ORLANDO, Fla. — South College is expanding its Orlando campus as enrollment grows and demand increases for healthcare training programs in Central Florida.
School leaders say the latest expansion adds more than 25,000 square feet to the Orlando campus, bringing the total instructional footprint to more than 65,000 square feet.
South College Orlando first opened in 2021 and now includes additional classroom space, expanded labs, 10 new hospital beds for clinical practice and new office space for faculty tied to one of the school’s fastest-growing programs.
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Administrators say the added space is especially important as the school prepares for its second class of 100 students entering the Master of Health Science physician assistant program this fall.
“We are fortunate to offer higher education that provides a professional path forward in some of the most in-demand fields in healthcare,” said campus president Melissa McMahon.
The physician assistant program launched in 2025 and focuses on patient assessment, clinical care and simulation-based healthcare training.
School leaders say growth in the program reflects broader demand for healthcare workers across Florida, where hospitals, clinics and medical systems continue facing staffing pressure in several specialties.
The expansion also adds offices for eight new faculty and staff members connected to the physician assistant program.
Beyond physician assistant studies, the Orlando campus offers certificate, associate, bachelor’s and master’s programs in nursing, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, imaging science, medical assisting and other healthcare-related fields.
South College officials say Orlando has become one of the institution’s faster-growing campuses as healthcare education demand rises statewide.
The school has also recently expanded nationally, opening new campuses in Texas and Georgia while adding facilities in Tennessee.
For Central Florida, the larger footprint means more local students training for jobs that continue to be among the region’s most in-demand careers.
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