Frequently Asked Questions:
General Program Questions
How many students do you accept each cohort?
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program has been approved to accept up to 32 students with each cohort.
How long is the PA Program?
The PA Program is 27 months. 15 months of didactic and 12 months of clinical.
Do you have a supplemental application?
To apply to the FMU-PA program, you must submit a CASPA application. The supplemental Francis Marion University graduate application will only be required if an applicant is accepted and has reserved a seat.
Do you require a bachelor’s degree?
The FMU PA Program requires a completed bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, or awarded by World Education Services (WES). The bachelor’s degree must be completed and awarded before the application is submitted.
Do students need to have a biology or science degree to apply?
A specific undergraduate degree is not required.
Are any groups or individuals favored in consideration for an interview?
- FMU Students and Graduates: Qualified applicants who are current FMU students or FMU graduates and who meet all minimum requirements of the FMU-Physician Assistant Program will be guaranteed an interview. However, FMU students must complete all prerequisites prior to the close of the interview cycle. Those who do not meet these requirements before the interview cycle closes will not be granted an interview for that application cycle.
- The applicant has served and is a Veteran with an honorable discharge: confirmed with DD214 discharge papers and meets the minimum requirements to FMU-PAP will be granted an interview.
- A more competitive applicant will have more than the minimum required “Patient Contact Experience” (PCE) hours, and this will be weighted more favorably in the application process.
- To benefit the applicant matriculation and to make an application more competitive, course work may be taken in person at a regionally accredited 4-year college or university.
Will the FMU-PA Program accept on-line courses or courses from a community college?
On-line courses and lab are accepted but must be from a U.S. regionally accredited institution.
Do the prerequisite courses need to be completed before the application is submitted?
Prerequisite courses must be completed before applying to the program and applications must be submitted on or before the application deadline. (*All individual pre-requisite courses must be completed with a grade of a B- (2.7) or higher, and cumulative prerequisite GPA minimum is 3.0)
(** Required prerequisite courses will not substitute nor replace student requirement to take any component course of the PA curriculum.)
Does the FMU-PA Program require a GRE/MCAT score for admission?
The FMU-PA Program does not require the GRE/MCAT for admission.
Does the FMU-Physician Assistant Program accept Pass/Fail course grades?
Courses taken between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021 and awarded a Pass or Satisfactory on a grading scale from an institution that moved to a Pass/Fail grading scale, will be accepted. Please note that a Pass or Satisfactory grade does not impact the GPA and the FMU-PAP Program will only consider the CASPA overall, overall science, and prerequisite GPA calculations.
No credit will be accepted for correspondence courses or courses taught on a pass/ fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading scale. Grades of S, U, P, or F will NOT be accepted. The FMU PA Program will not accept Degrees awarded through a Pass/Fail System.
Is there an expiration date for the science prerequisite courses?
All prerequisite coursework must be completed within 10 years of the anticipated date of matriculation into the Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program.
Applicants with prerequisite coursework completed more than 10 years prior to matriculation may be considered on a case-by-case basis, if they demonstrate evidence of recent academic coursework, advanced degrees, or substantial healthcare experience that supports competency in the foundational sciences.
The FMU-PA Program and faculty advise potential students if it has been 5 years since taking an Anatomy and Physiology course then students should either audit or take these courses for a grade. (The first semester starts with an A & P course)
The FMU-PA Program has a “rolling admissions’ process, so students are encouraged to apply early.
*The FMU-PA Program does not award or grant student advanced placement in the PA Program.
When is the application due?
The CASPA application opens at the end of April each year. The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program application opens the same date as CASPA and the FMU-PA application cycle closes every January 15th at 11:59pm (EST) of the following year.
A complete application package will include the (1) verified CASPA application. Please note that for CASPA applications our program will only receive your application after it has been verified by CASPA, and this process may take 4 weeks or longer. Applicants should allow 4 weeks or longer prior to application deadlines for the verification process to take place for the application to be considered complete. The program will begin reviewing the application package after all components have been received and processed.
Who should a “Letter of Recommendation” be from?
Individuals writing recommendations should be known to the applicant. Recommendations may be from a medical provider (MD, DO, PA, NP), professor, or supervisor/manager. (*A reference from family, friends, relatives or personal healthcare providers are not acceptable.)
How much is required to secure a seat if I am extended an offer to attend?
Securing a seat requires a $ 500.00 non-refundable deposit.
Can I work while attending the Program?
Due to the intensity and demands of the Physician Assistant Program, students are discouraged from working while enrolled in the program.
What is University policy on refunds?
Francis Marion University current refund schedule may be found at this link: https://www.fmarion.edu/accounting/students/
Experiences:
What classifies as direct patient care experience? Is there a minimal number of hours required?
Hands-on patient care experience is considered direct patient care. A minimum of 250 hours of direct patient care experience (PCE) is needed at the time of application. A more competitive applicant will have more than the minimum required PCE and this will be weighted more favorably in the application process.
- (* Patient Care Experience – examples = EMT, Paramedic, Nursing, Respiratory therapist, Athletic Trainer, Medical Assistant, Med Tech, Radiology Tech, ER Tech, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Scribe, Medical Military areas)
Is volunteering experience required?
No. It is highly recommended that students be engaged in volunteering activities both health and non-health related.
Is shadowing required for admission to the FMU-PA Program?
No, candidates should shadow PA’s in different clinical settings to understand a PA’s scope of practice in different clinical environments.
Clinical Rotations:
How many clinical rotations are required and how long is each rotation?
There are 9 clinical rotations with each rotation being 4 weeks. Eight clinical clerkships are required in specific clinical areas of medicine and the last clinical clerkship is an elective. The elective may occur in an area of student interest.
Definitions:
Rotation: A supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) for which there are published expected learning outcomes and student evaluation mechanisms. (rotation and clerkship are synonymous)
Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE): Supervised student encounters with patients, either in-person or by telemedicine, that include comprehensive patient assessment, involvement in patient care decision-making, and result in a detailed plan for patient management. (SCPE’s occur within Rotations)
Does the program guarantee clinical site placement in Florence, SC?
The program does not guarantee clinical site placements in Florence, SC. Student clinical rotation placement may occur anywhere within the state of SC, bordering state lines, and in some instances student placement may occur outside of the state.
Do students have a choice in which clinical site they are assigned?
The clinical team will assign students to clinical rotations. Students may provide input for the elective rotation they desire. This will only apply to the area of medicine and does not apply to the rotation site or location.
Are students allowed to travel internationally to complete clinical rotations?
Elective rotations are the only rotations that may be completed outside of the US or its territories. The FMU-PA program does not have any international rotations at present time.
Are students expected to solicit for new clinical sites?
Students are not required to provide or solicit for clinical rotation sites or preceptors.
What clinical rotations are students required to complete?
The following rotations are required: Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Behavioral Health, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Primary Care Elective ( 4 week rotation may be from one of these areas: Family medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health) and an elective rotation in an area of interest. (Students will have experiences in Inpatient and Outpatient Medicine)
Questions regarding CASPA?
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program accepts applicants through a “rolling admissions” process. Students are encouraged to submit their application early in the application process since admissions decisions are offered as applications are received. (CASPA opens at the end of April each year for applications and the FMU-PA deadline for applications is January 15th each subsequent year. This is for consideration of acceptance into the May cohort each year)
(*Applicants should allow 4 or more weeks prior to the deadline for the verification process to take place for the application to be considered complete.)
Please contact their customer service department at 617-612-2080 or caspainfo@caspaonline.org or CASPA help link here.
If you have any additional questions, please contact the PA Program at:
Contact/Location Information:
Francis Marion University
Physician Assistant Program
200 West Evans Street
Florence, SC 29501
843-661-1348
For information and questions about admission into the Master of Science Physician Assistant Program at Francis Marion University, email us at: fmupap@fmarion.edu
Financial Information:
Financial Assistance Information at Francis Marion University link here.