Becoming a physician assistant, or a PA, is becoming a more popular choice among young people. Newer generations prefer working in jobs that have a meaningful contribution to the world instead of a large income. However, if you’re training to become a physician assistant (PA), you won’t have to choose between high-impact or high-salary.
The median salary of a PA is over $100,000 a year, and there are many opportunities for advancement and further studies as medicine is an ever-evolving field.
PAs practice medicine, and a surgeon or a physician checks and evaluates their work. The American demand for PAs will surge by 40% by 2030, creating over 40,000 jobs due to the predicted health problems of the future.
PAs work in a field where the pressure is immense, and the stakes are high. If you are interested in pursuing a career as a PA, you have to start by looking for an excellent school. Some of the best schools for PAs are Ivy League, but most in the top 25 are state universities. Some top-notch credentials and a high GRE score are among the requirements for PA school in order to gain admission. Below is a chart with the GRE scores you’ll need for PA school.
|
Ranking |
School Name |
GRE Quantitative Average |
GRE Verbal Average |
GRE Analytical Average |
|
1 |
Duke University |
157 |
159 |
5.0 |
|
2 |
University of Iowa |
159 |
158 |
4.5 |
|
3 |
Baylor College of Medicine |
154 |
161 |
4.5 |
|
4 |
University of Utah |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
5 |
Emory University |
153 |
155 |
|
|
6 |
George Washington University |
152 |
158 |
4.5 |
|
7 |
University of Colorado |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
4.0 |
|
|
8 |
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center—Dallas |
149 |
155 |
4.0 |
|
9 |
Wake Forest University |
148 |
154 |
4.5 |
|
10 |
Drexel University |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
11 |
Oregon Health and Sciences University |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
12 |
Interservice Physician Assistant Program |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
13 |
University of Southern California |
150 |
154 |
4.0 |
|
14 |
University of Washington |
152 |
156 |
4.5 |
|
15 |
Quinnipiac University |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
16 |
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science |
153 |
155 |
5.0 |
|
17 |
Stony Brook University—SUNY |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
18 |
University of Nebraska Medical Center |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
19 |
University of Wisconsin—La Crosse-Gunderson Medical Foundation-Mayo School |
157 |
158 |
5.0 |
|
20 |
University of Wisconsin—Madison |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
21 |
Midwestern University |
152 |
158 |
4.0 |
|
22 |
Rutgers University School of Health Professions |
Does Not Require a GRE Score |
||
|
23 |
Stanford University |
156 |
157 |
4.5 |
|
24 |
University of Florida |
150 |
155 |
4.0 |
|
25 |
Cornell University |
153 |
159 |
5.0 |
Does GRE Matter for PA School?
As you can see above, some PA schools forego evaluating their applicants’ GRE scores altogether and rather value, for example, patient care experience, science GPA, and related master's degree of the applicant. However, if you want to get into a top 25 PA school, aiming for a high and competitive GRE score will improve your chances for admission. In some medical courses in preparation for PA school, you can choose to take the MCAT instead of the GRE, but generally, the GRE is the more recognized standardized test for when you want to get into PA school.
What is a Good GRE Score for PA School?
At a few of the schools mentioned above, the GRE cut-off score is at the 50th percentile. Because most applicants come from medical courses and jobs, PA schools generally don’t look for stellar quantitative scores. As a matter of fact, there are some Physician Assistant programs that do not require a minimum GRE score. Many top 10 schools offer PA programs that accept applicants with mediocre quantitative scores, the average at about 153 with the median verbal score just a touch higher at 157.
You can be admitted to an excellent PA school without a mind-blowing GRE score. As long as you score above 300 without dipping below 155 for verbal reasoning, you’ll most likely be accepted to the majority of PA schools. There is a fair amount of competition, but a score above 310 or 320 can guarantee you a spot in most schools’ PA programs.
Can You Get Into PA School with a Low GRE Score?
If you have a less-than-stellar GRE score, don’t panic. Every PA school in the top 25 will base your admission on a holistic view of who you are as a student, and not all of them require the GRE. Each institution or training program has different PA school prerequisites, and they will consider other factors, such as your volunteer work, ethnicity for a diversity quota, years of experience in the healthcare industry, analytical writing skills, your GPA, and your personal statement as well as letters of recommendations. Plus, you can also consider re-taking the GRE to increase your score given that you have time before the PA school applications start. Work on improving your weak areas of study and start investing in other relevant activities if you know you don’t test well enough to get into PA school. Volunteer for local medical outreaches and nonprofit work, aim for better grades and try spending more time in the healthcare space, in order to meet the various prerequisites PA school requires.
What is the best resource to use for pre PA students?
If you haven’t heard of Magoosh, it’s a popular GRE-prep resource that lots of future PA school applicants use to study. Check out how they can help HERE.
Save this Pin for later!
What to Do About the GRE FOR PA SCHOOL
Below are a few tips to help you prepare to take the GRE exam.
· Establish a time frame: Know precisely when you will take the GRE exam, so you know how long you have to prepare.
· Take mock GREs: Challenging questions are not the only hurdle in the GRE. Get an accurate mock exam paper and time yourself to finish before 3 hours and 45 minutes.
· Keep track of your scores to know if you’re dipping under the 50th percentile: Sign up for a test prep course to prepare you further.
If you need more help with improving your GRE score to meet PA school requirements or applying to PA program in general, visit myPAResource.com today to begin your journey in becoming a physician assistant. You can find resources on writing your personal essay, CASPA application process, healthcare experience requirements, physician assistants career path, and anything a PA school applicant might want to know.
