Does Harvard offer a Physician Assistant (PA) program?
I'm starting to think about potential colleges and I'm really interested in becoming a Physician Assistant. I know Harvard is super well-known for its medical school, but I can't really figure out if they have an actual PA program for undergrads or graduate students.
I've looked around their website and it seems like they have a lot of health-related degrees, but nothing that outright says 'Physician Assistant.' Does anyone know for sure if Harvard offers a PA program or something similar? If not, are there related programs that could help me on the PA track?
Any advice on where I should look for more info, or suggestions for other top schools with good PA programs, would be very appreciated. I'm kind of overwhelmed with all the options out there.
I've looked around their website and it seems like they have a lot of health-related degrees, but nothing that outright says 'Physician Assistant.' Does anyone know for sure if Harvard offers a PA program or something similar? If not, are there related programs that could help me on the PA track?
Any advice on where I should look for more info, or suggestions for other top schools with good PA programs, would be very appreciated. I'm kind of overwhelmed with all the options out there.
1 month ago
•
62 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 1 month ago
Advisor
Harvard does not offer a Physician Assistant (PA) program, either at the undergraduate or graduate level. The university is renowned for its Harvard Medical School, which offers MD (Doctor of Medicine) and various doctoral and master’s programs in the biomedical sciences and public health, but not a PA program specifically.
If you are looking to become a PA, you'd want to focus your search on schools that offer master's programs in Physician Assistant Studies (often abbreviated as MS or MPAS). PA programs are typically graduate programs—meaning you first need to earn a bachelor's degree, usually with coursework in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and other health sciences, plus gain some hands-on patient care experience before applying.
As for related options at Harvard: if you’re an undergraduate student, you could pursue a degree in biology, neuroscience, or a related field, but you’d still need to apply to a PA program at another institution later. Harvard does have strong advising for pre-med and other health professions, but they do not have a direct pre-PA track or formal PA school affiliations.
A useful starting point for program research is the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) directory, which lists all accredited PA programs in the U.S. This will help you find schools with strong reputations, curriculum fit, and the type of learning environment you want.
If you are looking to become a PA, you'd want to focus your search on schools that offer master's programs in Physician Assistant Studies (often abbreviated as MS or MPAS). PA programs are typically graduate programs—meaning you first need to earn a bachelor's degree, usually with coursework in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and other health sciences, plus gain some hands-on patient care experience before applying.
As for related options at Harvard: if you’re an undergraduate student, you could pursue a degree in biology, neuroscience, or a related field, but you’d still need to apply to a PA program at another institution later. Harvard does have strong advising for pre-med and other health professions, but they do not have a direct pre-PA track or formal PA school affiliations.
A useful starting point for program research is the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) directory, which lists all accredited PA programs in the U.S. This will help you find schools with strong reputations, curriculum fit, and the type of learning environment you want.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years