Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional)
Clinical medicine training to diagnose and treat under a care team.
Physician assistants practice medicine, diagnosing conditions, prescribing treatment, assisting in procedures, as part of a healthcare team, but the professional credential requires a master's-level PA program after a science-heavy undergraduate degree and clinical experience hours. Undergrad is a preparatory pathway, often biology or health sciences.
Because PA programs typically require significant direct patient-care experience before admission (not just observation), many students spend time working as an EMT, medical assistant, or in a similar hands-on healthcare role during or after their undergraduate degree.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Human Anatomy & Physiology
- ✓General & Organic Chemistry
- ✓Biochemistry
- ✓Microbiology
- ✓Statistics
- ✓Medical Terminology
- ✓Psychology
- ✓Direct Patient Care Experience (required for grad admission)
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Human Anatomy & Physiology
- +General education requirement
- ✓General & Organic Chemistry
- +General education requirement
- ✓Biochemistry
- +General education requirement
- ✓Microbiology
- +Free elective
- ✓Statistics
- +Free elective
- ✓Medical Terminology
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Psychology
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Direct Patient Care Experience (required for grad admission)
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Wants to practice clinical medicine without becoming a physician
- ★Comfortable with a long, experience-heavy pathway before grad school
- ★Strong in the sciences and calm under pressure
- ★Interested in team-based, collaborative patient care
Common minors & double-major pairings
Biology · Chemistry · Psychology
Roles this major could lead to
Factual, day-to-day descriptions from our Career Role Encyclopedia, not a guarantee this major leads to any specific job.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) major?
Clinical medicine training to diagnose and treat under a care team.
What courses do Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Human Anatomy & Physiology, General & Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) program?
Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) coursework typically builds skills like Strong biomedical science foundation, Clinical reasoning fundamentals, Direct patient-care experience and comfort, Attention to detail under pressure.
Is Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Wants to practice clinical medicine without becoming a physician" or "Comfortable with a long, experience-heavy pathway before grad school" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What can you do with a Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) degree?
Majors in this field often go on to roles like Physician Assistant. See our Career Role Encyclopedia for more, a major shapes what you study, not a guarantee of any specific job.
What other majors pair well with Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional)?
Common minor or double-major pairings include Biology, Chemistry, Psychology.
How is Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) different from Health Sciences?
They're related but distinct. Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional): Clinical medicine training to diagnose and treat under a care team. Health Sciences: A broad science foundation for many health career paths. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Physician Assistant Studies (Pre-Professional) degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/physician-assistant-studies