Academic Planning

Most students at Hamilton take four courses per semester and you should plan for the fact that your prerequisite coursework for PA schools will comprise nearly one half of your undergraduate education. But Hamilton’s liberal arts focus, coupled with its open curriculum, enables students to explore a vast array of subjects.

Pursuing the courses that interest you will make you a well-educated, well-rounded person, something that you should value and that physician assistant schools value as well. That being said, it will take careful planning from your very first semester to fulfill requirements (pre-physician assistant and for your major) and meet other educational goals, including potential study abroad.

Creating A TENTATIVE FOUR-YEAR PLAN

By creating a tentative four-year plan for the courses you plan to take at Hamilton, you will easily be able to visualize what your pre-PA workload will be and determine how to best arrange your coursework so that you strike the critical balance between the courses you need to take and the courses you want to take. While making your master schedule, keep in mind that it should always be tentative. In fact, it is very likely that you will have to modify your schedule to take into account a course being offered only in the fall or spring; not getting into a class due to a bad registration time; or changing your mind about what major you wish to pursue. You may wish to consider the following resources in creating your plan.