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Eastern Illinois University

Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway

Prepare for physician assistant school and a career delivering patient care across every medical setting. Plan your prerequisites, build a competitive GPA and gain the direct patient experience PA programs expect.

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Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway

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Degree Level
Undergraduate Option
Delivery
In Person
Time to Degree
8 Semesters
Credit Hours
120 Total, 64 in Major
Careers
Assistants
Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway students at EIU

Why Study Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway at EIU?

  • Dedicated Advisor for Pre-Health Profession Pathways
  • Acceptance rates of EIU graduates to physician assistant programs exceed the national average since 2019
"From the moment I stepped onto campus, every professor, staff member, and student I encountered treated me with such genuine warmth and respect, as if I were already a valued member of their community. Despite not having officially joined the EIU family, I immediately felt a deep sense of belonging. The atmosphere was one of comfort and inclusivity, where everyone seemed genuinely invested in my success and well-being."
Abbey McCord
Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway | Class of 2025
Abbey McCord, Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • Direct patient care employment and volunteer opportunities in the Charleston-Mattoon communities
  • Major-level biology lab courses are capped at 24 students
  • Clinical Rotation course dedicated to providing diverse clinical healthcare shadowing opportunities
Explore Courses
Hands-On Experience, Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway students at EIU

What You'll Learn

The Pre-Physician Assistant Pathway prepares you for a master's-level physician assistant (PA) program and a career diagnosing illness, developing treatment plans and often serving as a patient's principal health care provider. It is a fit if you are caring, communicate well, solve problems and want to work in any medical setting or specialty.

View in Catalog
$133,260
Median Salary for These CareersMedian salaryThe median is the middle value: half of the people counted earn more and half earn less. It is an estimate for a typical graduate, not a promise of what you will earn. Pay varies by employer, location, experience and the specific job.

Career OutcomesCareer outcomesThese are example careers that graduates of this program often pursue, taken from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET occupation list. They are examples, not job guarantees, and many graduates work in other fields.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

  • Physician Assistants
  • Anesthesiologist Assistants

Career Insights

Job Outlook ★ Bright Outlook Bright OutlookBright Outlook careers are ones with a promising future. They're expected to grow quickly, to have lots of job openings, or to be brand new and emerging. A career earns the label if it meets any one of these: projected growth of 5% or more, at least 75,000 projected openings, or New & Emerging status.
Grow Rapidly: Jobs in this career are expected to grow 5% or more over the next several years, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Grow Rapidly
Preparation Needed Extensive (5/5)Job Zone 5: Extensive preparationMost of these careers require graduate school, and many also call for more than five years of experience.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Personality Fit SocialSocial interest typeYou like helping people. This work centers on supporting others by helping, teaching, advising or serving them.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

Connect With Us

Mary
University Pre-Health Professions Advisor
mclaingen@eiu.edu
2070 Life Sciences
217-581-6235
Mary Message Mary

Message Mary

or email mclaingen@eiu.edu directly
Elliott Zieman
Chair and Associate Professor
eazieman@eiu.edu
2070
217-581-1976
Elliott Zieman Message Elliott

Message Elliott

or email eazieman@eiu.edu directly
Billy Panther
Head of Panther Pride
Old Main
217-581-2223
Billy the Panther Message Billy

Message Billy

or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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