Florida is a premium destination for education. People are always looking for learning opportunities in the city. Physician assistants are also a big part of the search. The main reason is there are several good schools in the city. Florida is a fantastic place to kickstart your career as a PA. However, with the numerous schools available, making a choice can be challenging. You will need to understand different schools and the implications of studying there. A PA course lasts about two years. You will want to be in a place you are entirely comfortable with and offers the kind of learning you want.
Florida is full of top schools all over the state. Each has different demands and curriculum types. Here are some of the top schools for aspiring PAs.
1. The University of Florida at Gainesville
The University of Florida's physician assistant program is one of the best in the state, having graduated over 2,500 PAs dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate patient care. According to U.S. News & World Report, the college has one of the best PA programs in the state and the country. Its PA program, which the College of Medicine runs, provides several possibilities to engage with medical students and faculty.
This stimulating setting within the UF Health Center is teeming with cutting-edge research and top-notch healthcare education. Its graduates not only excel on the certification exam with an exceptional pass record of over 100 percent but also play a key role in improving the health of Floridians, thanks to rigorous instruction in theoretical ideas and clinical.
This PA program is a full-time program that lasts 24 months. The program is an 80-credit program with no credit for prior education or experience. Anatomy, medical communications, behavioral & community medicine, human physiology, introduction to medicine, pharmacotherapeutics, and physical diagnosis are covered in the first year. Clinical procedures, EKG, patient evaluation, and evidence-based medicine are also covered. Clinical rotations and a seminar account for 36 credits in the second year of clinicals. While rotating through several sites in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Pensacola, and Tampa, you will receive training in specializations and subspecialties.
If you attend this college, you must also complete at least one clinical experience in a rural area. To graduate, you must pass all didactic courses with a grade of C or better. You perform a capstone project near the end of your clinical training, serving as the program's concluding experience.
To qualify for admission, you must have an undergraduate degree in any field and an overall science GPA of at least 3.0. The college also requires you to have completed pre-requisite courses in human anatomy, physiology, microbiology, general chemistry, statistics & medical terminology. It is also highly recommended that you complete at least 2000 hours of healthcare experience.
2. Barry University at Miami
The PA program at Barry University prepares you for this role by training you for the varied challenges of providing healthcare to the state’s diverse population. This degree can be earned at either the Miami campus or the Pinellas Park campus of St. Petersburg College. You will graduate with excellent abilities in collaborative medicine, evidence-based practice, and cultural competence to fulfill the state's healthcare requirements, focusing on underprivileged and vulnerable communities, regardless of where you enroll.
Barry's PA program offers a 40-hour Medical Spanish Immersion to help you communicate effectively with patients who don't speak English. Thanks to the college's extensive community and organizational relationships, you will also have clinical experiences in various settings, including underserved and vulnerable people. To practice as a physician assistant in Florida, you must finish 128 credits of training, including 12 months of didactic classes and 12 months of clinical rotations. Physiology, clinical microbiology & infectious diseases, anatomy, human genetics, human behaviors & psychiatry, pathophysiology, physical diagnostics, and general radiology are covered in the didactic courses. You'll also learn about community health research, surgical fundamentals, and emergency medicine. After that, you'll go through eight six-week rotations.
To be considered for this physician assistant program in Florida, you must have a bachelor’s degree in any major with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Also, you need to have completed prerequisite courses and preferably have prior healthcare experience. Additionally, the college requires you to submit the GRE score and three letters of recommendation.
3. South University at Tampa
The college accepts various students, resulting in a culturally rich and diversified environment. You will gain extraordinary professional abilities in interpersonal communication, clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and evidence-based medicine through rigorous didactic and clinical instruction.
This PA program requires 174 credits, including 100 didactic and 74 clinical credits, to earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant. The didactic courses last 15 months, while the clinical rotations last 12 months. During the didactic part, you will study medical interviews, physical evaluation, medical anatomy and physiology, and diagnostic procedures. In addition to epidemiology and biostatistics, clinical procedures, and essentials of care in many medical specialties, the complete education prepares you for a career in medicine.
Once you reach the clinical phase, you will complete rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery, women's health, and behavioral medicine. Also included in the program is an elective clinical rotation that you can complete in a subspecialty of your choice.
South University's admissions procedure is quite demanding, and you must have a recognized bachelor's degree with a 3.0 overall GPA and completion of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses. You must also submit your GRE results and three letters of reference. Students with patient-care experience, shadowing hours, and community service hours are given preference for admission to this Florida physician assistant program.
Prepare Accordingly
There are several other PA schools available in Florida. Knowing the demands of the schools is vital to prepare accordingly. To be admitted to a PA school, you will also have to undergo a PA interview which requires a lot of preparation and knowledge of the school. The journey to becoming a PA is demanding but fulfilling.
