PA School Spotlight: University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center PA program in OKC runs 28 months total, with a class size of about 51. [VERIFY] The featured student's cohort started in early June with anatomy, then heads into rotations and graduates a couple of years later.

She chose the program for several reasons: it has been around since 1970, so its longevity is impressive, and its first-time PANCE pass rate has always been very high. [VERIFY] She'd also already been living in OKC, so she wouldn't have to move, and everyone she spoke with had great things to say. She applied to three programs and was accepted to two, then took a risk by declining the sure thing before knowing if she'd get an interview at her first choice. It worked out, though she's careful to note she doesn't recommend that gamble to everyone.

While some schools are phasing out cadaver anatomy, OU starts with it. It's a seven-credit-hour course taught over six weeks, so the start is incredibly busy: about two hours of lecture almost daily, two hours of lab Monday through Thursday, and a practical every Friday on that week's material. [VERIFY]

Alongside anatomy, students take a two-credit Foundations of Medical Sciences course that reviews the basic sciences (biochemistry and metabolism, genetics, and microbiology) to get everyone on the same page. The student found this especially helpful since it had been five years since she took some of those undergrad courses. The program also offers a wide range of on-campus electives, and it keeps adjusting the curriculum year to year to improve.

For study resources, she mostly uses the provided lecture slides, then turns to YouTube channels like AK Lectures, CrashCourse, and Osmosis when she needs a different explanation. She rents most course books and recommends owning an anatomy atlas or textbook since you'll use it well after anatomy ends.

Her honest take: you don't know what PA school will be like for you until you're in it. She struggled her first semester because she rarely needed to study in undergrad, and going from about three hours of studying a week to thirty was a shock. Her advice is to make time for fun even in the craziness, expect at least one really rough grade and meet with your professor about it, and find a good study group (she studies with two program besties a couple times a week). Above all, do your best, don't get discouraged, and remember why you chose this. It's not easy, but it's worth it.

If a strong-track-record program with an intense, anatomy-first start sounds like a fit, the University of Oklahoma is worth researching closely. Use spotlights like this to set realistic expectations for the workload before you apply. If you're a current PA student who'd like to share your program, reach out, and explore our resources as you build your list.