Ready to take the next step?
Patient-centered primary care with compassion for the underserved.
Gardner-Webb University’s Physician Assistant program is built on a commitment to respect, ethical behavior, and integrity in personal and professional service. Ultimately, these are established on the foundation of Christian values and faith. We are training the next generation of care providers – a challenging and rewarding pursuit that requires depth of knowledge, compassion, and a vision for reaching the communities most in need.
The Pre-Healthcare Pathway is not a major; rather, it is a carefully designed plan intended to prepare you to achieve your unique academic and career goals.
Professional program requirements vary widely. Be sure to check all programs you are considering applying to early during your undergraduate studies for specific prerequisites needed to apply to that school’s program.
Within Gardner-Webb’s pre-professional employment track, you will want to review the Biology major and Exercise Science Pre-professional concentration four-year plan if interested in Physical Therapy.
Each applicant must have completed the following required courses:
The cumulative prerequisite GPA requirement is 3.0. Courses with a grade below a B- will not be accepted.
Additional information, including descriptions of specific courses and their corresponding credit hours, is available in the Academic Catalog.
The Gardner-Webb University Department of Physician Assistant Studies prepares graduates with the competencies needed for entry into clinical PA practice. We place great emphasis on opportunities among underserved populations throughout our program.
A PA is a nationally-certified and state-licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of the U.S. territories and the uniformed services.
The exercise science professors were always willing to meet me at any time, even in the summers, to mentor and guide my path. They push you out of your comfort zone and lift you up to a new level. It is very evident they truly want their students to succeed in their classes, as well as the real world.”
Gardner-Webb offers a positive learning environment with care and compassion in knowing what my personal goals were and understanding what was important to me has been the cornerstone of my GWU experience."
This PA program has the same “family feel” that I felt in undergrad and until you’ve had a similar experience, it is hard to explain."
I chose to come to GWU because I wanted the same stellar education that I received in undergrad. Also, I heard from several preceptors that take GWU students during the clinical year that our PA students are “head and shoulders” above the other PA and Med students they usually get."
The faculty in the program are just as concerned with your personal growth as they are with your educational growth. They prepare you to be a knowledgeable clinician, but also to be a well-rounded person who can interact well with patients."
The faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences at Gardner-Webb University encouraged me to pursue my goal of entering the medical field as a physician assistant."
The faculty, staff and students involved in the Natural Science Department will forever have a spot in my heart. Their strong faith, support, knowledge and enthusiasm for learning prepared me not only for graduate school but for life."
~80%
of the DPT curriculum is classroom and lab study
27.5
average weeks in final clinical experience
$85K
median salary for a physical therapists
