Pennsylvania

How to Get Patient Care Hours in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania PA programs require 2,000–3,000 hours of patient care experience. Here is how to build those hours efficiently — and how to make them count on your CASPA application.

How many patient care hours do Pennsylvania PA programs require?

Most competitive Pennsylvania PA programs — Arcadia, Drexel, Jefferson, Duquesne, Saint Francis — require 2,000+ hours of direct patient care. Some programs like King's College and Lock Haven are more flexible, accepting 1,000+ hours. The average accepted applicant at top Pennsylvania programs has 2,500–3,000 hours. Start building hours as early as possible — sophomore year at the latest.

Dr. Tomei's Perspective

Patient care hours are the most important component of a PA school application — more important than GPA, more important than GRE scores. Pennsylvania PA programs want to see that you have spent significant time working directly with patients before you apply. The hours tell them you understand what clinical medicine actually is. The quality of those hours — and how you write about them — tells them whether you are ready for PA school.

For the national overview, see our complete guide to patient care experience for PA school: what counts and how many hours programs require.

Best Patient Care Roles in Pennsylvania

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Timeline: 4–8 weeks to certifyHours/yr: 1,500–2,000+

CNA is the fastest path to high-quality, direct patient care hours in Pennsylvania. CNA programs are available at community colleges across the state — Community College of Philadelphia, CCAC in Pittsburgh, Northampton Community College, and many others. CNA work at Penn Medicine, UPMC, or Jefferson Health provides exceptional clinical exposure and is highly valued by PA programs.

Tip: CNA certification in Pennsylvania requires completing a state-approved training program and passing the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry exam. Most programs take 4–8 weeks. This is the single most efficient way to build patient care hours.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Timeline: 3–6 months to certifyHours/yr: 1,000–2,000+

EMT certification in Pennsylvania is governed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Programs are available at community colleges and fire departments across the state. EMT work provides high-acuity patient care experience — direct patient contact, real emergencies, and a clear demonstration of commitment to medicine. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both have active EMS systems with strong pre-hospital care programs.

Tip: Pennsylvania EMT certification requires completing a state-approved training program and passing the NREMT exam. EMT work is particularly compelling for PA programs because it demonstrates comfort with high-stakes clinical situations.

Medical Assistant

Timeline: 6–12 months to trainHours/yr: 1,500–2,000+

Medical assistant roles at Penn Medicine, UPMC, Jefferson Health, and Temple Health provide consistent, high-quality patient care hours in outpatient settings. Medical assistants take vital signs, assist with procedures, prepare patients for examinations, and work directly with physicians and PAs. This role is particularly valuable for students interested in outpatient medicine.

Tip: Medical assistant positions at Penn Medicine and UPMC are competitive but accessible. Apply through their career portals. Mention your pre-PA goals in your application — many supervisors are supportive of students pursuing healthcare careers.

Phlebotomist

Timeline: 4–8 weeks to certifyHours/yr: 1,000–1,500+

Phlebotomy provides direct patient contact and is accepted as patient care experience by most Pennsylvania PA programs. Phlebotomy certification programs are available at community colleges and vocational schools across the state. Hospital-based phlebotomy at Penn Medicine or UPMC provides excellent exposure to a diverse patient population.

Tip: Phlebotomy is a good option for students who need to build hours quickly while completing prerequisites. It is not the most compelling patient care role, but it counts and provides consistent patient contact.

Medical Scribe

Timeline: No certification requiredHours/yr: 1,000–2,000+

Medical scribing is widely available in Pennsylvania through ScribeAmerica, Aquity Solutions, and directly through Penn Medicine, UPMC, Jefferson Health, and Temple Health. Scribing gives you direct exposure to physician and PA decision-making and clinical documentation. Some Pennsylvania PA programs count scribing as patient care experience, while others treat it as indirect care or healthcare experience.

Tip: Scribing at Penn Medicine or UPMC is particularly valuable because it exposes you to high-acuity, complex cases. It also often leads to shadowing opportunities with the physicians and PAs you work with.

Home Health Aide

Timeline: 75 hours of training required in PAHours/yr: 1,000–2,000+

Home health aide work in Pennsylvania provides direct patient care in a unique setting — patients' homes. Pennsylvania requires 75 hours of training for home health aides. This role is particularly compelling for students interested in geriatric care, chronic disease management, or community health.

Tip: Home health aide work is often overlooked by pre-PA students but is highly valued by programs with primary care and community health missions. The one-on-one patient relationships you build are excellent material for your personal statement.

Free Clinic Volunteer

Timeline: No certification requiredHours/yr: 200–500+

Volunteering at free clinics in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh provides direct patient care experience in underserved settings. Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility, Broad Street Ministry Health Clinic, and PCOM's student-run free clinic all offer volunteer opportunities. Free clinic experience is highly valued by Pennsylvania PA programs with community health missions.

Tip: Free clinic experience is not just about hours — it is about demonstrating commitment to underserved medicine. Programs like Arcadia and Drexel, which have strong community health missions, are particularly impressed by free clinic experience.

Patient Care Hour Requirements by Program

Program	Hours Required	Notes
Arcadia University	2,000+	Direct patient care required. Scribing may count as indirect.
Drexel University	2,000+	Direct patient care strongly preferred. Research experience valued.
Thomas Jefferson University	2,000+	Direct patient care required. Strong clinical narrative expected.
Duquesne University	2,000+	Direct patient care required. UPMC experience valued.
King's College	1,000+	More flexible on hours. Quality of experience matters.
Lock Haven University	1,000+	Public program. Rural medicine experience valued.
Saint Francis University	2,000+	Direct patient care required. Primary care experience valued.
Marywood University	1,000+	Flexible on hours. Geisinger experience valued.

* Always verify requirements directly with each program. Requirements change and vary by application cycle.

How to Document Patient Care Hours in CASPA

Keep a running log of every patient care hour — date, location, supervisor, hours worked, and a brief description of what you did.

CASPA requires you to list each patient care experience separately with contact information for verification.

Distinguish between direct patient care (hands-on with patients) and indirect patient care (scribing, administrative roles) — programs treat these differently.

Most Pennsylvania PA programs require 2,000+ hours of direct patient care. Start building hours early — junior year is too late to start from zero.

Quality matters as much as quantity. A student with 2,000 hours of CNA work and a compelling narrative will outperform a student with 3,000 hours of scribing.

Ask your supervisors to write letters of recommendation. The best LORs come from people who have seen you with patients.

Do not stop accumulating hours during your application cycle. Programs want to see ongoing commitment to patient care.

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. For a detailed breakdown of what counts as clinical experience and how many hours to target, see our guide to clinical hours for medical school. Prerequisite courses and patient care hour requirements vary by program — always verify directly with each program before applying.

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Patient care hours are only as valuable as how you write about them. Dr. Tomei can help you build a clinical narrative that Pennsylvania PA programs find compelling.

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