Pre-Physician Assistant

Students who choose a course of study that will lead to an eventual career as a physician assistant will work with a dedicated adviser to customize a program that increases their chance of admission to a licensing program. You'll build a foundation for the education and training it will take to practice medicine under a physician's supervision and conduct exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, assist in surgical procedures, counsel patients on preventive health care issues, and write prescriptions.

Requirements Requirements Biology Biology Scholarships Scholarships

Program Highlights

• Well-rounded program of natural sciences, humanities, human development, social sciences, statistics and medical terminology courses.
• Completion of a comprehensive major or major/minor combination highly recommended.
• Assigned faculty adviser assists with course selection and preparation for competitive admissions requirements of professional schools.
• Smart classrooms, technology-enhanced lecture halls and advanced laboratories in the updated Robert H. Wick Science Building, the center for most pre-professional programs.
• New anatomy and physiology suite in a remodeled Wick Science Building is open weekdays.
• A Human Performance Lab with advanced equipment and an international reputation of excellence.

Program Distinctions

• High success rate in admission to professional schools.
• Chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society.
• $126,000 2014 National Science Foundation grant for research on aquatic ecosystems in Chicago's waterways.

• Emphasis on science and technology that includes completion of $45 million Integrated Science & Engineering Laboratory Facility (ISELF), $14.5-million addition to Robert H. Wick Science Building and $13.6-million renovation of Brown Hall completed within the past five years.
• Earth Day Half Marathon draws thousands interested in healthful activity to the campus annually.
• Health-focused campus activities such as UChoose, Relay for Life and Students for Health.