Note:

*All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)

*All coursework taken from non-US institutions (including Canada) must be submitted to an approved service for evaluation.

• *You are required to list all college coursework (including foreign coursework) on your CASPA application

*Additional psychology courses such as Abnormal or Developmental Psychology, additional chemistry courses such as Organic and Biochemistry, and Genetics are highly recommended and desirable

* Due to changes in science and the importance of these science foundation courses as a basis for the PA curriculum, these science courses should be no more than seven years old. A waiver of this limit can be given to individuals who have worked in a scientific field on a regular basis or who have completed several higher-level science courses more recently. Candidates must write a letter to the PA program requesting this waiver of the seven-year limit.

You may submit your application with a few prerequisites currently in progress, or to be completed prior to matriculation in the program (if accepted). However, please keep in mind that students have the most success in the selection process if all prerequisites are complete.

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 Applicants apply to the Program with degrees that are from a wide variety of diverse colleges or universities that often name their courses in a different way than we do.  The overriding principles are: fairness; and to assure that students have the necessary preparation to succeed in the Program.  This list should help in analyzing equivalents to our prerequisites.  This list is not all-inclusive, and individual cases should be referred to Michael Rackover at rackoverm@philau.edu for decisions.  If in doubt please ask.

1. General Biology  1 or equivalent such as:

Cell & Molecular Biology

Organismal Biology

Human Biology

Zoology

Developmental Biology

2. General Biology 2 or equivalent such as:

Genetics

Immunology

Embryology

Histology

Pathophysiology

• 3. General Chemistry 1
• 4. General Chemistry 2 or equivalent such as:

Organic Chemistry

Biochemistry

• 5. Anatomy and Physiology 1 or equivalent such as:

  Human Anatomy

  Functional Anatomy

  Anatomy

  Mammalian Anatomy, Vertebrate Anatomy, and Comparative Anatomy only count if the applicant submits a catalog course description or syllabi reflecting that the course has a focus on the human

• 6. Anatomy and Physiology 2 or equivalent such as:

  Human Physiology

  Physiology

• 7. Microbiology or equivalent such as:

  Combination of Bacteriology, Virology, Mycology, and Parasitology

• 8. Introduction to Psychology or General Psychology or:

  Combination of Abnormal Psychology and Developmental Psychology/Child Development

  Psychology CLEP Test

• 9. Any college math (e.g. college mathematics, algebra, trigonometry, finite mathematics, pre-calculus, calculus) or statistics course
• 10. English Composition or equivalent such as:

  English 1

  Writing or College Writing or Writing Seminar

  Rhetoric

  11. Medical Terminology (can be taken as an independent-study at Philadelphia University and may be taken after being accepted into the Program)

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Advanced Placement and Transfer Credit

AP examination credit can be utilized to fulfill undergraduate prerequisite coursework only if the credit is documented on the college transcript of the granting institution.  CLEP credit is acceptable, only for non-science prerequisite coursework.

The Physician Assistant Program does not usually give advanced standing in the Professional Phase. All Professional Phase courses must be satisfactorily completed as described in the Progression Criteria. The Program and course instructor will evaluate students with previous courses from another accredited PA program, or with courses similar to those in our program, on an individual basis. Students wishing advanced placement credit would need to submit course descriptions and syllabi to the Program Director and Academic Coordinator. On rare occasions students may be able to take course examinations and other assignments in lieu of taking the entire course. The Program does not give advanced placement credit for any rotations or preceptorships.

At least 3-6 months/200 hours patient care experience- health care or human service, paid or volunteer must be completed and documented on the application. This experience should be hands on patient care activities.

Any experience in which you participate in, or observe, the hands-on care of sick people will count toward our requirement. Some applicants have backgrounds in such areas as nursing, nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMT, paramedic, PA shadowing, and volunteer experiences.