Prerequisites

Yale PA Online candidates must have completed the following core undergraduate prerequisite science courses at a U.S. regionally accredited university and obtained no less than a B- in each course to be considered for the program:

• Statistics or Calculus
• Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Microbiology
• Genetics

There is no expiration date for prerequisite courses. However, applicants are still responsible for being familiar and comfortable with topics covered in each of the prerequisites. As such, we recommend taking refresher courses if there are gaps in time.

Prerequisite courses completed while earning a professional degree (i.e., pharmacy school, medical school, etc.) cannot be applied to prerequisite requirements.

*Please note, you can apply with one prerequisite course in progress. The course must be completed by December 15 of your application year with at least a B. In-progress coursework can be verified by providing an Enrollment Verification Letter.

Statistics or Calculus

3- to 5-credit course in statistics or calculus:

A statistics course that provides the student with foundational knowledge in the following areas:

• Probability
• Variables/distribution
• Confidence intervals
• Group comparisons
• Regression
• ANOVA and chi-square

Or

A calculus course that provides the student with foundational knowledge in the following areas:

• Limits and continuity
• Differentiation
• Applications of differentiation
• Integration

This course can be met with a statistics course in psychology, biology, or mathematics departments.

Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry

3- to 5-credit course of biochemistry or organic chemistry, or a 3- to 5-credit course of combined organic/biochemistry*:

An organic chemistry course that provides the student with foundational knowledge in the following areas:

• Chemical bonding
• Alcohols, esters, phenols, aldehydes, and ketones
• Proteins
• Enzymes
• Carbohydrates and energy production
• Fats and lipids

Or

A biochemistry course that provides the student with foundational knowledge in the following areas:

• Enzymology
• Cellular communication
• DNA and RNA structure and synthesis
• Energy and carbohydrate metabolism
• Amino acid and protein synthesis
• Digestion and hormonal control of metabolism

Applicants must have taken either one semester of Introductory Biochemistry, one semester of Introductory Organic Chemistry, or one collective year of both Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II. This requirement cannot be satisfied by a course in cell biology or molecular biology.

*In some institutions this course is broken into organic chemistry 1 and 2.

Anatomy

3- to 5-credit course in human anatomy, lab credits not included:

A gross human anatomy course that provides students with a detailed examination of all structural aspects of the human body with a special emphasis on the anatomy and anatomical relationships. Clinical correlation is desired but not required. A laboratory is strongly recommended but not required. The course should cover all aspects of the human body including:

• Upper limb
• Lower limb
• Head & neck
• Thorax, abdomen & pelvis

Physiology

3- to 5-credit course in physiology, lab credits not included:

A physiology course that provides student with an introduction to physiology that emphasizes the concepts that will be important for professional studies. The concepts covered should include homeostasis, cell structure, cardiac, respiratory, renal, and endocrine physiology. Other areas to be covered include digestion and energy utilization and reproduction.

This requirement can be met with a course in animal or mammalian physiology. A laboratory component is not required. This requirement cannot be satisfied with a course in pathophysiology or cell biology.

Please note: Anatomy and Physiology requirements can also be met with a combined two-semester course (6–10 credits) in Anatomy and Physiology I and II. This requirement cannot be satisfied with a single neuroanatomy course, histology, or animal/mammalian anatomy.

Microbiology

3- to 5-credit course in microbiology, lab credits not included:

A microbiology course that provides the student with foundation needed for professional studies. Topics covered should include microbial morphology and physiology, bacterial metabolism, microbial genetics, and the classification of the microorganisms (bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic). A laboratory component is not required.

This requirement cannot be satisfied by a single course in bacteriology.

Genetics

3- to 5-credit course in genetics, lab credits not included:

A genetics course that provides the student with foundational knowledge in human genetics in the following areas:

• Cell division, chromosomes, and patterns of inheritance
• DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis
• Gene regulation and mutations
• Gene development, behavior, and role in health care
• Biotechnology and genomics

This requirement cannot be satisfied by a course in plant genetics, cell biology or molecular biology.