Pre-Physician Assistant/Associate courses
2024-25 catalog
Advisor:
TIERNEY R. BROSIUS, Associate Professor (Biology)
B.S., Wayne State College; M.S. & Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Augustana's pre-physician assistant advising program prepares students for the entrance requirements to any physician assistant graduate program in the country.
Besides taking challenging coursework in biology, chemistry and physics, Augustana pre-physician assistant students are encouraged to take advantage of the college's strong liberal arts foundation by taking classes in other areas of interest. Beyond their requirements of a Bachelor of Arts degree and strong science curriculum, pre-physician assistant programs may give consideration to students with a broader, well- rounded education.
Pre-Physician Assistant program outline
The following courses should be completed by the end of the first year:
Chemistry 131, 132 (General Chemistry)
First-Year Inquiry (FYI) 101 and 102
First-Year J Term course
Foreign Language 101, 102 if needed (less than 4 years of high school language)
Biology 130 (Molecules to Cells)* or Biology 140 (Organisms to Ecosystems)*
Summer after First Year:
Take Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class. This can be taken at a local community college near hometown. ALL schools require clinical hours (i.e. direct patient care); most programs require a minimum of 1,000-2,000 hours.
The following courses should be completed by the end of second year:
Biology 130 (Molecules to Cells)* and Biology 140 (Organisms to Ecosystems)*
Chemistry 321,322 (Organic Chemistry) *Organic Chemistry is not required for all PA schools. Most schools only require a single semester. However, since many schools also require Biochemistry, the prerequisite being two semesters of Organic, you will need to enroll in a full year of Organic Chemistry to take Biochemistry at Augustana.
Biology 250 (Genetics)*-BIOL 130 is a prerequisite
Psychology 100 (Intro to Psychology)
Psychology 240 (Psych. Stats) or Math 130 (Statistics for Health professionals) Calculus is usually NOT required, however several PA schools require one math course. These courses fulfill that requirement for most schools.
The following courses should be completed by the end of the third and fourth year:
Biology 250 (Genetics)*(if it was not taken during the first year)-BIOL 130 is a prerequisite
Biology 360 (Comparative Physiology) or Biology 362 (Human Physiology)
Biology 343 (Microbiology)
Biology 351 (Human Anatomy)
Chemistry 441 (Biochemistry I)* if schools you are considering require it
Senior Inquiry Course- in Biology or another major; if done in a different major, then replace with another biology elective
Additional courses currently needed for some Physician Assistant Schools:
Additional courses currently needed for some Physician Assistant schools: Biology 345 (Immunology), Communication Studies-100, Public Speaking, Argumentation and Oral Advocacy, or Business & Professional Communication, Psychology-216 (Human Development), Psychology-224 (Psychological Disorders)
The Augustana physician's assistant program is not a graduation major, so a departmental major must be completed if the student intends to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The choice of graduation major is not critical for acceptance by a PA school, but the majority of students matriculating in PA programs have a major in the biological sciences, public health, or psychology. The Augustana PA – advising program covers the requirements of most graduate programs but due to the differences between programs students need to be aware of the entrance requirements for their top choice schools.