Physician Assistant

Post-baccalaureate degree: Masters

Physician assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. PAs provide physical exams, order and administer tests, make diagnoses, and treat illnesses. PAs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and surgical centers. They are qualified to practice in over 60 specialty areas.

Academic and Career Information [PDF]

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission

The following prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation in a physician assistant program:

• bachelor's degree
• each program has its own prerequisites: check specific school for prerequisites details
• general course prerequisites:
  • English, one year
  • general biology with lab, one year
  • general chemistry with lab, one year
  • anatomy and physiology
  • psychology and/or sociology
  • microbiology with lab
  • statistics
  • biochemistry with lab
  • medical terminology
• clinical health care experience (direct patient contact experience), about 1000 hours

Tests Needed

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • Online GRE Registration
  • Required by most schools.

Application Service

• Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

California Physician Assistant Schools

• California Baptist University
• Chapman University
• Charles R. Drew University
• Dominican University of California
• Loma Linda University
• Marshall B. Ketchum University
• Samuel Merritt College
• Southern California University of Health Sciences
• Stanford University
• Touro University - California
• University of California Davis
• University of the Pacific
• University of Southern California
• Western University of the Health Sciences

Explore ALL Physician Assistant Programs

"The PAEA Program Directory is a valuable resource for prospective applicants and current PAEA members, used to find information about all PA programs in one place."