Pre-Physician Assistant Roadmap
Start your journey to becoming a physician assistant.
Physician Assistant's (PAs) are medical providers, most with graduate-level educations. They are licensed to diagnose and treat illness and disease and to prescribe medication for patients. PAs work in physician offices, hospitals, and clinics in collaboration with a licensed physician. Because of their advanced education in general medicine, modeled after physician education, PAs can treat patients with significant autonomy within the physician/PA relationship. In the primary care setting, PAs can provide almost all the clinical services that physicians provide, including performing physical exams, diagnosing and treating illnesses and prescribing medications.
Pre-Physician Assistant Roadmap at UNL
Physician Assistant Prerequisite Classes
Depending on the school you plan to attend, you may need additional prerequisite courses. Meet with an advisor for more information.
Typical Physician Assistant School Requirements
Biology – 2 semesters
Microbiology – 1 semester
Anatomy - 1 semester
Physiology with lab - 1 semester
Chemistry – 2 semesters
Organic Chemistry – 1 semester; 2 semesters (strongly recommended)
Biochemistry – 1 semester
Psychology – 3 courses
Statistics – 1 semester
English – 2 courses
Medical Terminology – 1 semester
What to Take at University of Nebraska Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an advisor for help planning your courses.
Biology – LIFE 120/120L & LIFE 121/121L
Microbiology – BIOS 111 or 312/314 (preferred)
Anatomy – BIOS 214
Physiology with lab – BIOS 213/213L
Chemistry – CHEM 109A/L & CHEM 110A/L or CHEM 113A/L, 114, & 221L
Organic Chemistry – CHEM 251/253 or CHEM 261/263; CHEM 252/254 or CHEM 262/264 (strongly recommended)
Biochemistry – BIOC 401/L or BIOC 431/433 (lab strongly recommended)
Psychology – PSYC 181, 289, & 380
Statistics – STAT 218, ECON 215, EDPS 459, or PSYC 350
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, or 354
Medical Terminology – CLAS 116
Suggested Science Sequencing
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
Take the GRE during Semester 6 or before Semester 7 (or 12-16 | |
Semester 7 & Semester 8 | |
Sequence may vary from above depending on declared major requirements
*Organic Chemistry II is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED but not required
The above course recommendations fulfill the entrance requirements for Physician Assistant programs at UNMC, Union College, College of St. Mary, and Creighton University (provisionally accredited program). Students who are considering other programs are encouraged to contact those schools directly for a list of entrance requirements and meet with an Explore Center Advisor for course planning.
Other Notes:
- AP/IB credit: UNMC, Creighton, and College of St. Mary will not accept AP, IB, or CLEP credit toward prerequisite requirements; Union College may consider such credit on a case-by-case basis but expect students to take upper-level science in addition to what is required.
- GPA: Creighton & CSM require a minimum C grade in each prerequisite course; UNMC requires a minimum C- in each prerequisite.
- Math: Students need to be calculus ready to enroll in Chemistry (MPE into Math 106 or complete Math 102 or 103)
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing physician assistant school requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See a pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Application: Physician Assistant Programs the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Applications can be completed at caspa.liaisoncas.com.
Entrance Exam: The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for some programs: ets.org/gre.
Additional admission requirements: 480 (Union), 250 (Creighton), or more hours of work experience consisting of direct patient care in a medical setting are required. Some PA programs require up to 2,000 hours of patient contact. Schools may also require shadowing and/or exploring the PA profession.
Plan Your Path to Physician Assistant School
View Health School Application Timeline
- Meet with a Pre-Health advisor to create a comprehensive academic and co-curricular plan
- Research application requirements
- See specific school websites for any specific application requirements which may vary by school
- Meet with a representative of the school for specific questions and guidance
- Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Apply to Physician Assistant schools
- Most schools use the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)
- Schools require applicants to document between 500-2,000 hours of patient contact in a job or volunteer setting
- Complete Bachelor's Degree and required prerequisite courses
- Attend Physician Assistant program (2-3 years)
Suggested Academic Preparation
- Bachelor’s degree – required by most programs and any UNL major is a great option
- Completion of pre-requisite courses
- Competitive academic record
- GPA in both science and non-science courses
- GRE score (required by some programs)
Current Students
Current students: Meet with a Pre-Health advisor to talk more about your Pre-Health goals.
Are you a non-UNL student looking for information about Pre-Health? Click here