So you want to go to PA school...
You want to help people. You want to socialize with patients. You want to figure out what is wrong with them and how to treat it all while consulting with an actual physician. Becoming a PA can open so many doors for your career. PAs have much more flexibility than physicians and nurses; PAs can move between specialties easier than other healthcare professionals.
You have already completed a couple steps that will help you to fulfill your career goal of becoming a PA! You have worked hard in high school to get into a great school; you have found an organization on campus that is full of great resources for you and full of great people willing to help you; and you have already started thinking about why medicine is right for you at an early time. Do not be afraid to ask questions of the people in this club who are just like you, who have been through a lot of this process before, and know exactly what you are going through. Use us as a support system!
You have already completed a couple steps that will help you to fulfill your career goal of becoming a PA! You have worked hard in high school to get into a great school; you have found an organization on campus that is full of great resources for you and full of great people willing to help you; and you have already started thinking about why medicine is right for you at an early time. Do not be afraid to ask questions of the people in this club who are just like you, who have been through a lot of this process before, and know exactly what you are going through. Use us as a support system!
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
GPA
So you want to go to Physician Assistant’s (PA) school, but you don’t know if your GPA is good enough. You are wondering what a “good” GPA is for your aspiration of getting into PA school. Well, everyone knows that the higher your GPA, the more likely it will be that you will get into PA school. However, do not fear if your GPA is not the highest because it is not the only factor that PA schools look at. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), many top schools require a cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 4.0. However, to be competitive, most schools recommend a GPA at least somewhere around 3.5. As stated above, it does not mean that you will not get in with a GPA lower than this, but this range is considered competitive. Clemson offers many additional resources to study that have been PROVEN to raise GPAs if students actively and consistently participate in these resources. Some of these resources include Academic Success Center (ASC) tutors, Supplemental Instructors (SIs), and professors’ office hours.
Coursework
Requirements of certain coursework are not consistent from school to school. However, there seems to be an overarching theme of general undergraduate classes that a prospective PA school student should take. Most schools require at least one year of chemistry with labs, one class each in human anatomy and physiology with labs, one class in microbiology with labs, one class in statistics, and one class in psychology. Other recommended classes include the general/intro classes to biology, genetics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, medical terminology, and public speaking. Listed below are the South Carolina PA school requirements (last updated July 7th, 2023). Remember to double-check these requirements on your own.
GPA
So you want to go to Physician Assistant’s (PA) school, but you don’t know if your GPA is good enough. You are wondering what a “good” GPA is for your aspiration of getting into PA school. Well, everyone knows that the higher your GPA, the more likely it will be that you will get into PA school. However, do not fear if your GPA is not the highest because it is not the only factor that PA schools look at. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), many top schools require a cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 4.0. However, to be competitive, most schools recommend a GPA at least somewhere around 3.5. As stated above, it does not mean that you will not get in with a GPA lower than this, but this range is considered competitive. Clemson offers many additional resources to study that have been PROVEN to raise GPAs if students actively and consistently participate in these resources. Some of these resources include Academic Success Center (ASC) tutors, Supplemental Instructors (SIs), and professors’ office hours.
Coursework
Requirements of certain coursework are not consistent from school to school. However, there seems to be an overarching theme of general undergraduate classes that a prospective PA school student should take. Most schools require at least one year of chemistry with labs, one class each in human anatomy and physiology with labs, one class in microbiology with labs, one class in statistics, and one class in psychology. Other recommended classes include the general/intro classes to biology, genetics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, medical terminology, and public speaking. Listed below are the South Carolina PA school requirements (last updated July 7th, 2023). Remember to double-check these requirements on your own.
NON-ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
Just like Clemson University wanted to see a well-rounded student, PA schools want to see a well-rounded student who actually enjoyed their time in college, as well as worked hard in the classroom. With that being said, get involved in extra-curricular activities such as AED, club sports, or any other organizations that interest you! PA schools enjoy hearing what makes their prospective students tick besides academics; they love to hear about how you left your mark on your undergraduate campus. Not to mention, if PA schools see extracurricular activities, they know that students can handle a heavy schoolwork load, and still focus on other activities that are important to them besides academics. Obviously volunteer hours are very important as well.
Patient Care/Clinical Hours
All of the PA schools nationwide require documented patient care hours, which are otherwise known as clinical experience. This experience needs to be hands-on and actively participating in the healthcare experience. To be competitive, most PA schools recommend between 1,000 and over 3,000 clinical hours, and some schools require them to be paid. This is equivalent to at a minimum, a year of working experience. This is not only a requirement, but it will also tell you personally if becoming a PA is right for you because this should be interesting, and if it is not for you, then you should know earlier rather than later when you are already in PA school, and doing your rotations. Additionally, the experiences you gain from these patient care hours will give specific examples to draw on while answering certain interview questions. Some practicing PAs that come speak with us may offer shadowing or clinical opportunities that students should definitely take advantage of.
Just like Clemson University wanted to see a well-rounded student, PA schools want to see a well-rounded student who actually enjoyed their time in college, as well as worked hard in the classroom. With that being said, get involved in extra-curricular activities such as AED, club sports, or any other organizations that interest you! PA schools enjoy hearing what makes their prospective students tick besides academics; they love to hear about how you left your mark on your undergraduate campus. Not to mention, if PA schools see extracurricular activities, they know that students can handle a heavy schoolwork load, and still focus on other activities that are important to them besides academics. Obviously volunteer hours are very important as well.
Patient Care/Clinical Hours
All of the PA schools nationwide require documented patient care hours, which are otherwise known as clinical experience. This experience needs to be hands-on and actively participating in the healthcare experience. To be competitive, most PA schools recommend between 1,000 and over 3,000 clinical hours, and some schools require them to be paid. This is equivalent to at a minimum, a year of working experience. This is not only a requirement, but it will also tell you personally if becoming a PA is right for you because this should be interesting, and if it is not for you, then you should know earlier rather than later when you are already in PA school, and doing your rotations. Additionally, the experiences you gain from these patient care hours will give specific examples to draw on while answering certain interview questions. Some practicing PAs that come speak with us may offer shadowing or clinical opportunities that students should definitely take advantage of.
ENTRY EXAMS
Most schools only require their prospective students to take the GRE, the Graduate Record Examination, but some schools may require the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) as well, or they recommend reporting your MCAT score if you performed well too. The GRE is equivalent to the MCAT for medical schools. It is a standardized test given to prospective postgraduate school students. It allows PA schools to compare students on a single medium since so many different students from so many different universities and majors apply to PA school. If you know what to study, and how to prepare, the GRE can seem a lot less scary. If you would like to know more about the MCAT, you can hop over to the “Medical” tab under “Resources”. To learn more about the GRE, click the button below.
Most schools only require their prospective students to take the GRE, the Graduate Record Examination, but some schools may require the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) as well, or they recommend reporting your MCAT score if you performed well too. The GRE is equivalent to the MCAT for medical schools. It is a standardized test given to prospective postgraduate school students. It allows PA schools to compare students on a single medium since so many different students from so many different universities and majors apply to PA school. If you know what to study, and how to prepare, the GRE can seem a lot less scary. If you would like to know more about the MCAT, you can hop over to the “Medical” tab under “Resources”. To learn more about the GRE, click the button below.
APPLY
First, finish all required coursework from undergraduate school(s) with a competitive GPA. Decide when and where you want to apply. Do you want to take a gap year? Or, do you want to go straight into PA school? If you're ready to apply and want to learn more about the process, click below.
First, finish all required coursework from undergraduate school(s) with a competitive GPA. Decide when and where you want to apply. Do you want to take a gap year? Or, do you want to go straight into PA school? If you're ready to apply and want to learn more about the process, click below.
