Physician Assistant

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Your path to PA school starts here …

Navigating the path to physician assistant programs can be complex. We're here to guide you every step of the way.

Plan Your Path to Physician Assistant Program

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Choose Your Ideal Physician Assistant Program: Tailor your UIS academic plan to meet the prerequisites of your chosen PA program. Consider factors like location, student body, and curriculum. With over 300 accredited PA programs across various institutions in the U.S., use the PA Education Association's directory for guidance in choosing your ideal program.

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Plan Your Course of Study: Your journey to a physician assistant program requires careful planning. From selecting the right prerequisites to aligning your courses with physician assistant program requirements, our advisors are here to tailor a plan that suits your goals.

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Join our Pre-Health Community: Benefit from transformative support and connections, including mentorship, hands-on experiences, and collaborative projects, all essential for your healthcare journey. Engage with our community of faculty, staff, students, and professional mentors.

Classes

Each physician assistant program sets its own unique requirements, yet there are several standard prerequisites you're likely to encounter. Here's an overview of the commonly required courses.

Typical PA Program RequirementsWhat to take at UIS
General Chemistry - 2 semestersGENERAL CHEMISTRY – CHE 141 AND CHE 142
Organic Chemistry - 2 semestersORGANIC CHEMISTRY – CHE 267/268 AND CHE 269/271
Biochemistry - 1 semesterBIOCHEMISTRY – CHE 475 (CHE 476 LAB OPTIONAL)
Biology - 2 semestersBIOLOGY – BIO 141 AND BIO 142
Physics – 2 SemestersPHYSICS – ALGEBRA-BASED PHYSICS (FORTHCOMING) OR ASP 201 AND ASP 202
Anatomy and Physiology – 2 SemestersANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY – BIO 201/202 OR BIO 429/431
Medical TerminologyEXR 212
Math – 2 SemestersMATH – MAT 115 AND MAT 121
English – 2 SemestersENGLISH – 2 SEMESTERS
Psychology – 1 SemesterPSYCHOLOGY – PSY 101
Note: Some classes require prerequisites—Be sure to plan your path with an advisor.

General Advice

If you are a student considering PA education as your next step the PAEA has many resources to help with the decision and make application process smoother.

Recommendation

Students interested in PA school should consider a Psychology Minor.

Foundation Course: PSY 101 - Principles of Psychology

Psychology Minor Courses

  • Required Course: PSY 302 - Research Methods in Psychology
  • Suggested Elective Courses: (Choose a total of 12 hours)
    • PSY 221 - Lifespan Developmental Psychology
    • PSY 322 - Child Development (Pediatrics)
    • PSY 323 - Adolescence (Pediatrics)
    • PSY 326 - Family Psychology
    • PSY 333 - Positive Psychology
    • PSY 335 - Health Psychology
    • PSY 336 - Psychology of Eating
    • PSY 353 - Psychology of Addiction
    • PSY 484 - Childhood Trauma: Risk and Resiliency
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