The program is 24 months in length. We begin in early May, and the training is completed 24 months later in late April-early May, including both summers.

No, we do not offer an online program.

• We prefer that applicants submit GRE scores but will also accept MCAT results as part of the application.
• Competitive applicants must have scores on either exam in the 50th percentile or greater in all categories.

Applicants must take the general GRE.

The scores should be sent to Institutional Code 2194 (Drexel University College of Medicine).

Competitive applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above.

NAACLS, our accrediting agency, requires the following as absolute prerequisites:

• English composition
• College mathematics
• General biological and chemical sciences
• Microbiology
• Either Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry

In addition, we require:

• Human Anatomy
• Human Physiology

All science courses must have a face-to-face lab component.

Other courses that strengthen an application, but are not required, include:

• Histology (Microscopic Anatomy)
• Human Embryology
• Immunology
• Pathophysiology
• Molecular/Cell Biology
• Medical Terminology

For more information about the courses and other requirements needed for the application/program, please refer to the How To Apply page.

The application cycle runs from June-February with the deadline for applications being the second Friday in February of the year in which you intend to enroll.

Yes, there is. You can complete the online application by clicking "How to Apply" in the top right corner of any of our program's web pages and then clicking "Apply Now."

We prefer letters of recommendation that can speak to your academic performance in a college/university, but you can supplement those with letters from employers which can address your academic and technical abilities.

All evaluations should be in the form of a letter written on official letterhead with a signature. They can be sent in a sealed and initialed envelope or submitted online. There are no official evaluation forms to be completed.

If you answer "No" to the "Committee Letter of Recommendation" and "No" to the "Interfolio" questions in the application, you will be able to separately list the individuals who will be submitting letters.

We are able to use your previously submitted application materials. However, it is your responsibility to send us any documentation of updated transcripts, letters of recommendation, work experience, shadowing experience, etc.

We accept a maximum of 12 students per year.

We receive an average of 90 applications each year.

Work experience in surgical and autopsy pathology may be difficult to obtain. Therefore, we do not require our applicants to have been employed in anatomic pathology laboratories. We favor applicants who have shadowing experience in the field, preferably with a pathologists' assistant or, if that is not possible, an anatomic pathologist. The admissions committee looks favorably upon candidates who have shadowed and who have a good understanding of the profession.

We do not conduct general open houses, but do offer “Meet the Program Director” sessions in the fall and spring of each year (see our Drexel University Pathologists' Assistant main page for more details). If a prospective applicant wishes to make an appointment with the program director for a general information question-and-answer session and facilities tour, this can be arranged on an as needed basis.

No, the Pathologists' Assistant program is not a forensics program. Although we provide an introduction to forensic pathology at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office, Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and Health Network Laboratories, the focus of our training and of the profession is anatomic pathology, predominantly surgical pathology and hospital autopsy pathology.

Limited on-campus housing is available for graduate and professional students. Information regarding on and off campus housing can be found at the Graduate Student Housing Website.

We welcome applications from all eligible candidates, including those outside the U.S. In addition to the general requirements (undergraduate degree, prerequisite courses, official transcripts, GRE or MCAT, letters of recommendation, etc.), applicants must:

• Submit all transcripts from institutions outside the U.S. for evaluation by WES or another NACES organization.
• If English is not your first language, provide proof of English proficiency with academic TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores no more than two years old.

In addition, non-U.S. citizens accepted for enrollment at Drexel University College of Medicine shall make or cause to be made a payment ("deposit") to the Office of the Bursar, for the purpose of ensuring financial stability and to meet each full year's educational cost in advance of matriculation. For Pathologists' Assistant students, the amount of this deposit shall be equal to the total costs of a student's first and second years, including tuition, fees and living expenses.

We are unable to waive this or any other requirement for anyone wishing to apply to the program, regardless of prior experience.

No, to be deemed eligible to sit for the ASCP Board of Certification examination, you must complete the entire two (2) years of training at a NAACLS accredited program such as Drexel.

No, all clinical rotations are assigned by the Program Director and must be completed at our official affiliate institutions.

The program does not offer any grants or scholarships. The financial aid office works with our accepted applicants to provide enough aid to cover tuition, fees, living expenses, etc.

The first-year curriculum is quite rigorous, and we strongly discourage first-year students from holding full or part-time jobs. Although the length of time spent in class and lab may not be a full eight-hour day, the necessary class preparation and study time precludes employment.

Second-year students are at their clinical rotations from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily during weekdays, so a traditional job is difficult to fit into that schedule. Time outside of clinical rotations should be devoted to educational endeavors related to the rotations and program, precluding employment.