Prerequisites

Preprofessional Prerequisite Courses Minimum Semester Hours

Life sciences (14 hrs minimum)

1. Must include courses (8 semester hours total) in anatomy and physiology at the pre-med level or for science majors with lab. Weighted consideration is given for upper division courses (e.g., courses beyond the introductory level). Separate human-based courses in anatomy and physiology are recommended, but not required.   

• • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill the Anatomy requirement include:  BIO 380 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, BMS 307 Human Anatomy, or KIN 250 Applied Human Anatomy.

• • Regarding human anatomy, an in-person cadaver lab is also recommended.

1. • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill the Physiology requirement include: BIO 361 General Physiology, BMS 308 Human Physiology, BMS 442 Physiology of the Human Cell, BMS 542 Physiology of Human Organ Systems, BMS 562 Medical Physiology Laboratory, or KIN 252 Applied Human Physiology.
2. Must include a course in microbiology (3 semester hours minimum), preferably including a lab component. Consideration is given for upper division courses beyond the introductory level. 
   • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill this requirement include: BIO 210, BIO 212/213, BIO 310, BIO 312/313, BMS 317.
3. Must include a course (3 semester hours minimum) in human or general genetics. Consideration is given for upper division courses beyond the introductory level. 
   • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill this requirement include: BIO 235 or BMS 230. A lab is not required.
4. Weighted consideration is given for supplemental life science coursework beyond the required prerequisites. Appropriate courses include, but are not limited to bacteriology, cell biology, cell physiology, embryology, endocrinology, epidemiology, histology, immunology, molecular biology, neurobiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, or virology.

Chemistry (12 hrs minimum)

1. Must include the complete sequence (2-3 semesters) of general chemistry at the pre-med level or for science majors, including lab. 
   • MSU courses that would fulfill this requirement: CHM 160, CHM 161, CHM 170, CHM 171.
2. A course in organic chemistry or biochemistry is also required (a survey course is acceptable).

Statistics (3 hrs minimum)

1. One introductory course in statistics
   • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill this requirement include: BIO 550, IPE 381, MTH 340, PSY 200, QBA 237, SOC 302

Social Science (6 hrs minimum)

1. Must include a course in general or introductory psychology.
   • MSU course that would fulfill this requirement: PSY 121.
2. Additional courses may include: developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, sociology, health care ethics or death and dying.
   • Examples of MSU courses that would fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to: PHI 613, PSY 304, PSY 350, PSY 363, PSY 380, PSY 441, SOC 150. (The list of Missouri State University social science courses that may fulfill the "additional course" requirement is not exhaustive, but representative.)

For all academic prerequisite course work

• A grade of “C” or higher must be earned in each of the courses.  A minimum GPA of 3.0 (as calculated by CASPA) is required.
• CLEP examination or advanced placement credit may not be used to meet any of the above requirements, unless a comparable number of credits in advanced courses in the discipline have been completed.
• No advanced placement credit is awarded in the Program.
• Due to the rapid evolution of the basic sciences, preference may be given to applicants who have completed their pre-professional prerequisite courses during five years prior to applying to the program, particularly those with strong science work.
• Additional life science courses (listed above) beyond the minimum will strengthen the application.

Contact the Physician Assistant Studies Department for additional information.

Proficiencies

• Candidates for admission to the PA program are required to shadow a practicing PA for at least 24 hours.
• Applicants must have a minimum of 500+ hours of paid, direct, hands-on patient care experience at the time the CASPA application is submitted.  Patient care experience requiring certification is most competitive and includes, but is not limited to:  nurse, paramedic, EMT-B, CNA or PCT, health educator, respiratory therapist, athletic trainer or certified Medical Assistant (CMA). Supervised clinical internships may account for up to 50 of the required 500 hours. Volunteer work at hospitals, clinics or other medical venues does not count toward the required hours of clinical experience, but is valued by the admissions committee and can, therefore, strengthen a candidate's application.
• A course in medical terminology is strongly recommended for applicants who: 
  • are not health professionals
  • have limited experience using medical terminology extensively
  • whose native language or first language is not English
  • any applicant not confident of their ability in this area