Application Deadline is October 15th
Apply to Miami Dade College for admission or readmission. Students who have not enrolled in a class at MDC in the last 12 months must apply for re-admission.
If you live out of state and are unable to visit in person, please use our contact form.
For more information about submitting transcripts to the College visit the MDC Transcripts website. FMG's must send translated transcripts and TOEFL to the above address as well.
Introduction to Healthcare (HSC 0003) Waiver Process
If you believe you are eligible for HSC 0003 course waiver, apply for an exemption here.
All applicants to MDC PA program are required to take the PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test). The PA-CAT is a specialized test designed to measure applicant knowledge in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. For information about the PA-CAT,visit the PA-CAT website.
The MDC PA program must receive your PA-CAT scores from the test sponsor no later than the application deadline of October 15th. It is highly recommended you take the PA-CAT no later than September 15th to ensure receipt of your scores on time. (Note: It can take upto 4-5 weeks for your scores to be sent to the college.)
Students whose PA-CAT scores arrive late may roll over their scores and application for the next application cycle.
Study for the PA-CAT with resources provided on their website: www.PA-CAT.com
PA-CAT Study materials provided by Exam Master include:
PA-CAT Covered Subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, Statistics.
You May wish to look for additional resources that will help you learn about the topics covered on the PA-CAT.
For questions related to the information provided, contact:mdcpaprogram@mdc.edu.
The ideal candidate has the academic ability, prior health care experience, and personal maturity to successfully complete the program and to ensure a productive career as a physician assistant. Ability to relate to people, capacity for calm and reasoned judgment in encountering emergencies, and a demonstrated commitment to patients are qualities essential for a physician assistant.
The program's selections committee is seeking candidates who:
Note: Preference is given to military veterans and Miami-Dade County residents however, all applicants are considered.
Student must be enrolled in or have successfully completed HSC 0003 – Introduction to Health Care (2.5 credits) and HSC 0003L – Introduction to Health Care Lab (.5 credits). Introduction to Healthcare course (HSC003/Lab) is an institutional requirement. For more information about this course please call (305) 237-4103
Please note: All students meeting minimum program application requirements are encouraged to apply. However, meeting criteria for selection does not guarantee admission and not all applicants will be accepted. Final selection will be based on the applicant pool.
All applicants will be required to take the PA-CAT as part of the admissions process. To learn more about the PA-CAT, visit the Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) website.
For information about admissions requirement for the PA-CAT, please see Step 4 under the Apply to MDC tab on this page.
There is financial aid available to cover some of the cost of the PA-CAT for qualifying students. Please contact the test sponsor for more information.
All candidates who submitted a completed application on time and have met all the minimum application requirements are eligible to take the Admissions Written Essay test.
Candidates will write a short essay on an assigned topic utilizing paper/pencil. Candidates will be given 30 minutes to complete the short essay portion of the examination. This essay will be evaluated by an external review committee based on proper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. The essay should include an introductory statement and thesis statement, a body, and a conclusion. Essays are graded using a program-generated rubric. The topic of the essay is chosen by the program administrators.
The following criteria is used to determine which candidates will be selected for the Oral Interview phase of the Admissions process:
PA-CAT Score
Admissions Essay score
Overall GPA
Natural Science GPA
Medical training and background
Degrees earned
Based on the above criteria, candidates ranking 1 to 100 will be invited to an oral interview.
The MDC PA admissions interview is designed to help the program learn more about the candidate while allowing the candidate an opportunity to demonstrate their level of readiness for the PA Program. All candidates are asked the same questions (with occasional variations to maintain the integrity of questions). Some questions are single and direct in format while others are multipart, layered, or scenario based in nature. Candidates are expected to answer all questions. The interview evaluates several aspects of the candidate including but not limited to Professionalism, Knowledge of the PA profession and Sciences, character, and communication skills. This is measured through observation of the candidate’s behavior, attitude, and response to the interview questions. Notice of candidates selected for an interview will be sent via email between November and January.
Fifty-five students may be chosen for entry into the program each year.**
** Students from current class who are decelerated may affect total amount of seats available for the incoming class.
*Baccalaureate degree must include 2 levels of math & must include College algebra or higher & Statistics.
NOTE:
View the complete course list (PDF).
Students should review the College Catalog for specific course descriptions, including pre and co-requisite course requirements.
In Program Course Sequence
This course sequence document outlines all the courses a student will take (By Term) throughout their tenure in the PA program.