Pre-Physician Assistant Program

Alumni say dissecting cadavers in undergraduate gave them a head's start

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Alumni say dissecting cadavers in undergraduate gave them a head's start

Dissecting cadavers at EMU, as the professor and alumni attest, is a unique and powerfully formative opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students.

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Embryologist Sarah Jones ’08 helps hopefuls become parents

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Embryologist Sarah Jones ’08 helps hopefuls become parents

Jones '08 said a big leg up to doing this work came from research projects Jones completed as a pre-med undergraduate at Eastern Mennonite University, which included working with micro-manipulators similar to those she uses now.

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Semester-long practicums help you decide career interests

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Semester-long practicums help you decide career interests

Leah Lapp, a junior at Eastern Mennonite University, shadows Dr. John Wenger '85 during her pre-professional health sciences practicum. The required course places students in settings that match their career interests.

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EMU anatomy students memorialize ‘silent teachers’

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EMU anatomy students memorialize ‘silent teachers’

Undergraduate anatomy students lit and released paper lanterns as part of a memorial service for the four cadavers they dissected and studied this semester

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neuroscience minor strengthens pre-med program and grad school preparation

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neuroscience minor strengthens pre-med program and grad school preparation

A wide-ranging multidisciplinary field that studies the brain and nervous system, neuroscience is reshaping many other fields.

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Early Admissions Option with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Early Admissions Option with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

The Rocovich Scholar Early Admissions Program grants selected EMU scholars with early acceptance to VCOM in their third year of undergraduate studies and guaranteed admission upon satisfactory completion of the undergraduate degree.

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Priority enrollment for Doctor of Pharmacy program

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Priority enrollment for Doctor of Pharmacy program

A new articulation agreement with Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy provides annual priority enrollment for EMU students who meet admissions requirements.

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Train for one of the top-rated careers in healthcare with our pre-physician assistant program. You will be prepared to continue your training as a physician assistant through high-quality lab science courses, practical clinical experiences and mentoring from our PhD-level faculty. If you want to serve others by providing high-quality healthcare in clinics, hospitals and physician’s offices, join our pre-professional health sciences program and prepare for rigorous physician assistant programs.

Why study at EMU?
- Cadaver Dissection. Learn first-hand how the body works through cadaver dissection. Our small class sizes provide lots of individual attention and experiece. Former students now in med school say this experience helped prepare them for med school's rigorous anatomy courses.
- EMU's emphasis on faith, values and service means that you'll be prepared for the ethics of medical professions, as well as the science.
- PhD-level faculty will lead you to plan and conduct your own research.
- Explore all your passions . Participate in sports, music, theater and any number of other extra-curricular activities while preparing for your career.
- Some students combine intercultural study with clinical and job shadowing experiences using our CT Assist grant, which supports intercultural study of health care practices in other countries such as Peru.
Clinical Experiences
Clinical experiences are often key to acceptance into PA programs. We can help you begin your journey.
- The P re-Professional Health Club visits medical schools together, creates and joins service projects, and connects you to other students and alumni working in the field.
- Job-shadowing experiences are built into the curriculum to help you prepare for your career.
- Research grants support clinical experiences and unique research opportunities.
Outcomes
*Over the past 10 years, students who completed Pre-Professional Health Sciences studies at EMU enjoyed a 82% acceptance rate to physician's assistant programs.

PA (Physician Assistant) schools to which our students have been accepted since 2016:
- Shenandoah University
- Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences, Mary Baldwin University
- James Madison University
- Jefferson College of Health Sciences
- Alderson Broaddus
- Emory University
- George Washington University
- University of Lynchburg
- George Fox University
*10-year statistic from applications submitted in years 2014-2023.
Affordability
- 99% of undergrads receive financial aid
- The average assistance package is over $37,000
- Over $21 million in aid is awarded each year
Financial aid packages often include:
Learn more by contacting EMU's Financial Assistance Office or checking out our net price calculator.

Possible Majors

Pre-physician assistant is not a major, but a set of courses intended to prepare you for further study in your desired area of medical practice. Our faculty will carefully advise you on courses required for physician assisant program preparation, no matter what your major. Most PPHS students are biology majors, but you could decide to major in chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics or an area in the liberal arts. Because graduate schools value a broad education, we recommend a minor in a non-science area that interests you.