PA School Requirements: Complete Guide for Aspiring Physician Assistants (2025)

Getting into physician assistant (PA) school is no easy task—nor should it be. As one of the fastest-growing and most rewarding careers in healthcare, the PA profession demands academic excellence, clinical exposure, and a commitment to compassionate, evidence-based care. If you’re planning to apply in 2025 or beyond, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to build a competitive application and get one step closer to becoming a licensed PA.

Need clinical experience before applying? Explore Go Elective’s pre-PA internships in Kenya and Tanzania, where you’ll shadow physicians, earn patient care hours, and strengthen your application with global clinical exposure.

What’s New in PA School Admissions This Year?

As healthcare evolves, so do the standards for PA school admission. In 2025, more programs are shifting toward holistic admissions, placing less emphasis on standardized test scores and more on clinical experience, interpersonal skills, and academic resilience.

Key trends include:

GRE-optional programs: A growing number of schools no longer require the GRE.
Virtual interviews: Conducted via Zoom or other platforms, requiring applicants to master digital presentation skills.
Digital health exposure: Experience with telemedicine, EHRs, or digital triage systems is now a plus.
Simulation-based training: Familiarity with virtual simulations or high-fidelity mannequins is increasingly valued.

Programs want to know not only what you know—but how well you can apply it in real-world scenarios.

What Does a Physician Assistant Do?

Physician assistants work under the supervision of physicians but are highly autonomous. Common duties include:

Conducting patient exams and making diagnoses
Developing and managing treatment plans
Performing minor procedures and assisting in surgeries
Prescribing medications (in most states)
Educating patients and families
Specializing in fields like dermatology, emergency medicine, surgery, or pediatrics

PAs can work in hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, and public health agencies. Many PAs also take on leadership roles in underserved communities.

Core Skills Every PA Needs

In addition to academic and clinical competence, PAs need strong:

Communication skills: Clear, empathetic patient communication is vital.
Analytical thinking: Diagnosing, prioritizing, and evaluating complex cases.
Interpersonal skills: Building trust with patients and working within healthcare teams.
Technical skills: Navigating EHRs and digital diagnostic tools.

You can begin building many of these skills during a Go Elective internship, where students engage with patients across diverse healthcare environments.

Academic Requirements for PA School

Bachelor’s Degree

You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. There is no required major, but most students choose a science- or healthcare-related field such as biology, kinesiology, or public health. What matters most is that you:

Complete the required prerequisite coursework
Maintain a strong GPA, especially in science courses

PA Program (Master’s Level)

You’ll also need to complete an ARC-PA–accredited PA master’s program, which typically takes 2–3 years and includes both classroom and clinical rotations.

PANCE Certification

After your PA program, you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) to earn your license. You have six years and six attempts to pass the exam before needing to repeat an accredited PA program.

Prerequisite Coursework for PA School

Requirements may vary slightly by program, but most expect:

Science Prerequisites:

General Biology (2 semesters + lab)
Chemistry (2 semesters + lab)
Anatomy and Physiology (1–2 semesters + lab)
Microbiology (1 semester + lab)

Non-Science Prerequisites:

English Composition (2 semesters)
Statistics (1 semester)
Psychology (1 semester)

Recommended Additional Courses:

Biochemistry
Organic Chemistry
Medical Terminology
Sociology or Ethics
Genetics
Physics
Foreign Language (especially useful in diverse communities)

For program-specific requirements, consult the PAEA Program Directory.

GPA Requirements for PA School

There’s no universal GPA cutoff, but most programs require:

Minimum GPA: 3.0 (many competitive programs prefer 3.5 or higher)
Science GPA (SGPA): Focuses on biology, chemistry, physics, and math
Overall GPA: Includes all courses
BCP GPA: Specific to Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

The PA Education Association (PAEA) reports that the average GPA of accepted students is:

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science GPA: 3.5
BCP GPA: 3.5

GRE and Standardized Testing

As of 2025, around half of PA programs require the GRE, while fewer accept or require the MCAT. GRE-optional policies are increasingly common, but it’s best to check each school’s admissions page.

Recommended GRE Scores:

Verbal + Quantitative: 300–310 combined
Analytical Writing: 4.0+

You can take the GRE multiple times and submit your best scores.

Healthcare and Patient Care Experience

Clinical experience is one of the most important factors in PA admissions. Most schools expect a minimum of 1,000–2,000 hours, but accepted students often exceed 3,000 hours.

Types of Experience:

Patient Care (PCE): Direct involvement (e.g., EMT, CNA, phlebotomist, medical assistant)
Healthcare Experience (HCE): Indirect care (e.g., clerical roles in medical offices)
Shadowing: Observing licensed PAs in action
Volunteering: Both healthcare and community-based service
Research: Helpful but not essential for most PA programs

Track your hours carefully and be sure to differentiate between paid and unpaid experience. Our pre-PA internships provide patient-facing exposure ideal for building your application.

Personal Statement and Essays

Most PA programs require a CASPA personal statement (up to 5,000 characters). This essay should:

Explain why you want to become a PA
Highlight meaningful clinical experiences
Show personal growth, motivation, and readiness
Be reflective and story-driven—not just a list of achievements

Start early, get feedback from mentors, and edit thoroughly. A powerful personal statement can earn you an interview, even if other areas of your application are average.

Letters of Recommendation

PA programs typically require 3 letters of recommendation. Strong recommenders include:

A physician assistant or physician you’ve shadowed
A professor who knows you well
A healthcare supervisor from your clinical or volunteer work

Make sure your references can speak to your clinical judgment, work ethic, and interpersonal skills.

PA School Application Timeline

Here’s a general admissions timeline for most PA programs using the CASPA system:

January–March: Take or retake GRE, finalize recommenders
April–August: Complete CASPA application, write personal statement, submit supplemental essays
September–January: Attend interviews
February–March: Receive admissions decisions
Fall: Begin PA school

Check individual program deadlines and requirements through CASPA and the program’s website. Not all programs follow the exact same timeline.

Gain an Edge with International Experience

Clinical experience abroad is a powerful differentiator in the PA application process. Through Go Elective’s global health internships, you can:

Shadow physicians across multiple specialties
Log meaningful patient care hours
Improve cultural competency
Strengthen your personal statement and interview stories
Build international professional references

Our programs in Kenya and Tanzania are ideal for pre-PA students looking to gain a deeper understanding of healthcare delivery in high-need environments.

Final Thoughts

Meeting the requirements for PA school takes strategy, perseverance, and purpose. While GPA, GRE scores, and clinical hours are critical, equally important are the qualities you demonstrate: empathy, resilience, cultural awareness, and a desire to serve.

Ready to take your preparation to the next level? Join one of our physician assistant internships and gain the kind of experience that not only strengthens your application—but shapes the kind of healthcare provider you’ll become. Apply here.