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What are the best university options for an aspiring Physician Assistant and what major best aligns with prerequisite coursework for graduate school?

I'm in the process of college research and I am struggling to find what schools are best for future physician assistants and it seems as if there are so many options for majors as well.

healthcare fall25 biology physician-assistant
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Abigail’s Answer

That's a great question, and it's one many future PAs ask during college research. While PA programs are graduate-level, choosing the right undergraduate school and major can make a big difference. Some universities offer strong pre-PA advising, access to clinical experiences, and high acceptance rates into PA programs. Schools like the University of Iowa, Penn State, University of Florida, James Madison University, and Duquesne University are known for supporting aspiring PAs, some even offer accelerated PA tracks or dedicated pre-PA minors. When it comes to majors, PA schools don't require a specific one, but they do expect you to complete certain prerequisite courses. Majors like Biology, Health Sciences, Psychology, and Kinesiology tend to align well because they include classes like anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, and psychology. The key is to choose a major that interests you and allows room to complete all required coursework. It's also helpful to look for schools with pre-health clubs, shadowing opportunities, and strong science departments. Creating a spreadsheet to track each school's prerequisites and support resources can help you stay organized and confident in your decision.

Abigail recommends the following next steps:

Explore school websites
Build a spreadsheet
Meet with a pre-health advisor
Start logging patient care hours
Join pre-PA or health science clubs
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James’s Answer

There is no small subset of schools that are best to prepare one for a healthcare profession such as physician assistant. I have worked with outstanding physicians, PAs, NPs, nurses, RTs, Pharmacists, and therapists who have graduated from colleges I had never heard of. It does need to be accredited, and you do need to get excellent grades and letters of recommendation (make the effort to speak with your professors...), but apply to a fair number of "stretch" and "safety" schools, and go to the one that you think will provide both a solid education as well as a fulfilling college life.
As for majors, it rarely matters as long as you get all prerequisite courses covered. Most physicians and physician assistants do something related to biology, but it really could be most anything. It is good to assure you get excellent laboratory science experience.
Most graduate schools like to see some breadth of knowledge and experience, so take courses that aren't clearly related to healthcare that sound interesting.
Also take the time to enjoy extracurricular activities, and be sure to take care of yourself - far too many people burn out trying to accomplish too much, and don't get the sleep, healthy food, and socialization that keeps us all sane and happy,
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Hwal’s Answer

Adeline,

I'm from Australia, and wasn't aware of the PA profession at all when I moved to the U.S., and had planned on applying to medical schools. One of the several reasons I chose to become a PA instead was the consistency in the rigor of PA education and training across programs. So, although there are well over 200 PA programs to choose from, I would encourage you to pick a program or programs that work best for you in terms of location, elective rotations, tuition, school culture, etc. as long as the program is fully accredited by the ARC-PA.

As for your undergraduate major, you can major in anything as long as you have your prerequisite courses for the program(s) you apply to. I've found that many majors, including biology and general studies, often gives students the option to take electives, which you can use to fulfill PA school prerequisites.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.

Good luck!

Hwal
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