PA · Miami, Florida · public

Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program prerequisites

What FIU asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 9 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.

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Coursework

Biology with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"General Biology I and Lab" 4 credits, listed separately from the anatomy, physiology and microbiology requirements.
General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
The two-semester sequence with lab. Around a fifth of programs want only one semester or skip general chemistry entirely and start at organic or biochemistry.
Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic Chemistry I and Lab" 4 credits. One semester only; FIU requires biochemistry alongside it rather than a second organic semester.
Biochemistryrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Roughly half the programs that ask for an upper chemistry accept either biochemistry or organic chemistry for the same single line, so one course often covers both entries on this list.
English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English or writing requirement appears in FIU's prerequisite list.
Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Statistics, not calculus. The exception is regional: several Oklahoma and Texas programs require college algebra instead and do not count statistics, so check those individually.
Psychologynot required here
Psychology is not among the eleven prerequisites FIU lists.
Geneticsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
Three credits of genetics, lecture only. An uncommon PA prerequisite and easy to miss.
Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
FIU splits this into "Human Anatomy and Lab" 4 credits and "Human Physiology and Lab" 4 credits, each with its own laboratory, rather than a combined A&P I and II sequence. Both fall under the ten year recency window.
Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
Named by nearly every program, usually 3 or 4 credits. A minority accept it without the lab, so read the school's own line before dropping one.
Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
3 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here, not recommended, and at 3 credits rather than the one or two credit course many programs accept.

Experience hours

Patient care experiencerequired
500+ hours
"Direct patient care experience (DPCE) or 'hands-on' patient contact is required for your application. Selected applicants often have more than 1000 DPCE hours (minimum of 500 paid DPCE hours)." The 500 hour floor is the published minimum and the hours must be paid; the 1000 figure describes selected applicants and is not a requirement.
Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
Many programs publish one combined healthcare figure instead of splitting patient care from healthcare exposure; where they do, the number lands here. Median published minimum is 500 hours.
PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
"Shadowing experience is recommended but not required." FIU publishes no number.

Letters

Science faculty letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Professors are on FIU's list of acceptable writers but no letter must come from one: "Letters should be from Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Professors or any individual who has worked with the applicant in a healthcare environment." Three letters, and "Only recommendations submitted through CASPA are accepted."
PA letternot required here
FIU names no required writer type. A PA letter is accepted, alongside physicians, nurse practitioners, professors, or "any individual who has worked with the applicant in a healthcare environment," but none of the three letters must be from a PA.
Supervisor letternot required here
No supervisor letter is specifically required; someone who has worked with you in a healthcare environment is one acceptable writer among several.

Also on the school’s page

FIU publishes a numbered list of eleven prerequisites: statistics 3, general chemistry I with lab 4, general chemistry II with lab 4, general biology I with lab 4, general or introductory microbiology with lab 4, human anatomy with lab 4, human physiology with lab 4, organic chemistry I with lab 4, general biochemistry 3 lecture only, genetics 3, and medical terminology 3. Applicants must "Complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of 'C' or higher," and the recency window is strict: "Prerequisite courses must be completed within the past ten (10) years at a college or university in the United States." Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4 point scale, both overall and prerequisite. On testing, the PA-CAT is required: "Applicants are required to take the PA-CAT, a specialized exam designed to assess applicant knowledge in key prerequisite basic science subjects typically required for PA school." The page says nothing about the GRE. Three letters of recommendation, submitted only through CASPA.

School

medicine.fiu.edu/academics/master-in-physician-assistant-studies-mpas

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