Submit CASPA application

• All applicants to the USF MCOM PA program must apply through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
• CASPA takes no part in the selection of students.

Transcripts/Letters of Recommendation/Application updates

• Transcripts must be sent directly to CASPA.
• Letters of Recommendation must be sent directly to CASPA.
• Do not send additional letters of recommendation, coursework or experience information to the program unless specifically requested.

Interview Selection Process

• Approximately 150 of the most qualified applicants will be invited for a personal interview. From this group, a class of 50 candidates will be selected.
• Applicants are considered for a virtual interview based on the strength of their CASPA application (meeting or exceeding the Admission Requirements relative to the applicant pool.)
• The program evaluates each applicant’s academic performance (i.e. course load and prerequisite coursework), GRE scores, professional preparation experiences, letters of recommendation, and personal narrative statement.
• Applicants who meet minimum requirements will be considered for an interview. Meeting the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of interview or admission.
• Applicants will be notified by email if they have been selected for interview with instructions on how to schedule their interview date.

Interviews

• Interviews are conducted virtually during a morning or afternoon session, either from 8:30 am – noon or 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm. Find more information within our Sample Interview Day Agenda. 
• The interviews are an opportunity for the program to learn more about the applicant than what can be gleaned from the application. The interviews are also an opportunity for the applicant to learn more about our program to determine if the USF Health PA Program is the right fit them.
• During the interview, the applicant’s overall qualities will be considered. Areas of consideration include:
  • Judgment/Problem Solving
  • Insight/Self-confidence
  • Motivation to Become a PA
  • Understanding of the Role of the PA
  • Communication Skills
  • Professionalism

Open House Event – The program will host an on campus open house event for applicants who were invited for interview.

Acceptance

The Admissions Committee will meet after each interview session to review each applicant. It is possible that the committee will decide to offer immediate admission to any top applicant(s). Beginning in late October (or early November), the remaining seats in the class are filled by the remaining interviewed applicants. The program matriculates a class of 50 students each year. Applicants admitted will be notified by telephone of their status. An acceptance packet with the formal acceptance letter and seat acceptance forms to complete will be emailed. The applicant will be given two weeks to either accept or decline the offer by returning a signed form indicating their decision (or less depending on the timeframe).

The USF Health PA Program requires a non-refundable deposit of $200 to hold a seat in the class. The $200 deposit will be applied to your tuition. Seat deposits are not refundable in the event of withdrawal.  It is the expectation that accepted applicants will carefully consider their response on the acceptance form since; by indicating their acceptance of a seat in the class, they deny another qualified applicant the possibility of obtaining a seat.

Criminal Background Check

Once an applicant accepts the offer of acceptance into the PA Program, the applicant will be sent a request to submit to a mandatory Criminal Background Check (CBC). Failure to comply will result in the offer of acceptance to be rescinded. After matriculation, or at any time during their enrollment in the program, should a student be convicted of any felonies, they must report the details immediately to the Program Director’s office. Failure to comply will be grounds for dismissal from the program.

During the clinical year, students may be required to undergo an additional or updated CBC, which may include fingerprinting. In addition, individual clinical sites may require drug screening for students to participate in clinical rotations at those institutions.

An adverse CBC or a failure to pass drug screening may impede clinical training or status in the program. By accepting admission to the program, students agree to submit to a national CBC and drug screening and pay any associated expenses.

Waitlist

In addition to accepted applicants, the Admissions Committee will also identify applicants to be placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted and declined applicants will receive an email notification. Each new entering class is limited to no more than 50 students. If an accepted candidate either declines the program’s offer or withdraws from the class, a waitlisted applicant will be offered the available seat. Waitlisted applicants may be contacted as early as December or as late as the week immediately preceding matriculation (May), depending on when an accepted applicant notifies the program of their withdrawal. Applicants offered admission during the waitlist process will be given two weeks (or less depending on the timeframe) to either accept or decline the offer by returning a signed form indicating their decision. The USF Health Physician Assistant Program requires a non-refundable deposit of $200 to hold a seat in the class.