I want to major in nursing at Emory, but will it be possible to also be on a pre-Physiciant Assistant track at Emory?
At Emory, your first 2 years have to be at Emory College or Oxford College. Either Emory College or Oxford College will have the basic science courses you need to apply to a PA program.
If you choose to go into Emory’s nursing school, you would apply sometime in your sophomore year (whether you’re at Emory College or Oxford College) to Emory Nursing School. The acceptance rate is very high. If admitted, you would spend the next two years in Emory’s nursing school.
Note that the basic science courses that would help you get you into Emory’s nursing school are not necessarily the same ones that would qualify you for, say, medical school.
You should do some research into PA programs and see what types of basic science courses PA programs accept.
Emory has many clinical opportunities on or near its campus and would give you many opportunities to get that kind of experience.
@futurenursep : Conveniently, being in the nursing school may help you more than hurt in terms of fulfilling requirements: http://prehealth.emory.edu/explore/physician-assistant.html
Emory does not offer a formal human phys. and anatomy course and the nursing school has it. The basic sciences courses associated with pre-health tracks at Emory are pretty damned good now-a-day. Provided you take the right teachers, you’ll likely get a better prep and background than you might at other even similar caliber places. Emory is a great place to do pre-health or any life science STEM discipline if you are serious and really committed. Seems advising has gotten more serious as well for better or worse. Also, note it isn’t a matter of what Emory allows (Emory doesn’t care as pre-health is not a major), but more so what you think the PA admissions will think of pursuing nursing degrees prior to applying. There can be weird cultural dynamics that you may want to investigate. It is possible that it is very common and well received, or maybe it isn’t. I would talk to someone in PHA regarding this.