4 answers
Arianna
Student
San Miguel, California
3
Questions
Updated
1763 views
What major(s) should I consider?
I’m a junior in high school looking to pick out a college major, but I’m not sure what to decide. I already know what I want to be- Physician Assistant.
Some interests or things I’ve liked is how the human body works/ functions, pregnancy and babies, anatomy, or aiding the injured and helping them recover. Sometimes I gain an adrenaline rush from watching emergencies like on TV.
What major should I choose based on my interests?
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4 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
2289
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Arianna !
Your passion for pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant is very impressive ! You will certainly love this career and it's one of the best ways to work with patients. I would advise that you Major in Anatomy in undergraduate college. You will learn how to be a PA in the Physician Assistant program at a University, so taking the process step by step is perfectly fine.
It's not even a long process, either. I am sorry if my opinion may seem different, but from hands on experience with PA's, to me they ARE doctors. They do everything a doctor does. The only thing is they work under a supervising M.D. Both Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, to me, have the same skills and job description as doctors. I have also worked with PA students and DO Medical students, more about that as I continue.
Your Bachelors Degree should take 4 years and the Physician Assistant Programs in your state of California are two years in duration. So that's a total of six years in the state of California. It is A LOT to learn, so don't even consider rushing or speeding up this path. In your first year in a PA Program in California, you will have courses in which you will learn clinical medicine, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, integrative health promotion, diagnostic imaging, and research and evidence-based healthcare. It's jam packed. For your second year in the program, you will do Rotations which means you will actually work with and on patients. You will have the opportunity to work with a variety of specialties too, during your Rotations.
You will work with simulated patients during your studies in the program. As an actress, I portrayed the patients for PA students and medical students. The actor and student receive a script - you won't have to memorize it but the actor will - and you will be evaluated by a professor that is in the examining room while you do your exam. I would say that the students I worked with were excellent and I only had one student that sort of had a bad day during her exam. Mostly all of them seemed like doctors already. Where I worked, the actors who were "patients" also evaluated the students. I loved it and was always so happy to see the confidence and enthusiasm of the students. During this simulated encounter, students take a medical history and actually do a hands on examination on the "patient". I left some video links for you below to show you students and patient actors during the student's exams just to give you an idea of what you'll be doing. I do not appear in any of these videos, by the way, LOL.
I sure hope this helps and I wish you all the best ! (Read up on what the prerequisite courses are that you can take in undergrad school for the PA Program you'll apply to).
https://youtu.be/JWKqL6Ce_tg?si=geuzKUFc7MQNqNPq SIMULATED PATIENT EXAMS
https://youtu.be/S8vWApmSq_M?si=XGzEL1kQUQN1FEuC SIMULATED PATIENT EXAMS
https://youtu.be/S4wWClQhZaA?si=SA6nyJ-csVW5C1D1 SIMULATED PATIENT EXAMS
A LITTLE HUMOROUS AD https://youtu.be/7Q8gdJxaNDg?si=DI1sYnIdTddDs9sk SIMULATED PATIENT EXAMS
https://youtu.be/wtzIFUZ4TLs?si=DoTHUwun__7xNjrk SIMULATED PATIENT EXAMS
Your passion for pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant is very impressive ! You will certainly love this career and it's one of the best ways to work with patients. I would advise that you Major in Anatomy in undergraduate college. You will learn how to be a PA in the Physician Assistant program at a University, so taking the process step by step is perfectly fine.
It's not even a long process, either. I am sorry if my opinion may seem different, but from hands on experience with PA's, to me they ARE doctors. They do everything a doctor does. The only thing is they work under a supervising M.D. Both Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, to me, have the same skills and job description as doctors. I have also worked with PA students and DO Medical students, more about that as I continue.
Your Bachelors Degree should take 4 years and the Physician Assistant Programs in your state of California are two years in duration. So that's a total of six years in the state of California. It is A LOT to learn, so don't even consider rushing or speeding up this path. In your first year in a PA Program in California, you will have courses in which you will learn clinical medicine, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, integrative health promotion, diagnostic imaging, and research and evidence-based healthcare. It's jam packed. For your second year in the program, you will do Rotations which means you will actually work with and on patients. You will have the opportunity to work with a variety of specialties too, during your Rotations.
You will work with simulated patients during your studies in the program. As an actress, I portrayed the patients for PA students and medical students. The actor and student receive a script - you won't have to memorize it but the actor will - and you will be evaluated by a professor that is in the examining room while you do your exam. I would say that the students I worked with were excellent and I only had one student that sort of had a bad day during her exam. Mostly all of them seemed like doctors already. Where I worked, the actors who were "patients" also evaluated the students. I loved it and was always so happy to see the confidence and enthusiasm of the students. During this simulated encounter, students take a medical history and actually do a hands on examination on the "patient". I left some video links for you below to show you students and patient actors during the student's exams just to give you an idea of what you'll be doing. I do not appear in any of these videos, by the way, LOL.
I sure hope this helps and I wish you all the best ! (Read up on what the prerequisite courses are that you can take in undergrad school for the PA Program you'll apply to).
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Jennifer Philogene
Physician Assistant
10
Answers
West Palm Beach, Florida
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Hey Arianna, it’s awesome that you already have a clear interest in becoming a PA—and even more awesome that you’re paying attention to what excites you. Based on what you shared—loving how the body works, being fascinated by pregnancy, helping people recover, and that little adrenaline rush from emergencies—you’re definitely drawn to a field where you can make a real impact.
*Here’s the good news: you can major in anything.* Seriously. In PA school, I had classmates who majored in English, liberal arts, even education. Some were former teachers! As long as you complete the required science prerequisites (like anatomy, physiology, chemistry, etc.) and keep your grades solid, your major doesn’t have to be strictly science-related.
That said, here are a few majors that could naturally align with your interests:
• Biology or Health Sciences – Great if you’re curious about the body and how it works.
• Kinesiology or Exercise Science – Especially helpful if you’re into movement and recovery.
• Psychology – A good fit if you’re interested in the emotional or behavioral side of health.
• Public Health – Broader focus, great for understanding healthcare systems and community care.
The most important thing is to choose a major you enjoy and can do well in. You’ll be much more successful when you’re learning about something that genuinely interests you—and that’s what will help you get into PA school.
Also, when you’re ready, try to shadow a PA or volunteer in a healthcare setting. Getting a feel for what the job is actually like will give you a head start and help you feel confident in your decision.
You’re asking all the right questions, and you’ve got plenty of time to explore. Keep following your curiosity—you’re on the right track.
*Here’s the good news: you can major in anything.* Seriously. In PA school, I had classmates who majored in English, liberal arts, even education. Some were former teachers! As long as you complete the required science prerequisites (like anatomy, physiology, chemistry, etc.) and keep your grades solid, your major doesn’t have to be strictly science-related.
That said, here are a few majors that could naturally align with your interests:
• Biology or Health Sciences – Great if you’re curious about the body and how it works.
• Kinesiology or Exercise Science – Especially helpful if you’re into movement and recovery.
• Psychology – A good fit if you’re interested in the emotional or behavioral side of health.
• Public Health – Broader focus, great for understanding healthcare systems and community care.
The most important thing is to choose a major you enjoy and can do well in. You’ll be much more successful when you’re learning about something that genuinely interests you—and that’s what will help you get into PA school.
Also, when you’re ready, try to shadow a PA or volunteer in a healthcare setting. Getting a feel for what the job is actually like will give you a head start and help you feel confident in your decision.
You’re asking all the right questions, and you’ve got plenty of time to explore. Keep following your curiosity—you’re on the right track.
Hwal Lee
DMSc, PA-C
236
Answers
Albany, New York
Updated
Hwal’s Answer
Arianna,
I'm a primary care internal medicine PA. You can have any undergraduate major to be able to apply to PA schools, as long as you meet the application requirements of the school(s) you want to apply to. Here's the steps to become a PA, from the American Academy of PAs website:
https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2018/08/6-steps-become-pa/
I would encourage you to choose a major that you will enjoy the most. Based on your interests, you might enjoy biology or health sciences. And since healthcare (or patient care) experience is a requirement for PA school application, you might gain that experience as an emergency medical technician or another similar role. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal
I'm a primary care internal medicine PA. You can have any undergraduate major to be able to apply to PA schools, as long as you meet the application requirements of the school(s) you want to apply to. Here's the steps to become a PA, from the American Academy of PAs website:
https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2018/08/6-steps-become-pa/
I would encourage you to choose a major that you will enjoy the most. Based on your interests, you might enjoy biology or health sciences. And since healthcare (or patient care) experience is a requirement for PA school application, you might gain that experience as an emergency medical technician or another similar role. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal
Caleb Lindsey
Nursing Assistant
10
Answers
Bloomfield, Indiana
Updated
Caleb’s Answer
Hi Arianna.
Thank you for your question. I am also a pre-PA student so I feel I can definitely help you answer this question, although the answer is not as obvious as it may seem.
Your major should be something you see yourself as passionate about and you should be able to explain why you chose the degree you did to a PA school committee. From my experiences, admissions committees generally do put too much emphasis on what your major is, but instead will mostly look at your science-GPA, overall-GPA, and direct patient care experience.
At Indiana University where I graduated, popular major choices for pre-PA students are chemistry, biology, human biology, biochemistry, and psychology. These degrees were popular because the course requirements for these degrees often times lined up with what many PA schools have for their prerequisites (General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, etc.). But, I know of students who majored in Voice, Environmental Science, and many other majors who are now in PA school, so you do not have to major in science to go to PA school, although it will make getting into your required prerequisite courses easier.
In my case, I majored in Community Health at IU and I feel comfortable in talking about how public health examine disease trend data to develop interventions to improve health of large groups of populations, which in turn will inform my practice as a PA, where I will treat individual patients.
To summarize, I would pick a major that you feel drawn to and that you could talk about in an interview. Picking a science-related GPA will help you registering for your prerequisite courses, but it is absolutely not required.
I wish you the best of luck in your PA journey!
Thank you for your question. I am also a pre-PA student so I feel I can definitely help you answer this question, although the answer is not as obvious as it may seem.
Your major should be something you see yourself as passionate about and you should be able to explain why you chose the degree you did to a PA school committee. From my experiences, admissions committees generally do put too much emphasis on what your major is, but instead will mostly look at your science-GPA, overall-GPA, and direct patient care experience.
At Indiana University where I graduated, popular major choices for pre-PA students are chemistry, biology, human biology, biochemistry, and psychology. These degrees were popular because the course requirements for these degrees often times lined up with what many PA schools have for their prerequisites (General Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, etc.). But, I know of students who majored in Voice, Environmental Science, and many other majors who are now in PA school, so you do not have to major in science to go to PA school, although it will make getting into your required prerequisite courses easier.
In my case, I majored in Community Health at IU and I feel comfortable in talking about how public health examine disease trend data to develop interventions to improve health of large groups of populations, which in turn will inform my practice as a PA, where I will treat individual patients.
To summarize, I would pick a major that you feel drawn to and that you could talk about in an interview. Picking a science-related GPA will help you registering for your prerequisite courses, but it is absolutely not required.
I wish you the best of luck in your PA journey!