Application Review

The University of Florida’s School of Physician Assistant Studies aspires to attract and select highly qualified students to build  a study body that demonstrates a strong commitment to excellence in education and patient care. The ideal candidate will reflect qualities that represent the program’s mission, values and goals. 

Our application review process is conducted in two phases: Initial Evaluation and Final Evaluation.

Initial Evaluation

1. Academic Metrics

• A composite score is calculated based on:
  • Overall, Science and Last 60 Credits GPAs
  • Quantitative, Verbal Reasoning, and Written GRE scores
• Preference is given to higher composite scores
• Data on the most recent class is provided below to help applicants assess their academic metrics against our admitted students.

2. Experiences

• Direct Patient Care (DPC): A minimum of 1000 hours is required by August 1st of application year, and hours beyond the minimum are preferred.
• Health Related Experience (HRE):  Non-DPC health related positions, shadowing, and research experiences are evaluated.
• Community Service: Health and non-health related experiences are considered.
• Leadership: Roles in clubs, organizations, committees, coaching, mentoring, teaching assistantships, training programs, etc. are evaluated.
• Program Mission Fit: Experiences that demonstrate a potential match to our program’s mission and values, such as military service, multilingualism, perseverance, achieving long-term goals, demonstration of excellence, etc. are considered.

Final Evaluation

• Applications that demonstrate the strongest overall picture through the initial evaluation are reviewed by two faculty members.
• Academic potential is evaluated through transcript analysis, including course trends and timelines, to assess comprehensive academic potential.
• Application reviewers focus on discerning professionalism, motivation, maturity, life experiences, and clinical potential through references.
• Final recommendations for offering an interview are based on an applicant’s potential match to our program’s mission and values.