Physician Assistant Program Prerequisite ... - Student Affairs

The Physician Assistant Program
School of Health Technology and Management
Health Sciences Center
Stony Brook University
*Note: The program offers a Master of Science degree. Please check the program website
http://www.hsc.stonybrook.edu/shtm/ for the most updated information.
General Considerations and Requirements:
In-depth knowledge about the profession: This is extremely important and will make you a stronger, more
informed applicant who is confident and secure in your choice of a career. The Physician Assistant (PA) profession
is well-established and has grown quickly since its beginnings in the 1960’s. An excellent place to begin learning
what you need to know about the profession is the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ website at
http://www.aapa.org.
Call (631) 444-3190 or visit our website http://www.hsc.stonybrook.edu/shtm/ to find out the date, time and location
of the next information session held by the Physician Assistant Program at Stony Brook’s Health Science Center.
These sessions are a “must” for serious applicants from campus and others who are able to attend. Other
excellent sources of information on the program and profession are the Pre-Physician Assistant Club on west
campus. “Shadowing” a graduate PA and/or speaking with a PA or PA student are also valuable ways to learn
first-hand about the profession.
All applications for the Physician Assistant Program are handled through the Central Application Service for
Physician Assistants (CASPA) at www.caspaonline.org. Be sure to carefully read and follow the instructions
and to check with CASPA to make sure that all of your transcripts and references have been received. The
program also requires a supplemental application that is sent to you via email after the program receives your
CASPA application.
The Physician Assistant Program requires the completion of a Bachelor’s degree and all required
prerequisite courses. To optimize your chance for admission it is strongly advised that you have
completed the recommended coursework. Preference for interview is given to applicants who have all
required courses and courses in Anatomy and Physiology complete by the fall of the year they are
applying.
At least 1,000 hours of paid or volunteer direct patient care or health-related experience is required
prior to entering the program. Preference for interview is given to applicants who have completed 1000 hours by
the deadline.
Students must be certified in BLS (basic life support) prior to entering the program. It is advisable that you complete
this requirement the spring semester prior to entering the program. You can contact your local chapter of the
American Red Cross of the American Heart Association for their scheduled BLS courses. The program prefers that
you complete an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). However, unless you have a critical care background,
and are already BLS certified, you will not be eligible to complete ACLS. If an ACLS course is accessible to you, it
is advised that you take it the month prior to starting the program so that you remain certified for the two years while
in the program.
The minimum overall GPA for PA applicants is 2.90 and the minimum natural science GPA is a 2.90. Preference for
interview is given to applicants with an overall and natural science GPA above 3.0. The program carefully
considers factors other than GPA including, but not limited to, motivation, the quality of the personal essay,
references from instructors and employers, and the type and breadth of health care experience. The program
strongly recommends that you shadow a PA and/or speak with those in the profession prior to applying. Please
note that meeting the program’s minimum requirements neither guarantees an interview nor admission. It
is important to consult with a representative of the program as much in advance of applying as possible. Review of
the program website is crucial in understanding how to make you more competitive in the process. The program
lists specific courses and applicants who have taken them are shown preference for interview.
This prerequisite sheet is an advising tool for students enrolled at Stony Brook. If you are a student at another
college or university and are interested in our Physician Assistant Program please check with your pre-health
advisor regarding the best way for you to meet Stony Brook’s prerequisites through the courses offered at your
school. It is advisable to access the PA program website prior to meeting with your advisor.
The other side of this sheet outlines prerequisite course information that you need to know.
Revised 11.07.11

Prerequisites for entry into
the program
3 credits of English
composition
The writing course(s) you take
depends on a variety of factors.
Consult an academic advisor to
determine propose placement.
6 credits of Arts and
Humanities
It is recommended that the
courses you take also fulfill
DEC requirements
9 credits of Social and
Behavioral Sciences
It is recommended that the
courses you take also fulfill
DEC requirements
Physician Assistant Program Prerequisite Check Sheet
Required Prerequisite Courses
WRT 102 OR WRT 103 is required for
entry into the program.
*Most students will need to complete WRT
101 before advancing to WRT 102.
Courses may be taken from, but are not
limited to, the following departments or
interdisciplinary programs:
Art (no studio courses), Music (no studio
courses), Literature, Philosophy, Foreign
language (intermediate level or above),
Women’s Studies
Courses may be taken from, but are not
limited to, the following departments or
interdisciplinary programs:
Psychology, Sociology, History, Economics
Anthropology
3 credits of Statistics AMS 102 (Elements of Statistics)
AMS 110 (Probability and Statistics in the Life
Sciences)
8 credits of Chemistry
and
3 credits of Organic
Chemistry or Biochemistry
The Chemistry sequence you
take depends on the score you
received on the Math
Placement Examination taken
during orientation. You only
need to take one of the
sequences listed.
You must have a minimum
score of 3 on the Math
Placement Exam to start the
Chemistry sequence.
8 credits of Biology
and
3 credits of Microbiology
and
3 credits of Genetics
If you received a score of 3 on the Math
Placement Exam, take CHE 129/130/133,
along with MAT 123; then take CHE
132/134, along with MAT 125.
If you received a score of 4 on the Math
Placement Exam, take CHE 131/133, along
with MAT 125; then take CHE 132/134,
along with MAT 126.
If you received a score of 5 or higher on the
Math Placement Exam, and you have a
strong high school chemistry background,
take CHE 141/143, along with MAT 125 or
higher; then take CHE 142/144, along with
MAT 126 or higher.
Organic I is CHE 321
The following sequence of Biology courses
will be required:
BIO 202* (3 credits) and BIO 204* Lab (2
credits), BIO 203* (3 credits)and BIO 205*
Lab (2 credits)
and
either HBM 320* or BIO 315* (3 credits, no
lab) for microbiology requirement
and
BIO 320 for the genetics requirement
Recommended
Courses
WRT 381 - Advanced Analytic and
Argumentative Writing
CCS 201 - Writing about Culture
PHI 104 (Moral Reasoning), PHI 108
(Logical and Critical Reasoning) or
any course in logic and critical
thinking
SOC 200/HMC 200 (Medicine and
Society), SOC 392 (Health Care
Delivery) or courses in abnormal,
child or developmental psychology
ANP 300 - Anatomy
BIO 328 – Mammalian Physiology
BIO 316 – Molecular Immunology
For further clarification on pre-requisite courses, please contact the program directly at 631-444-3190.
Revised 11.07.11