School of Allied Health Professions

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Prerequisites

The LSUHSC-NO Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program faculty and Admissions Committee, together with the Medical Director and the Dean, SAHP, have developed the following program Admission Requirements. The faculty as a whole, including the Medical Director and the Dean will review the Admissions Requirements and revise as needed to ensure program growth and development. 

NOTE: The LSUHSC-NO Physician Assistant Program does not grant advanced standing placement, give credit for required physician assistant courses, accept for transfer credit for physician assistant courses, nor grant course credit for healthcare experience.

NOTE: Masters degrees and Doctorate Degrees are accepted. However, preference or credit will not be given, nor will they negate the requirement of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university.

Admission Requirements/ Prerequisites (effective 10/15/2020)

  1. Prior to matriculation, the applicant must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university.
  2. At the time of application, applicants are REQUIRED to have a Minimum OVERALL GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale AND a minimum OVERALL SCIENCE GPA of 3.0.
  3. Successfully completion of a Standardized Exam.  PA-CAT or GRE
    1. Exam results must not be older than 5 years.
    2. PA-CAT is highly recommended.
      1. No recommended score the PA-CAT at this time.
    3. Recommended Minimum GRE scores:
      1.   Min. Score
        Verbal

        153
        Quantitative 144
        Analytical Writing 3.5
    4. The institutional code for LSUHSC-NO CASPA is 0202. **Your official GRE scores must be sent directly to CASPA.
  4. Applicants must have completed the following required courses with a “C” or better within the past ten years. ALL science courses must be for science majors. Survey courses are NOT accepted. Online courses are accepted.  Please see https://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/pa/applicationresources.aspx for Details on Courses and a list of individual Louisiana Institution courses accepted by the program.

    1. Courses *

      Hours

      Microbiology or Bacteriology (with lab)

      4

      Chemistry I and II (with labs)

      8 (4 hours each)

      Anatomy (human or comparative with a lab- comparative preferred)

      4

      Physiology (general, human or comparative with lab- comparative preferred)

      *A 3000 or 4000 level physiology course will meet this requirement.

      4

      Statistics (with analysis of variance and/or multiple regression)

      3

      Genetics

      3

      Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (with lab)

      4

      Biological Sciences (3000+ level courses)

      Immunology, Bacteriology, Histology, Parasitology, Nutrition, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Embryology (This list serves as an example and is not comprehensive)

      8

      Behavioral Sciences (Sociology or Psychology

      6

      College algebra or higher

      3
    2.  
  5. Three letters of recommendation**
    1. Acceptable letters should be from doctors shadowed, current and/or former professors, current and/or former employers.  
  6. A recommended minimum of eighty (80) hours of documented healthcare experience.

 

*NO COURSES WILL BE WAIVED

* Courses must be for science majors and must have a science prefix.

**Letters of recommendation must be sent through the CASPA portal, and must not be from family members.

In addition to the above prerequisites, applicants MUST also be able to and are required to: