Prospective transfer students at other colleges or universities must submit a USC undergraduate application available from the USC Office of Undergraduate Admission. Transfer students should contact the PA Program Office to obtain supplementary application materials. Transfer applications must be submitted no later than February 1.
Admission to the program is for the fall semester only. Admission to the physician assistant program is granted by the physician assistant faculty after careful review of all applications. There is a USC "pre-physician assistant" track available for freshmen but this is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee of admission to the program.
A formal interview with program faculty is often required. A variety of factors in addition to the academic record is considered. These include previous clinical experience and community service.
Skill Level, Composition Expository Writing 101 and 102.
General Areas of Study One Non-Western Cultures course. Three courses (each from a different area) in Western Culture I, Western Culture II, Empirical Approaches or American Public Life. Two courses (each from a different area) in Ethical Approaches, Literature or The Arts.
BISC 306Lx Introductory Physiology (with a lab section)
BISC 310Lx Principles of Human Microbiology (with a lab section
BISC 312Lx Human Anatomy (with a lab section)
PCPA 299 Introduction to the Medical Setting (may be waived by PA faculty upon review of clinical experience)
SPAN 120 Spanish I or waiver by faculty
Transfer students intending to apply to the Physician Assistant Program should contact the admissions director of the PA Program for evaluation of transfer course work.
| Fall Semester, Junior Year | Units | |
| PCPA 301 | Cross-Cultural Competency | 3 |
| PCPA 302 | Health Behavior | 1 |
| PCPA 311 | Physical Assessment | 3 |
| PCPA 312 | Specialties in Medicine I | 3 |
| PCPA 313 | Specialties in Medicine II | 3 |
| PCPA 314 | Specialties in Medicine III | 3 |
| PCPA 321a | Clinical Skills Practica I | 1 |
| ____ | ||
| 17 | ||
| Spring Semester, Junior Year | Units | |
| PCPA 303 | Medical Spanish | 2 |
| PCPA 315 | Specialties in Medicine IV | 3 |
| PCPA 316 | Specialties in Medicine V | 3 |
| PCPA 321b | Clinical Skills Practica II | 1 |
| PCPA 421ab | Clinical Placement I | 9-0* |
| ____ | ||
| 18 | ||
| Fall Semester, Senior Year | Units | |
| PCPA 401 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | 3 |
| PCPA 402 | Primary Care Medicine | 2 |
| PCPA 422 | Clinical Placement II | 9 |
| ____ | ||
| 14 | ||
| Spring Semester, Senior Year | Units | |
| PCPA 403 | Physician Assistant Profession | 1 |
| PCPA 423 | Clinical Placement III | 6 |
| PCPA 424ab | Preceptorship | 8-0* |
| 15 | ||
| ____ | ||
| Total units: | 64 | |
*Grades for these courses are awarded in the following summer session. Students register for the "b" section in that summer session.
Requests for further information may be addressed to: Physician Assistant Program, USC School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM B-29, Los Angeles, CA 90033, (213) 342-1328.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995