Course Requirements

Four-Year Plan

The following represents only one of many paths students can take to prepare for study to become a physician assistant. (The coursework is based on the University of Iowa’s requirements for admission.) These courses fit will with a major in biology. Graduate programs may vary in their required courses for admission, so be sure to check your preferred school’s requirements.  

Note that students typically take four courses per semester for a total of eight each year. Check the Coe catalog to review all of your options.

First Year

• BIO-145 Cellular and Molecular Biology 
• BIO-140 Introduction to Biology Laboratory
• BIO-155/ -150 Organismal and Ecological Biology and Laboratory
• CHM-101/ -101L General Chemistry I and Laboratory

Second Year 

• STA-100 Statistical Foundations and STA-110 Inferential Statistics 
• CHM-101/ -102L General Chemistry II and Laboratory
• BIO-235/ -230 Genetics and Genetics and Laboratory
• CHM-221 Organic Chemistry I 

Third Year

• CHM-321 Organic Chemistry II
• CHM-322 Organic Laboratory
• BIO-370/ -375 Integrated Human Physiology and Laboratory

Fourth Year

• CHM-431/ -431L Biochemistry and Laboratory
• BIO-525/ -520 Cell Physiology and Laboratory 
• BIO-515/ -510 Microbiology and Laboratory