PA School Prerequisites in North Carolina
Every prerequisite course North Carolina PA programs require — from Biology and Chemistry to Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry. Plus GPA benchmarks, community college policies, and how to plan your schedule.
Required Prerequisites for North Carolina PA Programs
Biology with Lab
8 credits (2 semesters)Required by: All North Carolina PA programs
General Biology I and II with lab. Must include lab component. Community college prerequisites are widely accepted at North Carolina PA programs.
General Chemistry with Lab
8 credits (2 semesters)Required by: All North Carolina PA programs
General Chemistry I and II with lab. Must include lab component. Strong performance in chemistry is a key indicator of PA school readiness.
Organic Chemistry with Lab
4–8 credits (1–2 semesters)Required by: Most North Carolina PA programs
Some North Carolina programs require only one semester of Organic Chemistry. Check each program's specific requirements. Lab component typically required.
Biochemistry
3–4 creditsRequired by: Most North Carolina PA programs
Biochemistry is increasingly required by competitive North Carolina PA programs. Duke and Wake Forest both require it. Take it before applying.
Microbiology
3–4 creditsRequired by: All North Carolina PA programs
Microbiology with or without lab depending on the program. Covers bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites — directly relevant to PA clinical training.
Human Anatomy
3–4 creditsRequired by: All North Carolina PA programs
Human Anatomy is required by all North Carolina PA programs. Lab component strongly preferred. This is one of the most important prerequisites — strong performance signals readiness for PA school anatomy coursework.
Human Physiology
3–4 creditsRequired by: All North Carolina PA programs
Human Physiology is required by all North Carolina PA programs. Some programs accept a combined Anatomy & Physiology sequence. Check each program's requirements.
Statistics
3 creditsRequired by: Most North Carolina PA programs
Biostatistics or general statistics. Required by most North Carolina PA programs and increasingly important for evidence-based medicine. Can be taken at a community college.
Psychology
3 creditsRequired by: Most North Carolina PA programs
General Psychology or Abnormal Psychology. Required by most North Carolina PA programs. Demonstrates understanding of the psychological dimensions of patient care.
Medical Terminology
1–3 creditsRequired by: Some North Carolina PA programs
Not required by all programs, but recommended. Can often be completed online. Demonstrates preparation for clinical training.
GPA Benchmarks for North Carolina PA Programs
| Program | Minimum GPA | Competitive GPA | Science GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University PA | 3.2 | 3.5+ | 3.4+ |
| Wake Forest University PA | 3.2 | 3.4+ | 3.3+ |
| Methodist University PA | 3.0 | 3.3+ | 3.2+ |
| Elon University PA | 3.0 | 3.3+ | 3.2+ |
| Wingate University PA | 3.0 | 3.3+ | 3.2+ |
| High Point University PA | 3.0 | 3.3+ | 3.2+ |
Dr. Tomei's Perspective
Community College Prerequisites in North Carolina
North Carolina is one of the most community-college-friendly states for PA school prerequisites. Most North Carolina PA programs explicitly accept community college prerequisites, which makes it easier and more affordable to complete your coursework. Here is what you need to know.
North Carolina community colleges (Wake Technical Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College) are widely accepted for PA school prerequisites.
Community college prerequisites are generally accepted at all North Carolina PA programs — verify with each program before enrolling.
If you take prerequisites at a community college, aim for A grades. A B in a community college science course is less impressive than an A at a four-year university.
Some programs prefer prerequisites taken at four-year universities for upper-division courses like Biochemistry and Microbiology.
Online prerequisites are accepted by some North Carolina PA programs but not all — verify before enrolling in online courses.
Grade replacement policies vary by program — some North Carolina PA programs recalculate GPA using the most recent grade, others use all attempts.
Need Help Planning Your Prerequisite Schedule?
Planning your prerequisite coursework to maximize your science GPA while building patient care hours is one of the most complex parts of the pre-PA journey. Dr. Tomei can help you build a plan.
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