Physician Assistant Education Requirements & Prerequisites

The job of a physician assistant (PA) involves collaborating with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare team members to diagnose and treat patients, prescribe medications, and educate patients about preventive care. 

Accordingly, the list of education requirements for physician assistants (also known as “physician associates”) reflects the need for preparation to meet the demands of their profession.

In this blog, we’ll uncover precisely what those PA requirements are, and how you can start working toward meeting them.

Is There a Standard Educational Path for PAs?

Becoming a physician assistant demands a well-thought-out educational and professional route. From earning an undergraduate degree (typically in one of the sciences) to take a “gap” year to gain hands-on clinical experience in healthcare, many aspiring PAs follow a well-defined path to meet their goal. 

To fulfill physician assistant school requirements and ultimately work as a licensed PA, your track will look something like this:1

• Earn a Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field of study (such as health science or nursing) from an accredited university, and complete prerequisite courses (more on this later). 
• Accrue hours in the healthcare experience (HCE) and patient care experience (PCE) as required by your specific PA program (many programs require at least 1,000 HCE or PCE hours).2 However, some PA programs do not require HCE/PCE.
• Register with the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), where you can apply to multiple PA programs at once. Begin the process of gathering transcripts, letters of recommendation, and lists of HCE and PCE hours to apply for your chosen physician assistant program. 
• Earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) and obtain a minimum of 2,000 supervised clinical hours while studying for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
  
• Pass the PANCE and receive the Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C) credential, which is offered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
• Acquire a license in the state(s) you wish to practice.
• Complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years to maintain your license.
• Pass recertification every 7–10 years (depending on which recertification pathway you choose).3
  

Are PA requirements extensive? Absolutely. And yet, given that PAs are directly responsible for the health, and lives, of others, this is also appropriate. 

The Prerequisites: Which Courses Do PAs Need to Take? 

Prior to applying to a master’s degree program in physician assistant studies, a prospective PA student will typically need to complete the following prerequisite courses as an undergraduate:4

• Biology
• Human Anatomy
• Genetics
• Statistics
• Psychology (General)
• Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• English Composition
• Medical Terminology
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Human Physiology

What Classes Do PA Candidates Take in Physician Assistant Master’s Programs?

The MS in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) curriculum encompasses the areas of study above, but at the graduate level. It also includes classroom instruction in several additional fields, including Medical Decision Making, Medical Ethics, Clinical Laboratory Science, Behavioral Science, Pathophysiology, Microbiology, and more. 

Clinical rotations are conducted under the supervision of a clinical preceptor across various medical/surgical environments, including:

• Acute care facilities
• Emergency rooms
• Long-term care facilities
• Ambulatory clinics
• Medical practices

Because physician assistants are medically trained as generalists, they earn their clinical rotation hours in several areas of medicine, such as:5 

• Gynecology/obstetrics
• Family medicine
• Internal medicine
• Psychiatry
• Emergency medicine
• General surgery
• Pediatrics

How Long Does It Take to Become a PA?

So, how long is PA school? Completing your MS in Physician Assistant Studies, including your clinical rotation hours, typically takes a little more than two years. 

This means that all in all, the average amount of time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree, optionally accrue HCE/PCE hours, earn a master’s degree, and study for the PANCE is between seven and eight years.

Keep in mind, however, that timing may vary, depending on your life circumstances and other obligations.

Who Becomes a Physician Assistant? 

Those interested in hands-on clinical experience—working directly with patients across an extensive array of medical environments—are often drawn to the profession of physician assistant.

As mentioned above, many incoming students in physician assistant graduate programs have some prior HCE and PCE. They may have experience as:6

• Emergency medical technicians
• Lab assistants
• Certified nursing assistants
• Registered nurses
• Medical assistants
• Emergency room techs
• Surgical techs
• Paramedics

Most PA schools require a minimum of 1,000 hours of healthcare experience or direct patient care experience. Gaining real-life, hands-on experience in the medical field can help give you confidence that you’re making the right decision before fulfilling your PA school requirements and applying for admission. 

It’s important to note, though, that physician assistant school requirements vary by program. Some PA schools do not require HCE or PCE, reasoning that students will gain all the experience and skills they need in the program. Also, applicants’ HCE/PCE hours are self-reported on CASPA and are not verified by the schools. Be sure to conduct substantial research into your programs of interest so that you can guarantee to meet (or exceed) their requirements.

Is Becoming a PA Part of the Path for Aspiring Doctors?

Rarely, individuals choose to make the transition from their role as a physician assistant to that of an MD, but most PAs expressly choose their role because it permits them to begin working directly with patients faster and at a lesser tuition cost. However, becoming a PA is nonetheless a rigorous, intense process; second only to physicians, they have the highest level of clinical training in the medical profession.7

Physician assistants set out to become part of a collaborative medical team while working one-on-one with patients, often developing their diagnoses and treatment plans under the supervision of a doctor.

Additionally, even though “assistant” might sound secondary, PAs have many of the same duties as licensed physicians. PAs’ scope of practice varies from state to state and is determined through state licensing requirements.8 

Do Nurse Practitioners Have the Same Educational Requirements as PAs?

Some people may assume that physician assistants and nurse practitioners (NPs) have nearly the same education. This is understandable, as the professions handle many of the same duties, including:

• Conducting physical exams
• Performing medical histories
• Providing general patient care
• Educating and counseling patients on their treatment plan(s) and preventive measures
• Ordering and analyzing diagnostic tests
• Diagnosing illnesses and injuries
• Prescribing medications

However, there are key differences between a PA vs NP, including differences in their educational requirements. 

Nurse practitioners complete a graduate nursing program, while PAs attend a graduate program based on a medical model. Furthermore, physician assistants must complete 2,000 clinical rotation hours, as opposed to the 500–650 hours required of NPs.

Is Becoming a PA Worth the Time and Effort?

While the answer to this question depends on the individual, PAs have the opportunity to make a profound, enduring impact on the health and lives of others. Therefore, those who wish to center their career around helping others will likely find the time and effort worth it.

A career as a PA also affords these benefits: