Pre-Physician Assistant
If you’re a current student at Cornell, schedule your appointment with the Dimensions Associate Director to get started planning your future career medicine as a physician assistant (PA).
Prepare for physician assistant programs
Choose a major
- Biochemistry and molecular biology
- Kinesiology
- Psychology
These majors are good choices and are our most popular for pre-physician assistant since they help satisfy most prerequisites for physician assistant school. However, you may consider another major instead. You strengthen your application if you double major in biochemistry and molecular biology with another major outside of the natural sciences because it sets you apart from other applicants.
Complete your prerequisite coursework
Typical prerequisites include:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Human anatomy
- Exercise physiology
- Statistics
- Biochemistry
- Abnormal psychology
Additional considerations
- Competitive Grade Point Average (GPA) is 3.5 or higher
- Three or more upper level courses are recommended
Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Most physician assistant schools require the GRE (administered by the Educational Testing Service) for admission. Dimensions provides resources and 1:1 professional support when you are preparing for the GRE, which consists of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections, and lasts approximately four hours.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
Some physician assistant programs will accept MCAT scores, but it is best to check with the programs you’re most interested in to see how they perceive applicants who have taken the MCAT.
Apply to physician assistant programs
Before you begin to apply to physician assistant programs, meet with the Associate Director of Dimensions to plan out the steps necessary for applying.
You will also meet with Cornell’s Health Professions Committee. Cornell’s Health Professions Committee will review your application in its entirety and author a committee letter of recommendation.
If you’re interested in learning more about Cornell’s pre-physician assistant program, let us know.