What Is the PA-CAT? Pre-PA Exam Explained

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

The PA-CAT is a standardized exam that tests knowledge in core prerequisite subjects, and a growing but still limited number of PA programs use it in admissions. Because it is relatively new, it has not yet become a universal gold-standard requirement, so you only need to take it if a program you are applying to requires or recommends it. Always check each program's requirements, and use the quieter months before CASPA reopens in April to plan ahead.

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What is the PA-CAT?

The PA-CAT is a standardized admissions exam designed specifically for prospective PA students. It tests your knowledge across the science prerequisite areas that PA programs care about, and the idea is to give programs another data point about your academic readiness. Think of it as a PA-specific test in the same family as other graduate admissions exams, but built around the subjects that actually matter for PA training.

As the new kid on the block, the PA-CAT still has to prove itself before it becomes widely accepted as a gold standard. That means it is not yet a universal requirement the way CASPA is. Some programs have adopted it, some recommend it, and many do not use it at all. What matters for you is understanding what it is and how it might factor into the specific programs on your list, rather than assuming you do or do not need it.

In this post:

Do you need to take the PA-CAT?

Whether you should sign up comes down to one thing: do the programs you are applying to require or recommend it? Because the PA-CAT is still being adopted, most applicants will not need it, but that can change quickly as more programs experiment with it. Do not take it just to take it, and do not skip it if a target program asks for it.

The move here is to build your program list first, then check each program's admissions requirements carefully. Program websites are usually the clearest source, and you can always contact a program directly if it is not spelled out. If even one of your top-choice programs requires the PA-CAT, that decision is made for you. If none of them do, you can save your time, money, and energy for the parts of your application that will move the needle more, like your GPA, experience hours, and essays.

In Our Experience

In our experience coaching applicants, the PA-CAT causes a lot of unnecessary stress because people assume it is a universal requirement like CASPA, and it is not. The applicants who handle it best simply check their specific programs first, then make a calm, informed decision rather than panicking and signing up for a test they may not need.

When should you take the PA-CAT and prep for the cycle?

If a program requires the PA-CAT, plan to take it with enough lead time to have scores ready before that program's deadline. Since CASPA reopens in April and rolling admissions reward early applicants, you want testing done well before you submit, not scrambling at the last minute.

The slower months before April are the perfect time to get organized whether you are a first-time applicant or a reapplicant. Use a checklist: confirm each program's requirements, line up letters of recommendation, log your experience hours, draft your personal statement, and figure out if the PA-CAT is even on your radar. Reapplicants should also request feedback from programs that did not accept you last cycle so you know exactly what to improve. Getting these pieces moving now means you are ready to submit early when CASPA opens instead of falling behind.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Rule of thumb: only take the PA-CAT if a program on your list requires or recommends it. Do not add a test just to add a test.

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Listen: All About the PA-CAT with Researcher Scott Massey

There's a new admissions test in the mix, and I went straight to one of the people building it.

Episode show notes & key takeaways

There's a new admissions test in the mix, and I went straight to one of the people building it.

Scott Massey is a lead researcher on the PA-CAT. We talk about why it exists, what's on it, and what programs are hoping it does. The short version of the argument: the GRE was never designed to predict how someone does in a PA curriculum, and the PA-CAT is meant to test the science content you'd actually use.

Right now only some programs are using it, so this isn't a thing you need to panic about. But if you're applying in the next couple of cycles, check your program list and know whether it's required before you're surprised in June.

What we talk about

Why the PA-CAT was created
How it's structured and what content it covers
Comparing it to the GRE as a predictor
Which programs are using it so far
What this could mean for future applicants
How to find out if a program requires it

Resources

Follow The Pre-PA Club: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · All episodes

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