About the program
The Florida Gulf Coast University PA program is described in PAEA's published program data; full curriculum details, faculty, and admissions cycle specifics are maintained on the program's own website.
From the program's mission statement: "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."
Small cohort size of 20 students, gross anatomy (cadaver) lab, PA simulation lab, hands-on learning opportunities, 3 selective clinical rotations
Matriculant data
Actual stats for students who enrolled in the most recently reported cohort, sourced from PAEA's published program data.
Admission policies
Out-of-state applicants are accepted. International applicants: yes, with exceptions. please visit the program's website. DACA status applicants are considered. Distance learning is not offered. Part-time enrollment is not available.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 7 Years
Program overview
Florida Gulf Coast University offers a 27-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree with ARC-PA continued accreditation, beginning in August 2026. The program's mission centers on training primary care-focused PAs who can work collaboratively within physician-led and interprofessional healthcare teams to deliver patient-centered care. There is no specialized curricular track or concentration, making this a generalist preparation suited to applicants who want a broad clinical foundation rather than a niche focus area.
The incoming cohort is deliberately small at 20 students, which means applicants should expect a close-knit learning environment with proportionally intensive faculty interaction. Standout features include a gross anatomy cadaver lab, a PA simulation lab, and three selective clinical rotations that give students some control over shaping their clinical training. These hands-on elements are built into the curriculum from the start rather than added as electives.
Admission requirements are straightforward but specific. A minimum 3.00 GPA is required across overall, science, and prerequisite coursework, and all prerequisite courses must have been completed within the past seven years. Required science prerequisites include eight credits of general chemistry with lab, four credits each of general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, and microbiology with lab. Applicants must submit GRE scores - the MCAT is not accepted. A minimum of 250 direct patient care hours is required, with paid experience recommended but not mandatory; healthcare experience beyond direct patient care is also required. Three letters of reference are mandatory, and all interviewed applicants must attend an onsite interview that includes both a traditional and a group format.
The application deadline is January 15, 2026, and FGCU uses a post-deadline batch review process rather than rolling admissions, so there is no strategic advantage to applying earlier within the cycle. Out-of-state students are accepted, and the program has separate tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state applicants, which is a meaningful cost consideration. International applicants may be considered with exceptions detailed on the program's website. A $200 seat deposit is required upon acceptance. The program does not offer part-time enrollment or any distance learning component.
An applicant is a strong fit here if they have met all prerequisite science requirements recently, hold competitive GPAs at or above the 3.00 floor, are comfortable with a small cohort and highly hands-on training model, and are specifically drawn to primary care practice in a collaborative team setting.