PA School Prerequisites in California
Every course California PA programs require — and how to plan your schedule to complete them efficiently while building patient care hours.
For a national overview of prerequisite courses, GPA expectations, patient-care hours, CASPA requirements, and testing policies, review our complete guide to PA school requirements.
California PA programs have some of the most demanding prerequisite requirements in the country. USC and Stanford require biochemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry, and upper-division science courses that many programs elsewhere do not require. Planning your prerequisite schedule carefully — and completing it with strong grades — is essential for competitive California applications.
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Book my free auditRequired Prerequisites for California PA Programs
Biology with Lab
2 semesters (or 3 quarters)
General biology covering cell biology, genetics, evolution, and organismal biology. Lab component required. Most California programs accept community college biology.
General Chemistry with Lab
2 semesters (or 3 quarters)
Covers atomic structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. Lab required. Community college general chemistry widely accepted.
Organic Chemistry with Lab
1–2 semesters
USC and Stanford require 2 semesters of organic chemistry. Western University and Samuel Merritt accept 1 semester. Lab required. This is often the most challenging prerequisite for pre-PA students.
Biochemistry
1 semester
Upper-division biochemistry covering metabolism, protein structure, enzyme kinetics, and molecular biology. Some programs accept biochemistry as a substitute for the second semester of organic chemistry.
Microbiology
1 semester
Covers bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Lab component preferred. Community college microbiology accepted at most California programs.
Human Anatomy
1 semester
Human anatomy with cadaver lab strongly preferred. Some programs accept anatomy without lab, but cadaver experience is a significant advantage. Community college anatomy accepted.
Human Physiology
1 semester
Human physiology covering organ systems, homeostasis, and physiological mechanisms. Can be combined with anatomy (A&P) at some programs. Lab component preferred.
Statistics
1 semester
Introductory statistics covering descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing, and regression. Can be taken at a community college. Some programs accept biostatistics.
Psychology
1 semester
Introductory psychology or abnormal psychology. Demonstrates awareness of the psychological dimensions of patient care. Community college psychology accepted.
Medical Terminology
1 semester (or online)
Not required by all programs, but recommended. Can often be completed online. Demonstrates preparation for the clinical vocabulary of PA school.
Science GPA Benchmarks by California Program
| GPA Metric | USC | Stanford | Western | Samuel Merritt | Touro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall GPA | 3.5+ | 3.5+ | 3.4+ | 3.3+ | 3.3+ |
| Science GPA | 3.4+ | 3.4+ | 3.3+ | 3.2+ | 3.2+ |
| Prerequisite GPA | 3.5+ | 3.5+ | 3.4+ | 3.3+ | 3.3+ |
* These are competitive benchmarks, not hard minimums. Verify directly with each program.
Community College Prerequisites in California
Most California PA programs explicitly accept community college prerequisites. This is a significant advantage for California students — community college courses are often more affordable and accessible.
Verify that the community college course is equivalent to the university-level course. Use ASSIST.org to check course equivalencies between California community colleges and UC/CSU campuses.
Some programs (USC, Stanford) prefer prerequisites taken at 4-year universities. If you have the option, take your most important prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry) at a 4-year institution.
Community college grades are weighted the same as university grades in CASPA. A 4.0 in community college anatomy counts the same as a 4.0 in university anatomy.
If you took prerequisites at a community college and earned lower grades, you can retake them at a 4-year university to demonstrate improvement.
Online Lab Policies Post-COVID
Post-COVID, many California PA programs updated their policies on online labs. Most programs now accept online labs for some courses (chemistry, biology) but still require in-person labs for anatomy.
USC and Stanford are the most conservative — they strongly prefer in-person labs for all prerequisite courses.
Western University, Samuel Merritt, and Touro are more flexible about online labs for non-anatomy courses.
Always verify the current policy directly with each program before enrolling in an online lab course.
If you completed online labs during COVID (2020–2022), most programs have a blanket exception for that period.
Need help choosing PA programs and building a competitive application? MedTrack Mentors provides physician-led PA admissions advising, school-list strategy, essay guidance and interview preparation. Prerequisite courses and patient care hour requirements vary by program — always verify directly with each program before applying.
Learn About PA AdvisingNeed Help Planning Your Prerequisite Schedule?
Planning prerequisites around patient care hours, research, and a competitive GPA requires careful strategy. Dr. Tomei can help you build a plan that works.
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