Pre-PA Advising at Whitman College

Physician assistants (PAs) work alongside doctors to see patients, order tests, develop treatment plans and prescribe medications.

PA schools look for students with a well-rounded academic background, hands-on patient care experience, and strong interpersonal and leadership skills. Your Whitman College bachelor’s degree will prepare you well for a master’s-level PA program—and your pre-health advisor will help you find opportunities for the hands-on experience that will help your application stand out.

Earning a master’s degree after your bachelor’s degree generally takes an additional two to three years. 

You can learn more about becoming a physician assistant from the PA Education Association (PAEA). And you can compare the requirements of different programs in the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Program Directory.

Plan of Study

Requirements vary, but most U.S. physician assistant programs recommend:

• Two semesters of general biology with labs (courses in nutrition or genetics may also be recommended)
• Two semesters of human anatomy and physiology with labs*
• One semester of microbiology with lab
• Three semesters of chemistry with labs (including general, organic and biochemistry)
• Two semesters of English composition
• One or two semesters of psychology
• One semester of statistics

*Some programs require courses in human anatomy; others allow comparative anatomy.