Physician Assistant Program - Jacksonville

The NSU Jacksonville Physician Assistant (PA) Program is a fully integrated program encompassing graduate level work which leads to a Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree. The rigorous 27-month curriculum (144 semester credit hours) is integrated at the didactic and clinical levels and prepares graduates to be compassionate and competent healthcare providers to practice high quality patient-centered care. All students must complete the entire NSU PA curriculum, regardless of their previous academic education.

The PA-S (1): Didactic Education (15 months)

The first phase (4 semesters over 15 months) consists of intense, didactic classroom and laboratory education. The didactic phase is designed to give the student the basic practical information required to begin the practice of medicine under the supervision of a physician.

The course of study in the didactic phase includes:  Patient Centered Healthcare, Anatomy, Pharmacodynamics, Introduction to the PA Profession, Fundamentals of Medical Imaging, Medical Terminology, Physiology, Physical Diagnosis, Electrocardiography, Clinical Pathophysiology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Interpretation of Medical Literature, Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care, Clinical Pharmacology, Complementary Medicine & Nutrition, Clinical Behavioral Medicine, Life Support Skills and Procedures, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, PA Health Care Dynamics, Clinical Procedures and Surgical Skills, and Clinical Genetics. Select courses include lab components.In these labs, students learn how to obtain a patient history, perform a physical examination, perform technical skills (e.g., injections, IV catheter, suturing, etc.) and have Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training. Standardized patients are utilized in some lab experiences. Additionally, students receive training in HIPAA compliance and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen protocols.

The PA-S (2): Clinical Education (12 months)

The second phase consists of clinical rotations in hospitals, private practices, and other patient care areas over the remaining 12 months of the program. These rotations are between 4 and 6 weeks in length. The course of study for the clinical phase includes six-week rotations in the following areas: Behavioral Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Prenatal Care & Gynecology. Students are also required to complete one six-week elective rotation and one four-week preceptorship.

During the clinical phase, students are required to return to campus after each rotation. These "End of Rotation" (EOR) activities. These activities include end of rotation testing, summative testing, and seminars on various topics (e.g., medical errors, HIV, domestic violence, sex trafficking, PANCE, job and licensing preparation, Point-of-Care Ultrasound [POCUS],clinical medicine and surgery topics, etc.).

Also, during the clinical phase, students are required to complete a graduate project. This project is a scholarly paper suitable for publication and will consist of a literature review on a topic approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

The progress of each student through the curriculum requires continuous satisfactory academic and clinical performance. All courses are offered once a year, so a student may have an altered plan of study if not making satisfactorily progress each semester. This may extend the student’s program beyond the standard 7 consecutive semesters. There is a maximum four-year time limit for program completion, which includes any approved leave of absence / administrative break and subsequent return to the program.

Prospective students are selected by the Committee on Admissions (COA) which considers the overall qualities of the applicant. Areas of consideration include:

• written communication skills
• academic performance and level of achievement
• personal motivation and judgment
• self-awareness and insight
• interpersonal skills and professionalism
• stress management
• knowledge of the PA profession
• quality and length of prior health care experience
• extracurricular activities and community service
• employment while in school
• collegiate athletics

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.

The program participates in the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) for the receipt and processing of all applications. However, CASPA takes no part in the selection of our students. Complete your CASPA application prior to the January 15 application deadline for the class matriculating in May.

Required Degree

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 cumulative 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.

All required science prerequisites must be completed by fall semester prior to matriculation and a minimum grade of "C", 2.0 is required in all prerequisites.

The NSU Jacksonville Physician Assistant Program does not grant advanced standing to matriculants who hold an advanced degree.  All matriculants much complete the entire curriculum.

Required Courses

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 healthcare 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.

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 you 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.

Successful applicants in the past have typically had GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) in the 40th percentile or higher in each of three categories. 

For further information contact:

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
http://www.gre.org 
1-609-921-9000

• Operating System: Windows 11 or higher or macOS 13 Ventura or higher
• Portability: laptops (as opposed to desktop computers) strongly recommended
• Memory: minimum of 8GB RAM (16GB strongly recommended)
• Processor Speed: minimum of Intel Core i5 or equivalent
• Hard Drive/SSD: 256 GB or larger (512+ recommended)
• Wireless: any card that supports 802.11 n/ac protocols and WPA2 Enterprise or latest
• Webcam/Microphone: laptops with built-in webcams/microphones recommended (may use a USB headset or external webcam if supported)

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.

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.

A personal interview is an integral part of the admissions process; however, being granted an interview is not a guarantee of admission. It also should be clearly understood that not all applicants will be granted an interview by the Office of Admissions. The Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions processes applications on a "rolling" or periodic basis. Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early due to the limited number of seats available in the class.

Students are required to authorize the NSU Health Professions Division to obtain background check(s), as per the adopted policy of April 22, 2005. Students may also be required by the Health Professions Division to obtain a background check - or authorize clinical training facilities, where appropriate, to conduct the check - and to permit the results of the consumer reporting agency to be provided to the NSU Health Professions Division and/or the clinical training facilities. If the background check(s) reveal information of concern that the NSU Health Professions Division may deem unfavorable, the NSU Health Professions Division will provide the accepted applicant or enrolled student with the Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and a copy of the report and request that the student provide a detailed written explanation of the information contained in the report, along with appropriate documentation (e.g., police reports). This information must be returned to the NSU Health Professions Division within 10 business days of the date the communication is sent unless another date is specified by the NSU Health Professions Division in its communication with the student. Offers of admission will not be considered final until the completion of the background check(s) by the NSU Health Professions Division, and where appropriate, by the clinical training facilities, with results deemed favorable. If information received indicates that the student has provided false or misleading statements, has omitted required information, or in any way is unable to meet the requirements for completion of the program, and then the admission may be denied or rescinded, the student may be disciplined or dismissed, or the student's enrollment may be terminated. Following the initial background check(s), students will be asked annually to provide certification relating to any convictions, guilty pleas, or no contest pleas to any criminal offense, other than traffic violations.

Official transcripts from regionally accredited institutions or universities must be mailed directly to CASPA by the institutions.

Foreign Transcripts

Applicants who have attended foreign universities or colleges are required to have their academic credentials evaluated for U.S. institution equivalence by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization, such as one of the services listed below.

An official course-by-course evaluation with a cumulative grade point average must be sent directly from the evaluation service to CASPA.