Congratulations for your interest in becoming a Physician Associate (as of 2021, AAPA voted to change the PA title from Physician Assistant to Physician Associate)! As a pre-PA student at Radford University, you will have unique opportunities to engage in research, complete PA school course prerequisites, participate in STEM clubs, and so much more; all while learning in a community-based education environment. Radford’s small class sizes and demanding laboratory experiences will allow you to connect with faculty and study with classmates in a way that prepares you for the rigors of PA school.
While there is not a Pre-PA degree, most students choose to major in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Psychology and often minor in programs that celebrate their individual interest. However, pre-PA students have the opportunity to select a major that reflects their primary interests, so long as the specific PA school’s prerequisite courses are complete. PA school prerequisites often include biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, but all pre-PA students must investigate the specific requirements of each institution where an application will be sent. As a pre-PA student, you and your advisor will compose a degree path that suits your interests and best prepares you for PA school. The American Academy of PAs website is also a valuable resource when considering PA school after graduating from Radford University.
Schooling and Career Statistics
Physician Associate programs began in 1967 and, as of 2020, there are 260 PA programs accredited by ARC-PA. Learn more about the career timeline of a PA.
"I am incredibly thankful for the mentors I had at Radford University. It was my professors who guided my path to PA school by providing me the many opportunities our university had to offer. It was these experiences in RARE, individual research, the greenhouse, and RUEMS that prepared me for continuing my education."
Advice to future PA students: When deciding on how to receive your clinical hours for PA school, take this opportunity to find an experience that will not only expand your clinical knowledge, but to work in a setting that will emotionally, physically, and spiritually feed your soul.
Kendalyn Hersh, Radford University graduate