If you are aiming at Emory University School of Medicine’s Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant (MMSc-PA) program in Atlanta, start by mapping Emory PA prerequisites course by course. Emory lists eight prerequisite courses (natural sciences at least 23 semester credits): biology with lab, two chemistry courses each with lab, human anatomy, physiology (or combined A&P), organic chemistry or biochemistry, and statistics. Grades must be C or better. Online courses from regionally accredited schools are acceptable under Emory’s published rules, unlike programs that lock labs to in-person seats.
Quick answer: Emory’s MMSc-PA program lists eight prerequisite courses (natural sciences at least 23 semester credits), and grades must be C or better. PrereqCourses lists UIU courses for these areas, including BIO 135, CHEM 151, CHEM 152, BIO 270, BIO 275, CHEM 251 or CHEM 330, and MATH 220. Credit appears on a UIU transcript. PrereqCourses does not award credit and does not guarantee that Emory or any PA program will accept a given course; final decisions rest with the Emory PA Admissions Committee.
This guide maps Emory physician assistant prerequisites plus the gates that decide whether a file is competitive: cumulative and science GPA floors, 2,000 direct patient-care hours at application, CASPA plus a supplemental, and cycle timing. Where online coursework fits, PrereqCourses.com offers self-paced sections through Upper Iowa University (UIU), accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Credit appears on a UIU transcript. PrereqCourses does not award credit and does not guarantee Emory or any PA program will accept a given course. Final decisions rest with the Emory PA Admissions Committee.
Cross-school overview: physician assistant prereqs.
Table of contents
Emory PA prerequisites at a glance
| Requirement | Credits (published) | Lab? | Online OK? | Gap-fill notes |
| Biology with lab | 4 semester / 4 quarter | Yes | Yes (regionally accredited) | BIO 135 primary |
| Chemistry with lab (#1) | 4 semester / 4 quarter | Yes | Yes | CHEM 151 |
| Second chemistry with lab (#2) | 4 semester / 4 quarter | Yes | Yes | CHEM 152 |
| Human anatomy | 3 semester / 4 quarter | Not specified as required | Yes | Or combined A&P path |
| Physiology | 3 semester / 4 quarter | Not specified as required | Yes | Or combined A&P path |
| Organic chemistry or biochemistry | 3 semester / 4 quarter | Not specified | Yes | Prefer non-survey; CHEM 251 or CHEM 330 |
| Statistics | 3 semester / 4 quarter | No | Yes | MATH 220 |
| Combined A&P (alternative) | ≥6 semester or ≥8 quarter total | Follow course design | Yes | BIO 270 + BIO 275 |
Recommended (not required): Microbiology; Genetics.
Program snapshot: Emory’s MMSc-PA curriculum is a full-time, about 29-month pathway (didactic ~17 months + clinical ~12 months) in Atlanta. No part-time option. A PA + MPH dual degree with Rollins is noted separately; clear prerequisites first.
Last verified: Sep 17, 2026 (Asia/Jerusalem), against Emory’s requirements, application, healthcare experience, and supplemental pages. Re-check med.emory.edu before you enroll or apply.
Who Emory’s MMSc-PA program is for
Emory PA program requirements start with a baccalaureate from an institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of a Regional Accrediting Organization. International bachelor’s holders typically need at least one year (24 semester hours) full-time at a U.S. or Canadian regionally accredited school. The MMSc-PA is full-time only; Emory does not offer advanced placement or transfer credit for prior PA coursework or experiential learning into the PA curriculum.
This page is for career changers and re-applicants who want Emory’s Atlanta MMSc-PA and need Emory MMSc PA prerequisite courses mapped to product options. Still comparing clinical paths? See medical doctor vs physician assistant or physician assistant vs nurse practitioner, then return for Emory-only gates.
Course-by-course requirements
Each area below follows Emory’s published physician assistant prerequisites list and maps eligible rows to self-paced UIU options via PrereqCourses. Typical pricing is about $675 (3-credit) or about $695 (4-credit lab); textbooks and lab materials are separate. Courses begin on the 1st of each month. All courses remain subject to Admissions Committee approval.
Biology with lab
Biology of your choice with lab at 4 semester hours (or 4 quarter hours). Content is flexible versus schools that name a specific intro sequence, but the credit floor and lab still matter.
Eligible online option: BIO 135 Principles of Biology I. Optional depth (not a substitute for chemistry, A&P, or statistics): BIO 140 Principles of Biology II.
Chemistry I and II with labs
You need two separate chemistry courses, each with lab, at 4 semester hours apiece. Emory PA online prerequisites policy explicitly accepts online courses from regionally accredited institutions, so online general chemistry with lab can work here. That differs from some ABSN and PA programs that still require an in-person wet lab (for example, NYU Meyers for nursing chemistry). Do not assume every PA school matches Emory.
Eligible online options: CHEM 151 General Chemistry I and CHEM 152 General Chemistry II.
Human anatomy and physiology (separate or combined)
Emory lists human anatomy (3 semester / 4 quarter hours) and physiology (3 semester / 4 quarter hours). Combined A&P satisfies both when the total is at least 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours. Unusual titles: send a syllabus to pa_admissions@emory.edu.
Combined A&P path: BIO 270 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 275 Human Anatomy and Physiology II. Together they typically clear the 6-semester-hour floor. PrereqCourses does not list stand-alone “anatomy only” or “physiology only” SKUs; if you already hold one semester, finish the pair or ask Emory how to complete the second half.
Organic chemistry or biochemistry
One course of at least 3 semester hours (or 4 quarter hours). Emory lists organic or biochemistry. Recruit materials caution: prefer a course that is not a survey. If your past title looks survey-level, email Emory with the syllabus before you retake.
Pick one path: CHEM 251 Organic Chemistry I or CHEM 330 Biochemistry I. You do not need both for Emory’s published minimum.
Statistics
Three semester hours (or 4 quarter hours); no lab required on the requirements page.
Eligible online option: MATH 220 Elementary Statistics.
Recommended: microbiology and genetics
Not required, but useful for competitiveness and didactic readiness.
Optional: BIO 210 Microbiology with Lab and BIO 282 Genetics.
Grades, recency, online rules, and what does not count
- Accreditation: Regionally (North American) accredited institution.
- Grade: C or better in every prerequisite.
- Not accepted: Pass/Fail, CLEP, audited courses.
- Recency: Emory strongly recommends completion within 10 years of submitting the application.
- Completion timing: All prerequisites must be finished by December of the application year. Emory’s live requirements language has tied December 2026 completion to August 2027 matriculation for that pipeline. Applicants aiming at the next open CASPA window (April 2027 / Fall 2028 entry) should plan December of their application year and re-confirm the year pair on the current page.
- Online: Online courses at accredited institutions are acceptable, including for lab sciences under the published wording. That is the core Emory PA online prerequisites advantage for working adults.
- Into the PA curriculum: No transfer credit and no advanced placement for prior PA coursework or experiential learning.
Keep syllabi for any nonstandard titles. Emory states that all courses remain subject to Admissions Committee approval.
GPA floors and patient care hours
Emory PA GPA and patient care hours are hard gates, not soft preferences.
GPA: Cumulative GPA and science GPA must each be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Treat 3.0 as the published floor, not a competitive target. Emory does not need to publish an average accepted GPA for you to plan above the minimum in sciences.
Patient care: You need 2,000 hours of paid or volunteer direct, hands-on patient contact completed when you submit the application. Use Emory’s healthcare experience checklist. Roles that commonly count include EMT/paramedic, RN/LPN, nursing assistant/aide, hospital/ED/clinic tech, OR tech, scribe, PT/PTA, respiratory therapy, radiology tech, and clinical research with patient contact.
Do not count toward the 2,000: non-clinical research, pharmacy technician work, certificate-training hours, student clinicals or internships for school credit, administration/office work, and observation or shadowing. Shadowing is still highly recommended; it does not replace the 2,000-hour floor. Emory notes the average accepted applicant has completed over 5,000 hours (competitive context, not a second minimum).
Courses alone do not make an Emory-ready file. Build hours in parallel with any missing Emory MMSc PA prerequisite courses.
CASPA, supplemental application, GRE, and interviews
Emory requires CASPA plus an Emory supplemental application (non-refundable $75 fee; upload materials to CASPA Documents with your CASPA ID). Two letters of recommendation are required (CASPA allows up to five); at least one must come from a healthcare professional who worked with you. Relatives and personal friends do not count.
GRE: Not required. Emory no longer asks for the GRE for this pathway.
Interviews: Emory describes a half-day virtual Zoom multiple mini-interview (MMI), with an optional on-campus tour. Earlier-complete applications tend to be scheduled sooner. Decisions follow the interview cycle.
Cycle timing (critical as of Sep 17, 2026): Emory’s application page states the 2026 cycle is closed. The window that ran about April 30 through June 15, 2026 (midnight EST for verified CASPA plus supplemental and fees) is finished. Emory points the next CASPA open toward April 2027 for Fall 2028 entry. Do not plan as if you can still hit the closed June 15, 2026 deadline. Map lasting course, GPA, and hours rules now, finish prerequisites by December of the year you will apply, and re-verify dates on Emory’s application page before you start CASPA.
Questions: pa_admissions@emory.edu or 404-727-7857.
Emory vs other PA prerequisite pages
We also cover Duke PA program prerequisites and Yale PA program prerequisites, plus the general physician assistant prereqs hub. This page stays Emory-only.
Emory differentiators:
- Online prerequisites from regionally accredited schools are explicitly acceptable (including lab sciences under published wording).
- GRE is not required.
- Hard 2,000-hour direct patient-care floor at application (shadowing and pharmacy tech time do not count).
- Prerequisites finished by December of the application year.
- Supplemental application ($75) on top of CASPA.
Applying to multiple PA schools with conflicting lab rules? Finish Emory-eligible online sciences carefully and keep a parallel plan for any school that bans online labs.
Gap-fill plan: mapping missing courses
Work backward from the next open CASPA window and from the December completion rule for prerequisites. Patient-care hours are usually the long pole.
Scenario A: Bachelor’s done, thin science transcript, hours still building. Sequence biology with lab (BIO 135), chemistry I and II (CHEM 151 / CHEM 152), A&P I and II (BIO 270 / BIO 275), organic or biochemistry (CHEM 251 or CHEM 330), then statistics (MATH 220). Stack monthly starts while you keep direct-care hours moving past 2,000.
Scenario B: A&P complete, missing second chemistry and org/biochem. Finish CHEM 152 if Chem I is done, then choose CHEM 251 or CHEM 330. Add MATH 220 if stats is open. Protect calendar time for hours; do not pause patient contact to chase one elective.
Scenario C: Survey-level organic or biochemistry on the transcript. Emory materials caution against survey courses for this row. Plan a non-survey retake via CHEM 251 or CHEM 330, then verify with pa_admissions@emory.edu and your syllabus before you assume the old course counts.
Optional competitiveness add-ons after required rows are closed: BIO 210 and BIO 282.
Typical UIU pricing through PrereqCourses is about $675 (3-credit) or about $695 (4-credit lab); materials are separate. Browse the exclusive self-paced courses catalog, or use the advisory service if you are verifying the same transcript against Emory plus Duke, Yale, or other lists.
FAQ
Does Emory accept online prerequisites and online labs?
Yes, under Emory’s published requirements: online courses at accredited institutions are acceptable. Grades must still be C or better, with no Pass/Fail, CLEP, or audit. Confirm any unusual lab title with Emory if you are unsure.
Is the GRE required for Emory PA?
No. Emory no longer requires the GRE for the MMSc-PA pathway described on its admissions pages.
Can combined A&P replace separate anatomy and physiology?
Yes, if the combined sequence totals at least 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours. BIO 270 plus BIO 275 is the combined path mapped here.
Does pharmacy tech time count toward the 2,000 patient-care hours?
No. Emory’s healthcare-experience guidance excludes pharmacy technician work, shadowing, student clinicals for school credit, and several other categories from the 2,000-hour total. Direct hands-on patient contact roles are what count.
Will you guarantee that Emory accepts PrereqCourses / UIU credits?
No. PrereqCourses does not guarantee acceptance or transfer to Emory or any PA program. Courses are delivered by Upper Iowa University instructors on the UIU LMS, with credit on a UIU transcript (HLC-accredited). Emory’s PA Admissions Committee decides. Share borderline syllabi with pa_admissions@emory.edu before you enroll when titles are unusual.
When must prerequisites be finished?
By December of the application year, per Emory’s requirements language (for example, December 2026 tied to August 2027 matriculation on the page verified for this article). Re-check the live year pair before you plan, especially if you are targeting the next CASPA window in April 2027 for Fall 2028 entry.
Next steps
- Re-check Emory’s requirements, application, healthcare experience, and supplemental pages after Sep 17, 2026 (especially CASPA dates).
- Audit cumulative and science GPA against the 3.0 floors; count only direct patient-care hours toward the 2,000.
- Map missing Emory PA prerequisites; finish eligible sciences via the product links or the exclusive self-paced courses catalog.
- Keep building hours in parallel. Courses without hours will not clear Emory’s file.
- Prepare CASPA plus the $75 supplemental when the next cycle opens (Emory has pointed to April 2027 for Fall 2028 entry; verify live).
- Multi-school plans: advisory service, plus peer lists for Duke and Yale.
Map the eight courses, protect the 3.0 / 3.0 GPA floors, keep direct patient-care hours moving past 2,000, and finish Emory PA prerequisites by December of the year you apply. That is the practical path into Emory’s MMSc-PA cycle when the next CASPA window opens.
