Physician Assistant Program - Jacksonville
Admissions Requirements
Prospective students are selected by the Committee on Admissions (COA), which considers the overall qualities of the applicant. Areas of consideration include:
- Personal motivation
- Interpersonal skills
- Knowledge and understanding of the PA profession
- Quality and length of prior health care experience
- Academic performance and level of achievement
- Recommendations/evaluations
- Life experiences
Personal interviews are offered to the most qualified applicants to assess interpersonal and communication skills, maturity, altruistic attitude, and commitment to a PA career.
The most current information pamphlet, university catalog and application information should be consulted for the most up-to-date information.
Requirements
- Prior to matriculation, applicants must have received a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale at the time of application and must maintain that GPA through matriculation. Successful applicants in the past have typically had cumulative grade point averages in the range of 3.3 to 3.5 and higher.
Course work, particularly required and recommended prerequisites, completed in the recent past is deemed to be more relevant to the related content in the professional curriculum and serve as better preparation than course work completed in prior years. Academic preparation is considered on a case by case basis in the context of health care experience, etc.
Recommended courses are regarded as important elements of comprehensive preparation for application and success in the curriculum.
Introductory and survey courses are not accepted to fulfill the required science prerequisites. -
Required Courses: The College requires applicants to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in each of the following required courses (science prerequisites must be completed by the end of the fall semester prior to matriculation. There is no expiration date for prerequisite courses. However, applicants are still responsible for retaining the knowledge gained from prerequisite coursework. Therefore, applicants with science prerequisites over 10 years may be considered less competitive.
- College Math - 3 semester hours (Statistics does not satisfy this requirement)
- English (including 3 semester hours of English Composition) – 6 semester hours
- Humanities/Arts - 3 semester hours (examples include; philosophy, religion, foreign language, law, ethics, literature, performing/visual arts, e.g. music, dance, film, theater, band, opera, painting, drawing.)
- Social Sciences - 9 semester hours (examples include; anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, history, geography, criminology, archeology, communication, cultural studies, law, ethics)
- General Inorganic Chemistry (I & II) including lab - 8 semester hours
- Microbiology including lab - 4 semester hours
- General Biology (or Zoology) including lab - 4 semester hours
- Human Anatomy & Physiology - 6 semester hours*
- Biochemistry - 3 semester hours
- Human Genetics (Genetics, not Animal Genetics) - 3 semester hours
- Medical Terminology – 1 semester hour
*If you take the combination class of Human Anatomy & Physiology I (A&P I), then must complete the sequence by taking Human Anatomy & Physiology II (A&P II).
NOTE: Graduates of foreign institutions where English is not the primary language of instruction must present transcripts showing at least 18 semester hours of study from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Of these 18 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours; 3 semester hours must be in English Composition, 3 semester hours must be in English Literature, and 3 semester hours must be in Public Speaking (courses do not include ESOL). The remaining nine semester hours can be any course of the applicant's choosing excluding physical education.
Recommended Courses
- Biochemistry lab - 1 semester hour
- Anatomy lab - 1 semester hour
- Physiology lab - 1 semester hour
- Introduction to Statistics - 3 semester hours
Applicants are encouraged to complete their elective course work in the areas of behavioral, physical and social sciences, or humanities. Upon review of a student's record, the Committee on Admissions may require additional course work and testing as a condition of acceptance. In addition, previous clinical experience is highly recommended.
GRE Standardized Test
All applicants are required to submit official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test through the CASPA admissions portal. The CASPA GRE number for the Jacksonville program is 0952. The exam must have been taken within the last five years, and early enough for official scores to be received in the admissions office by January 15th. Applications will not be considered complete without GRE scores.
For further information contact:
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
http://www.gre.org
1-609-921-9000
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required:
* One letter from a physician assistant
* One letter from a healthcare professional (e.g. physician assistant, physician, dentist, pharmacist, registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physical or occupational therapist)
Recommendations submitted by relatives, friends, personal healthcare providers, or personal friends of the family are not acceptable.
Computer Skills: All applicants must show evidence of computer skills through course work or self study prior to the end of the first term. Students may obtain instruction through the NSU Microcomputer Laboratory or other training facilities.
Recommended Healthcare Experience
While there is no minimum requirement, prior healthcare experience is highly recommended. Higher consideration may be given to applicants with prior direct patient contact..
The Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program-Jacksonville DOES NOT grant advanced standing to any matriculant.