To find pre-physician assistant internships, work three channels at once: your college’s pre-health office, local employers that hire for patient care roles, and structured programs that offer supervised shadowing. Then check every opportunity against CASPA’s experience categories, so you know whether it builds patient care hours, healthcare experience or shadowing before you commit your time.
That last step matters because PA programs read those categories closely. A role that feels clinical may count only as healthcare experience, and a shadowing placement, however useful, will not meet a patient care minimum. Our guide to what a physician assistant internship is explains how pre-PA experience differs from the clinical rotations you complete inside PA school.
What PA Programs Look For
PA programs want more than strong academics. They want to know that you have worked with patients, supported a clinical team and understand the demands of medical care. CASPA, the application service most PA programs use, sorts your experience into categories with published definitions:
| CASPA category | CASPA’s definition | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Patient care experience | Experiences in which you are directly responsible for a patient’s care | Nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMT |
| Healthcare experience | Paid or unpaid work in a health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care | Patient transport, front desk, some scribe roles |
| Shadowing | Time spent officially following and observing a health care professional at work, preferably a PA | Observing a PA in clinic or on rounds |
CASPA also notes that you cannot repeat hours between experience types, so each hour belongs in one category only.
How Many Patient Care Hours Do Programs Expect?
There is no single number. Each program sets its own rule, and those rules change from cycle to cycle. Duke’s PA program, for example, lists a patient care minimum on its admissions page, while other programs set a higher bar, a recommendation rather than a requirement, or no minimum at all. Our guide to patient care experience for PA school compares the published rules of 12 programs. Check the current page of every program on your list before you plan your year.
Paid Patient Care Jobs Versus Shadowing
The search gets easier once you separate two goals.
Paid patient care roles build the hours most programs weigh most heavily. These are jobs in which you carry out part of a patient’s care within your training, such as nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMT, emergency room technician or phlebotomist. Most require a certification course first, and the hours you spend in training generally do not count. Even ten hours a week during the semester adds up over a year.
Shadowing shows you what PAs actually do. It is how you confirm the career fits, learn how PAs work with physicians and nurses, and gather material for your essays. Many programs expect some shadowing, but shadowing hours sit in their own category and do not count toward patient care minimums.
Most strong applicants do both: a steady patient care job for depth and shadowing for understanding of the profession.
How to Find Pre-PA Internships and Clinical Roles in the United States
You can find opportunities even if your school has no formal pre-PA program.
Start With Your Pre-Health Advisor
Your college’s pre-health advisor may have contacts at local clinics and hospitals, and may know alumni who now work as PAs and are willing to mentor students. Advisors can also help you sharpen your resume and outreach emails.
Contact Clinics and Hospitals Directly
If you live near a hospital, community health center or urgent care, reach out. Even without a formal internship program, many offices accept students who show genuine interest. Be polite, brief and clear about your availability. Attach your resume and explain that you are preparing for PA school. Hospital volunteer offices often handle shadowing requests, so ask whether they have a process.
Ask Your Own Providers
Some of the best opportunities come from simply asking. If you have a primary care provider, a specialist or a PA you have seen, ask whether they host students. Even if they do not, they may refer you to a colleague who does.
Look at Employers That Hire for Entry-Level Clinical Roles
Hospitals, nursing homes, ambulance services, urgent care centers and outpatient clinics all hire for roles that build patient care hours. Search their job boards for nursing assistant, medical assistant, patient care technician and emergency room technician positions, and check which roles train new hires.
Volunteer at Free Clinics
Community health centers and nonprofit clinics often welcome student volunteers. If you are bilingual or have customer service experience, you may help with intake, interpreting or health education. These roles build communication skills. Check how each program classifies volunteer clinic work, because some count it as healthcare experience rather than patient care.
Consider a Structured Program
Supervised programs offer shadowing with a set schedule, a mentor and documented hours. Mentorship is often the most valuable part, as our guide to pre-PA internships with useful mentorship explains. Programs abroad add exposure to a different health system. Our guide to international clinical hours and PA school explains how admissions committees tend to read that experience.
What to Verify Before You Commit
Use this checklist for any opportunity, local or abroad:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What exactly will I do each day? | Decides which CASPA category the hours belong in |
| Who supervises me, and what is their role? | Your verifier in CASPA, and a possible letter writer |
| How are hours recorded and signed? | You need dates, weekly hours and a contact who can confirm them |
| Do I need a certification first? | Many patient care roles require one before you start |
| What is the time commitment? | Consistency over months reads better than a short burst |
| Will I see PAs at work? | Programs value understanding of the PA role specifically |
A Sample Inquiry Email
Keep your first message short, professional and specific. Adapt this template:
Subject: Pre-PA student interested in shadowing
Dear [Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am a [year] student at [School] preparing to apply to physician assistant programs. I am hoping to shadow a PA in your [clinic or department] to better understand the role. I am available [days and times] between [dates] and can complete any required onboarding, such as immunization records or privacy training. I have attached my resume. Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely, [Your Name], [Phone], [Email]
If you hear nothing after a week, send one short, polite follow-up. If the answer is no, thank them and ask whether they know a colleague who hosts students.
How IMA’s Pre-PA Program Fits In
IMA offers pre-PA internships in teaching hospitals in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru. According to the program page, pre-PA undergraduates, PA students, recent graduates and licensed PAs can apply for stays from two weeks. Interns shadow physicians and other clinicians, move to a new department each week and spend six to eight hours a weekday on the wards. Kenya also relies on clinical officers, mid-level providers who diagnose, treat and prescribe, which gives pre-PA students a useful point of comparison with the PA role at home.
The role is observational. The program page says pre-PA students mainly observe and may help with simple, non-invasive tasks, such as recording vital signs, under supervision where the department allows it. Hours are logged by date, department and shift, signed by supervisors and validated by IMA’s U.S.-based Medical Director. Each PA program decides how to count those hours, and most will read them as shadowing rather than patient care.
That makes a program like this a complement to a patient care job at home, not a replacement for it. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early if you need specific dates.
Making the Most of Any Placement
Once you start, be present and engaged. Watch how clinicians communicate with patients, and ask questions at natural pauses. Keep a journal of what you see, what surprised you and what you would ask next time. Those notes become the raw material for your personal statement and interview answers.
Track your hours as you go, in the CASPA category they belong to. Note the date, setting, supervisor and what you did. Reconstructing hours from memory months later is where most errors creep in.
How Internships Strengthen Your PA School Application
A good placement gives you more than hours. It gives you insight and maturity that admissions committees look for, and specific experiences to draw on in essays and interviews. You will also build relationships with clinicians who can write meaningful letters of recommendation, and your understanding of the PA profession will move beyond the abstract.
For one-on-one help planning your experience or your application, IMA also offers PA school admissions consulting.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right experience takes a plan rather than luck. Talk to your advisor, contact local providers, look at employers that train for patient care roles and consider structured programs for shadowing. Check every option against CASPA’s categories and each program’s current rules, keep careful records and reflect on what you learn. That combination will confirm whether the PA path is right for you and show admissions committees that you understand the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Do Pre-PA Students Find Internships?
Through college pre-health offices, direct outreach to clinics and hospitals, their own healthcare providers, employers that hire nursing assistants, medical assistants and EMTs, free clinics, and structured shadowing programs.
Does Shadowing Count as Patient Care Experience?
No. CASPA defines shadowing as officially following and observing a health care professional at work. It is its own category and does not count toward patient care minimums, although many programs expect some shadowing.
Which Jobs Count as Patient Care Experience?
Roles in which you are directly responsible for part of a patient’s care, such as nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMT, emergency room technician or phlebotomist. Check each program’s list, because definitions vary.
How Many Patient Care Hours Do I Need for PA School?
It depends on the program. Some set a minimum, some only recommend hours and some set none. Check each program’s current admissions page, since requirements change from cycle to cycle.
Do International Pre-PA Internships Count Toward Patient Care Hours?
Usually not. Most programs read observation abroad as shadowing. Each PA program decides how to count the hours, so pair a placement abroad with a patient care role at home.
How Should I Ask to Shadow a PA?
Send a short, specific email that says who you are, why you want to shadow, when you are available and that you can complete any onboarding. Attach your resume and follow up once after about a week.
