Admissions

The UTPA program will offer seats to highly qualified current UT undergraduates or alumni through this accelerated admission process (2024 admissions cycle for the 2025 Cohort).

• For more information on the preferences, refer to the UT PA Admissions page.
• If you are not selected through this process, then you must complete the traditional application process through CASPA for continued consideration. You will not automatically roll over to an applicant status.
• To apply through the UT2UT pathway, please contact graduate admissions.
• You will be asked to complete a personal statement in the application describing why you want to be a PA.
• Be prepared to upload a resume in the application.
• If offered admission, pre-requisites must be complete by the end of the summer 2024 semester. Applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in pre-requisites GPA and last 60 credit hours GPA.
• The application process is competitive. Applications are reviewed holistically. Completing minimal experiences does not guarantee an interview or acceptance.
• Interviews will be completed in June and are required for selection. Completing an interview does not guarantee selection.
• Applicants will be notified in July of the selection decision.

• Timeline
  • CASPA application opens on April 25, 2024, and closes Dec. 1, 2024.
  • Complete verified applications are due Dec. 1, 2024. We highly encourage interested applicants to apply early, depending on the interview date you are applying to, and submit a complete application to be considered for the September - December 2024 interviews. It can take up to 30 days for CASPA to verify all application materials, so plan accordingly to meet the application deadline.
  • CASPA application must be verified, all prerequisites completed, graduate degree completed, PA-CAT score reported, and supporting documents uploaded to CASPA by the deadline of Dec. 1, 2024. However, we encourage applicants to submit a complete application at least two months before the interview date you are applying for, to be considered for the September - December 2024 interviews.
  • Interviews will be held on Fridays from Sept. 2024 to Jan. 2025.
  • Interview invitations will be extended approx. three weeks prior to each interview date.
  • Admission notifications occur approx. 1 week after each interview date.
  • Admission deposit of $1,500 is due two weeks after the interview date.
  • The cohort starts late August 2025.

• Application
  • Apply through CASPA early or by the verified deadline of Dec. 1, 2024, depending on which interview date you are applying to.
  • See CASPA FAQs to assist you in completing your application.
  • A supplemental application is required. There is no supplemental application fee. The supplemental application questions are included within the CASPA application.
  • Campus interviews are extended to the best-qualified 80 applicants and participation is required.
• Tours
  Please visit www.ut.edu/gradvisit for the latest information on campus tours.

• Submit three letters of recommendation from faculty, coaches, employers, patients or health care providers with whom the applicant has a shadow or work history. The program will only evaluate the first three letters submitted if you submit more than three letters with your application.
• Letters from a PA or physician are not required.
• No letters from immediate family members or friends will be accepted.

• Minimum last 60 credit hours GPA: 3.0
• Minimum prerequisite GPA: 3.0

• The GRE is not required for application.
• The MCAT is not required for application.

• The Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT) has predictive value in identifying applicants that may have difficulty in classes and passing PANCE.
• The PA-CAT is required for admission for the 2024-2025 application cycle.
• Submit your application as soon as possible. However, the PA-CAT exam must be completed, and score reported by the time of application or by the CASPA verified deadline of Dec. 1, 2024, depending on which interview you are applying to.
• PA-CAT scores are good for as long as defined by Exam Master.
• Scaled score is weighted in the admissions decision. We use the composite score and quintile or percentile score when evaluating your performance.
• If the PA-CAT has been taken more than once, the program uses the highest composite score reported by Exam Master.
• Applicants should plan to complete the PA-CAT at least 3 months before the interview date they are applying for, but no later than the end of October for Exam Master to report their scores by the time of application or by the CASPA verified deadline for the program of Dec. 1, 2024. It can take two to three weeks to schedule an exam to be taken remotely or in person at a test center.
• Go to the Exam Master PA-CAT website to learn more about how and where to take the exam. You must select The University of Tampa PA Program to report scores to, and we will receive a score report.
• Remember the PA-CAT is required for application, so plan accordingly.

• A completed bachelor's degree by July 1 of the entering year from a regionally accredited institution. A graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution will be accepted in lieu of the bachelor's degree requirement.
• To be considered for the graduate degree preference, the graduate degree must be awarded by the time of application or Dec. 1, 2024, depending on which interview you are applying to.

Prerequisite Course Requirements:

• Applicants must earn a B- (BC) or better in prerequisite courses*, and they must be completed at a regionally accredited institution by the time of application or Dec. 1, 2024, depending on which interview you are applying for. The program does not allow outstanding prerequisites beyond the application deadline.
  

  Veteran/Military Applicants - The UT PA program has a preference for students who are currently serving or have served in the military. We acknowledge that performance of less than a B- (BC) in a pre-requisite may be due to a unique circumstance in the veteran population. Therefore, we send all veteran/military applicants through a holistic preview, which may include a “pre-interview” with the applicant to discuss their academic preparation. Based on the holistic review, the applicant may be offered an on-campus interview. If after the interview the applicant is offered a seat in the program but has an existing pre-requisite with a grade of less than B- (BC), they would be required to repeat the “pre-requisite” and earn a “B- (BC)” or better before matriculation.

  *Due to COVID-19, many colleges transitioned to online delivery and gave students the option of S/U or Pass/Fail grading for Spring and Summer 2020 courses. The UT PA program will accept any S/U or Pass/Fail grading for Spring and Summer 2020 courses only and assign a grade of "B" for any S or Pass grade and a grade of “F” for any U or Fail grade when calculating a pre-req GPA or last-60 GPA. This policy applies to any courses taken Spring 2020 through Fall 2021 and will be applied to our prerequisites and last-60 GPA calculations. This policy is subject to change as needed in response to COVID-19.

• Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) courses are accepted, but a petition form (PDF) must be submitted and approved. The accepted AP/CLEP course must be replaced by an upper-division course in the same subject and must include a lab if applicable. The replacement course grade will be substituted for the AP/CLEP course in the GPA calculations.
• Prerequisite courses greater than 10 years from the date of graduation (degree during which prerequisites were completed) will not be accepted unless the applicant has provided direct patient care for at least 4,000 hours within the last 10 years from Dec. 1 of the year applied.
• Applicants may petition for prerequisite substitution by completing the PA program petition form. Completion of the form is the sole responsibility of the applicant, and the decision made by the program is final and may not be appealed. A petition is not required if substituting approved courses for Biology II and Chemistry II (see below for more information).
• The highest grade will be utilized for prerequisite GPA calculation if a course has been retaken.

Required Courses:

• Two general biology with lab (the biology II requirement may be substituted with cell biology, genetics, immunology, virology or biochemistry* (*Cannot count twice))
• One microbiology with lab
• Two human anatomy and physiology with lab (can be one semester anatomy and one semester physiology, or combined anatomy and physiology courses)
• Two general chemistry with lab (the chemistry II requirement may be substituted with organic chemistry or biochemistry* (*Cannot count twice))
• One statistics (not a lab science); may be met by educational/psychology or biostatistics course

*Cannot count twice

UT students should use the table below to guide which UT courses meet the prerequisites listed above. Applicants are not required to take prerequisite courses at UT and non-UT applicants are not required to submit a petition request to waive the same prerequisite course taken at an outside institution in lieu of listed UT courses below.

The following recommended supplemental courses assist students in the academic transition to the physician assistant medicine program curriculum. No preference is given for recommended supplemental courses and some of the listed courses can substitute for the biology II and chemistry II prerequisites (see information listed above).

• Medical terminology
• Biochemistry
• Genetics
• Organic chemistry
• Educational/psychology or biostatistics

Selecting Prerequisites:

• Only highlight the required prerequisites and respective labs with the highest grades. This is consistent with our grade forgiveness policy.
• Do not highlight any repeated courses with lower grades or substitute any courses for which a petition form hasn’t been submitted. This slows your application down from being reviewed and may delay an interview offer.

• PA observation or shadowing is not required for application. However, competitive applicants will have observed a PA for as many hours as necessary to demonstrate they are knowledgeable of the PA role on the healthcare team and will be evaluated during the interview.
• Observation of a PA does not count as direct patient care experience.

The following count toward leadership. (This is not an exclusive list. If there are activities or events you feel should be counted in the category of leadership/maturity, please list them on the application.)

• Intercollegiate athlete of any type — one year for each season (includes dance, cheer and/or athletic trainer/manager for team)
• Leadership role in fraternity/sorority or other professional organization/club or student government (must be an executive leadership position such as president, vice president or committee chair — being a member of a club does not count as leadership)
• Worked at least 15 hours per week while attending college as a full time student
• Other non-college related leadership roles within the community or at one’s place of employment such as serving on city council or filling the role of manager — one year for one year of service

Re-applicants must improve in at least two program preferences to reapply. The following guidance given to first-time applicants also applies to re-applicants:

The admissions process for the UT PA program is highly competitive. Applications are holistically reviewed relative to our program preferences, prerequisite GPA* (*Pre-req GPA, last 60 GPA and PA-CAT scaled score performance are weighted in the application scoring, but does not serve as a preference requirement) , last 60 credit hours GPA*, PA-CAT scores reported* (*Pre-req GPA, last 60 GPA and PA-CAT scaled score performance are weighted in the application scoring, but does not serve as a preference requirement) , personal statement, letters of reference and interview performance. Applicants can review our mission, vision and values, and our class characteristics (PDF) to evaluate the extent to which the applicant aligns with the program preferences for admission.

*Pre-req GPA, last 60 GPA and PA-CAT scaled score performance are weighted in the application scoring, but does not serve as a preference requirement.

• The PA program does not offer advanced placement for students with prior graduate or doctoral work.
• The program does not accept transfer students or provide credit for experiential learning.
• The program does not give credit for prior student experience working in the health care field.
• All incoming students will take all the courses outlined in the program curriculum.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

• Foreign medical graduates must complete the same application process as any other applicant to be considered for interview or admission.
• Transcripts will be evaluated to determine if prerequisite coursework requirements have been met. In some instances, the applicant may be required to complete additional prerequisites.
• Advanced academic credit/transfer credit will not be granted to foreign medical graduates.
• If you have attended a college or university outside of the United States, you must arrange to have all post-secondary records evaluated by an organization that is certified by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). The list of NACES members can be found at https://www.naces.org/members. 

• Official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo test scores will be required of all applicants who have not earned a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S., Commonwealth Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.
• Official and valid TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo test scores must be submitted and received by the time of application or by the application deadline of Dec. 1, 2024, depending on which interview you are applying to. Scores are valid for two years from the application deadline and must be current at the time of application. Applications that do not comply with this policy will be characterized as unqualified.
• TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo test scores are valid for two years prior to the application deadline.
• The minimum score is a 90 on the TOEFL, a 6.5 on the IELTS or a 120 on the Duolingo test, and the requirement may not be waived.

• An on-campus interview is required.
• Applicants are selected for an interview based on the strength of their CASPA application, including a review of their academic preparation and the program's preferences.
• During the interview process, the applicant will be provided with and asked to acknowledge their agreement to follow the American Academy of Physician Assistants' (AAPA) Code of Ethics and the physician assistant medicine program social media and professionalism policies.
• Applicants will be provided with the technical standards of admission at the time of interview and must meet these standards upon admission.
• Interview event includes four traditional interview stations and group evaluation.
• Professional dress is expected during the interview. Lunch will be provided to all applicants invited for an interview.
• The program will interview 16 applicants per session for a total of 80 applicants.
• Interviews will be held on Fridays from September 2024 to January 2025.
• Interview invitations will be extended approx. three weeks prior to each interview date. We recommend applicants submit a complete application at least two months prior to the interview date they are applying for, but no later than the CASPA-verified deadline for the program of Dec. 1, 2024.
• The daily schedule of the interview session will be handed to interviewees during interview registration.
• Admission notifications occur approx. one week after each interview date.
• Admission deposit of $1,500 is due two weeks after the interview date.
• The daily schedule of the interview session will be handed to interviewees during interview registration.

Parking: If driving to campus, we have spots reserved in the Thomas Parking Garage. Please enter the garage from West North A Street off North Boulevard. Follow the signs to the Graduate Health Studies building, second floor.

Accommodations: There are many hotels close to UT’s campus. We will provide storage space on campus for your luggage if needed. We suggest you explore some of the local attractions as well. Mobile rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft are available in the area. Tampa International Airport is just 6 miles away from campus.

The applicant is responsible for all travel-related expenses (flight, lodging, local travel and off-campus meals), and there are no grants or scholarships available to offset interview expenses.

• After the interview, the selection committee will review all applicant materials and interview performance to select the final cohort as well as alternates for admission.
• An offer of acceptance will be extended to the applicant by graduate admissions once approved by the Admissions Sub-Committee approx. one week after each interview date.
• Applicants selected will be given two weeks after the interview date to accept the offer of admission to the program and must remit a non-refundable fee of $1,500 that will be applied toward tuition.
• Acceptance into the program is conditional upon completing the following:
  1. Completion of outstanding bachelor’s degree with a last 60 credit hours GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  2. Completion of a criminal background check. Criminal convictions of any nature may create difficulty in placing the student into clinical rotations. Additionally, an applicant’s criminal background may adversely affect an applicant’s ability to obtain licensure or clinical privileges. It is the applicant’s responsibility to address any such issues and determine the continued viability of their candidacy. Refer to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) or the applicable state medical board governing PA practice for further information. Applicants with felony convictions will not be admitted due to the inability to place them into clinical rotation experiences equivalent to their peers. Applicants are encouraged to accurately disclose all legal history even in circumstances where the conviction has been expunged. Many times, the criminal background check will include past criminal history the applicant was led to believe was erased from the record and the applicant may have been advised by their own counsel to answer inaccurately. Read the full criminal background check policy (PDF).
  3. Completion of a urine drug screen. If marijuana is detected it will be reported as a positive result even if legally prescribed to you in your state. A positive drug screen will result in the admittance being rescinded due to the difficulty in placing the applicant into clinical rotations. It is the applicant’s responsibility to address any such issues and determine the continued viability of their candidacy. Refer to NCCPA or the applicable state medical board governing PA practice for further information. Read the full urine drug screen policy (PDF).
  4. Completion of all required immunizations. Required immunizations will be published annually and updated based on the CDC recommendations for healthcare workers and the individual requirements of the clinical sites the program uses for site placement.
  5. Completion of American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
  6. Completion of a physical examination that includes an acknowledgment that the candidate meets the technical standards for admission.
  7. Completion of any outstanding paperwork/transcripts required by UT's Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies.

Delayed Admission Request

Complete details on delayed admissions can be found on the Program Policies page under the header "Deferred Admission Policy."

The technical standards set forth by UT’s physician assistant medicine program establish the essential qualities considered necessary for students to achieve the knowledge, skills and competencies of an entry-level PA. The following essential function requirements must be met by all students after acceptance in order to enroll in or complete the program. Following their acceptance into the program, students are required to verify that they understand and meet these technical standards or they believe that, with certain accommodations, they can meet the standards.

1. Observation: Students must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments required by the program curriculum and be able to participate in such with adequate vision and other sensory modalities, including the senses of hearing and smell. A student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and up close.
2. Communication: Students must be able to speak intelligibly and to hear sufficiently to affect an adequate exchange of information with patients, family members and other health professionals. A student must be able to read and write English effectively in order to fulfill academic requirements and to maintain accurate clinical records on patient care.
3. Motor: Students are required to possess motor skills sufficient to elicit independently information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other manually based diagnostic procedures. Students should be able to conduct laboratory tests (urinalysis, CBC, etc.), carry out diagnostic procedures (paracentesis, etc.) and provide basic medical care (clearing the airway, placing catheters, controlling bleeding, simple obstetrical maneuvers, etc.) in the general care environment, and coordinate fine and gross muscular movements to treat patients in emergency situations. Emergency situations include any circumstance in which a patient experiences either a physical or a mental medical event requiring immediate remedy.
4. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include an aptitude for rapid problem solving, the capability to access and interpret medical files independently, evaluate physical examinations and formulate a logical diagnosis and effective medical treatment plan. Students must possess good judgment in patient assessment and the abilities to incorporate new information, comprehend three-dimensional relationships and retain and recall pertinent information in a timely fashion.
5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: Students must possess the physical and emotional health required for the application of his/her intellectual abilities and the employment of sound judgment in an appropriate and prompt manner. Students must be able to function effectively under physically taxing workloads, and in times of physical and mental stress. Students must display compassion, sensitivity and concern for others, and maintain professional integrity at all times.

These five areas of enumerated skills and abilities are the minimum attributes required of applicants for admission to the physician assistant medicine program and of students who are candidates for graduation. The program is committed to meeting the special needs of students within established legal and institutional guidelines. However, the integrity of the curriculum and the required mental and physical capabilities to fulfill the obligation of that education must be sustained. Therefore, the program has set the following as disqualifying for admission: the inability to complete the skills required for certification in BLS, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS), and the inability to perform a head-to-toe physical examination within the allotted time. We encourage applicants to consider these requirements when applying to our program. For questions concerning the technical standards or requesting accommodations, contact disability services at accessibility.services@ut.edu.