PA School Prereq Courses: The Complete List for 2026 Applicants

PA school prereqs come in two layers. The universal layer - about eight courses that almost every program requires. The variable layer - six to ten courses where programs disagree, sometimes dramatically. If you only plan around the universal layer you will hit the variable courses too late and end up taking a fifth year.

The universal eight

These eight courses appear on more than 80% of PA program prereq lists. Take them. Take them with labs where labs are required. Take them at a four-year institution where possible because some programs do not accept community college versions of upper-level science.

General Chemistry I and II with labs. Organic Chemistry I with lab - many programs accept just one semester of organic plus biochemistry instead of a full year. Biochemistry as the often-substituted second semester of organic. General Biology I and II with labs. Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs - these are the highest-leverage prereqs because they are also the foundation of the first didactic semester. Microbiology with lab. Statistics.

The variable layer

Beyond the universal eight, programs diverge. Genetics is required at maybe 30% of programs. Medical Terminology at maybe 20%. Developmental Psychology at 25%. Abnormal Psychology at 15%. Nutrition at 10%. The variable list looks small per program but the cumulative effect is significant - building a competitive prereq profile for a wide application list usually means taking three to five courses beyond the universal eight.

Public Health, Sociology, Anthropology, Ethics, and Communication courses appear sporadically. Most are not required but signal a well-rounded applicant. Take one or two if your schedule allows.

The order to take them in

Year 1: General Chemistry I and II, General Biology I, Statistics, Psychology (general).

Year 2: General Biology II, Anatomy I, Organic Chemistry I, Microbiology.

Year 3: Anatomy II, Physiology, Biochemistry (or Organic II), Genetics if needed.

Year 4: Catch up on variable-list courses, Medical Terminology, Developmental Psychology, any program-specific prereqs you discovered after building your school list.

This sequence works for traditional four-year applicants. Career changers and post-bacc students compress it into one to two years, which is intense but doable if you have already had general chemistry in undergrad.

AP credit, online courses, and pass/fail

AP credit is accepted at 60-70% of programs for non-science prereqs (English, Statistics, Psychology). It is accepted at 30-40% of programs for science prereqs. Read the per-program policy in the spreadsheet - assuming AP transfers and finding out it does not is the most common cycle-blocking discovery.

Online prereqs were universally accepted during the pandemic and are still accepted at most programs, but a growing minority of programs now require in-person labs. Lecture-only online versions are usually fine; online lab is the contested format.

Pass/fail courses are almost never accepted as prereqs. If you took a prereq pass/fail during the pandemic, plan to retake it for a letter grade.

Recency rules - the buried minimum

Many programs require prereqs to be completed within five, seven, or ten years of application. A bio degree from 12 years ago does not count for prereqs at programs with five-year recency rules.

If you are a career changer with old prereqs, plan a refresher semester. The recency rule applies to all prereqs equally, even if your transcript shows you took the course twice. Some programs accept upper-level coursework as a recency-resetter - check program-by-program.

Frequently asked questions

Do all PA schools require organic chemistry?

About 60% of programs require a full year of organic. Another 30% accept one semester of organic plus biochemistry as a substitute. The remaining 10% accept biochemistry alone.

Can I take prereqs at a community college?

Most programs accept community college coursework for general prereqs. Upper-level science courses (Anatomy II, Biochemistry, Microbiology with lab) are sometimes restricted to four-year institutions - check program-by-program.

How recent do my PA school prereqs need to be?

Five to ten years is the typical recency window. The exact number varies by program. Old prereqs can sometimes be revived by an upper-level course in the same subject.

Do I need to retake a prereq if I got a C?

Most programs require a C or better, so a flat C technically meets the minimum. A C in a prereq pulls down your science GPA significantly though, and a retake usually pays off if your science GPA is below 3.5.

Can I apply while still completing prereqs?

Yes - most programs let you apply with prereqs in progress as long as they will be completed before matriculation. Some programs require prereqs to be done by the application deadline; read each program's policy carefully.