Physician Assistant Studies
Accreditation Status: (A3.12a, D1.02a,b)
**The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is not accredited. (Please refer to the statement below.)
Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Studies Program has applied for Accreditation – Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Francis Marion Physician Assistant Program anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2026, pending achieving Accreditation – Provisional status at the March 2026 agenda ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation – Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional Applicant status does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at Francis Marion PA Program. The ARC-PA agenda meeting will occur in March 2026 to determine the program’s accreditation status.
Refund:
If the Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is non-accredited and is not allowed to matriculate the first class of students in August 2026, then students may contact university accounting here for deposit refund information. (A1.02k, D1.02c)
About the Program
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is part of Francis Marion University and is within the School of Health Sciences Department.
Physician Assistants (PAs) are skilled members of the healthcare team, qualified by academic and clinical experience to provide a broad range of services.
PAs, working under the guidance of supervising physicians, and within an interprofessional collaborative treatment team, provide services including: performing patient interviews and physical examinations; interpreting laboratory and diagnostic studies; evaluating and managing acute and chronic disease; implementing treatment plans; counseling patients about health maintenance and disease management; monitoring responses to programs of therapy; and facilitating access to healthcare resources. The Francis Marion University Department of Physician Assistant Program seeks to educate our students to become skilled in these areas.
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program is housed in the Carter Center for Health Sciences, which contains state-of-the-art equipment that gives students a great opportunity for learning. The facility is equipped with the latest teaching technology in medical education including a simulation center, an OSCE suite, physical exam and anatomy labs, large classrooms, and multiple spaces for students to study and gather.
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant program is a 27-month program. The didactic phase is 15 months and starts in August each year and completes in December of the following year. The clinical phase is 12 months starting in January and completes in late November of the same year. The clinical rotations are 4 weeks with time set aside for End of Rotation exams, Observed Structured Clinical Experiences (OSCES), and additional learning experiences. Students will rotate in medical facilities locally and across the state. The FMU Physician Assistant program accepts 32 students for each cohort.
The academic portion of the program is a comprehensive 15-month academic course of study followed by clinical rotations. The academic phase consists of four semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall) featuring a systematic, integrated approach to medical education. Students’ progress through foundational courses in anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology while simultaneously developing clinical skills through a series of three sequential courses in Clinical Medicine, Physical Examination, and Clinical Skills & Procedures. The curriculum also includes specialized courses in pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency medicine, and surgery, along with professional development topics like healthcare systems and research methods.
Following the didactic phase, students complete nine required clinical rotations (clerkships), each four weeks in length. These rotations include Family Medicine, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Behavioral Health, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and two elective clerkships. The clinical year culminates with a Physician Assistant Capstone course focusing on critical thinking, test-taking skills, and review of essential medical concepts. Throughout both phases, the program emphasizes evidence-based practice, cultural competency, and comprehensive patient care across diverse healthcare settings.
Graduates from the Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program will receive a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. After successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
Mission Statement
The Francis Marion University Physician Assistant Program seeks to educate excellent primary care physician assistants to become compassionate, ethical, and clinically skillful graduates who are ready to provide health care services with personal and professional integrity.
Contact/Location Information: (A3.11)
Francis Marion University
School of Health Sciences
Physician Assistant Program
200 West Evans Street
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 843-661-1348 Fax: 843-661-2551
For information and questions about admission into the Master of Science Physician Assistant Program at Francis Marion University, email us at: fmupap@fmarion.edu