Pre-PA
Prepare For A Rewarding Career As A Physician Assistant
Because much of the required coursework is in the sciences, most Pre-Physician Assistant students select Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry as their majors. As long as the required prerequisite courses are taken any major can be pursued and degree awarded. Our advisors will assist you with confirming each of your prospective physician assistant program's prerequisite course requirements.
Catawba College students wanting to pursue a career practicing medicine, conducting physical exams, making diagnoses, and treating illnesses should consider pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant (PA). PAs conduct these duties under physician supervision and become medial providers in a much shorter time frame than through traditional medical school.
You should let your academic advisor know as soon as possible that admission to PA school is your post-graduation goal. Your advisor will work with you to ensure that you take the required prerequisite coursework, complete the required hours of clinical experience if necessary, and mentor you towards research experiences that will broaden your training and make your application stand out.
Program Highlights
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Pre-Health Advisory Committee
We provide advisement on preparing for admission to your physician assistant program, draft "Committee Letters" of recommendation, and conduct mock interviews.
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Pre-Physician Assistant Research
Conduct an Independent Study with a faculty member, apply for summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), and complete a medical or physician assistant internship.
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Leadership Experience
Get leadership experience and network with peers with similar interests by becoming an active participant in one of Catawba’s many clubs and organizations.
Participate
Participate
Get connected with the Pre-Health Club at Catawba College. In this organization, you’ll have the opportunity to meet alumni that have walked your same path towards a health career, as well meet other students with similar goals.
Program Details
Recommended Experiences
While it is important to have good GPA scores, physician assistant programs want to know that they are admitting well-rounded individuals that are committed to learning, service, and the field of medicine. There are many experiences you can have while at Catawba College to demonstrate your commitment:
Clinical Experience
Pre-PA students at Catawba College should keep in mind what is required and that clinical experience must involve direct patient care. Many PA schools only accept hours for which you received payment. We recommend that you get clinical experience as early and as often as you can and keep a journal of your experiences, with locations, hours worked, and a summary of your activities.
CNA or EMT Work Experience
Realistically, working as a CNA or EMT is the best way to get the needed health care experience hours. Catawba College students pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant can get certification as a CNA or EMT at local community colleges over the summer and become employed as a CNA or EMT over the summer and during the academic semesters.
Qualifying Experiences
Other experiences that qualify for PA school requirements include work as a phlebotomist, athletic trainer, medical assistant, military medic, pharmacy technician, physical therapy assistant, radiological technologist, emergency room technician, medical laboratory technician, or surgical technician. Experiences that DO NOT qualify include shadowing or observing a PA or physician or work as a candy striper, CPR or ACLS instructor, patient transporter, non-clinical research assistant, pharmaceutical representative, lifeguard, aerobics instructor, medical secretary, or any other experience that does not involve direct patient contact in a clinical setting.
Resources for Health Professions
Prepare for PA School
Prepare for PA School
Most PA Schools use the following as selection criteria for admission:
- Completion of the Prerequisite Coursework
- Completion of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree
- Overall GPA and Science GPA
- Score on the GRE
- Experience (Direct Patient Care). Programs require AT LEAST 1,000+ hours of direct hands-on patient care experience.
- Three Letters of Recommendation (two must be from physicians, PAs, or other medical professionals)
- Application through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)
- Interview
Next-Generation Resources
The Graham Genomics Lab allows students to engage in vital research, gaining broad and deep knowledge in a particular field, enabling them to put that knowledge to work for the common good. It features next-generation sequencing platforms from leading technology providers, including Illumina® and Pacific Biosystems. Catawba students acquire hands-on skills as they conduct research projects and work with innovative sequencing equipment, participating in multi-disciplinary, multi-platform research from concept through to data delivery and interpretation.
Net Price Calculator
Net Price Calculator
We know that a college education is one of the most important investments a student will make in their lifetime.
Catawba College's Net Price Calculator is a tool used to provide students with an estimate of the financial aid they might qualify for prior to receiving their official Financial Aid Award.
Catawba students in Dr. Megan Flocken's Biomedical Ethics class visited the local Downing Farm to explore sustainable agricultural practices in action.
Three Catawba College undergraduate students have each been awarded Yarbrough Undergraduate Research Grants from the North Carolina Academy of Sciences for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, Catawba College students and their faculty mentors in the Natural Sciences attended several scientific conferences locally, regionally and nationally to present exciting research and professional development opportunities. Twenty-two students presented a total of thirty-one oral and poster presentations this year, highlighted within four off-campus conferences.
