The Iowa PA prerequisites are some of the most specific in the country. The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine trains physician associates (the title many states still call physician assistant) in its Master of Physician Associate Studies (MPA) program, and it takes only 25 students each August. To apply, you need a full year of Biology and a full year of General Chemistry, plus Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physiology, three upper-level Biology courses, and Statistics.
The numbers matter too. Iowa now requires a minimum science GPA of 3.40, at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care, and final grades in every prerequisite by September 1 of the year you apply. The October 1, 2026 deadline for the class starting in August 2027 has passed, so this guide is built for the 2027 to 2028 CASPA cycle. That gives you roughly ten months to close gaps.
One point up front, because it affects how you plan: Iowa says its successful applicants traditionally take most upper-level Biology and Chemistry at a four-year school and have “minimal courses completed via an online program.” PrereqCourses offers self-paced online courses through Upper Iowa University (UIU), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and credit appears on a UIU transcript. Those courses can help with one or two gaps, but ask Iowa before you rely on any online course. PrereqCourses cannot promise that Iowa will accept a given course.
Table of contents
Iowa PA prerequisites at a glance
Iowa lists its Iowa PA prerequisites on the program’s admission requirements page. Here is the full list in one place.
| Area | Requirement | Key rules |
| Biology | A complete Biology sequence (General Biology I and II, or Animal Biology, Human Biology, or General Zoology) | Community college courses must be at the general level, not the introductory level |
| Biology | One Physiology course (animal, exercise, or human) | A two-semester combined Anatomy and Physiology sequence may satisfy it |
| Biology | At least three more upper-level Biology or Zoology courses | Each must require a prerequisite to enroll |
| Chemistry | A complete General Chemistry sequence (General Chemistry I and II) | Same community college rule as Biology |
| Chemistry | At least one semester of Organic Chemistry | Must require a prerequisite; must be above a survey course |
| Chemistry | Introductory or general Biochemistry | Must require Organic Chemistry; must be above a survey course |
| Statistics | One Statistics course | Traditionally any course with “Statistics” in the title |
The rules that apply to every course:
- All prerequisites must be done, with final grades available to the program, by September 1 of the application year.
- Courses must be taken within 10 years of applying, with a limited exception explained below.
- Prerequisites need letter grades.
- Iowa does not list a lab requirement for any of these courses.
- You need a bachelor’s degree from a US accredited institution, conferred before the program starts.
About the University of Iowa PA program
The MPA is a 28-month program with a 16-month didactic phase and a 12-month clinical phase, for a minimum of 128 semester hours. On its program home page, Iowa says its curriculum is designed so that PA students complete their didactic courses alongside medical students. Its catalog lists didactic courses such as Medical Gross Human Anatomy and Foundations of Cellular Life. The clinical year includes a 36-week core of required rotations in internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, gynecology, and psychiatry, followed by eight weeks of electives.
A few facts from Iowa’s own pages help explain why the program is so competitive:
- Class size. One class of 25 students starts each August.
- Accreditation. The program holds Accreditation-Continued status from the ARC-PA, with the next validation review expected around March 2033, according to its accreditation page.
- Board results. Iowa reports a 97% first-time PANCE pass rate over the last five years, compared with a national average of 93%, and a 100% pass rate for the class of 2024. See its PANCE outcomes page.
- Ranking. Iowa says its PA program tied for No. 1 in the 2025 to 2026 edition of U.S. News “Best Graduate Schools.”
Applications go through CASPA, and only US citizens or permanent residents are eligible. The requirements page also mentions asylum status, while the catalog does not, so if that applies to you, confirm with the program at paprogram@uiowa.edu.
Biology prerequisites
Biology is the largest part of the Iowa PA prerequisites, and it has three parts.
A complete Biology sequence. Iowa asks for General Biology I and II, or an equivalent sequence in Animal Biology, Human Biology, or General Zoology. The catalog describes it as a minimum two-semester sequence unless the program approves otherwise. If you took these at a community college, they must be the general courses meant for science majors, not introductory courses for non-majors.
One Physiology course. Animal, exercise, or human Physiology all qualify. Iowa notes that a two-semester combined Anatomy and Physiology sequence “may satisfy” this requirement. That word “may” matters, so if you plan to use A&P I and II here, confirm it with the program first.
At least three more upper-level Biology courses. To count as upper level, a course must require a prerequisite to enroll. Iowa gives these examples and marks the first seven as highly recommended:
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Anatomy, Embryology, Endocrinology, and Histology (also accepted examples)
The catalog adds Cell Physiology and Neurobiology to its list and says “other related disciplines” have been used. Iowa also says it does not consider most nutritional science or physics courses for the Biology prerequisites.
Chemistry prerequisites
General Chemistry I and II. Iowa wants a complete inorganic Chemistry sequence. The same community college rule applies: general level, not introductory.
Organic Chemistry. At least one semester, and the course must require a prerequisite to enroll. The catalog adds that it must be at a higher level than a survey of Organic Chemistry. A survey course will not meet this requirement.
Biochemistry. One introductory or general Biochemistry course that requires Organic Chemistry to enroll. The catalog again says it must be above a survey level.
If your school taught Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry as one combined course, Iowa says you must complete the entire sequence to get credit for both requirements.
Statistics prerequisite
Iowa says that traditionally any course with “Statistics” in the title will meet this requirement. Its examples are general Statistics, biometry Statistics, Biostatistics, business Statistics, and psychological Statistics. The catalog also lists a qualitative research methods course as an option. Because the two pages differ, a course with Statistics in its title is the safer choice.
Grades, the 10-year rule, and online courses
Letter grades. Every prerequisite must have a letter grade. If your school grades only on a pass or fail basis, Iowa reviews that individually, and you should say so in your application. For the COVID-19 semesters (spring 2020, fall 2020, and spring 2021), Iowa accepts pass or fail grades, although it strongly encouraged letter grades whenever students had the choice.
The 10-year rule. All prerequisites must be completed within 10 years of applying. If you have taken upper-level science courses within the last five years, Iowa may approve some prerequisites that are older than 10 years. Ask the program about your specific courses.
Online courses. Iowa does not publish a ban on online prerequisites, but it is direct about what successful applicants look like. In its words, they traditionally “take 2-3 upper-level Biological and Chemical Science courses per semester (junior/senior year), take a majority of upper-level Biological and Chemical Science courses from a 4-year institution, and have minimal courses completed via an online program.”
Put plainly: Iowa prefers in-person, four-year coursework for the upper-level sciences, and a transcript full of online courses is not what its successful applicants usually have. If you are thinking about any online course for an Iowa prerequisite, including a UIU course through PrereqCourses, email paprogram@uiowa.edu first and ask how it would be viewed.
GPA rules and the admitted class profile
Iowa sets two minimums, both due by September 1 of the application year:
- Cumulative GPA of 3.00. This is calculated from every college course you have taken, no matter when.
- Science GPA of 3.40. This is new starting with the 2026 to 2027 cycle. You can meet it with either a 3.40 overall science GPA or a 3.40 on your most recent 40 semester hours of Biology and Chemistry coursework.
Iowa does not do grade replacement or grade averaging. Every course counts in its calculations, so a retake does not erase the original grade. The “most recent 40 semester hours” option helps if your early science grades were weak, because a strong recent run of Biology and Chemistry can still clear the 3.40 line.
The minimums are only the floor. Iowa reports these averages for the class that started in August 2026 on its student selection page:
| Admitted class of August 2026 | Average |
| Cumulative GPA | 3.85 on 155 semester hours |
| Science GPA | 3.82 on 74 semester hours |
| Health care experience | 3,573 hours |
| Research experience | 234 hours |
| Age | 24 years |
Patient care hours, letters, and other requirements
Direct patient care: 1,000 hours minimum. Paid work, volunteering, and research can all count, but Iowa decides how much credit each role earns. Its examples: a medical scribe receives 75% of hours worked, and a pharmacy technician or dental assistant receives 25%. Plan well above 1,000 raw hours if your role is not fully credited. Iowa’s admissions pages say the hours must be met by October 1. The catalog says December 31 of the application year, so plan for October 1, the earlier date.
Three letters of recommendation. Iowa requires at least three, and it will review up to five if you send them through CASPA:
- One from a college professor you took a course or did research with. Iowa highly recommends a lecture course in Biology or Chemistry.
- One from a supervisor who directly oversaw your health care experience. A provider you only shadowed does not meet this requirement.
- One from anyone who can speak to your ability to succeed in the program.
Other items.
- GRE. Iowa does not list the GRE among its requirements. Its only GRE reference is a CASPA GRE code (0466) used to send TOEFL scores.
- TOEFL. Non-native English speakers send official TOEFL iBT scores taken within two years. Iowa may waive this for applicants with a master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited US institution.
- Other tests and shadowing. Iowa’s pages do not list CASPer, the PA-CAT, or a set number of shadowing hours.
- Technical standards. Admitted students must meet the Carver College of Medicine’s technical standards.
- Advanced placement. Iowa’s advanced placement policy is about skipping courses inside the PA curriculum, not about AP exam credit. Iowa traditionally grants it only for an identical University of Iowa College of Medicine course, never for coursework more than five years old, and never for experiential learning. Iowa does not say how it treats high school AP credit toward prerequisites, so ask if you plan to use it.
Interviews and rolling admission
After reviewing CASPA files, Iowa invites the most competitive applicants to an in-person interview in Iowa City. Interviews run from July through December. The day includes an orientation, student and alumni panels, a tour, and multiple mini interviews (MMI). For the current cycle, Iowa posted five sessions from July to December 2026.
Iowa selects interviewees based on academic achievement (especially in the sciences), health care experience, letters, and your personal narrative. The interview then looks at academic potential, knowledge of the PA role, maturity, communication skills, and motivation.
Admission is rolling. Iowa says offers traditionally go out within two weeks of an interview, and the process continues until the interview season ends, when the remaining seats are filled and an alternate list is set. Every applicant hears by February 1, whether the answer is an offer, the alternate list, or a denial. Because seats are offered as interviews happen, submitting a complete CASPA file early in the window makes sense.
Timeline for the 2027 to 2028 CASPA cycle
Iowa’s dates repeat each year. If it keeps the same schedule, here is how the next cycle would look for a class starting in August 2028.
| Milestone | Date |
| CASPA opens | Late April 2027 |
| All prerequisites done, final grades available; GPA minimums met | September 1, 2027 |
| CASPA complete and verified; 1,000 hours, three letters, and TOEFL in place | October 1, 2027 |
| In-person interviews in Iowa City | July to December 2027 |
| All admission decisions sent | By February 1, 2028 |
| Classes begin | August 2028 |
The September 1 prerequisite deadline comes a full month before the application deadline, so a course you finish in September will not count. Because admission is rolling, it also pays to have your CASPA file verified well before October 1.
How to fill missing Iowa PA prerequisites with UIU courses
If you are missing one or two Iowa PA prerequisites, PrereqCourses offers UIU courses in most of the required subjects. The fit notes below are our reading of Iowa’s published rules, not an Iowa decision. Given Iowa’s online caution, email paprogram@uiowa.edu about any course before you enroll.
What PrereqCourses does not offer. We do not have courses in Histology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Embryology, or Endocrinology, and we do not offer a standalone Physiology course. If you want Immunology or Cell Biology, two of Iowa’s highly recommended subjects, you will need another school, ideally a four-year college given Iowa’s stated preference.
Before you enroll, check these points:
- Count your online courses. Look at how many of your sciences are already online. Iowa wants online coursework kept to a minimum, so use UIU for the fewest courses you can.
- Mind the September 1 cutoff. Plan for final grades and transcripts well before September 1, 2027.
- Watch the chains. BIO 347 needs both BIO 135 and CHEM 151, and CHEM 330 needs CHEM 251, so order matters.
- Ask about A&P. Send the BIO 270 and BIO 275 descriptions to paprogram@uiowa.edu if you plan to use them for Physiology.
A realistic plan for one or two missing courses might look like this:
| Window | Example plan |
| November 2026 | Compare your transcript with the at a glance table; email Iowa about any online course you are considering |
| December 2026 to March 2027 | Take the course with the longest chain first, such as Organic Chemistry before Biochemistry |
| April to June 2027 | Finish the second course; keep building patient care hours; line up three recommenders |
| By early August 2027 | Request transcripts so final grades reach CASPA well before September 1 |
UIU courses through PrereqCourses are self-paced, with up to six months to finish each one. If you are missing most of the list, a semester or two at a four-year school will fit Iowa’s stated expectations better.
How Iowa compares with other PA programs
Iowa asks for more upper-level science than many PA programs, and its online caution is unusually direct. If you are building a list, compare it with other programs we have covered. In the Midwest, see Northwestern PA prerequisites and Creighton PA prerequisites. On the East Coast, see George Washington PA prerequisites and Wake Forest PA prerequisites. In California, see Stanford PA prerequisites and USC PA prerequisites.
FAQ
What are the Iowa PA prerequisites? A complete Biology sequence, one Physiology course, three upper-level Biology courses that each require a prerequisite, a complete General Chemistry sequence, one semester of Organic Chemistry, one Biochemistry course that requires Organic Chemistry, and one Statistics course.
Does the University of Iowa PA program accept online prerequisites? Iowa does not publish a ban, but it says successful applicants traditionally have “minimal courses completed via an online program” and take most upper-level sciences at a four-year school. Ask paprogram@uiowa.edu before you count on any online course.
What GPA do I need for the Iowa PA program? A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 and a minimum science GPA of 3.40, either overall or on your most recent 40 semester hours of Biology and Chemistry. The class that started in August 2026 averaged a 3.85 cumulative and 3.82 science GPA.
Does Iowa require the GRE? Iowa does not list the GRE among its requirements. The CASPA GRE code on its site is used to send TOEFL scores.
Can prerequisites be in progress when I apply? Iowa’s catalog says prerequisites can be in progress, but every one must be finished, with a final grade available to the program, by September 1 of the application year. That is a month before the October 1 deadline.
How many patient care hours does Iowa require? At least 1,000 hours of direct patient care, credited by role. A medical scribe gets 75% credit and a pharmacy technician or dental assistant 25%, so many applicants need more raw hours than the minimum.
When is the University of Iowa PA application deadline? October 1 through CASPA. The October 1, 2026 deadline has passed, so the next one, if Iowa keeps its schedule, is October 1, 2027, for a class starting in August 2028.
Next steps
Start by checking your transcript against the at a glance table, paying close attention to the three upper-level Biology courses, whether your Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry are above survey level, and your science GPA on your most recent 40 semester hours. Then count your online science courses, since Iowa wants that number small. If you are missing one or two Iowa PA prerequisites, email paprogram@uiowa.edu with the UIU course descriptions above and ask whether they would count. Plan to have every course finished well before September 1, 2027, and keep adding patient care hours while you study.
