Tennessee
Tennessee PA Programs: Check the Campus and the Cycle
A Tennessee PA school list can cross multiple cities and institutions with different application policies. Do not assume that a requirement attached to one campus, one degree or one admissions cycle applies to every program carrying a familiar university name.
Begin with the Tennessee PA directory, then confirm each program's official admissions instructions and current ARC-PA record. This hub focuses on decisions that can change when and where you apply.
Experience requirements are not statewide
At the time reviewed, UTHSC's PA admissions page states that it does not require a minimum number of direct-care or shadowing hours. That policy is not a statewide waiver, and it does not make clinical experience irrelevant to an applicant's preparation.
UTHSC's prerequisite page also places a five-calendar-year recency limit on specified coursework, including anatomy/physiology, microbiology and medical terminology. A career changer may therefore face a course-retake decision even when experience is extensive. Read the exact course and timing rules for your cycle.
Separate institutional names from individual programs
South College's Knoxville admissions page is the appropriate starting point for that campus. Applicants considering another South College location should use that location's own instructions, not reuse a deadline, exam code or assumption from Knoxville.
LMU's Knoxville PA program publishes cycle-specific application instructions, including its use of CASPA and rolling review for the 2026–2027 cycle. The lesson is not "apply everywhere immediately." It is to submit an eligible, complete application at a sensible time within each program's process.
Make a campus-specific checklist
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Exact program and campus | Degree name, instructional location and current accreditation record |
| Course age | Which courses expire, and whether age is measured at application or enrollment |
| Testing | Required exam, score-routing instructions and accepted test dates |
| Experience | Minimums, preferred preparation and whether your actual duties qualify |
| Timing | Submission versus verification deadline, supplemental steps and start term |
| Budget | Instructional and clinical-phase travel, housing and ability to work |
Choose care experience you can sustain
An applicant preparing in Memphis should not automatically plan regular travel to East Tennessee to gain experience. Evaluate qualified roles where you can work consistently, receive supervision and maintain academic performance. Ask programs to evaluate ambiguous responsibilities before you invest in training.
Record hours already completed separately from hours you expect to earn. Use interviews and essays to explain what you learned about PA practice, collaboration and patient needs. Avoid presenting one school's low minimum as evidence that you need no professional exposure.
Continue with Tennessee patient-care hours, prerequisites and application strategy. Schedule a consultation for an individual readiness review.