Meet with Pre-Health Advising

• Complete pre-professional advising form 
• Register to attend pre-health workshop 
• Meet with UTampa's Pre-Health Advisor early in your college years 
• For the UTampa2UTampa application, pre-health advising confirmation documentation from UTampa's Pre-Health Advisor will be submitted on your behalf

PA-CAT Requirement (Physician Assistant College Admission Test)

• Required – must be completed early in the year to ensure scores are submitted before the application deadline. 
• Students are strongly encouraged to prepare for and take the PA-CAT early in the year—preferably between January to May—to ensure scores are received before the PA-CAT score submission deadline of June 18.

Personal Statement

• Submit a personal statement outlining why you are interested in the PA profession.

Resume

• Submit your most recent Resume, including all of your college and relevant health-related experiences (i.e., clinical experience, part-time work, shadowing, community service, leadership, etc.).

GPA Requirements

• A minimum 3.5 GPA (overall and pre-requisite) is required at the time of application. 
• A minimum 3.5 GPA is required in prerequisite courses. 
• A minimum 3.5 GPA is required in the most recent 60 credit hours taken. 

Prerequisite Courses

• All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of BC (B-). 
• All prerequisites must be finished by the end of Summer 2025.
• Up to 1 prerequisite may be in progress at the time of application.
  • Applicant must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA following completion of pre-requisite course.
     

Possible Prerequisite Substitutions Courses (*Can not count twice)

Other Suggested Optional Courses (not required):

• Medical Terminology 
• Biochemistry
• Genetics
• Organic Chemistry
• Educational/Psychology or Biostatistics
• Concepts in human disease for health professions (TBA) 
• PA-CAT prep winter intersession (TBA)

Degree Completion

• A completed University of Tampa bachelor’s degree is required by July 1st of your matriculation year (the year you will start class in the PAM program). 
  • Applicants cannot matriculate into the UTampa PAM program without fulfilling this requirement.

Direct Patient Care Experience

• While there is no minimum requirement for direct patient care (DPC) hours to be considered for admission to the PA program, it is highly recommended that applicants gain some hands-on experience in the medical field to strengthen their application.
  • Your DPC hours will be reviewed only in comparison to other UTampa2UTampa applicants. Your DPC hours will not be compared to those applying through the traditional route (CASPA). 
  • While DPC hours are not required, having a strong number of DPC hours can enhance your application and demonstrate your commitment to the healthcare profession.

Table 1.2: Common Direct Patient Care Roles

*This is not an all-inclusive list but provides examples of commonly accepted roles.

Physician Assistant Shadowing Hours

• While no shadowing hours are required for application consideration, it is strongly encouraged that you spend time observing a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) in a clinical setting. 
• Shadowing provides a valuable opportunity to understand the day-to-day responsibilities, scope of practice, and collaborative role of a PA-C in healthcare. 
• Gaining this firsthand experience not only helps confirm your interest in the profession but also strengthens your ability to speak knowledgeably about the PA role in your application and interviews.

Program Preferences

Unlike the traditional UTampa PAM application process, the UTampa2UTampa pathway requires you to meet only ONE of the following:

• 750+ hours of direct patient care experience
• 500+ hours of work or research experience
• 250+ hours of community service or mission work 
• 1+ year of leadership activity (see Table 1.3 for examples)
• First-generation college student 
• Graduate degree earned by time of application 
• Military service (honorable discharge required) 

* Please note that only ONE of the above is required for UTampa2UTampa applicants. However, if you meet any additional program preferences noted above, please annotate this in your application portal.

Table 1.3: Examples of Leadership 

* This is not an all-inclusive list but provides examples of commonly accepted roles