along with volunteer opportunities. With all that said, is it possible to make it into PA school straight from an undergraduate degree? I’m also concerned with paying my way through PA school. Are there very many scholarships available?
Thanks,
J.
Hi Juli,
Yes, you can make it into PA school straight from an undergraduate degree. I would estimate almost 1/4 of my PA school class were in that category. This depends on where you apply, some schools require more hands on patient care experience and may not be an option in this case. So you will have to modify your application pool accordingly. As far as paying for school, here is a recent post I wrote on this subject: How to bankroll PA school without going broke.
Hello Stephen,
I have spent 6 years in the Air Force as a Public Health Technician, and will be seperating soon to pursue becoming a PA. Would this count as medical expereince and hold any weight when my package is reviewed? Or should I become an EMT while I am finishing up my last year of sciences to be more competative?
Hi Stephen,
I am a 27 y/o and am an ER RN-BSN and have been for about 3 years now working only in Emergency Medicine. I really would love to pursue the route of P.A. but have difficulty seeing the commitment difference between pursuing P.A. vs just getting my FNP. I would love to do P.A. school but have a few more pre-reqs before applying. I have a 3.4 GPA and have several years of nursing experience, teching experience, as well as volunteer jr. high mentor counseling experience. Would you think my chances of getting into PA school are good? Also, do you think the time commitment is worth it seeing that I could just get my FNP a lot easier in a couple years?
Thanks,
Jon
Hi Jonathan,
That is an impressive resume, I think your chances are extremely good!
As far as FNP vs. PA it depends mostly on what you want to do. Is there a specific reason you are choosing PA over FNP? If so what are your reasons?
– Stephen
The main reasons would be from an educational standpoint. PA going through medical model and NP basing theirs off the nursing model or nursing theory. Don’t get me wrong, I love the nursing profession and it is exciting and has given me irreplaceable experience but in terms of looking forward becoming a provider I would like to be “prepped” and educated as best as possible. Therefore, considering PA route to give me a deeper base of understand and education on the provider level.
That is a good reason although having worked with many, many NPs I find their education and training to be on-par with that of PAs. The advantage I see is from a specialization standpoint – for example if you plan on going into a surgical subspecialty, this is often easier to do as a PA. Otherwise, I am not sure if the benefits would outweigh an additional time commitment, especially if you plan on pursuing family medicine, or even ER medicine for that matter.
– Stephen
Hi there. I have been a certified surgical technologist for almost 10 years and have finally decided that I should go back to school and really want to be a PA. I, as a teenager, wanted to be a forensic pathologist or a trauma or Orthopedic surgeon and I was content with working with surgeons for the last 10 years, but I know that I am smarter and would be a good PA. The problem that I am running into is that I love learning and I want to study everything in a lot of ways. I am not sure what major I should choose to have my bachelors in. The health sciences bachelors program at one of the colleges in the city I live in is so flooded with a mile long wait list. The college that has the PA program here doesn’t offer a health sciences bachelors degree. I am just trying to weigh and consider options for a good major to get into the PA program. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
side note, I am currently enrolled in a junior college to retake A&P, micro, etc for the pre-req classes required as it’s been about 10 years since I last took them and they require them take within the last 5.
Hi Heather,
I ended up choosing Zoology of all fields because I wanted to take advanced cellular and social biology, physiology, anatomy, biomechanics and genetics and all of this was part of the Zoology track. Who would have known! I have to thank my guidance counselor for this one. So my first piece of advice is to speak with a guidance counselor at your college, they are the best at looking at your interests and combining your necessary prerequisite coursework into a major. You may be surprised at what they come up with. My cousin, who is a very happy orthopedic PA of 6 years, majored in Kinesiology – prior to discussing this with her, I hadn’t even heard of that as a major. Biology and biochemistry are common, but you could major in anything as long as you meet your prerequisites and show that you are a capable student who is proficient in the sciences. Also, if you have the time and resources, picking a minor such as Spanish can be a very good choice for the long term!
– Stephen
Great content on your site, and thank you so much for your insight! I would like to note that Athletic Training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an Allied Health Profession. 🙂
Hi Sarah,
I did not know that and I am sure I am not the only one! Just another reason to become an athletic trainer – it always seemed like it would be a fun job!
– Stephen
Stephen,
I am currently a student in an MA program and I am thinking of continuing my education to become a PA. I will be finished with my MA program in May 2016 and hoping to start undergrad in the fall of 2016. My question is, what should I major in at undergrad school? Is there a specific major PA’S major in?
Hi Erin,
Here is a blog post I wrote on this topic, it also includes a bit about the approach I took: https://www.thepalife.com/prerequisites/
The truth is, you can major in anything you would like, as long as you complete the required prerequisite coursework and you are able to find the time (and mental stamina) to complete the higher level science courses. It is important that you show an aptitude for the sciences and it may be easier (and faster/cheaper) to choose a science major for this reason. This can match up well with a minor such as Spanish which can make for a very good combination that would prepare you not only for PA school but for your career afterwards.
– Stephen
Is it a good idea to get my Bachelors in Criminal Justice? I only have 5 more classes to finish up all my preqs for the PA Program. I’m just worried if were to get my Bachelor in Criminal Justice, it would lower my chances to get into any schools.
Hi Sergio,
I sometimes feel that having a major outside of the sciences is of greater value. For one, it is harder to do, also it proves you are a well-rounded individual with interests outside of science and medicine, and it helps you stand out from a pool of biochem majors 🙂 You don’t need to worry about it lowering your chances for admissions to PA school. As long as you can show and aptitude for the sciences and an ability to handle the rigors of PA school, it really does not matter what your major is.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I actually have a question on behalf of my wife. Specifically, in regards to pre-reqs. Most PA program application instructions state that classes must be take within 5-10 years of applying to PA program.
Well, I’m afraid in my wife’s case, her pre-reqs are a bit more dated than that. Is there any chance of getting them accepted? If not, does that mean that she will have to re-take all pre-req’s if she has any hope of being considered?
Hello,
I graduated college in 2014 and I have been applying to PA schools but feel discouraged because I dont think I met the requirements needed. My GPA is a 3.1 and my science GPA is a 3.2. However I have over 4+ years experience working as a scribe and as a lot of patient contact hours. Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of getting into PA. What i lack in GPA i make up with my work ethic and passion for wanting to be a PA.
Thanks,
Hi John,
You shouldn’t feel discouraged, there is a lot more to PA school admissions above and beyond your grade point average. The key is to highlight these on your application. Trust me, everyone knows that undergraduate GPAs mean very little in the scheme of things and there is nothing linking high GPAs to better patient care or clinical outcomes (and vice versa). Programs are looking for strong candidates with grit, compassion, an empathetic heart and the aptitude to not only make it through PA school but to develop a career in medicine that reflects well on the program and your patients. This is why the personal statement, your letters of recommendation and all that health care experience is so important. A GPA is just a number, it is arbitrary and nothing more than a bar you must clear. Blow them away with your maturity, strong will, dedication and knowledge of the PA profession and you will have an excellent chance. Hang in there!
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I took the GRE today and only received a score of 298 (not sure of what percentile i’ll actually fall into but the gre website said around 37-41st percentile), which has made me very discouraged. My science GPA is a 3.45 and my overall GPA is a 3.5 and I have 1500 patient contact hours, but I’m wondering if I should waste my time and money on taking the GRE again. One of my schools requires a 302 so I would have to let that one go but the other 3 say they don’t have a minimum requirement but competitive applicants will fall in the 50th percentile range or above.
Hi Marissa,
No, I wouldn’t waste time or money on retaking the GRE. Your overall GPA shows you are very competent and your science GPA is just further proof. Also, you have a good amount of patient contact hours so don’t sweat it. Also, I would still consider throwing my application into the applicant pool even if I didn’t meet this minimum requirement. I didn’t meet the minimum GPA requirement for Rutgers and not only did they still interview me, the accepted me. You just never know!
Hang in there, you are doing a great job!!!
– Stephen
I was thinking about changing majors from occupational therapy to PA. The main thing preventing me from changing is the uncertainty of graduate school. How many times can you apply and should the fear of not getting in and spending all this money for an undergraduate stop me from pursuing it?
-Anna
Hi Anna,
You are asking the million dollar question. Pablo Picasso once said “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” What is your gift? And how do you want to give it away? This is what the real question is, because if these two thing are aligned (at least in my experience) it doesn’t matter what obstacles are in your way, the path will be a natural one. Although, it is not guaranteed to be an easy one. Also, this is not the same as simply pursuing one’s passion. Don’t let fear stand in the way of pursuing something you believe in, what do you believe in, what is your gift, and how are you going to give it away? Somewhere, buried in that I believe is your answer.
– Stephen
Thank you for useful info. I was just wondering if you knew any data of pregnant women or mothers of toddlers getting into PA schools, and how that goes? Is it doable?
Hi Alyssa,
It is absolutely doable. I had at least 5 classmates, all mothers, two of whom were pregnant during the didactic and clinical phase. I don’t have data (beside anecdotal) on actual numbers. But PA programs will usually go out of their way to provide the necessary to support to help you. If they don’t, then it is not a PA school you should be interested in anyway.
Cheers,
– Stephen
Thank you so much for asking the right question! I was getting a bit discouraged myself because I’m a mom and I don’t want to give up on something that I wanted to be my whole life.
I was wondering if you had any information about online PA programs. Are they a good idea? Do you have any tips on what to look for when choosing one?
They are up and coming. There are many NP programs that are now online, and PA programs are just starting to come online. I think they are a wonderful idea that will drive down costs and make PA school much more accessible. Keep your fingers crossed that the schools currently applying for online components will become accredited. This is a big trend for the foreseeable future. Both in PA education and in the treatment and care of our patients.
– Stephen
Stephen,
I hope this blog is still active! I’m in need of advice that I can’t seem to find anywhere else. I am a student who went to community college for three semesters right out of high school and my transcripts from those times are full of W,C,F’s whatever, because I didn’t care. I went on to a University and graduated with, again, a less then stellar overall GPA because of my freshman year. However, I definitely showed progress and my last semester was a 3.8. Now, 7 years from my community college transcripts and 2 years from graduating with my degree I’m trying my best to fix my overall GPA for my applications. Given that all of my low grades are from remedial work, I’m wondering if it would look less competitive if I repeated these online? This way it is self paced and I am able to knock them out before Feb when I’m submitting my apps. I have read that the most competitive is obviously in person from a university. Well, my two options are: in person at a community college or online from UNE which is accredited and accepted for my programs. I have already taken several online classes and I don’t want my application to be less competitive for it. I have not been able to get ahold of an admissions rep but I have discussed this with a “customer service specialist” at my number one school and she said that it doesn’t matter as long as it is accredited. Again, I’m repeating these classes for a better grade. Let me know what you think. Oh by the way, the classes in question are Chem 1 and Chem 2. Overall I have a minor in chem with A’s and B’s in Ochem 1, Ochem2, Biochem, Medical Biochem and all of their associated labs.
Hi Hailey,
The quickest, easiest and least expensive option that fits with your schedule is the best option. Online courses fit most of these categories. If you are worried that it will make you less competitive, it will not. The school will applaud your efforts and it shows your determination. More important than this is what you have been doing the two years since graduation. If you have been building up your health care experience and getting hands on patient care, beefing up your resume, creating an eye popping personal statement and solid letters of recommendation. You should feel very confident in your chances despite these freshman year grades. We have all been there, it is more about the finish anyway, and you finished very strong. Congrats!
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I’m a junior at Washington state university majoring in kinesiology. I took KINES 262 last year which is human anatomy with a lab. Will that count for the Anatomy prerequisite for PA school? My plan is to get my bachelors in kinesiology then do EMT training to get medical experience. What do you think my chances are? And what kind of classes do you think someone applying to PA school must take?
Thanks!
-Alyssa
In these situations, the only way to be sure that a particular class will count towards the prerequisite requirements is to go to the school in questions and start by consulting their website. If it is still unclear you should call the program directly.
My cousin graduated with her bachelor’s in kinesiology while working as an athletic trainer for the football team at Cal Poly. She then worked as a phlebotomist for 1.5 years prior to applying to PA school. She was accepted on her first attempt.
In regards to classes take a look at this post: Please feel free to leave me a follow-up comment if you still have questions, I am more than happy to help.
– Stephen
“Roughly 5 out of every 100 applicants will be accepted into PA school or, if you like percentages, you have a 5% chance of being accepted.”
This is completely erroneous and misleading.This statistic assumes each application = 1 applicant which simply is not the case. If 100 people each apply to 10 different schools, there are 1,000 applications. Even if all 100 people are accepted and enroll, it would still seem like a 10% acceptance rate when reality, it’s 100%. In reality, Over 65% of PA applicants are accepted.
Hi Jacob you are right!
Here are the actual numbers from the PAEA conference. I am going to update this post to reflect this. I, and the many disheartened PA school applicants thank you!
If you apply to one PA program – you have a 25% chance of getting in
If you apply to 12 programs (or more) – you have a 49% chance of getting acceptance
No additional benefit for more than 12 applications.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen!
Thank you so much for this website and the plethora of wisdom (and encouragement!) you provide 🙂 I had a quick question – why is there no additional benefit for applying to more than 12 programs? I was trying to find this on the PAEA website, but I was not able to. I was originally going to apply to 20 programs to increase my chances as much as possible, but perhaps I should save some of that money and put it towards other school costs?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Stephen,
I have a question. I’ve been working as a respiratory therapist for about 8 years, and I’ve decided to now try for PA school. I did not go for a Bachelor’s degree in college, opting for the AAS in Respiratory Therapy. However, by the time I finish a Bachelor’s I’ll be 30. Will this affect my odds at getting into PA school?
Not at all Sarah, you are still a spring chicken in the eyes of the admissions committee. In fact, your extensive experience and training combined with the fact that you have returned to school to pursue a career in medicine after having already worked in the field for 8 years will give you an advantage over the competition. In all honesty, if you earn high marks and can showcase your strong academic standing you should be a shoe-in.
– Stephen
Stephen,
I am a student from Canada. I was curious as to what my chances are or what schools you might suggest may be more likely to accept a Canadian applicant. I have an Undergrad in Honours Human Kinetics, two years of Naturopathic medical school (before choosing to leave to apply for PA), I currently work as a Personal Trainer and have applied and been accepted to PA schools in Canada. I wanted to attend a school in the US as they are more globally recognized.
Do you have any advice?
Logan