Prerequisites · Guide

PA school prerequisites

By The Prereq Club, a pre-PA student and her mom (not PAs or admissions advisers). Every figure below names its source and the month we checked it: October 2026.

Short answer

Almost every PA program requires anatomy and physiology, and most require microbiology and statistics. In PAEA's review of 265 program websites (2021–22), 97.4% required anatomy, 97.4% physiology, 89.4% microbiology and 80.8% statistics. Chemistry, biochemistry and other courses vary a lot from program to program, so build your plan from the programs you'll apply to.

PAEA and CASPA also publish a list of 12 common prerequisites, based on PAEA's Curriculum Report 4 survey of 234 programs.

How many programs required each course

CoursePrograms requiring itMedian minimum (semester hours)*
Anatomy97.4%8
Physiology97.4%8
Microbiology89.4%3
Statistics80.8%3
General chemistry61.5%8
Organic chemistry60.4%4
Biochemistry56.2%3
Medical terminology40.0%1
General biology39.6%8
Psychology (unspecified)33.2%3
Genetics29.1%3
General psychology27.2%3
English composition/writing20.0%3

Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6, which reviewed program websites from October 2021 to February 2022. *Median minimum among programs that listed one. The 8-hour medians for anatomy and physiology don't add up to 16 hours: many programs, including all three below, accept a two-semester combined A&P I and II sequence for both. Programs' requirements may have changed since, so treat this as a map, not a checklist.

Three programs side by side

ProgramRequired courses (as listed in PAEA's directory)Time limit
Penn StateGeneral biology; anatomy and physiology (two semesters, combined or separate); microbiology; general chemistry; biochemistry or organic chemistry; general psychology; statistics; English composition (two semesters or two writing-intensive courses)7 years, on anatomy, physiology and microbiology only (the program says this is waived for continuous full-time health care work)
University of ColoradoAnatomy and physiology (two courses, 6 credits), upper-division biology (two courses, 6 credits), chemistry for science majors (two courses, 7 credits, one with lab), statistics, psychology (6 credits). PAEA's directory lists the biology requirement as general biology; the program's own page says upper-division biology.5 years, on upper-division biology only
University of Maryland BaltimoreA&P I and II, microbiology, and one chemistry course (general, organic or biochemistry), each 4 credits with lab; medical terminology (3 credits); statistics; psychology. All must be finished with a B or better before you submit CASPA.7 years, on anatomy and physiology only

Course lists from PAEA's program directory (updated January–March 2026), checked against each program's website in October 2026; where they differ we follow the program's website. Always confirm on the program's website before you register for a class.

Details that trip students up

  • Labs. Some programs require a lab with each science course; others don't. Check before you take a lecture-only section.
  • Course level and "for majors." Some programs want chemistry courses designed for science majors, or upper-division biology.
  • AP, online and community college credit. Policies differ: Penn State accepts AP credit for five of its prerequisites, UMB only for statistics and psychology, and Colorado not at all. Colorado also won't count community college courses toward upper-division biology. Check each program before relying on AP credit or an online lab.
  • Time limits. Some programs only accept science courses taken within a set number of years. Programs also count from different dates, such as the application deadline or the day you submit CASPA. See do prerequisites expire?
  • How CASPA sorts your courses. You choose a subject for each course, and CASPA corrects it during verification based on the transcript title and department prefix, not the course content. That affects your science GPA. See PA school GPA requirements.

A simple plan

  1. List the programs you might apply to. There's no set number; see how many PA programs should you apply to?
  2. Make a grid: courses down the side, programs across the top, with credits, lab and time-limit rules in each cell.
  3. Map the order before you register. At most colleges, general biology and general chemistry come before A&P and microbiology. Take the courses most of your programs share, in the versions they accept (for science majors, with labs), and time any course with a time limit so it's still current when you apply.
  4. Re-check each program's page the cycle you apply, because requirements change.

You don't need a particular major; see do you have to major in biology?

Related guides

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Quick answers

What classes do you need for PA school?

It depends on the program. In PAEA's 2021–22 review of 265 program websites, 97.4% required anatomy, 97.4% physiology, 89.4% microbiology and 80.8% statistics; 61.5% required general chemistry, 60.4% organic chemistry and 56.2% biochemistry. Check each program you'll apply to.

Is organic chemistry required for PA school?

Not everywhere. PAEA's 2021–22 review found 60.4% of programs required organic chemistry, and some accept biochemistry or organic chemistry. Check each program's list.

Is medical terminology required for PA school?

At some programs. PAEA's 2021–22 review found 40.0% of programs required medical terminology, Among programs that listed a minimum, the median was 1 semester hour, but some require more; the University of Maryland Baltimore asks for 3 credits.

Sources (all opened October 2026)

Rules can change from one cycle to the next. Before you count on any of this, check each program's own admissions page or email the program. This guide is educational only and isn't admissions advice.