If you have course-related questions, please contact the Admissions Department or the Program office.
Yes, but you must meet all the required prerequisites, including completing a bachelor's degree by August 31st of the current application cycle.
To reduce barriers to entering the PA profession, we have elected not to require the GRE.
The LMU Tampa Physician Assistant Program will be accepting application through the following link Lincoln Memorial University Online Application - Lincoln Memorial University. Completed applications are reviewed as they are received. Applicants are notified as soon as possible regarding interview selection. After interviews, we will notify interviewees regarding admissions decisions within four to six weeks.
Yes, all students accepted into the PA Program must have a background check before being fully accepted into the program.
Yes, all accepted students must take a 10-panel drug test once accepted into the LMU-Tampa PA Program. Hospital sites during clinical rotation may also require the same panel. Students will be responsible for obtaining and paying for all drug screen(s).
Only applicants who are selected by the admissions staff and committee are offered interviews. Interviews are slated to begin in late May and will continue until August. It is important to note that only applicants who meet minimum requirements will be considered for an interview. Due to a limited number of interview slots, not all candidates who meet minimum requirements will be invited for an interview. For more information about the admission criteria and process, visit the PA Tampa Admissions.
Candidates not initially offered acceptance into the LMU-Tampa PA Program may be placed on the alternate list. The Admissions Committee reviews the application of candidates placed on the alternate list at regular intervals throughout the admissions cycle and reconsiders an offer of acceptance into the LMU-Tampa PA Program. These candidates will be notified of final acceptance offers prior to the matriculation of the cohort.
Shadowing involves observing a PA or other health professional and offers the applicant a chance to increase their understanding of the role of the PA and of the health care profession. The LMU-Tampa PA Program does not require shadowing.
Due of the intensity of the Lincoln Memorial University (LMU)- Tampa PA Program, students are strongly discouraged from seeking or maintaining employment during the entire program. If a PA student chooses to work during the program’s first year, it is their responsibility to ensure that employment does not interfere with or hinder academic progress. Having a job is not an excuse for missing lectures, examinations, clinical laboratory sessions or assignments.
During the clinical year, students will be required to rotate through a clinical site at a full-time schedule. In addition, students may be required to take call during weekends, holidays, evenings and/or nights. Therefore, LMU-Tampa PA students are not required to work for the program or be substituted for instructional faculty, clinical staff or administrative staff.
The Lincoln Memorial University (LMU)- Tampa PA Program does not provide housing.
After an applicant is accepted, financial aid information will be provided. For more information, visit Student Financial Services.
No, the PA Program is full-time and has 24 continuous months.
Yes, we will host new student orientation in December for those students who have been accepted into the program.
At the time of submission, all required materials outlined in the Admissions Requirements section must be included, except for degrees and up to two (2) remaining prerequisite courses. Notably, all prerequisite coursework and degree requirements must be completed prior to August 31st of the application year.
No, we do not accept transfer academic credits or experiential learning credits for the PA program. No advanced placement is granted. All students must complete the entire 24-month Master's degree program.
Numerous sites for clinical education are available throughout Florida. The program also has established core sites in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas. Students can expect to travel to one or more of these core sites during their clinical year. Students are responsible for their lodging, transportation, and meals.
Students are assigned to clinical rotation sites by the Clinical Education Director. Students will have input into this process, but ultimately, the Clinical Education Director will place the student where they will obtain the best experience based on their level of skill and knowledge. With program approval, students will be able to select their elective rotation sites.
Tampa PA Program Admissions Office
Deanne Wright, Director of Admissions & Recruiting, SMS
Ph: 800.325.0900 (ext. 6248) Toll Free
Ph: 423.869.6248 (Direct)
Fax: 423.869.7425
Email: PATampa@LMUnet.edu
The Lincoln Memorial University Tampa PA Program has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The Lincoln Memorial University Tampa PA Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2026, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the September 2025 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 does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class. Accreditation-provisional remains in effect until the program achieves accreditation-continued after its third review, closes or withdraws from the accreditation process, or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.
In the event the Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Physician Assistant Program – Tampa is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Program will not commence and will not matriculate a student cohort in January 2026 as planned. If the Program is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status, applicants will be notified in writing and receive a full refund for any tuition and fees paid to the Program within 30 days of the Program receiving notification of the ARC-PA decision. Fees paid by applicants to the program will be reimbursed. Other expenses associated with the admissions process, such as interview travel, are not included in the LMU refund policy.
