Admission Requirements

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship or permanent residency

  An applicant to MPAS must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

• Baccalaureate degree

  A baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. Baccalaureate degrees must be completed by the spring semester prior to matriculation.

• Overall GPA and Science GPA of 3.0

  Applicants must have the required 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) to be considered.

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) standardized test *2024-2025 application cycle only*

  Official scores must be sent directly by ETS to CASPA code 0554 and valid within the past five years.

• PA-CAT *2025-2026 application cycle*

  The PA-CAT measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for success in the demanding Physician Assistant curriculum. Learn more by visiting the PA-CAT website.

• Three letters of recommendation

  Letters should be from Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Professors or any individual who has worked with the applicant in a healthcare environment. 
  Only recommendations submitted through CASPA are accepted.

• Prerequisite Courses

  Complete all prerequisite courses within 7 years of the application deadline with a grade of “C” or higher. These courses can be completed at any accredited college or university but must meet the course level and description as detailed in the requirements and must be completed by December of the application cycle (i.e. no prerequisite courses completed in spring will be acknowledged).

  Online coursework for both lectures and labs is acceptable; however, some fully online programs and coursework are not accepted at FIU MPAS. Please send an email to paschool@fiu.edu with the name of the institution, course prefix and course number for review prior to enrolling in the course.

  11 Total Prerequisites - all required unless otherwise noted below

  Course	Credits
  Statistics Starting with an introduction to probability, the course provides an introduction to statistical techniques used in management science. It includes descriptive statistics, probability distributions, estimation and testing of hypotheses.	3
  General Chemistry I and Lab Fundamental principles of chemistry: states of matter, atomic structure, stoichiometry, chemical bonding, acid-base reactions, and gas laws.	4
  General Chemistry II and Lab Fundamental principles of chemistry: thermodynamics, solutions, kinetics, equilibrium and electrochemistry.	4
  General Biology and Lab Biology 1: Biomolecules, cells, energy flow, genetics, and physiology.	4
  General or Introductory Microbiology with Lab Introduction to the principles and techniques of microbiology, genetics, taxonomy, biochemistry and ecology of microorganisms.	4
  Human Anatomy and Lab* Survey of organ systems of the human body with major emphasis on the skeletal, muscular, and peripheral nervous system. Guided examination of prosected human cadavers. *See Description note for Human Physiology	4
  Human Physiology and Lab* Functions of the human body and the physio-chemical mechanisms responsible for each organ’s function. *Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 with Labs may satisfy Anatomy and Physiology requirement if both 1 and 2 are taken, totaling 8 course credits.	4
  Organic Chemistry I and Lab An introduction to chemical bonding and atomic structure theory as it pertains to the chemistry of carbon compounds.	4
  Biochemistry with Lab OR Org. Chem. 2 with Lab *2024-2025 application cycle only* Biochemistry (lecture) *2025-2026 application cycle* Biochemistry - Chemistry of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids. Principles of enzymology, metabolism and bioenergetics (lab required) Organic Chemistry - Continuation of chemical bonding and atomic structure theory (lab required)	4
  Genetics Mendelian inheritance and introduction to molecular genetics.	3
  Medical Terminology *Recommended for 2024-2025 application cycle; REQUIRED for 2025-2026 application cycle* The course covers basic medical language skills including pronunciation, spelling, and definitions as a foundation for developing the degree of competency required to read and understand medical reports and communicate with physicians and other medical professionals.	1

• Direct patient care experience and shadowing experience

  Direct patient care experience (DPCE) or “hands-on” patient contact is required for your application. Selected applicants often have more than 1000 DPCS hours (minimum of 500 hours DPCE).

  Acceptable DPCE:

  Nurse (RN or LPN), EMT or Paramedic, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Respiratory Therapist, Surgical Technologist, Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medic (Army), Chiropractor, Pharmacist, Optician, EKG Tech, Phlebotomist, Respiratory Therapist,  Ultrasound Tech, Patient Care Tech, Medical Tech, Radiologic Tech, Midwife, Cardiovascular Perfusionist, Imaging Tech, Home Health Aide, Dietician/Nutritionist, Exercise Physiologist, Physical Therapist Aid, Athletic Trainer, Scribe, Speech Therapy, Research Assistant, Pharmacy Tech, Certified Athletic Trainer, Mental Health Tech, Dental Hygienist, Research Coordinator, Patient Care Tech.

  A minimum of 500 hours of shadowing experience is recommended.

  Documentation:

  Applicants must submit documentation on location's letterhead to include timeframe worked, location, hours, duties, supervisor's name and supervisor's signature.  Note: Only DPCE and shadowing hours submitted with CASPA application will be applicable.

• Technical Standards Attestation for Admission, Progression, and Graduation Form

  All applicants must access the Technical Standards Attestation for Admission, Progression, and Graduation form from the link in CASPA, sign, and upload the completed form in the appropriate section of CASPA.  If applicant does not have a Panther ID yet, please enter "N/A" on the form where the Panther ID is entered.  

• Completion of the online assessment CASPer

  CASPer is an online test, which assesses non-cognitive skills, and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. By implementing CASPer, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. Please go to the CASPer website to sign up for the CSP-10101 U.S. Professional Health Sciences test. The last date to take the CASPer test is December 5, 2024.

  Note: CASPer scores must be received for your application to be considered.