Pre-Physician Assistant

MPAS / MHS • Prepare for PA school. PAs are among the fastest-growing healthcare professions with flexible specialization.

~3.6 avg

CASPA 2024

Avg Applicant GPA

~2,700 direct care hrs avg

Typical Experience

15 courses

Required Courses

5 areas

Key Experiences

Required Courses

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These courses are required by most MPAS / MHS programs.

BIO 311C BIO 311D BIO 325 BIO 206L MBS 326R INB 446L INB 365S CH 301 CH 302 CH 320M CH 320N PSY 301 PSY 333D SDS 320E C C 306M

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Recommended Courses

Not required but strengthen your application significantly.

CH 220C BCH 369 BCH 339F MBS 320 MBS 360K NEU 330 SOC 302

Key Experiences Needed

→Direct patient care (median matriculant has ~3,000 hrs as CNA, EMT, scribe, or MA)
→PA shadowing (100+ hrs across multiple specialties)
→Healthcare volunteering
→Leadership or community service
→Research (increasingly valued at competitive programs)

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Quick Links

📚 Courses for Pre-Physician Assistant 👩‍🏫 Biology Professors 🏥 Austin Activities 💬 Student Advice

💡 UT Austin Advantage

Austin-Travis County EMS and UTEMS are two of the best ways to build direct patient care hours as a UT student. Most competitive PA applicants have 2,000+ hours — starting sophomore year is critical.

📍 Austin Resources

• Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS)
• UTEMS (on-campus)
• ScribeAmerica Austin
• Dell Seton Medical Center
• People's Community Clinic