Physician Assistant Studies
Accreditation Status:
**The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is not yet accredited. (Please refer to the statement below.)
Francis Marion University – Physician Assistant Program has applied for Accreditation – Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Francis Marion University – Physician Assistant Program anticipates matriculating its first class in May 2028, pending achieving Accreditation – Provisional status at the January 2028 ARC-PA meeting.
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.
The Program will not commence in the event that Provisional Accreditation is not awarded at the completion of the January 2028 ARC-PA meeting.
Refund:
If the Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is non-accredited and is not allowed to matriculate the first class of students in May 2028, then students may contact university accounting here for deposit refund information.
About the Program
The Francis Marion University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) Program prepares students to become compassionate, ethical, and clinically skillful physician assistants who are committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare. Through an integrated curriculum that combines foundational medical sciences, clinical medicine, simulation-based education, and supervised clinical practice experiences, students develop the knowledge, clinical reasoning, procedural skills, communication abilities, and professional behaviors necessary for entry into clinical practice.
The program emphasizes evidence-based medicine, interprofessional collaboration, cultural humility, professionalism, and lifelong learning while preparing graduates to meet the healthcare needs of rural and medically underserved communities throughout South Carolina and beyond.
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is part of Francis Marion University and is within the School of Health Sciences Department.
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is housed in the Carter Center for Health Sciences, which contains state-of-the-art equipment that gives students a great opportunity for learning. The facility is equipped with the latest teaching technology in medical education including a simulation center, an OSCE suite, physical exam and anatomy labs, large classrooms, and multiple spaces for students to study and gather. The FMU-PA Program is part of the School of Health Sciences Department.
Program Overview
The Francis Marion University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) is a full-time, graduate-level professional program leading to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree.
The curriculum is completed over 27 consecutive months and follows a cohort model in which students matriculate each May and progress through the curriculum together.
The curriculum consists of two sequential phases:
The didactic phase provides students with a comprehensive foundation in the biomedical and clinical sciences necessary for physician assistant practice. Learning occurs through lectures, case-based instruction, team-based learning, laboratory experiences, simulation, standardized patient encounters, clinical skills instruction, and independent study.
Coursework includes, but is not limited to:
- Human Anatomy
- Physiology
- Pathophysiology
- Clinical Medicine
- Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Procedures
- Behavioral Medicine
- Medical Ethics
- Evidence-Based Medicine
- Population Health
- Professional Practice Issues
Throughout the didactic curriculum, students participate in laboratory instruction, simulation activities, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and other competency-based assessments designed to progressively develop clinical knowledge, technical skills, and professional behaviors.
Following successful completion of all didactic requirements, students enter the supervised clinical practice phase consisting of twelve months of clinical education.
Students complete Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs) under the supervision of qualified clinical preceptors in a variety of healthcare settings. Clinical education emphasizes progressive responsibility, patient-centered care, clinical reasoning, professionalism, evidence-based practice, and interprofessional collaboration.
Required SCPEs include:
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Surgery
- Pediatrics
- Women’s Health
- Behavioral and Mental Health
Additional required educational experiences include end-of-rotation examinations, clinical documentation, case presentations, simulation activities, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and the program’s comprehensive summative evaluation.
Students must successfully complete all didactic, clinical, and professional requirements before being recommended for graduation.
Graduates from the Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program will receive a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. After successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
Mission Statement
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program seeks to educate excellent primary care physician assistants to become compassionate, ethical, and clinically skillful graduates who are ready to provide health care services with personal and professional integrity.
Contact/Location Information:
Francis Marion University
School of Health Sciences
Physician Assistant Program
200 West Evans Street
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 843-661-1348 Fax: 843-661-2551
For information and questions about admission into the Master of Science Physician Assistant Program at Francis Marion University, email us at: fmupap@fmarion.edu