Must be complete by the end of fall term prior to matriculation.

• Degree must be granted from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or equivalent foreign institution (see the international applicants page for more information about equivalencies).
• No specific major is required or preferred (science and non-science majors are accepted).
• Degree may be in progress at the time of application, but must be complete by the end of fall term prior to matriculation.

Cumulative Undergraduate GPA and BCP GPA Requirements

Minimum 3.0 overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required. 

• Cumulative GPA calculation will include all undergraduate coursework taken, both as part of bachelor's degree requirements and separately.
• Average cumulative GPA for students admitted in the previous admissions cycle was 3.5.
• Graduate coursework may be considered in addition to the cumulative undergraduate GPA.

Minimum 3.0 overall BCP (biology, chemistry, and/or physics) GPA of 3.0 is required. 

• The BCP GPA calculation will include all undergraduate coursework taken in biology, chemistry and/or physics departments that are medically, human, and/or animal science related.
• Average BCP GPA for students admitted in the previous admissions cycle was 3.4.

Minimum of 30 semester credits or 40 quarter credits are required.

• Includes all coursework taken in the biology, chemistry, and/or physics departments that are medically, human, and/or animal science related. 
• Prerequisite coursework listed below can count towards fulfilling the credit requirement (biology, chemistry, microbiology, A&P).
• Plant, marine, environmental, exercise science/kinesiology, nutrition, etc. coursework will not be counted towards the minimum credit requirement.

2 semester courses or 3 quarter courses of combined A&P with lab OR 1 semester Anatomy with lab plus 1 semester Physiology with lab.

• Must have been completed within 5 years of planned PA program matriculation. 
  • For application during the 2025-2026 cycle (matriculation in summer 2025) A&P coursework with labs must have been complete Spring 2021 or more recent.
  • Both Anatomy and Physiology with labs must be within 5 years of planned matriculation, whether taken as individual or combined courses.
  • If the last anatomy with lab and/or physiology and/or combined A&P with lab course was taken over 5 years ago (as of planned matriculation), then a refresher is required.  
• Refresher course requirements:
  • The refresher can be taken as minimum of one term (quarter or semester) of combined A&P with lab or as individual terms of anatomy with lab and physiology.
  • Refreshing the full A&P with lab sequence is preferred and is the best preparation for PA school.

• Labs are required.  Physiology without a lab can be considered if a separate physiology lab was not offered by your institution.  Anatomy only and combined A&P courses must be taken with labs.  If they are taken without a lab, it will not be accepted.
• In person labs are preferred, however, online labs are accepted. 
• Human A&P is preferred; mammalian, vertebrate, and/or comparative coursework is acceptable, but it is recommended to also complete some human A&P coursework.
• If applicant attended a WA or CA state school, the 2 quarter sequence of 5 credit courses (10 credits total) will be accepted to meet the minimum.  Two quarter sequences of courses that are less than 5 quarter credits each are not acceptable on their own and additional A&P coursework must be taken to fulfill the requirement.
• A&P coursework is not required to be complete at the upper division level.  Lower division and community college coursework is acceptable.

2 courses, minimum of 3 credits each (semester or quarter).  Labs highly recommended, but not required.

• The biology requirement can be fulfilled through any combination of the following foundational courses:
  • General biology
  • Cell or molecular biology
  • Genetics
• Introductory coursework accepted, but not preferred
• The courses may be sequential or non-sequential, as long as the minimum credits are met.
• Labs are highly recommended, but not required.  
• Additional biology coursework is recommended (see highly recommended courses below).
• Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (AP or IB credit must show on college transcript as biology credit).
• Microbiology, A&P with labs are separate requirements and are therefore not accepted towards the biology prerequisite.

2 courses, minimum of 3 credits each (semester or quarter).  Labs highly recommended, but not required.

• The chemistry requirement can be fulfilled through any combination of the following foundational courses: 
  • General chemistry
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Organic chemistry
  • Biochemistry
• Introductory coursework accepted, but not preferred
• The courses may be sequential or non-sequential as long as the minimum credits are met.   
• Labs are highly recommended, but not required.  
• Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (AP or IB credit must show on college transcript as chemistry credit).

One course with lab; minimum of 3 credits (semester or quarter).

• The lab is required. 
• Substitute courses, such as cell or molecular biology, are not accepted.  The course must be a specific microbiology course.
• Bacteriology* is not accepted to meet requirement.
• Online lecture and lab will be accepted.

*UCSD BIMM 120 (formerly titled Bacteriology) is acceptable when combined with BIMM 121 Microbiology Laboratory.

One course; minimum of 3 credits (semester or quarter).

• General Psychology, Human Development, or Introduction to Psychology.  
• Abnormal psychology will be accepted, but is not preferred.
• Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (must show on college transcript as psychology credit).

One course; minimum of 3 credits (semester or quarter).

• Will accept courses offered through math, stats, bio, psych, kines, or soc departments
• Business statistics will not be accepted.  
• Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (must show on college transcript as statistics credit).

The recommended coursework is intended to further academically prepare an applicant for the rigorous PA program curriculum and for the future practice as a PA. 

• 300-400 level (upper division) Biology and Chemistry courses (in addition to prereqs listed above)
• Genetics
• Biochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Pathophysiology
• Immunology
• Other courses which may be beneficial to a future health care provider (e.g., epidemiology, medical terminology, etc.)
• Spanish language course(s)