I suspect NP programs are similarly competitive to PA programs, but I don’t have the inclination to prove this. Even undergraduate nursing degrees are killers for competition. The small difference in the PA pool’s education is is probably tagged to the number of pre-meds who couldn’t get into med school. They took all the pre-med requirements and now are doing their second choice career. I have at least one family member who took this path to being a PA. I suspect pre-PAs are also marketed as a pre-med path with options.
I am interested in collegemoneymans need to prove the superiority of a PA. I suspect it is related to the “assistant” word and the more limited license in many states. Teaching assistants are often put in that weird space of doing the job, but being labeled assistants: in some disciplines, they do all the work of teaching, but are seen as mere assistants.
My impression from being around the medical system here and there is that NPs and PAs are functionally interchangeable even though the philosophy of training is different (medical model which is more disease/symptom-driven versus patient-centric model). But, many jobs advertise for either NP or PA. Legally, PAs must work under MDs, I believe, though this is often honored in the breach as per the poster above. I suspect they must always bill through MDs. In some states, NPs must also work under MDs or bill through MDs but in other states, they neither need to work through MDs or bill through them. I think politically the AMA and state organizations may be more comfortable with PAs because they are formally under physician control. But again, I think that many NPs and PAs perform essentially the same functions under essentially the same conditions.
@mamilion , by no means did I say PA was superior or state they were , we are totally off topic now. We are talking curriculum of PA schools. This is a PA entry level Thread and not a Nursing School Thread of NP thread. What the original poster implied was that Organic and BioChem were not needed and Nursing curriculum was more challenging and I just disagree. I just commented it’s not and though there are minimal requirements to get it most Pre-Pa’s are following the Pre-Med route. I can’t speak to nursing and no where did I demean it other then state the curriculum for Pre-Pa in my opinion more challenging in the Sciences then Nursing.
Sorry, I misunderstood. I was interested and reading the thread, then got caught up in my job, and apparently, when I returned, lost the focus.
Hi. This is a very interesting thread. I am curious if there is a list of all direct admit or 3+2 PA schools? I know this thread is more in tune to east coast/Pennsylvania schools and we are looking for schools in the midwest area. Any help is appreciated. Thanks! 
If the OP is still reading this thread, I hope her D chooses the direct admit program. Competition is fierce and just knowing you’re in will be one less thing to worry about as she starts school.
@baker28- check the Physcian Assistant Education Association website. I think they have a list of schools. I do know that Butler University in Indianapolis now has a direct admit route in their PA school.