Biology B.S. - Concentration: Pre-Physician Assistant

Coordinator: Professor Jennifer L. White

This concentration prepares students to be competitive applicants to post-baccalaureate programs leading to licensing as a physician assistant. Students complete a Biology major with a concentration in Pre-PA studies, which includes specific curricular requirements intended to provide background necessary for admission into a Physician Assistant graduate program. Students are also expected to obtain hundreds of hours of clinical experience outside the classroom, and there are many opportunities available at local medical facilities.

Freshmen must meet the following Entrance requirements: 

  • Combined SAT score of 1100 or ACT Score of 24;
  • High school GPA of at least 3.0;
  • College-prep curriculum that includes four years of English, four years of mathematics, three years of science including biology and chemistry.
  • Class ranking in the top 40 percent; and
  • Permission of the Pre-PA coordinator.
  • Students will be evaluated after their junior year by the Pre-PA coordinator.

Succeeding in the Pre-PA Program 

Students may receive a favorable recommendation from the Pre-PA coordinator by the application deadlines of area PA programs if they adhere to the curricular requirements and clinical recommendations. At the discretion of the Pre-PA coordinator, a student who fails to meet the standards for retention after the junior year may be placed on probationary status for one semester, during which all standards must be met for continuance.

Students should plan to complete general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, introductory biology, and anatomy and physiology by the close of the junior year. Other courses recommended for completion by this time are genetics, animal physiology, histology, comparative anatomy, ecology, microbiology, statistics, and pre-calculus..

Students will be evaluated at the end of their junior year. Several hundred hours of clinical experience (direct patient care, shadowing, or health-related experience) in a hospital, clinic, senior care facility, etc., are recommended by graduation to be a competitive applicant to graduate programs.

This may be accomplished through an internship (BIL 486) subject to approval by the Pre-PA Coordinator.

Program Features

77 credits

Required courses:

BIOL 111GE: Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4 credits

BIOL 112GE: Human Anatomy and Physiology II

4 credits

BIOL 114GN: Introductory Biology I

4 credits

BIOL 115GE: Introductory Biology II

4 credits

BIOL 200General Ecology

3 credits

BIOL 330Microbiology

4 credits

BIOL 331Genetics

3 credits

BIOL 340Animal Physiology

4 credits

BIOL 410Histology

4 credits

BIOL 495Seminar I

1 credit

BIOL 496Seminar II

1 credit

and at least an additional 5 semester hours of biology electives except:

BIOL 103GN: Forensic Biology

3 credits

BIOL 105GN: General Biology

3 credits

BIOL 106GN: Insects & Human Life

3 credits

Co-requisite courses:

CHEM 121GN: General Chemistry I

3 credits

CHEM 123GN: General Chemistry I Lab

1 credit

CHEM 124GE: General Chemistry II

3 credits

CHEM 126GE: General Chemistry II Lab

1 credit

CHEM 233Organic Chemistry I

3 credits

CHEM 234Organic Chemistry II

3 credits

CHEM 235Organic Chemistry I Lab

1 credit

CHEM 236Organic Chemistry II Lab

1 credit

 

PHYS 131GN: Fundamental Physics I

4 credits

OR

PHYS 161GN: Physics I

4 credits

 

PHYS 132GE: Fundamental Physics II

4 credits

OR

PHYS 162GE: Physics II

4 credits

 

PSY 100GN: General Psychology

3 credits

OR

PSY 101GN: Introduction to Psychology

3 credits

 

MATH 110GN: General Statistics

3 credits

And

MATH 135GN: Pre-Calculus

3 credits

OR

MATH 140GN: Calculus I

4 credits

 

ENGL 162GN: Introduction to Literary Analysis and Interpretation

3 credits

Or

ENGL 203GN: Advanced Composition

3 credits

Or

ENGL 204Technical Writing

3 credits

A minimum grade of “C” is required in all required, co-requisite and directed GE courses.

Required quality point average:

3.3 or greater in required and co-requisite courses (excluding BIOL 480, BIOL 484, BIOL 485, BIOL 486, BIOL 494, BIOL 498) , 3.0 or greater overall. At least one half (22) of the credit hours required in biology must be completed at East Stroudsburg University.

Students will be evaluated at the end of their junior year (after the sixth semester). Transfer students must meet the same academic standards for acceptance and college coursework.

3.0 or greater overall.

Qualified students choosing to remain in the concentration must:

  • Complete a diversity of clinical experiences, with hundreds of hours completed before the senior year.
  • Maintain the required GPA.
  • Interview with the Pre-PA coordinator in the spring of the junior year, to discuss grades, the application process, clinical experience, letters of recommendation, comments of internship sponsors, and registration for spring classes to complete graduation requirements.


4 Year Curriculum Program Plan

(Subject to change by the university without notice)

Freshman Year

Fall

BIOL 114GN: Introductory Biology I

4 credits

CHEM 121GN: General Chemistry I

3 credits

CHEM 123GN: General Chemistry I Lab

1 credit

ENGL 103English Composition

3 credits

FYE 100University Studies

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring

BIOL 115GE: Introductory Biology II

4 credits

CHEM 124GE: General Chemistry II

3 credits

CHEM 126GE: General Chemistry II Lab

1 credit

 

ENGL 162GN: Introduction to Literary Analysis and Interpretation

3 credits

OR

ENGL 203GN: Advanced Composition

3 credits

 

CPSC 101GN: Personal Computers and Their Uses in the Sciences

3 credits

HPLW 105Health Promotion and Lifetime Wellness

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:17

Sophomore Year

Fall

BIOL 111GE: Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4 credits

CHEM 233Organic Chemistry I

3 credits

CHEM 235Organic Chemistry I Lab

1 credit

BIOL 330Microbiology

4 credits

MATH 135GN: Pre-Calculus

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring

BIOL 112GE: Human Anatomy and Physiology II

4 credits

CHEM 234Organic Chemistry II

3 credits

CHEM 236Organic Chemistry II Lab

1 credit

BIOL 200General Ecology

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Performing Arts

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Junior Year

Fall

PHYS 131GN: Fundamental Physics I

4 credits

BIOL 331Genetics

3 credits

BIOL 300-400Biology Elective

3 credits

MATH 110GN: General Statistics

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Sociology

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring

PHYS 132GE: Fundamental Physics II

4 credits

BIOL 300-400Biology Elective

3 credits

PSY 100GN: General Psychology

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Fine Arts

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Political Science

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Senior Year

Fall

BIOL 410Histology

4 credits

BIOL 495Seminar I

1 credit

BIOL 300-400Biology Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Free Elective - Level 300/400

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Economics

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

BIOL 410: Course is typically offered once per year

Spring

BIOL 340Animal Physiology

4 credits

BIOL 496Seminar II

1 credit

XXXX ___Free Elective - Level 300/400

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Philosophy or Language

3 credits

GN: XXXGeneral Education - Geography or History

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Biology electives – at least 5 credits

Total Credit Hours: 120

For more information, contact the department at 570-422-3725 or visit www.esu.edu/biol