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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Hey Stephen,
I’m 26 years old. I was a liberal studies major but really pre-med so I have all the pre-reqs and then some for PA. I was considered a “competitive candidate” for medical school according to my university’s pre-health advising office. I took the MCAT and scored at 27, decent enough score and have taken practice GREs and I’m averaging about 160 on both sections. I decided not to pursue medical school due to the lengthiness of it. I am recently married and we are expecting our first this coming February. PA seems like a perfect fit- still get to fulfill my desire to help people but skipping out on the at least 5 extra years. My only real concern when it comes to applying PA programs, is the clinical experience. I have done 60 hours of direct patient contact in the neurology department at a local children’s hospital. My experience is limited due to the fact that I was the primary caretaker for my grandmother who suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s for the past 2 years. My question for you is if I began to shadow now will that be good enough to meet the clinical experience requirement or is some sort of medical certification really what PA programs are looking for even though they don’t directly say it? Thank you so much for help!
Happy Holidays
I need some advice on picking what B.S in health science would be common for getting into a P.A. program…… plus I found UF has a 2-yr P.A program and I want this sooooo bad….
Thank you
Angela
Hi Angela, Happy Holidays to you as well!
Your major isn’t so important, I work with a PA who was a drama major and another who studied art history. Both had to make a little extra effort to complete their prerequisite coursework but I am sure the programs they attended appreciated their varied academic interests.
In truth, your major doesn’t matter so much, in my experience it is easier (and faster) to major in the sciences as much of the prerequisite coursework is already part of your major, which is the main reason for going this route. I chose Zoology, not because I wanted to work in the San Diego Zoo, but because I was able to study biology, genetics, biomechanics and physiology (all my passions) which were not part of a general biology or pre-med track. I got this idea from my college advisor. Advisors can look at your interests, where you are coming from, where you are going and make solid recommendations for you while laying the groundwork to build a schedule to achieve your goals based on what your school offers. The University of Washington (where I attended) didn’t offer a “health sciences” major at the time, only degrees in hard science which you could tailor a bit to fit your individual needs. Your school may have other options available. If you haven’t already I would write down your goals and mandatory prerequisite coursework and make an appointment with your college advisor so you can have a clear picture of where you are going and feel confident about your decision. Of course anything you decide today does not have to be set in stone!
Have a wonderful Christmas, drop me a line if you have any more questions!
– Stephen
Hi, Thank you for all the info! I have a lot of patient experience volunteering with hospice (approx 900 hours), around 150 hours of shadowing, and recently got a job working as a Care assistant at a home for adults with disabilities. I also have done a volunteer mission trip to Louisiana, and do research with a professor outside of classes. I am a creative writing major. Right now my GPA is around a 3.4 ish, not sure what my science vs nonscience GPA is, though, but i have gotten all A’s in my bio classes and all A’s and B’s in my chem and physics classes. I am a junior, and planning on applying this summer. I will still have to take A&P I and II after I apply. What do you think my chances are?
Hi Stephen,
My situation is a unique one. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a M.D. I got married young, had four sons and am now 50, kids are grown and am now very interested in becoming a PA. I did attend college in my early 20’s and again in my 30’s but didn’t finish. I have over 25 years experience in the medical field in a few different capacities; 5 years as a secretary in cardiology department, 20 years as a medical transcriptionist/medical record editor and 11 years as a certified massage therapist. So, here I am today; 50 y/o, no bachelor’s degree – yet – (I did always have excellent grades in science colleges courses, A&P, chemistry, biology, etc., but realize I would be required to retake all science courses as most of my college credits are over 20 years old), I’m very excited and motivated though to do whatever it takes, but am wondering what your opinion is for my set of circumstances? Thanks so much!
Hi, I’m a 31 year old who just lost her job and is looking to going back to school to be a PA, I’ve also considered being a DPT…I have an economics degree (2012) but am looking more towards the medical field since there is more job stability and would be more rewarding than the field I am currently in.
I need 6-7 more pre reqs before I even apply…my GPA is acceptable as of now and the science classes I took in the past have been A’s or B’s. I have a year of medical experience (from when I was wanting to get into the medical field originally) from 10 years ago, so that is one concern of mine along with having no volunteer or shadowing experience. And I still need to take the GRE…Can you advise what plan of action I should put together so that I can be accepted into one of the PA programs in TX.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Naz, good for you for making a bold career move and pursuing a new career path you are passionate about. Believing in yourself and giving yourself the permission to move foreword is the first obstacle, the rest is the easy part. ?
Sounds like you know what you need to do, now you must simply develop a concrete plan. It may be good to speak with an academic advisor. Make a spreadsheet comparing the schools you are interested in applying to that combine your academic interests with the prerequisite coursework which fits your profile. Bring this to an advisor and (if you haven’t already) and make a course plan, this will give you a timeline for completion of required prerequisite courses.
In the meantime find a way to start logging health care experience hours. You may have to take a certificate course on the side to do this. I have heard there are options to “test out” for certain careers such as CNA which may give you an opportunity to fast track this process some. Shadowing is all about being persistent, take an online course and get HIPAA certified, this can help.
Not all schools require the GRE so make sure you do, indeed need to take it.
Drop me a line anytime if you have questions along the way!
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
Thank you for all amazing information and advice!
I’ve calculated my GPA and after this semester, my total GPA will be around a 3.33.
I’m worried of my chances of getting into a PA school because I don’t have the best science grades in the world.
Genreal bio- B
Anatomy- C
Physiology- B
Microbiology- B
Gen chem 1 lab: B
Gen Chem 1 lec: B
currently I’m taking gen chem 2 and I feel like I will be getting a C in lecture but an A in lab. I still have Organic chemistry left as well as medical terminology and Genetics. I till have a A LOT of classes to take before I earn my bachelors though. I’m not feeling so stellar with my science grades. Do you recommend that I repeat my anatomy class?
by the time I apply, I will have at least 1,000 clinical hours as a hospice volunteer and anywhere around 300-400 hours of helping the underprivileged + 20 hours of shadowing a PA.
what do you think of my chances? can I do anything to improve?
Hi Sammy,
What’s your major/minor.
Have you spoken with an academic advisor at your school and discussed your concerns?
– Stephen
HI Stephen!
sorry, for some reason I never got notified that you replied back to me! 🙁
my major is health science (public health)!
and no, I have not spoken to an academic advisor about my concerns.
Hi Stephen,
All of your information is so helpful!! I am in my senior year at a top UC school and I am wanting to go to PA school after I graduate. I currently have a 3.3 GPA with a science GPA of a 3.2. I have a stellar resume with a balance of internships and volunteer work and I am already starting to gain my hours as a medical assistant. I am just a little worried that my GPA will bring me down. I am going retake some classes at community college and take of some of the pre-requisites that were not offered at my school. Is there any advice you can give me on how increase my chances of getting in?
Keep up the great work Heather, I have little doubt that you are on your way to PA school in the not so distant future! Hang in there, stay positive and keep doing exactly what your doing.
– Stephen
Excellent article, very insightful, I am an older potential student (36), looking to transition into a more helpful, satisfying career coming from a non-medical, non science background. My undergrad GPA is terrible (appx 2.5-2.7) due to a series of personal issues while in college. However, I have since received a MBA with a 3.95 GPA, if I am able to obtain a similar or higher GPA in all my pre-req and Science courses in preparation for applying to a PA program, what is your opinion on my chances from a strictly academic standpoint? Thanks!
Wonderful!!! I attended PA school with at least 5 classmates in a similar situation as yours and they were all top of the class. Many of our personal statement candidates who receive admissions would say the same. Hang in there and keep up the great work. I am pretty sure it will pay off if you are willing to put in the work to prove to the admissions committee your passion is indeed medicine.
Stephen
Stephen
Hi! I found your article very informative. I currently enrolled in school for a medical coding and billing certificate with continuing on to acquire my bachelors degree in health information technology for health information management. I have always wanted to enroll in a physicians assistant program and seriously considering it even more now. My question would be with this certification and my bachelors degree courses are they considered to be suitable prerequisites to enter a physicians assistant program. In the past (about 17 years+) I have been in school for medical assisting with phlebotomy certification and also a surgical technologist certification . I am currently taking anatomy and physiology as well as medical terminology course with future courses in fundamentals of pathophysiology, pharmacology and medical treatment, Health information process with lab, introduction of classification and disease coding 1&2 with labs, current procedural term coding with lab and health insurance and reimbursement. Do you think that this will be enough for me to apply to a physicians assistant program once acquiring my bachelors degree in health information technology or health information management? If not and in you’re opinion what road should I take to get me in a position to actually apply for a physicians assistant program?
Thanks so much for help!
Hi Kelly, sounds like you have some really great experience under your belt, way to go!
The best thing to do is to create a spreadsheet listing the prerequisite requirements of at least 7-10 schools you are considering applying to. You can rank them if you would like.
Once compiled you will easily spot the common denominators as well as any outliers.
From here take this list of what you need and make an appointment with your academic advisor. Create a solid concrete plan that will cover your required prerequisites in the most streamlined way possible. If there are any uncertainties call the schools in question personally and clear them up.
-Stephen
Hi! I found your article very informative. I currently enrolled in school for a medical coding and billing certificate with continuing on to acquire my bachelors degree in health information technology for health information management. I have always wanted to enroll in a physicians assistant program and seriously considering it even more now. My question would be with this certification and my bachelors degree courses are they considered to be suitable prerequisites to enter a physicians assistant program. In the past (about 17 years+) I have been in school for medical assisting with phlebotomy certification and also a surgical technologist certification . I am currently taking anatomy and physiology as well as medical terminology course with future courses in fundamentals of pathophysiology, pharmacology and medical treatment, Health information process with lab, introduction of classification and disease coding 1&2 with labs, current procedural term coding with lab and health insurance and reimbursement. Do you think that this will be enough for me to apply to a physicians assistant program once acquiring my bachelors degree in health information technology or health information management? If not and in you’re opinion what road should I take to get me in a position to actually apply for a physicians assistant program?
Hi, thanks for the helpful information on this site. I too am interested in the PA program and have been debating applying. I’m 35 and have a BA in English and associates in Nursing. I have been working full-time as an RN in the Emergency Dept for the last 7 yrs alongside many PA’s and would really like to make the transition. My undergraduate GPA is on the lower end around 3.0 as I did not take my first degree very seriously 15 yrs ago. Science gpa is 3.2. I still need to take some of the pre-req science classes before applying mainly the chem classes which may help my science GPA a bit. I do have a lot of clinical experience and great references from Physicians and PA’s. Just wondering if you had any thoughts on my chances or suggestions to strengthen my profile. Thanks!
Hi Matt,
Your medical experience and strong reference make you an ideal candidate. Be prepared to answer the NP vs. PA question! If you don’t speak Spanish consider adding this to your repertoire while you’re taking your Chemistry courses.
-Stephen
hi, im a freshman at texas a&m university. my major is biomedical sciences. I have always wanted to go to med school but I don’t think med school is for me. My university has the allied health major, do you think I should change to allied health, or should I stay in the biomedical science major? also one of the reasons I don’t want to go to med school is because I would like to have a family and hopefully have a flexible schedule as a PA
Hi Jennifer,
I suggest you make a spreadsheet of your top 7-12 PA schools and cross reference the prerequisites with those of your colleges allied health major. Make an appointment with an academic advisor and discuss your options. Find what gets you the most bang for your buck in the shortest amount of time and let’s you take the level of courses you like and classes you are interested in! Not all Allied health majors are created equal.
-Stephen
I had a question. If i were an international medical graduate and wanted to get into PA school, what are my chances as well as do PA school consider being a foreign medical graduate as training.
It’s a bit harder as a foreign medical graduate. You have to prove without a reasonable doubt that you do indeed want to be a PA. Lots of foreign trained MDs come to the US and see PA as a faster and more direct route. Since you are competing with 1000s of US candidates who want nothing more than to be a PA, I won’t lie, you have your work cut out for you! But it is doable!
-Stephen
Steve,
Thanks for all the info in getting in to PA school. I am a 45yo male with 25 yrs. as a certified surgical assistant. I have decided to return to college to pursue my PA degree. I will be graduating with a BS in General Studies because it was the fastest way to finish my degree. I have all the biology and chemistry prerequisites and a GPA of 3.2. I have been working 40+ hours per week while taking 2-3 classes per semester. Do you believe I have a good chance of getting accepted with these stats and without volunteer hours?
Robert
Hi Robert,
Great work, and I commend you on completing your prerequisite coursework in conjunction with a full-time job while maintaining a strong GPA. Yes, I think you will be an excellent candidate. 25 years of paid health care experience as a surgical assist is excellent preparation for PA school. You will also have the references and shadowing hours you need. Wrap this all up in a well-written personal statement and you shouldn’t have a problem getting an interview. Make sure though you cast a wide net and apply to at least 5-10 PA schools if you can (12 is the magic number). This will increase your chances significantly and you don’t want to have all your eggs in just a couple baskets.
– Stephen
Steve,
Thank you for your response. It is good to hear that I may be an excellent candidate for a program. I plan on applying to @ 10 schools that have peaked my interest. In your response you stated that I will have all the shadowing I would need. Are you saying that given my healthcare experience I wouldn’t have to shadow or just that I would need to add that to my resume. Also what are your thoughts on volunteer work in my situation. Recommend it or is it not needed.
Thanks
Robert
Hi Robert, if you have been able to work alongside PAs this is wonderful and you should mention this in your application. I would use your hospital connections to schedule a couple (or even just one) of one-on-one shadowing opportunities as well, or even just 30 minutes during a lunch break to talk with one of the PAs.
As far as volunteering – if you have the time it certainly doesn’t hurt although I don’t know your situation. For some it is the choice between binge watching episodes of Silicon Valley on HBO Now versus providing meals on Wheels for a couple hours on the weekend. For others it may mean sacrificing limited time with their children. So you have to decide if you have the time and if it makes sense for you.
– Stephen
Thank you, Stephen for these great posts. Im a 31 year old male currently in my second year of medical school. I was previously an ER tech for 2 years and Scribing in the same hospital for a year before I began med school. My GPA was 3.8 in Biology and I have around 5000 hours of hands on volunteer work. I would like to transition to PA school for important reasons. I would like to work with patients more closely and be able to be part of the team in the ER rather than running the ER as a doctor managing. At my age family has become a priority and I would like to be able to be there for them and give them my full attention, while still working in a field I adore and helping people who are in need. My friends who are PA’s love their job and love their quality of life. The doctors here at school and the doctors I have worked with tend to be locked into a certain lifestyle they say they “can’t escape” which some love, but many feel deeply depressed about (high suicide rate). They are constantly stressed to the max and end up spending a great deal of time away from there family. I would like to ask you if you feel there would be a chance in transition. I will be taking on another 76K of debt next term and another 150K after that with 6-7 more years of school. I have now shadowed more PA’s than doctors when I go home on breaks because they are so much more patient driven and pleasant to be around. They have time to listen to patients more rather than running from room to room trying to “clear” the floor. Having a career I can begin in 2-3 yrs, and being with family has taken precedence and I would value your input as I will be making a decision at the end of this semester. Im scared that I will not get into PA school from med school and worried about how admissions committees would view my decisions. It reminds me of the movie First Knight. I do not want to be the King of Camelot, I want to be a knight helping the team and enjoying a quality of life. QUALITY of life, it feels good to say. Is this a possible direction?
Hi Chris,
Yes, I know many MD students who have successfully transitioned to PA school for the exact same reasons. The advantage you have is that you can point to a successful 2 years in medical school and then honestly explain your reasons for your change. Your honesty and intentions are completely transparent, if you write your personal statement with the same passion and integrity as you have written this comment here I think PA programs would love to “snatch you up”. Do you have a PA program at your current medical school? If so this can be a great place to start!
– Stephen
Hi,
Thanks for your article it was really helpful. I’ve been feeling very discouraged lately about getting into PA school; although I cannot imagine myself in any other field or doing anything else. It simply seems very competitive and that even if I do everything right such as get CNA certified, have volunteer and shadow hours, good GPA and prerequisites, there will always be someone more outstanding than me who will get in.
Do you have any advice for an overwhelmed undergrad?
Also, is it a good idea to have research hours even if they are not super relevant to the medical field?
Thanks again!
Hello! thanks for the great info. I had a question, would getting a job as a urinalysis technician count as patient care experience?
Thanks again
Probably not, what schools are looking for is hands on patient care experience outside the lab. Sometimes you can perform lab tech work and combine this with hands on patient care experience through sample collection (i.e phlebotomy), although this is becoming less common.
– Stephen
Athletic Trainer shouldn’t be listed as misc. They are allied health and recognized as such by the AMA for the past 25 years
Thanks Steve,
I went ahead and updated in the table!
– Stephen
Hey, quick question: I’m a former Special Operations Navy Corpsman (Fleet Marines), with 6 years in-country. I also have almost 2 years Emergency Medicine under my belt, and Im currently working on my Bachelors in Biology. I heard about MEDEX, up in Washington, and how they cater to guys like me. Any thoughts?
Hi Jim,
MEDEX is one of the originals. I used to work in the same building when I was an undergrad at the University of Washington and they have an exceptional program. From my experience they only look at serious candidates with a lot of medical experience prior to application. Jim, you sound like you might be their kind of guy. I would call them, and throw an application their way. You would stand a good chance of at least getting an interview!
– Stephen
Nice article! I am a male and will apply to PA school this spring. I have heard some schools want more males in their programs and that males have one up on females applying. What are your thoughts on this?
I don’t think it matters to be honest, I think PA schools are looking for the best candidates who are a good fit for their program and make good future PAs. In fields like nursing it does seem to make a bit of a difference because the applicant pool is much less diverse from a gender standpoint that being a male may have some advantages, but even here it is limited. Personally, I think we men are awesome, so who wouldn’t want to take us 🙂 To women who may be reading this, please note I think women are awesome too!!! 🙂
– Stephen