About the program
The University of South Alabama 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 University of South Alabama Physician Assistant Program is to educate compassionate and competent individuals from diverse backgrounds to become highly qualified physician assistants in accordance with the highest professional standards to provide a broad spectrum of preventative and curative healthcare to patients in various communities and clinical settings with physician supervision including underserved populations in Alabama both rural and urban. The emphasis of the program is one of primary care, including a broad foundation in the medical and surgical specialties."
We have a full cadaver lab for Gross Anatomy, and a separate Simulation Building dedicated to simulation for healthcare students (Allied Health, Nursing, and Medicine). Our classroom and lab spaces are dedicated to the PA Program and have all been recently renovated with state of art equipment.
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. Veteran support programs are available; consult the program directly for details.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: No Requirement · up to 4 outstanding at application
Program overview
The University of South Alabama offers a 27-month Master of Health Science degree through its PA program, which holds Continued accreditation status from ARC-PA and is scheduled to begin its next cohort in May 2027. With an estimated incoming class size of 60 students, this is a moderately sized program well-suited to applicants who have built a solid academic foundation and accumulated meaningful hands-on patient experience.
The program's mission centers explicitly on producing primary care-oriented PAs prepared to serve diverse communities, with particular emphasis on underserved populations in both rural and urban Alabama. That focus on primary care with a broad surgical and medical foundation is woven throughout the curriculum, which employs case-based, problem-based, organ-systems, and team-based learning approaches. Students have access to a dedicated cadaver lab for gross anatomy and a separate simulation building shared with allied health, nursing, and medicine students - a practical arrangement that mirrors real interprofessional clinical environments. Classroom and lab spaces are reserved exclusively for PA students and have been recently renovated with updated equipment.
Applicants should have a minimum 3.00 overall and science GPA, though admitted students typically bring a 3.79 overall and 3.70 science GPA, signaling meaningful competition above the floor. At least 500 direct patient care hours are required; paid experience is recommended but not mandatory. Healthcare experience in some form is required. The GRE is required, and the MCAT will not be accepted as a substitute. Three letters of reference are required, and the application deadline is October 1, 2026.
Prerequisite coursework includes general chemistry with lab (8 credits), general biology with lab (4 credits), human anatomy (3 credits), human physiology (3 credits), microbiology (3 credits), and statistics (3 credits). There is no time limit on when prerequisites were completed, and up to four outstanding prerequisites may remain at the time of application. The program accepts out-of-state applicants and international applicants with some exceptions outlined on the program's website. Interviews are conducted in a traditional format and are not required to be completed onsite. The seat deposit is $500, and the program has separate tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students.
Applicants who are drawn to primary care with a community health orientation, particularly those interested in practicing in underserved Alabama settings, should weigh whether the program's mission and clinical emphasis align with their own professional goals before applying.