Biology Health Science Major
Begin your PA Journey at Saint Mary's. Make Your Impact Go Farther.
If you want a direct path to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant (PA) — and the opportunity to work with the leading hospital in the nation — your journey begins here.
As part of our accelerated 3+2 PA program, you’ll study at Saint Mary’s state-of-the-art Aquinas Hall on the Winona Campus for three years. The following two years, you’ll learn from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences faculty at Saint Mary’s Rochester Campus. Here, you’ll engage in clinical learning experiences at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and throughout Mayo Clinic Health System.
At the end of your fourth year, you’ll earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biology Health Science from Saint Mary’s, and at the end of your fifth year, you’ll earn a Master of Health Sciences degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
The Master of Health Science curriculum prepares students to sit for the PANCE exam and seek licensure as a physician assistant in Minnesota.
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Program Highlights
The health science major is the baccalaureate component of the 3+2 Physician Assistant Program in collaboration with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
Program Features
What Makes it Special:
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First three years: Winona Campus -
Fourth and fifth years: Saint Mary’s Rochester Campus
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Learn from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences faculty
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Engage in clinical learning experiences at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and throughout Mayo Clinic Health System
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End of your fourth year: Earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biology Health Science from Saint Mary’s
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End of your fifth year: Earn a Master of Health Sciences degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. You’ll be prepared to sit for the PANCE exam and seek licensure as a physician assistant in Minnesota.
What You'll Learn
What You’ll Learn
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Understand research methodology and the scientific method
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In-depth knowledge between disease prevention and health promotion
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Effective communication skills and collaboration with diverse groups
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Scientific and mathematical foundations and principles
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Workplace and issues in healthcare fields and environments
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Ethical leadership skills and compassionate, competent patient care
Course Catalog
Put your compassion to work.
Connect with patients in a direct way to improve their health and well-being.
Careers for the Future
Responding to a national need, this program creates highly skilled PAs who will work for Mayo Clinic Health Systems throughout the Midwest, serving patients with integrity and having a direct and meaningful impact on the quality of their patients’ lives.
Participate in and complete master-level physician assistant program to pursue a career as a physician assistant
FAQs
When will I be on the Winona Campus?
Because of the accelerated coursework, your time on the Winona Campus is limited to three years. You’ll complete a required interdisciplinary minor as part of Integratus, the integrated general education program at Saint Mary's. As part of this program, you’ll also attend seminars and participate in learning activities with Mayo Clinic PA faculty.
What are admission requirements?
Qualified high school applicants [Cumulative high school GPA and Science/Math GPA of 3.5 or higher (scale of 4.0); ACT composite score of 24 or higher or SAT equivalent of 1170 or higher; ACT Math score of 26 OR calculus ready] will be selected, upon review of all application materials, to interview for a limited number of seats in the program. Please review the course catalog for more details.