Welcome to the fully accredited Physician Assistant Program - Ft. Myers, part of Nova Southeastern University's College of Health Care Sciences. The program is housed in a state of the art, 60,000 square foot facility, in Ft. Myers, Florida, conveniently located at exit 136 (Colonial Boulevard) off of I-75 in Fort Myers.
The PA Department is also pleased to offer a PA/MPH Concurrent Degree Program providing an opportunity for students to attain an MPH degree in addition to the entry-level Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant degree. Information regarding this opportunity can be reviewed here
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation - Continued status to the Nova Southeastern University Physician Assistant Program - Fort Myers sponsored by Nova Southeastern University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2028. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program's accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at //www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Accreditation-History-Nova-SE-Fort-Myers-139.pdf
The Physician Assistant (PA) Program Ft. Myers is based upon the successful model of the Fort Lauderdale program, which has been continuously accredited since its inception in 1993. The NSU PA Program Ft. Myers currently has 10 full time faculty members, including a full time Medical Director. With a maximum enrollment of 60 students, the program is able to offer a low student to faculty ratio.
The program strives to meet its mission and goals. We work towards producing competent primary care physician assistants, improving the health care delivery of underserved areas, and promoting the physician assistant profession. See our Mission, Goals & Outcomes.
For information regarding student attrition, click here
Overview
The entry-level physician assistant program at NSU, leading to a Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree, is a fully integrated program encompassing basic science, clinical, and professional work. All students must complete the entire curriculum, regardless of their previous educational preparation.
The PA-S(1): Academic Education (15 months)
The course of study in the 15 month didactic/academic phase includes a curriculum that builds on student knowledge of the basic sciences, introduces clinical medicine and fosters the development of the critical thinking process.
Courses include Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, Physical Diagnosis, Medical Terminology, Microbiology, Legal and Ethical Issues, Pharmacology, Clinical Medicine and Surgery (a multi-discipline review of all medicine and surgery), Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Behavioral Medicine, Clinical Procedures and Surgical Skills, Life Support Procedures and Skills, Clinical Genetics, Domestic Violence training, OSHA "Blood borne Pathogen" training, and Interpretation of the Medical Literature.
(Note: Many applicants may have completed similar courses in other institutions. No course exemptions for previous course work completed prior to admission will be considered except by expressed permission of the Program Director and the College of Health Care Sciences Dean. The PA program curriculum is subject to change and /or modification at any time).
See "Timeline" for specific curriculum outline.
The PA-S(2): Clinical Education (12 months)
The second year consists of clinical rotations in hospitals, private practices, and other patient care areas over the remaining 12 months of the program. The following areas of concentration are required in this clinical phase: Internal Medicine, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, and Family Medicine, OB/GYN and Behavioral Health. Students also complete three electives.
During the second year, students are required to return to campus after each rotation. These "End of Rotation" events include testing, review seminars, job preparation and didactic instruction in contemporary clinical medicine and surgery topics.
- NSU Home
- PCHCS Home
- Physician Assistant Department
- Fort Lauderdale
Curriculum Timeline
Didactic Phase
| Jun, Jul, Aug | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May | Jun, Jul, Aug |
| Anatomy (4) | Microbiology (3) | Clinical Behavioral Medicine (3) | Life Support Procedures & Skills (2) |
| Physiology (4) | Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Care (2) | Clinical Laboratory Medicine II (2) | Clinical Procedures & Surgical Skills (4) |
| Clinical Pathophysiology (3) | Pharmacology I (3) | Pharmacology II (4) | Health Promotion & Disease Prevention (3) |
| Physical Diagnosis I (3) | Physical Diagnosis II (3) | Physical Diagnosis III (3) | Clinical Application (1) |
| Fundamentals of Medical Imaging (1) | Clinical Medicine & Surgery I (9) | Clinical Medicine & Surgery II (8) | Clinical Pharmacology (3) |
| Biomedical Principles (1) | Clinical Laboratory Medicine I (1) | Clinical Medicine & Surgery III (7) | Clinical Genetics (2) |
| Introduction to the PA Profession (1) | Electrocardiography (3) | Complementary Medicine & Nutrition (2) | |
| Interpretation & Evaluation of Medical Literature (2) |
Clinical Phase
| Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May | Jun, Jul, Aug |
| Family Medicine (6) | Emergency Medicine (6) | Clinical Elective-I (6) |
| Internal Medicine (6) | Surgery (6) | Clinical Elective-II (6) |
| Women's Health (3) | Pediatrics (6) | Clinical Elective-III (4) |
| Behavioral Health (3) | Graduate Project (3) |
*Clinical rotations vary in sequence