Pre-requisite Coursework

New requirement beginning with our 2024 cohort: Microbiology

You will need to have successfully completed 90 transferable credits of bachelor's level courses, 60 of which must be in general liberal arts and sciences and specifically include 55 credits of the prerequisites listed below, with grades of “C” or better* at an accredited college, university, or its equivalent.

An applicant may apply to the program with prerequisite coursework in progress, as long as no more than one natural science prerequisite is missing at the time of application (Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology). All prerequisite coursework must be completed a full semester prior to the start of the program. Please be aware that pending coursework may delay review of the candidate's application.

Distribution of 55 credits of specific prerequisites:

* Advanced Placement courses taken in high school must have scores of 4 or 5 to transfer.
** Applicants who completed two Anatomy & Physiology courses for less than a total of 8 credits must satisfy the credit requirement by completing an additional elective in Biology or Chemistry.
+ Applicants must provide catalog descriptions for English courses not taught by an English department (e.g. through a core curriculum or honors program).

Please note:

• All prerequisite science courses must be designed for science majors. Transfer of science courses designed for non-science majors, e.g., liberal arts, nursing, respiratory therapy, is at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.
• Applicants whose sciences prerequisites are more than 10 years old may be required to take refresher courses unless exempted by the Admissions Committee
• All prerequisite courses are offered through Touro's Lander Colleges and New York School of Career and Applied Studies.
• The PA program does not award academic credit for experiential learning.
• Meeting the minimum requirements listed above does not guarantee an interview or admission to the program.
• All incoming students are required to have a personal computer for daily instructional and testing purposes

Coursework completed by non-accredited or foreign institutions

Applicants who do not hold a degree from an accredited college, university, or its equivalent, will need to submit an official high school transcript or proof of GED.

Applicants whose native language is not English, or who did not attend college in the U.S. or other English-speaking country, will need to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination with a score of at least 560 (paper-based), 220 (computer-based), or 83 (Internet-based) (Note: the TOEFL exam does not fulfill or substitute for the 6-credit English prerequisite requirement).

Foreign credentials must be evaluated by a Touro-approved agency. International Student Services can help with any questions.  

Our supplemental application consists of verification forms for documenting the 200 required hours of Direct Patient Contact and the recommended PA Shadowing. In addition to these forms, all applicants are required to pay a $25 supplemental application fee using the payment instructions provided through CASPA. The payment transaction number must be included on the supplemental application forms before they are uploaded to CASPA. Separate supplemental application documents and a separate fee will be required for each Touro location that you choose to apply for through CASPA.

You need to submit verification of a minimum of 200 hours of direct patient contact.

Verification of a minimum of 200 hours of direct patient contact health care experience, either volunteer or paid, must be documented on the Patient Contact Form and uploaded through CASPA. We recommend retaining a copy of this completed form for your records. It may be used if you are applying for a separate Touro location or a future admissions cycle. Direct patient contact hours must involve interaction with patients and can be obtained in a number of ways and may include either paid or volunteer positions. Some examples include, but are not limited to: volunteer in an Emergency Department transporting patients, volunteer in a doctor's office performing height and weight, vital signs, etc medical assistant or nurse's aide phlebotomist Licensed Practical Nurse or Respiratory Therapist EMT or Paramedic.

PA shadowing is recommended but not required (documentation forms can be found in the Supplemental Application on CASPA).

If you choose to shadow a PA, the best way to acquire shadowing hours is to find a hospital that employs PAs that also has a volunteer program and sign up as a volunteer. While working as a volunteer, it is then often possible to shadow a PA in the facility. Many private offices that employ PAs will also allow a student to shadow the PA.

 (see CASPA application for guidelines)

Three (3) letters of recommendation. One of the letters of recommendation must be from a physician assistant. In order to confirm applicants have a clear understanding of the working relationship between physicians and physician assistants, the letter of recommendation from a PA cannot be substituted with a letter from another health care provider (i.e. RN, NP, paramedic).

A 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA

A 3.0 minimum combined science GPA from all colleges attended. All Biology, Chemistry and Physics grades are utilized to calculate science GPA or “BCP Total” as it appears on the CASPA application.

Updated transcript(s) for all coursework not verified in the CASPA application may be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions as they become available.