Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Application Cycle

Physician Assistant Studies Program Application Cycle

• • August 1st - FGCU CASPA application opens.
  • August - January - Admissions Committee reviews applications.
  • January - March - Applicant Interviews are conducted.
  • January 15- FGCU program deadline for the receipt of VERIFIED CASPA applications. All program prerequisites must be completed and submitted.
  • March - Offers of Admission are made.
  • April - August - Offers of Admission are made from the waitlist.

Admission to the MPAS program is highly competitive. All applicants must complete the FGCU PA program application through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).

Advanced Placement

The MPAS program does not offer advanced placement for students with prior graduate or doctoral-level work. All incoming students will take all the courses outlined in the program curriculum.

Experiential Learning - Prior Work Experience

The MPAS program does not give credit for prior student experience working in the field.

Transfer Credit

The MPAS program does not accept transfer credit from other institutions.

POST-ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Non-Refundable Seat Deposit

Candidates who accept a seat are required to pay a seat deposit. This deposit must be made within 2 weeks of the offer.The deposit is non-refundable but will be applied toward the cost of tuition for the first semester of the program. Candidates who pay the seat deposit and then rescind their acceptance will not receive a refund.

Student Immunizations

All admitted students must initiate or demonstrate completion of the following immunizations and provide documentation before matriculation into the program:

• MPAS Health Requirements and Immunizations. Vaccines and schedules listed in Student Health Policy
• Up-to-date State University System immunization requirements, Student Health Services immunizations.
• All students are required to have personal health insurance at the time of matriculation and maintain their health insurance throughout their training.

For immunizations, the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program adheres to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers. All students must provide documentation that immunizations and Tb testing have been completed before matriculation, maintain immunizations, and complete annual Tb testing throughout their training.

Most immunizations are available from the Florida Gulf Coast University Student Health Services. For further information, view the Student Health Services immunizations.

Health Insurance

Students enrolled in the MPAS Program are required to have continuous Health Insurance coverage while enrolled in the MPAS Program. Proof of health insurance coverage must be submitted to the Program. Many of our clinical sites require that students carry health insurance and our contract with many clinical sites notes that students placed in that facility must have Health Insurance Coverage.

The cost of emergency and medical care or health insurance is always the responsibility of the student (or the student’s insurance provider). Failure to provide proof of health insurance coverage will result in students not being allowed to begin their clinical internships. Get updated FGCU student health insurance plan information: Florida Gulf Coast University | Home (myahpcare.com)

Visit the FGCU Academic Catalog to review specific Admissions information and Program Requirements.

For undergraduate degree programs, also see the Degree Map that can be used as a semester-by-semester guide to timely graduation.

Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search

Getting started with the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.

*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)

MPAS Competency Domains and Program Learning Outcomes

The FGCU MPAS program competencies represent the medical knowledge, interpersonal and patient care skills, professionalism, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities required by graduates for entry-level PA practice. These competencies were developed in accordance with PAEA’s Core Competencies for New PA Graduates and AAPA’s Competencies for the PA Profession. To attain these competencies for entry-level PA practice, graduates of the MPAS will be able to: 

Medical Knowledge
1.1		Apply core knowledge of basic sciences, behavioral medicine, and clinical medicine to the care of patients.
1.2		Distinguish between normal and abnormal signs and symptoms for patients across the lifespan.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
2.1		Display effective interpersonal and communication skills with patients and their families to develop meaningful therapeutic care relationships.
2.2		Demonstrate the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with health care team members to provide high-quality patient care.
Clinical and Technical Patient Care Skills
3.1		Accurately perform and document patient-specific and setting-specific history and physical examinations.
3.2		Demonstrate the ability to appropriately order and interpret diagnostic studies.
3.3		Safely perform technical and surgical/procedural skills common to entry-level PA practice.
Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
4.1		Integrate medical knowledge and use clinical reasoning skills to interpret patient history, physical assessment, and diagnostic findings to establish a differential diagnosis.
4.2		Synthesize patient information and formulate safe and effective pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic patient-centered treatment plans consistent with evidence-based medical practice guidelines.
Professionalism and Ethics
5.1		Uphold professional, ethical, legal, and regulatory standards of the PA profession.
5.2		Demonstrate responsibility and sensitivity to patients by providing advocacy and support to diverse patient populations.
Practice-Based Learning
6.1		Evaluate and improve clinical practice and patient care skills through self-reflection and critical appraisal of medical literature.

Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees, and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available at Financing Graduate Studies.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.

Program Specific Information

Tuition, Fees, and Medical Equipment Requirements

Cost of Attendance
Estimated costs for attending the PA Program are the total of the tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing, commuting expenses, and personal expenses such as food, clothing, and insurance. “Cost of Attendance” only covers the months that a student is enrolled in classes. 

Estimated Cost of Attending Program

Direct costs - Tuition and Fees

Graduate tuition and fees*

Refunds

Students shall be entitled to refunds in the following circumstances:

1. 100% of tuition and course-related fees will be refunded if notice of complete withdrawal or course withdrawal from the University occurs before the end of drop/add period.
2. 25% of tuition and course-related fees will be refunded if notice of withdrawal from ALL courses from the University occurs before the deadlines as designated by the University or in the Academic Calendar for each term.
3. Students who receive financial aid and subsequently change their enrollment status and this action results in a refund may have all or a portion of their refund returned to the University's Financial Aid Office in accordance with the terms of their financial aid agreement.
4. 100% of tuition and course-related fees if a student withdraws or drops a course due to circumstances that are exceptional and beyond the control of the student.

The University Policy on Tuition and Fees:

https://www.fgcu.edu/generalcounsel/regulations/approved/regulation7.001.pdf

Technical Standards for Program Admission, Academic Progression, and Graduation

Applicants for and students enrolled in Physician Assistant programs must have abilities and skills in the areas of observation, communication, motor, intellectual/critical thinking, interpersonal, and behavioral/social attributes. The MPAS Program has determined technical standards that are essential for successful progression and completion of all aspects of the curriculum, as well as entry into the profession. These technical standards are required for admission and must be maintained throughout the student’s enrollment in the program. In the event a student is unable to fulfill these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, the student will be subject to dismissal.

Candidates for and students of the program must have somatic sensation and the functional use of the senses of vision and hearing. Candidates’ and students’ diagnostic skills will also be lessened without the functional use of the senses of equilibrium, smell, and taste. Additionally, they must have sufficient external sense (touch, pain, and temperature), sufficient proprioceptive sense (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibratory) and sufficient motor function to permit them to carry out the activities described in the section above. They must be able to consistently, quickly, and accurately integrate all information received by whatever sense(s) employed, and they must have the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data.

Reasonable accommodation for persons with documented disabilities will be considered on an individual basis. Students wishing to request accommodations for disabilities should contact the Office of Adaptive Services, at 239-590-7956 (voice), 239-590-7975 (fax), 239-243-9453 (videophone) or by email at adaptive@fgcu.edu.

• Observation
  • Candidates and students must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.
  • Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision, hearing, smell, and somatic sensation.
• Communication
  • Candidates and students must be able to speak, hear, and observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity, and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications.
  • Candidates and students must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients.
  • Candidates and students must be able to communicate (verbal, nonverbal, and written) effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with all members of the healthcare team.
  • Candidates and students must possess reading skills at a level to be able to independently accomplish curricular requirements and provide clinical care for patients.
• Motor Coordination and Function
  • Candidates and students should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers.
  • Candidates and students should be able to do basic laboratory tests, carry out diagnostic procedures, and read EKGs and X-rays.
  • Candidates and students should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients.
    • Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of Physician Assistants are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the administration of intravenous medication, application of pressure to stop bleeding, the opening of obstructed airways, the suturing of simple wounds, and the performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers.
    • Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.
• Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities
  • Candidates and students must exhibit the following intellectual abilities:
    • Measurement
    • Calculation
    • Reasoning
    • Analysis
    • Synthesis
    • Comprehend three-dimensional and spatial relationships
    • The above-listed abilities are necessary skills in order to perform problem-solving tasks quickly and efficiently.
• Behavioral and Social Attributes
  • Candidates and students must possess the behavioral emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients.
  • Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively when under stress.
  • Candidates and students must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.
  • Candidates and students must demonstrate empathy, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, motivation, and the ability to interact with people at all levels in a culturally diverse society.