Pre-Physician Assistant Program
Students interested in becoming a physician assistant (PA) must graduate from an Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) entry-level PA program. Most entry-level PA programs require applicants to complete undergraduate coursework or hold a bachelor’s degree before applying. Preferred candidates must take all science classes and required labs in person (no online courses/labs accepted). Most PA programs also require applicants to write a personal statement and conduct in-person interviews.
Accepted students have a GPA above 3.00 and prior healthcare experience with hands-on patient care. Most students have about three years of healthcare experience before entering a program. Note that the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional for most PA programs – please verify this requirement with the program you plan to apply to. All applicants are encouraged to apply for programs with rolling admissions as early as June or July. All applications must be submitted through CASPA, the centralized application platform for ARC-PA-accredited entry-level PA programs.
Fast Facts
Degree: By earning your Bachelor’s Degree at Midland University in the Pre-Physician Assistant Program, you will be prepared to jump straight into graduate work in a professional program.
College/School: College of Health Professions/School of Health Sciences
Suggested Major at Midland University:
Biology – View the Sample Course of Study →
GPA required to enter occupational therapy school: GPA above 3.00 and prior healthcare experience with hands-on patient care
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Pre-PA students develop a solid foundation in basic medical sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and microbiology. This knowledge is essential for understanding the human body's structure, function, and disease processes.
Pre-Physician Assistant Course Information
These courses are recommended to be taken at Midland University, as students prepare for graduate school in the field Physician Assistant as part of the Pre-Med track. All course descriptions can be found in the Academic Catalog.
MTH210: Elementary Statistics
CHE407: Biochemistry
PSY120: Fundamentals of Psychology
BIO209: Medical Terminology
PSY333: Abnormal Psychology
BIO215: Microbiology with lab
BIO125: General Biology I & BIO126: II with lab
WRI101: Composition I
CHE103: General Chemistry I & CHE104: II with lab
CHE201: Organic Chemistry I & CHE202: II with lab
PSY210: Developmental Psychology
BIO204: Anatomy and Physiology I & BIO205: II with lab
These courses are typically not required for graduate school in the field of Physician Assistant, but are strongly recommended and may be helpful for students who intent to attend graudate school for Physician Assistant.
BIO305: Genetics
BIO415: Immunology
CHE290: Pharmacology
Program Faculty
Dr. Chintamani S. Manish
Professor of Biology
Email Address: manish@midlandu.edu
Phone Number: 402-941-6305
Jacob Maxson
Assistant Professor, Biology
Email Address: maxson@midlandu.edu
Phone Number: 402-941-6490
Dr. Evangeline Rukundo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Email Address: rukundo@midlandu.edu
Phone Number: 402-941-6322
Key Experiences
Along their academic journey, students take part in what we call “Key Experiences.” These experiences will spark learning outside of the classroom and beyond the textbook. They get students learning first-hand about a profession, seeing the process from an up-close perspective, and thinking outside the box.
Internships, Collaborative Courses & Projects, ePortfolios
- Students will design and conduct an experiment during their Biology Capstone course. Students will prepare audio-visual presentations and create a poster to present at the Luther College of Arts and Sciences Research Fair.
- Students create a completely original organism (plant or animal) for a given set of environmental and habitat conditions that are assigned to them. Students are provided with a set of environmental conditions, location, and other pertinent information about a region. Based upon the information provided, they have to design an organism that will be perfectly adapted to that setting (they must describe the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the organism including its morphology, external characteristics, digestion, respiration, circulation, reproduction, behavioral response, and any other characteristics that are “unique” to their organism. Once the students design the organism they have to write a paper describing it along with art work. Finally, the students have to create a presentation that will be shared with the entire class.
Popular Internship Site
Careers with an Advanced Degree
Pre-physician assistant careers are more promising than ever before. A Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report states that employment of physician assistants is predicted to grow 28% between 2023 and 2033, much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.
According to the BLS, the growing population will continue to increase demand for healthcare services. A rise in the number of older people, who are more likely than young people to require medical care, and of patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, will also increase healthcare demand. These increases, in turn, drive the need for healthcare providers such as physician assistants (PAs), who often provide preventive care and treat the sick.
Some possible careers include:
Physician Assistants can work in primary care settings such as family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics. They diagnose and treat common medical conditions, provide preventative care, manage chronic illnesses, and coordinate patient care in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare professionals.
PAs can specialize in various medical specialties such as surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, or oncology. They work alongside specialists to provide specialized care, perform procedures, assist in surgeries, and manage patients with complex medical conditions within their area of expertise.
Hospitalist PAs work in hospital settings, providing comprehensive medical care to hospitalized patients. They collaborate with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare team members to manage acute medical conditions, coordinate inpatient care, and facilitate transitions of care from the hospital to other healthcare settings.
Surgical PAs work in surgical specialties such as general surgery, orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, or neurosurgery. They assist surgeons in the operating room, perform surgical procedures, provide preoperative and postoperative care, and manage surgical patients throughout their hospital stay.
PAs can work in urgent care centers, emergency departments, or trauma centers, providing rapid assessment and treatment for patients with acute injuries or illnesses. They perform diagnostic tests, suture wounds, set fractures, stabilize critically ill patients, and initiate life-saving interventions in emergency situations.
PAs can work in community health centers, public health departments, or non-profit organizations, serving underserved populations and addressing public health issues. They provide preventive care, health education, and disease management services, focusing on promoting health equity and improving access to healthcare for vulnerable communities.
PAs can work in occupational health settings, providing medical care and wellness services to employees in various industries. They conduct pre-employment screenings, assess work-related injuries, develop return-to-work plans, and implement occupational health programs to promote workplace safety and employee well-being.
Advanced degree holders in Physician Assistant studies can pursue careers as educators or clinical preceptors in PA programs or medical schools. They teach courses, supervise clinical rotations, mentor students, and contribute to curriculum development, preparing the next generation of Physician Assistants for clinical practice.
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