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PA School Prerequisites in Pennsylvania

Every prerequisite course Pennsylvania PA programs require — and how to plan your schedule to meet them all while building a competitive GPA.

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.

Community college prerequisites: accepted at most Pennsylvania programs

Most Pennsylvania PA programs accept prerequisites completed at community colleges — Community College of Philadelphia, CCAC in Pittsburgh, Northampton Community College, and others. This is a significant advantage for students who need to complete prerequisites affordably. However, anatomy with a cadaver lab is strongly preferred at Arcadia, Drexel, and Jefferson — and community college anatomy labs vary in quality.

Dr. Tomei's Perspective

Prerequisites are the foundation of your PA school application. A weak prerequisite GPA — especially in the sciences — signals to admissions committees that you may struggle with PA school coursework. I tell every pre-PA student: do not rush through prerequisites. Take them seriously. A 4.0 in prerequisites with strong patient care hours is a far better application than a 3.2 in prerequisites with 3,000 hours.

Core Prerequisite Courses

Biology with Lab

8 credits (2 semesters)

Target: 3.5+

Required by virtually all Pennsylvania PA programs. Must include lab component. General biology covering cell biology, genetics, and organismal biology. Some programs require upper-division biology as well.

General Chemistry with Lab

8 credits (2 semesters)

Target: 3.5+

Required by all Pennsylvania PA programs. Must include lab component. Covers atomic structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. Strong performance here signals readiness for biochemistry.

Organic Chemistry with Lab

8 credits (2 semesters)

Target: 3.0+

Required by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Must include lab component. Some programs accept one semester of organic chemistry plus one semester of biochemistry. Check each program's specific requirements.

Biochemistry

3–4 credits

Target: 3.0+

Required by Arcadia, Drexel, Jefferson, Duquesne, and Saint Francis. Increasingly required across all programs. Covers metabolism, enzyme kinetics, molecular biology, and protein structure. Critical for PA school coursework.

Microbiology

3–4 credits (with lab preferred)

Target: 3.0+

Required by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Covers bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens, infection mechanisms, and antimicrobial therapy. Directly relevant to clinical medicine. Lab component preferred.

Human Anatomy

3–4 credits (with lab strongly preferred)

Target: 3.0+

Required by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Lab component (cadaver dissection or prosection) is strongly preferred and required by Arcadia, Drexel, and Jefferson. Anatomy is foundational to PA school — a strong grade here signals readiness.

Human Physiology

3–4 credits

Target: 3.0+

Required by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Covers organ system function, homeostasis, and pathophysiology. Some programs accept a combined Anatomy & Physiology course (A&P I and A&P II). Check each program's requirements.

Statistics

3 credits

Target: 3.0+

Required by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Covers descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and basic biostatistics. Relevant to evidence-based medicine and clinical research. Online statistics courses are generally accepted.

Psychology

3 credits

Target: 3.0+

Required by several Pennsylvania PA programs including Arcadia and Jefferson. Covers behavioral science, mental health, and human development. Relevant to patient communication and mental health care.

Medical Terminology

1–3 credits

Target: Pass/Fail acceptable at most programs

Required or strongly recommended by several Pennsylvania programs. Can often be completed online. Provides foundational vocabulary for clinical medicine and PA school coursework.

Program-Specific Requirements

Arcadia University

Biology I & II with lab, General Chemistry I & II with lab, Organic Chemistry I with lab, Biochemistry, Microbiology with lab, Anatomy with lab, Physiology, Statistics, Psychology. Minimum science GPA 3.2.

Community College: Community college prerequisites accepted. Must be completed within 10 years.
Grade Replacement: Grade replacement not accepted. All grades calculated.

Drexel University

Biology I & II with lab, General Chemistry I & II with lab, Organic Chemistry I & II with lab, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy with lab, Physiology, Statistics. Research experience strongly valued.

Community College: Community college prerequisites accepted for most courses. Upper-division science courses preferred.
Grade Replacement: Grade replacement not accepted. CASPA calculates all grades.

Thomas Jefferson University

Biology I & II with lab, General Chemistry I & II with lab, Organic Chemistry I with lab, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy with lab, Physiology, Statistics, Psychology. Minimum cumulative GPA 3.0.

Community College: Community college prerequisites accepted. Anatomy with cadaver lab strongly preferred.
Grade Replacement: Grade replacement not accepted.

Duquesne University

Biology I & II with lab, General Chemistry I & II with lab, Organic Chemistry I with lab, Biochemistry, Microbiology with lab, Anatomy with lab, Physiology, Statistics. Catholic mission — ethics coursework valued.

Community College: Community college prerequisites accepted. UPMC clinical experience valued.
Grade Replacement: Grade replacement not accepted.

Lock Haven University

Biology I & II with lab, General Chemistry I & II with lab, Organic Chemistry I with lab, Microbiology, Anatomy with lab, Physiology, Statistics. More flexible on specific requirements.

Community College: Community college prerequisites accepted. In-state applicants may have slight advantage.
Grade Replacement: Some flexibility — contact program directly.

Science GPA Benchmarks for Pennsylvania PA Programs

Most competitive Pennsylvania PA programs (Arcadia, Drexel, Jefferson) expect a science GPA of 3.3–3.5 minimum.

CASPA calculates your GPA differently than your undergraduate institution — all grades from all institutions are included.

A grade of C or below in a prerequisite course is a red flag. Retaking the course and earning an A or B demonstrates improvement.

Upper-division science courses (Biochemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy) carry more weight than introductory courses.

A strong upward GPA trend — improving grades each year — is viewed positively by admissions committees.

If your science GPA is below 3.0, consider a post-baccalaureate program or additional upper-division coursework before applying.

Dr. Tomei's Perspective

The science GPA is the single most important academic metric for PA school admissions. It tells programs whether you can handle the rigorous science curriculum of PA school. I have seen students with 3,000 patient care hours get rejected because their science GPA was 2.8. Fix the GPA first. Then build the hours. In that order.

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.

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Need Help Planning Your Prerequisite Schedule?

Prerequisite planning is one of the most important early decisions in your PA school journey. Dr. Tomei can help you build a course plan that meets every program's requirements while maximizing your GPA.

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