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Bachelor of Arts in Biology Health Sciences
Accelerate your journey to a rewarding healthcare career as a physician assistant.
As a physician assistant, you’ll play a pivotal role in directly enriching the quality of your patients’ lives. While working under the supervision of a physician, you’ll be tasked with diagnosing injuries and illnesses, providing treatment plans, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and prescribing medications. Begin your journey toward this rewarding healthcare career with the 3+2 Physician Assistant program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Upon completion of this dual-degree pathway, you’ll earn your Bachelor of Arts in Biology Health Sciences degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and your Master of Health Sciences degree from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Your education will prepare you to sit for the PANCE exam and seek licensure as a Physician Assistant (PA-C) in Minnesota.
Students may apply for the 3+2 Biology Health Sciences program in their junior year. Interested students should initially pursue the Bachelor of Arts in Biology: Pre-Physician Assistant Studies Track and will declare their new major upon acceptance into the Accelerated Physician Assistant program. You’ll spend your first three years on the Winona campus; your fourth and fifth years will be spent studying at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant Program in Rochester, Minn.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers a well-rounded education in biological sciences rooted in Lasallian values. This equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue licensure as a physician assistant and serve our world as an integral part of the healthcare team.
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3+2 Pathway to becoming a physician assistant
Traditionally, students complete a four-year bachelor’s degree, followed by a 2-year Masters of Health Science degree prior to becoming a physician assistant. With the dual degree pathway, you can finish your bachelor’s degree through Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota while starting the physician assistant program at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Interested students can apply for the program in the fall of their junior year. Upon acceptance into the program, students will change their major to Biology Health Sciences and begin physician assistant school in Rochester the following summer. Admissions criteria includes:
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Minimum B grade in all prerequisite courses
- Minimum 500 hours of patient care experience
- Minimum two half days of shadowing
- Strong knowledge of and passion for the PA profession
A 3+2 program enables students to achieve their dream of becoming a physician assistant in five years instead of six to seven years on a traditional track. This rigorous, highly competitive program is designed for motivated students who want to accelerate their journey to being a critical part of the patient care team.
Program Highlights
- This unique academic program includes clinical learning experiences across Mayo Clinic facilities in Rochester, Minn. and the broader Mayo Clinic Health System.
- Experience a seamless five-year educational journey to becoming a physician assistant that fuses campus life in Winona with clinical experience gained in Rochester and beyond.
- Apply for this accelerated physician assistant program in the fall of your junior year at Saint Mary’s. Admission is highly competitive, reflecting the program’s rigorous standards and limited space.
- Gain extensive patient care experience in both primary care and specialty areas. Mayo Clinic consistently receives top ranks for numerous specialties by U.S. News and World Report.
- The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).
- Personalize your journey with 20 different minors.
- At Saint Mary’s, our Lasallian general education isn’t just a box to check — it’s a chance to grow in class and life.
What You’ll Learn
- Proficiency in research methodology and the scientific method
- In-depth knowledge of disease prevention and health promotion in diverse patient populations
- Effective communication skills and collaboration with healthcare professionals, patients, and families
- Scientific and mathematical foundations and principles for healthcare
- Strategies for navigating workplace issues in healthcare fields
- Ethical leadership skills and compassionate, competent patient care
Meet Brittney Blacker ‘23
Mayo-affiliated programs grow competence and compassion in healthcare.
Learn on our beautiful Winona Campus. Apply clinical skills at one of the best hospitals in the U.S. Earn your degree on an accelerated pathway through Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. It’s possible through the affiliation between Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
We’re blessed to have the world-renowned Mayo Clinic less than 50 miles from our beautiful Winona Campus. With that proximity comes a unique opportunity to meld your learning with foundations rooted in the Lasallian Catholic tradition, and medical skills honed at Mayo’s Rochester, Minn. facilities.
Admissions
Your journey toward a brighter future starts here. Whether you’re a high school graduate starting your college search — or a transfer student eager to find the perfect fit — Saint Mary’s is committed to helping you find your place in the world.
Course Catalog
FAQs about the Biology Health Sciences program
Is the Biology Health Sciences program an accelerated physician assistant program?
Yes, the Biology Health Sciences major is the bachelor’s degree program of the accelerated physician assistant program. Students are encouraged (but not required) to begin their studies at Saint Mary’s in the Bachelor of Arts in Biology: Pre-Physician Assistant Studies Track. Once accepted into the accelerated program, students change their major to Biology Health Sciences for the remainder of their education through Saint Mary’s. Students then spend their final two years studying at the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences in Rochester, Minn.
Is a 3+2 physician assistant program right for me?
This highly competitive program is designed for students who want to take a faster path to becoming a physician assistant. Students earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years instead of the traditional path of six to seven years.
How do I apply for the Biology Health Sciences program?
Interested high school students should follow the normal process for admission at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and major in Biology: Pre-physician assistant studies track. Students may apply for the Biology Health Sciences accelerated physician assistant program in the fall of their junior year.
Is the Biology Health Sciences program open to transfer students?
Yes, the Biology Health Sciences program is open to transfer students provided that they have completed the proper prerequisite courses with a B or above and have maintained a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
Can I be a student athlete while in the Biology Health Sciences program?
Students can participate in Division III athletics or club sports during their first three years of the program.
Are there dedicated seats for students in the 3+2 Physician’s Assistant program?
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is allocated 12 seats (with the potential for two additional seats if there are qualified applicants) in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant Program.
What happens if I am not accepted into the Biology Health Sciences program?
Students who are not accepted into Biology Health Sciences accelerated program can still pursue their dream of becoming a physician assistant. They can continue their education at Saint Mary’s to earn their bachelor’s degree, then apply to physician assistant programs of their choosing, including Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
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