Physician Assistant, Undergraduate Pre-Professional Program
In This Section
Physician Assistant, Undergraduate Pre-Professional Program - Curriculum & Duration
Pre-Professional Undergraduate Phase Accelerated Track
Note: In addition to this 3-year accelerated track, USciences offers a traditional 4-year track for students who would like to take a minor, or prefer a more traditional course load. The same courses are covered, with additional Biomedical Science electives and free electives.
Summer before First Year
Minimum of 50 hours of patient contact/shadowing required prior to start of 1st year
First Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| BS 109 | General Biology I | 3 |
| BS 110 | General Biology I Lab | 1 |
| CH 101 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CH 103 | General Chemistry Lab I | 1 |
| PHA 100 | PA Seminar | 1 |
| MA 107 | Precalculus | 3 |
| PE 101 | Physical Education I | 0 |
| WR 101 | Writing and Rhetoric I | 3 |
First Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| BS 119 | General Biology II | 3 |
| BS 120 | General Biology Lab II | 1 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CH 104 | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 |
| MI 110 | Intro to Health and Medical Professions | 1 |
| MA 110 | General Calculus | 3 |
| PE 102 | Physical Education II | 1 |
| WR 102 | Writing and Rhetoric II | 3 |
Second Year, Summer
Minimum of 75 hours of shadowing and 150 hours of direct patient care experience required prior to start of second year.
Second Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| CH 201 | Organic Chemistry I 1 | 3 |
| CH 203 | Organic Chemistry Lab I 1 | 1 |
| PHA 206 | PA Shadowing & Physical Exam I 1 | 3 |
| PY 200 | Survey of Physics | 4 |
| SO 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| WR 302 | Scientific Writing | 3 |
| MD | Multidisciplinary Inquiry Requirement | 3 |
Second Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| CH 202 | Organic Chemistry II 1 | 3 |
| CH 204 | Organic Chemistry Lab II 1 | 1 |
| CO 101 | Introduction to Communication | 3 |
| PHA 208 |
PA Shadowing & Physical Exam II 1 | 3 |
| MD | Multidisciplinary Inquiry Requirement | 3 |
| Humanities Discipline Requirement | 3 |
Third Year, Summer
- Application to graduate professional program(s).
- Minimum of 300 documented hours of patient contact and 100 hours of shadowing required by start of third year.
- Minimum of 500 documented hours of patient contact and 100 hours of shadowing prior to start of professional program.
Third Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| BS 207 | Human Structure and Function Lab I 1, 2 | 1 |
| BS 243 | Microbial Science | 3 |
| BS244 | Microbial Science Lab | 1 |
| BS 493 | Biological Sciences Seminar I | 1 |
| BS 310 | Anatomy and Physiology I 1, 2 | 3 |
| CH 340 | Survey of Biochemistry 1 | 3 |
| PHA 300 | PA Interview Seminar 1 | 1 |
| PHA 310 | Medical Terminology I for the PA 1 | 1 |
| SO 347 | Death and Dying | 3 |
| WR 302 |
Scientific Writing | 3 |
| Other Humanities Requirement | 3 |
Third Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| BS 208 | Human Structure &Function Lab II 1, 2 | 1 |
| BS 311 | Anatomy and Physiology II 1, 2 | 3 |
| BS 358 | Principles & Applications of Immunology | 3 |
| BS 466 | Genetics | 4 |
| BS 494 | Biological Sciences Seminar II | 1 |
| PHA 303 | Introduction to Pharmacology 1 | 3 |
| PHA 311 | Medical Terminology II for the PA 1 | 1 |
| ST 310 | Biostatistics | 3 |
1 Must be taken at USciences
2 BS 207 and BS310, as well as BS208 and BS311, must be taken at the same time
General Notes:
- Second-year transfer students are required to take PHA 100 .
- Note that second-year students are required to shadow as part of their academic curriculum during the school year.
- Students will receive their BS in Biomedical Sciences degree after successfully completing their first semester in the graduate program (total of 127 credits needed for BS degree). Remaining credits for graduation will be transferred back from the Professional School Partner.
Pre-Professional Undergraduate Phase 4-Year Track
First Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
PHA 100 |
Physician Assistant Seminar |
1 |
|
BS 132 |
Introductory Biology I |
3 |
|
BS 134 |
Introductory Biology I Laboratory |
1 |
|
CH 101 (a) |
General Chemistry I |
3 |
|
CH 103 (a) |
General Chemistry Lab I |
1 |
|
MA 107 |
Precalculus |
3 |
|
PE 101 |
Physical Education I |
0 |
|
WR 101 |
Writing and Rhetoric I |
3 |
First Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
MI 110 |
Intro to Health & Medical Professions |
1 |
|
BS 133 |
Introductory Biology II |
3 |
|
BS 135 |
Introductory Biology II Laboratory |
1 |
|
CH 102 (a) |
General Chemistry II |
3 |
|
CH 104 (a) |
General Chemistry Lab II |
1 |
|
MA 110 |
General Calculus |
3 |
|
PE 102 |
Physical Education II |
1 |
|
WR 102 |
Writing and Rhetoric II |
3 |
Second Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
PHA 206 |
PA Shadowing and Physical Exam I |
3 |
|
CH 201 (b) |
Organic Chemistry I |
3 |
|
CH 203 (b) |
Organic Chemistry Lab I |
1 |
|
PY 2XX (c) |
Physics Requirement |
4 |
|
MD 2XX |
Multidisciplinary Inquiry I |
3 |
|
SO 101 |
Introduction to Sociology |
3 |
Second Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
PHA 208 |
PA Shadowing and Physical Exam II |
3 |
|
CH 202 (b) |
Organic Chemistry II |
3 |
|
CH 204 (b) |
Organic Chemistry Lab II |
1 |
|
MD 2XX |
Multidisciplinary Inquiry II |
3 |
|
PS 101 |
Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
|
PY 2XX (c) |
Physics (optional) |
4 |
Third Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
BS 310 |
Anatomy and Physiology Sequence(d) |
3 |
|
BS207 |
Human Structure and Function I Lab |
1 |
|
CH 34X |
Biochemistry (e) |
3-4 |
|
BS 243 |
Microbial Science |
3 |
|
BS 244 |
Microbial Science Lab |
1 |
|
CO 101 |
Introduction to Communication |
3 |
|
PHA 310 |
Medical Terminology I |
1 |
Third Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
BS 311 |
Anatomy and Physiology Sequence(d) |
3 |
|
BS 208 |
Human Structure and Function II Lab |
1 |
|
BS 466 |
Genetics |
4 |
|
BS 358 |
Principles & Applications of Immunology |
3 |
|
PHA 303 |
Introduction to Pharmacology |
3 |
|
ST 310 |
Biostatistics |
3 |
|
PHA 311 |
Medical Terminology II |
1 |
Fourth Year, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
BS 493 |
Biological Sciences Seminar I |
1 |
|
WR 302 |
Scientific Writing |
3 |
|
|
Humanities Discipline Requirement |
3 |
|
SO 347 |
Death and Dying |
3 |
|
PHA 300 |
PA Interview Seminar |
1 |
|
|
Elective Coursework |
5 |
Fourth Year, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|
BS 494 |
Biological Sciences Seminar II |
1 |
|
BS4XX |
400 Level Biological Sciences Course |
3 |
|
|
Humanities Discipline Requirement |
3 |
|
|
Biological Sciences Electives |
5 |
|
|
Elective Coursework |
2 |
a) Qualified students may substitute CH111/113 and CH112/114 for CH101/103 and CH102/104
b) Qualified students may substitute CH211/213 and CH212/214 for CH201/203 and CH202/204
c) Qualified students may substitute PY 211 and PY 212 for PY 201 and PY 202, or PY 200 (1 semester)
d) Biomedical science majors may elect no more than seven lecture credits from one of the following Anatomy and Physiology series to count toward graduation. No more than 2 credits of lab (BS 207 & 208) may count toward graduation
BS 205 & 206
BS 310 & 311
e) Students may elect CH 340, CH 341, or CH 346
f) Students planning to graduate in January of final year need to complete Seminar sequence in their third year.
Students must complete 36 credits of approved science electives (excluding BS 101 and BS 204). See catalog for approved list of courses. This must include at least one Clinical Biology course and a minimum of 9 credits at or above the 400 level (excluding BS 400, BS 420, BS 471, BS 472, and BS 499).
At the 200 level and above, only those credits for which a student has earned a grade of C- or better will count toward the science elective credits required for graduation.
Students must complete enough credit hours in addition to those required by the General Education Curriculum and the Department of Biological Sciences to reach a minimum total of 127.
Contact:
Address:
600 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4495
Phone:
888-996-8747 or 215-596-8821
Email: