Florida Gulf Coast University Physician Assistant Program
Fort Myers, Florida · Masters
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A closer look
Mission & approach
The mission of the MPAS Program at Florida Gulf Coast University is to prepare competent and effective master’s level primary care physician assistants who will collaboratively practice with physicians and other members of the healthcare team to provide high quality patient-centered care.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Considers overall/science/prerequisite GPA, GRE scores (higher = greater consideration; target >=20th pct Quant & Verbal, >=3.0 AW), and direct patient care (min 250 hrs). Anatomy & Physiology I & II with lab (8 sem hrs) required. Holistic review; no documented in-state admission preference (Florida residency affects tuition, not selection).
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions information2026 PAEA Virtual Admissions Fair
The admissions team framed academics and testing as competitive rather than pass/fail: meeting a floor is not the same as being competitive, and applications are evaluated against the rest of the pool. They described the program's mission around primary care, evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration and patient-centered care — useful language for applicants assessing fit. The program also maintains a public FAQ with a section specifically on how to strengthen a CASPA application, which is worth reading before you write.
Shared at the fair on Jul 11, 2026; paraphrased program-level notes. This is a past event, not an upcoming session. Confirm current guidance with the program.
About these fair notes
PAEA Virtual PA Admissions Fair (CareerEco), July 11 2026 - program-level, paraphrased; qualitative only
How this program interviews
Selected applicants are invited to FGCU for an on-campus interview in early spring of the matriculating year; out-of-state applicants may request a virtual option, and both the application and interview are scored on a program rubric.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Science GPA policy & alternatives
The program requires a 3.0 minimum GPA across all biology, chemistry and physics (BCP) courses.
Prerequisite coursework
Semester hoursReview each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.
- Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry: Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
Biology with labCourse notes & alternatives4 semester hours; C or better (C- not accepted). Must be intended for science majors or health-professions preparation; survey courses are not accepted. | 4Semester hours | Required | C |
General Chemistry I and II with labs2 course(s)Course notes & alternatives8 semester hours total; C or better (C- not accepted). | 8Semester hours | Required | C |
| Organic Chemistry One 3-semester-hour course, or biochemistry instead. The catalog does not state a lab requirement. | 3Semester hours | Not specified | C |
| Biochemistry One 3-semester-hour course, or organic chemistry instead. The catalog does not state a lab requirement. | 3Semester hours | Not specified | C |
Medical TerminologyCourse notes & alternatives3 semester hours; C or better (C- not accepted). | 3Semester hours | Not specified | C |
Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs2 course(s)Course notes & alternatives8 semester hours; both courses with labs. Must be completed within seven years before matriculation. | 8Semester hours | Required | C |
Microbiology with labCourse notes & alternativesThe program FAQ lists 4 semester hours, while the 2025–2026 catalog lists 4–5. Must be completed within seven years before you start. | 4Semester hours | Required | C |
GeneticsCourse notes & alternatives3 semester hours; must be completed within seven years before matriculation. | 3Semester hours | Not specified | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Course recency
- The seven-year limit applies only to Human A&P I and II, Microbiology and Genetics, not to the other courses.
- Microbiology credits
- The program FAQ says 4 semester hours, while the 2025–2026 catalog says 4–5. Four is the FAQ minimum; check with the program to confirm.
- Chemistry alternative
- Organic chemistry or biochemistry: one 3-credit course satisfies this requirement; both are not required.
- GPA and grade
- Each prerequisite requires a C or better; a C- is not accepted. A 3.0 combined prerequisite GPA and a 3.0 BCP GPA are also required.
- International / TOEFL
- International applicants outside the U.S. may apply and must provide TOEFL or IELTS scores at the published thresholds.
- GPA metric
- The admissions policy sets a 3.0 minimum for the science/BCP (biology, chemistry, physics) GPA.
Prerequisites must be complete by the end of the fall semester before you start. You need 250 direct hands-on patient-care hours before CASPA submission; 20 hours of PA shadowing is strongly encouraged. The GRE is required and must be within five years, with no published minimum score. Three professional recommendations are required. International applicants outside the U.S. are accepted with official TOEFL (79 internet / 213 computer / 550 paper) or IELTS (6.5) scores.
When courses must be complete: All prerequisites and your bachelor's degree must be complete by the end of the fall semester before you start. The program FAQ says CASPA must be verified by January 15 for fall enrollment.
Dates & application steps
Verified
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Confirm current cohortConfirm rates for your entering cohort
FGCU publishes one all-in cost for tuition and fees: $55,024 for Florida residents and $150,998 for out-of-state students. Rates can change, so confirm for your start year.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic instruction
On-campus study includes physiology, pharmacology, anatomy, clinical medicine, clinical integration and clinical skills.
Clinical rotations
Four-week supervised rotations include primary care, internal medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, women’s health, general surgery and emergency medicine, plus three selective rotations.
Clinical rotations take place in Florida, mostly within 50 miles of campus in southwest Florida; assignments may include Collier, Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota counties. You return to campus after rotations and arrange your own transportation and housing.
The admitted class
Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.
The program’s track record
Graduate outcomes
PANCE pass rates
See first-time program performance with clearly dated national context.
- First-time PANCE pass rate: 89%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 92%
Accreditation history
Accredited-ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- FGCU Academic Catalog 2025–2026 — MPAS Admission Requirements
- PA School Finder deadline record
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- FGCU MPAS FAQ
- PA School Finder contact record
- Program contact page
About the U.S. News rank
The U.S. News PA rank uses the 2025 PA edition, matched to the listed program and campus. It reflects peer-assessed reputation, not admissions odds or a personal fit score. Programs without a separate entry are labeled “Unranked.”
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