[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-503428-105":59,"doc-detail-503428-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","physician-assistant-pa-c-overview-admissions-and-timeline-guide","Physician Assistant (PA-C) - Overview - admissions and timeline guide","","Physician assistants (PA-C) are licensed clinicians who practice medicine across specialties under required licensure and physician supervision. Responsibilities include developing treatment plans, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting lab tests, diagnosing and treating illnesses, counseling on preventative health care, assisting in surgery, and writing prescriptions. The guide outlines PA program structure, typical education duration and clinical hours, prerequisite course categories, common admissions materials, and a month-by-month application timeline from CASPA account creation to interview preparation and matriculation.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/physician-assistant-pa-c-overview-admissions-and-timeline-guide/503428/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/physician-assistant-pa-c-overview-admissions-and-timeline-guide/503428.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"hdkawk","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-09","2026-10-03",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":52},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What requirements must a physician assistant meet before practicing?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"A PA must have a license and a supervising physician before practicing. Specific duties also depend on the clinical setting, the supervising physician arrangement, experience level, and state laws.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What kinds of tasks can a PA perform?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"A PA can develop treatment plans, perform physical exams, order and interpret laboratory tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, counsel patients on preventative care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How does the guide describe the PA application timeline and CASPA submission steps?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It provides a general month-by-month plan: create a CASPA account in January, submit transcripts and open the portal in late April, submit the CASPA application in May with early submission recommended, complete supplemental applications and CASPer by June–July, and then prepare for interviews in August.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},503428,1791604884,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":52,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},3985747859855,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ( PA-C )   \nPhysician’s assistants (PA's) are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting. PA’s must have a license and a supervising physician before they can practice. The exact responsibilities of a PA depends upon the type of medical setting in which they work, the understanding they have with their supervising physicians, their level of experience, and the laws of their state. PA's can develop treatment plans, perform physical exams, order and interpret laboratory tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, counsel patients on preventative health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions. Many PAs work in primary care areas such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine, as well as in any specialty fields such as cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, and emergency medicine.  \nPA's are educated as generalists, and their education and credentialing are based on a primary care foundation, which gives them the flexibility to be employed in all areas of medicine without additional education. With variation, PA programs generally take 27 months to complete, and students will be required to engage in 2,000 hours of clinical rotations, as well as pass a certification exam, among other requirements.  \nAs an undergraduate Pre-PA student, it is important to carefully review the prerequisite course requirements of all programs of interest because they vary from school to school, in some cases greatly. Extracurricular requirements such as hours of clinical experiences, paid or unpaid experiences, also varies greatly. Having specific PA shadowing experience is preferred in the admissions process, and most programs may require the GRE or MCAT for admission. Please consult the PAEA Program Directory for specific application requirements.  \nWe encourage you to meet with a Pre-Health Advisor at least once a semester to ensure satisfactory progress towards your goals!  \nDID YOU KNOW?  \n A science major is not required. Students should choose a major based on their interests and an area that they find exciting, which at the same time, will keep them academically competitive.  \n Competitive applicants will have over 2,000 hours of direct patient care experience at the time they submit their application.  \n Examples of clinical experience includes: emergency medical technicians (EMTs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), medical scribes, medical assistants (MAs), etc. Patient care experience does not include front office or administrative work.  \n  CASPA is the central application service for many accredited PA programs. CASPA opens in late April.  \n The PA profession is currently ranked at the top of healthcare professions.  \n There are over 270 accredited PA programs in the U.S.  \nCOMMON CORE COURSES  \nStudents are responsible for verifying the prerequisite coursework and policies of the schools to which they plan to apply.  \n\n| Course | \\# of courses | USC Course(s) |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| General Biology | 2 courses with lab | BISC 120L and BISC 220Lor BISC 121L and BISC 221L |\n| General Chemistry | 2 courses with lab | CHEM 105aL and CHEM 105bL or\u003Cbr>CHEM 115aL and CHEM 115bL |\n| Anatomy | 1 course with lab | HBIO 301L |\n| Microbiology | 1 course with lab | BISC 300L |\n| Physiology | 1 course with lab | BISC 307L or HBIO 420L |\n| Statistics | 1 course | MATH 208x or QBIO 305g or BISC 305 or HP 340 or PSYC 274g |\n| Genetics\u003Cbr>Biochemistry | 1 (or 2) upper division science course is recommended by a handful of schools. Refer to individual school requirements. | BISC 325\u003Cbr>OR\u003Cbr>CHEM 350g (Fall only) or BISC 312 (Spring only) |\n| Organic Chemistry | 1 course with lab is required by only a handful of schools. | CHEM 322aL |\n| English | 2 courses | WRIT 150 and WRIT 340 |\n| Psychology | 1 course | PSYC 100Lg |\n| Medical Terminology | 1 course is generally required | OT 200 |\n\nWWW. DO RN SI FE. USC. EDU/ PRE-HEALTH  \n\n| APPLICATION TIMELINE\u003Cbr>The following is a general time","cbCaifyJMSprPndg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifyJMSprPndg","pdf",523326,"English","# PA basics\n## Licensing and supervision requirements\n## Scope of clinical responsibilities\n# Education and program structure\n## Generalist education and credentialing\n## Clinical rotations, exam, and completion timeline\n# Pre-PA planning and admissions\n## Prerequisite verification across programs\n## Shadowing, hours of patient care, and eligibility\n## Application services and exam expectations\n# Common core coursework\n## Biology, chemistry, anatomy, and related sciences\n## Statistics, genetics/biochemistry, and other recommended courses\n# Application timeline\n## January to April: setup and submissions\n## May to August: applications, CASPer, and interviews\n## September to April: interviews, waitlists, and accepted school steps","[{\"question\":\"What requirements must a physician assistant meet before practicing?\",\"answer\":\"A PA must have a license and a supervising physician before practicing. Specific duties also depend on the clinical setting, the supervising physician arrangement, experience level, and state laws.\"},{\"question\":\"What kinds of tasks can a PA perform?\",\"answer\":\"A PA can develop treatment plans, perform physical exams, order and interpret laboratory tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, counsel patients on preventative care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the guide describe the PA application timeline and CASPA submission steps?\",\"answer\":\"It provides a general month-by-month plan: create a CASPA account in January, submit transcripts and open the portal in late April, submit the CASPA application in May with early submission recommended, complete supplemental applications and CASPer by June–July, and then prepare for interviews in August.\"}]","Physician Assistant (PA-C) - Overview - admissions and timeline guide | PDF",1791055766]