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Two Physician Assistant Medicine students practice their studies.

Physician assistants (PAs) are nationally certified and licensed medical professionals who work on health care teams with physicians and other providers. The PA profession has been named by top media outlets, including Forbes and USA Today, as one of the most promising jobs in America.

The University of Tampa’s graduate-level physician assistant program leads to a Master of Physician Assistant Medicine (MPAM) degree. The program follows the traditional medical model of training, providing in-depth analysis of disease processes, diagnosis and treatment. Students engage in full-time study for seven semesters, earning their degree in 27 months.

Program Highlights

  • It is in the beautiful Tampa Bay area, known for its beaches, arts, music scene, museums, sports, business communities and year-round outdoor activities.
  • Faculty are experienced educators with a diversity of clinical experiences.
  • Low faculty-to-student ratio in lab courses that allows for personalized attention and mentoring during experiential learning.
  • Curriculum includes hands-on human cadaver dissection, with additional virtual dissection and advanced radiology training using high-tech Anatomage table and SynDaver cadaver.
  • One hundred percent of clinical rotations are located within the Central Florida region.
  • This 30,000-square-foot state-of-the-art PA facility was opened in Fall 2018.
  • The PA facility includes a simulation center with both high fidelity simulators and standardized patients.

Topics of Study

  • Human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, genetics and molecular biology
  • Patient health assessment and physical examination
  • Diagnostics including radiology, laboratory medicine, ultrasound and EKG
  • Applied patient care in multiple body systems
  • Population and preventive medicine
  • Community medicine
  • Specialty medicine including emergency, pediatric, geriatric, intensive care, military and disaster training

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), from 2011 to 2014 the demand for PAs increased more than 300 percent, and employment is projected to grow an additional 30 percent by 2024 — much faster than the average for all other professions. The median annual wage reported by the BLS is $119,460.




Contact OGCS

Contact the Office of
Graduate and Continuing Studies
(813) 258-7409

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Accreditation Status

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to The University of Tampa Physician Assistant Medicine Program sponsored by The University of Tampa.

Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.

Accreditation


People practicing CPR

The PA unit includes 12 health assessment medical rooms for students to practice their clinical exam skills.

Students practicing exams

The ICU and ER suite is equipped with high fidelity simulators through a partnership with CAE, the leading provider of health profession simulation technology.

anatomage table

The lab features the Anatomage table, a fully segmented real human 3-D anatomy system that allows for the exploration of human anatomy and radiology.

practicing surgery

PA students participate in an 80-hour hands-on human cadaver dissection experience at FIVE Bioskills Lab, located just 10 minutes from campus.

GHS building

The Physician Assistant Medicine program is housed in the six-story Graduate and Health Studies building in the heart of campus.