Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Kathleen Ehrhardt, MMS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Program Director
610.282.1100, ext. 1483
Kathleen.ehrhardt@desales.edu

The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program educates professionals to function as members of the physician led health care team and as patient advocates. The physician assistant program is 24 months (6 semesters) with the first year emphasizing academic medicine and the second year emphasizing clinical training.

Continuing accreditation has been granted by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)

Students gain strong fundamental knowledge of medicine along with varied experience, which prepare them for their roles as professional physician assistants.

Learning involves case-based profiles with outcome based educational objectives.

Pharmacology is taught from the perspective of the prescriber.
Pathophysiology shows the relationship of disease to concepts covered in clinical medicine.
History and physical examination courses develop familiarity with obtaining pertinent and concise examinations as they relate to disease entities. Students gain practical knowledge by performing clinical procedures and by ordering and interpreting diagnostic testing, images, and electrocardiograms. Hands-on procedures such as suturing, insertion of nasogastric tubes, Foley catheters, and intravenous devices are emphasized.
Research techniques as they relate to medical topics are taught for efficiency in assessing evidence based medical information along with reading/understanding medical literature.
Clinical cases incorporating medical, surgical, and ethically based issues are presented by the students in the final year of the Program.

The program is consistent with the Christian humanistic philosophy of the University. Graduates of the program will function as members of the health care team and as patient advocates.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Physician Assistant Program is consistent with the enduring Christian humanistic traditions of DeSales University and seeks to graduate physician assistants who dedicate themselves to the total well-being of the patient. Graduates of the Program will deliver competent and compassionate health care including preventative services and wellness education to patients of diverse populations in a variety of settings. They will consider the patient holistically in the context of family, community, and society, and incorporate ethical principles into a patient-focused practice. They will serve their patients by using evidence-based medicine and promoting life-long learning in the profession.

Goals

Maintain PANCE first-time taker pass rates higher than the national average.
Prepare graduates to obtain employment within the first six months following program completion.
Foster and maintain collaborative connections between the students and faculty.
Provide early clinical experiences to complement classroom teaching.
Develop critical thinking skills.
Provide education on and/or experiences with diverse and vulnerable populations.
Emphasize a focus on interprofessional education and practice.
Support the diverse backgrounds of all program constituents including students, staff, and faculty.

DeSales University’s physician assistant program has a longstanding history of excellent performance of its graduates on the national certifying examination (PANCE). Job placement in the physician assistant field remains very strong with DeSales graduates typically being fully employed within six months of graduation.

Program Defined Competencies

Knowledge for Practice
1. Demonstrate critical thinking in clinical situations
2. Discern among acute, chronic, and emergent disease states
3. Recognize normal and abnormal health states
4. Formulate a differential diagnosis
5. Develop patient management plans
6. Understand the pathophysiology of disease processes
7. Distinguish and select laboratory and diagnostic tests
8. Interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests
9. Understand and apply pharmacologic principles to formulate a treatment plan
10. Recognize patient acuity for triage, evaluation, and treatment
11. Initiate management and provide supportive care for acute life-threatening emergencies
12. Demonstrate understanding and application of technical skills and procedures
13. Demonstrate understanding of preventive care
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
1. Demonstrate culturally sensitive care
2. Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication
3. Accurately and adequately document medical information
4. Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in patient care delivery
5. Utilize person-centered patient education techniques
Person-centered Care
1. Elicit a detailed, accurate, and comprehensive patient history
2. Organize and present data from the history and physical examination
3. Perform a physical examination
4. Develop, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of patient management plans
5. Counsel patients to participate in their care and shared decision-making
Interprofessional Collaboration
1. Communicate effectively with colleagues and other professionals
2. Recognize the indications for referrals and referral patterns
3. Recognize the importance of working collaboratively as a member of an inter-professional, patient-centered healthcare team
Professionalism and Ethics
1. Adhere to standards of care in the role of the PA in the health care team
2. Demonstrate an understanding of ethical principles
3. Demonstrate timely attendance and accomplishment of assigned tasks on time
4. Demonstrate the ability to openly seek and positively respond to constructive feedback

Technical Standards

Technical Standards for the DeSales University Physician Assistant Program have been established to ensure that students have the ability to demonstrate academic mastery, perform clinical skills, and communicate clinical information.

Technical Standards for Admission, Academic Progress, and Graduation:

These standards are aimed to ensure that each student has the academic and physical ability to acquire competencies defined by the National Commission on Accreditation of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). These technical standards also ensure that each student can participate in competency activities prescribed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). These activities include patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. These technical standards are required for admission and must be maintained throughout a student’s progress through the Physician Assistant Program. In the event that a matriculated student is unable to fulfill these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, then the student may be counseled to pursue alternate careers.

All students must be able to independently meet the following standards:

General abilities - Students must possess:
- a functional sense of vision, touch, hearing, taste, and smell in order to be able to integrate, analyze, and synthesize data in a consistent and accurate manner
- the ability to perceive pain, pressure, temperature, position, vibration, equilibrium, and movement
Observational abilities - Students must be able to:
- observe demonstrations, exercises, and patients accurately at a distance and close at hand
- note non-verbal as well as verbal signals
Communication abilities - Students must be able to:
- speak intelligibly
- hear sufficiently
- elicit and transmit patient information in oral and written English to members of the healthcare team
- describe changes in mood, activity, and posture
- communicate effectively and sensitively with patients
- read at a level sufficient to accomplish curricular requirements and provide clinical care for patients
- write or type appropriate medical documents according to protocol in a thorough and timely manner
Sensory and Motor ability - Students must:
- possess gross and fine motor skills sufficient to directly perform palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other basic diagnostic procedures
- be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide basic medical care, such as airway management, placement of catheters, suturing, phlebotomy, application of sufficient pressure to control bleeding, simple obstetrical maneuvers, and extended standing and retraction in surgery
Critical thinking ability - Students must:
- be able to independently access and interpret medical histories or files
- identify significant findings from history, physical examination, and laboratory data
- provide a reasoned explanation for likely diagnoses and prescribed medications and therapy
- recall and retain information in an efficient and timely manner
- calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize
- incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans
Behavioral and Social Attributes - Students must:
- possess the ability to use their intellectual capacity, exercise good judgment, and promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis under potentially stressful circumstances, emergency situations, and extended hours
- be able to develop empathic, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients
- be able to adapt to changing environments and to learn in the face of uncertainties inherent in the practice of medicine
- be able to respond to supervision appropriately and act independently, when indicated

If an applicant states she/he is unable to meet the technical standards without accommodation, the University will determine whether the student can meet the technical standards with reasonable accommodation. This includes a review of whether the accommodations requested are reasonable, taking into account whether the accommodation would jeopardize patient safety or the educational process of the student or the institution, including all coursework and internships deemed essential to graduation. Students with a documented disability who wish to request academic accommodations should contact the Director of Student Accessibility (Dooling Hall, Room 20, extension 1453).

Admission Requirements

Admission into our MSPAS program is highly competitive. We conduct a completely holistic review of all applications on a rolling admissions basis.

We strive to recruit a diverse student body, as we are committed to promoting excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion. This commitment is a mission-critical imperative in honoring our Salesian spirituality which creates a campus community that allows us to “be who you are and be that well.”

Admissions Requirements:

Submission of a verified application in CASPAS no later than December 1. We do not require a supplemental application.
A minimum of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum science cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), to be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants with a degree or coursework outside of the U.S. should review the CASPA requirements for evaluated transcripts.
A minimum three letters of recommendation, maximum of five. Some examples of appropriate references include instructors/professors, academic advisors, and supervisors, especially those supervising you during your direct patient care experiences. We highly recommend you do not submit a reference from someone you have shadowed for only a brief time, or a family member or friend.
All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to matriculation in the program. You may submit your application while completing prerequisite courses, however only two outstanding courses can be completed after the deadline. There are three courses that must have been taken within five years of applying. Microbiology and Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II. Exceptions may be made if you have been active in the medical field since taking the courses or graduating.
Complete the Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores should be reported using the DeSales University Program Code :0540. We do not require a minimum score, however competitive PA-CAT and GRE scores are generally considered to be in the top 50^th percentile. The MCAT exam will be accepted with an overall score of 500 or higher. Please note that scores must be received by the December 1 deadline.
A minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care experience (paid, volunteer, or shadowing). The experience must be completed within the United States due to the wide variety of global health care delivery systems. The most useful health care hours relate to direct patient contact, including but not limited to EMT, CAN, MA, surgical technician, patient care technician/associated, dietician, medical scribe, pharmacy technician, campus health care volunteer. We well also accept up to 50 hours of virtual shadowing, provided there is contact information in CASPA.
Applicants from a country where English is not the primary language must submit TOEFL scores with a minimum overall of 90.

Evaluation Methods

Potentially qualified applicants will be granted a personal interview by invitation only.
Applicants will be evaluated on:
- Academic credentials
- Accountability
- Communication skills
- Preparedness
- Professionalism
- Respectfulness
- Self-confidence
- Understanding the role of the PA/Healthcare
- Experience with vulnerable or traditionally under-served populations

Military Applicants

As a proud Yellow Ribbon Program participant, special consideration is given to applicants who have served or are serving in the U.S. military

DeSales University Students and Alumni

DeSales University students and alumni will be granted an interview upon meeting minimum requirements
Two seats are reserved for DeSales University students and alumni each incoming class

The Physician Assistant Program at DeSales University is a full-time academic program. Advanced placement is not possible. There is no credit awarded for experiential learning. The didactic courses are completed in sequence as listed in the curriculum.

International Admissions Requirements

Please see section on International students in General Information portion of the graduate catalog.

Prerequisite Requirements

Prerequisite requirements for students with bachelor’s degree:

Completion of the University’s general education requirements or equivalents.
English Composition I
English Composition II
Completion of basic science requirements
General Biology
Microbiology
Anatomy and Physiology I (Human)
Anatomy and Physiology II (Human)
General (Inorganic) Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Psychology
Statistics

The anatomy and physiology courses and microbiology course ordinarily should be taken within 5 years of application to the PA program, though this may be waived if the applicant is actively working in the medical field.

Application Procedure

Application may be requested from www.caspaonline.org (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) or by calling CASPA at 240.497.1895. Selected applicants will be interviewed by the faculty. Ordinarily, this will be done through a personal visit. Following the interview candidates are evaluated by the Admission Committee to assess their acceptability to the program. Applicants will be notified about the status of their acceptance.

Student Status

The calendar year (January 1 - December 31) is divided into a fall semester (late August - late December), a spring semester (early January - early May), and a summer semester (mid-May - late August).

The DeSales physician assistant program is available only as a full-time, in-person program.

The Academic Calendar may be found at www.desales.edu.

Academic Standing

Students are required to maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0, having no grade lower than “C” during each semester. The first instance failing to reach the above requirement, the student will be placed on PA program academic probation. These students will be notified in writing of their probationary status. The second occurrence during the PA program will result in PA program academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed may appeal in writing to the medical director of the program who serves as chair of the PA Academic Appeals Committee. Students who fail to achieve a “C” (C- is not acceptable) in any course during the PA program are required to repeat the course at the time the course is offered. All additional costs are the responsibility of the student.

As part of the training, students are given the opportunity for clinical experience. Participants in clinical experiences must act professionally at all times, maintaining patient and practice confidentiality. Breaches of professional conduct may result in dismissal from the program and/or University. Preceptors involved in the training are viewed as instructional faculty and will, therefore, have a role in evaluating the professional behavior of the students.

Work Policy

Students are not required to work for the Program in any capacity.

The Physician Assistant Program realizes that students have different financial obligations and may need to work while being a student. The Program advised that students consider the rigor of this curriculum when determining a potential work schedule. The student will be expected to attend all mandatory requirements of the didactic year. The curriculum will require a great deal of commitment on the part of the student. During the clinical year of the Program, the Program will not allow the student to alter the rotation or site schedule to accommodate a working schedule. Students are reminded that the clinical rotation schedules may include night shifts and weekends as part of the learning experiences.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for graduation with the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree, students must:

Follow the approved course of study, satisfactorily completing all courses within the Program.
Complete all professional phase courses with a cumulative GPA 3.0 (B) average, with no course or rotation below a 2.0 (C) C- in any course or rotation does not meet this standard.
Settle all financial accounts with the University and return all library materials.
Repeat, as approved, and earn a minimum grade of C for any required course or rotation for which a grade of C- or below was earned.
Successfully complete the Summative Experience.

Summative Experience

Consistent with Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Standards, the program provides a summative experience at the culmination of the curriculum. Successful completion of the summative experience is a graduation requirement. This includes a written comprehensive examination and various stations that evaluate the student’s clinical and technical skills, clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities, interpersonal skills, medical knowledge, and professional behaviors and assesses students’ success in meeting Program Required Competencies. Successful completion of the written exam and clinical assessment stations must meet program-defined passing scores.

Costs

Costs are determined on a yearly basis by the University’s Board of Trustees. Students are notified of the yearly costs in writing.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are available at www.desales.edu.

Refund Amount

Withdrawal after 1st class: 80% of tuition refunded
Withdrawal after 2nd class: 65% of tuition refunded
Withdrawal after 3rd class: 50% of tuition refunded
Withdrawal after 4th class: 25% of tuition refunded
Withdrawal after 5th class: No refund

Physician Assistant Program Information 2024-2025 (Fall Start)

Financial Aid Application Process

Complete and submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. Be sure to designate DeSales University with school code 003986. You will need to complete the FAFSA for each additional academic year you are enrolled to retain your federal loan eligibility.

Financial aid eligibility is based on the information provided on the FAFSA and your enrollment. Email notifications are sent to your DeSales email address when award packages have been prepared. You can view your Award Letter by logging into your WebAdvisor account under Financial Aid and selecting Financial Aid Checklist.

Financial Aid Loans

Eligible PA students may borrow up to $10,250 per semester in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program. Students may choose to make interest payments while in school, but are not required to until after they graduate or are no longer enrolled in at least three credits per term. Note that the Department of Education takes a 1% origination fee on all Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans. As an example, the net amount disbursed on a $10,250

Federal Direct Loan will be $10,142. Federal Direct Loans have an aggregate borrowing limit of $138,500. This includes loans borrowed during an undergraduate degree program. If you have previously borrowed and would like to review your loan history, log into https://studentaid.gov/ and view your “Dashboard.”

First-time borrowers planning to utilize the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program at DeSales must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling at https://studentaid.gov/. Please note that this process must only be completed once while you are enrolled at DeSales University.

Federal Direct Loans cannot be processed for any repeated courses/clinicals.

Additional Loan Options (Completed after May 1, 2024) Students are required to maximize their Unsubsidized Loan Eligibility prior to utilizing the additional loan options below:

Federal Graduate Plus Loan - Information on this loan program can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/plus. This loan may be deferred for six months after graduation or until the student enrolls less than three credits.

Private Education Loans - Students may borrow through private lenders to support their education. These loans may require a cosigner. Private loan rates and terms vary based on the student/cosigner’s credit information, choice of a variable or fixed rate loan, and repayment options. Lender information and applications can be found at www.elmselect.com. **A comparison of the Federal Graduate Plus Loan vs. Private Education Loans can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/federal-vs-private.

Billing and Payment Information

If you use a portion of your financial aid for living expenses each semester, you may be eligible to receive a refund of any credit on your account after the drop/add period closes. There will be NO refunds issued unless there is a credit balance on your account. If you have received a refund based on your enrollment and you change your enrollment status, you may be required to repay all or a portion of the refund.

FINANCIAL AID AWARD PERIOD FEDERAL LOAN LIMITS

2024-2025 FAFSA
Fall 2024/Spring 2025
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250 per semester ($20,500 total)

2025-2026 FAFSA
Summer 2025/Fall 2025/Spring 2026
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250 per semester ($30,750 total)

2026-2027 FAFSA
Summer 2026
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

Cost of Attendance

To assist in financial planning, the Direct and Indirect costs for the 2024-2025 academic year are listed below. Direct Costs (billed to the student) plus Indirect Costs (estimated additional expenses not billed to the student) are referred to as your Cost of Attendance. Please note: These figures are subject to change.

Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition $ 31,300
Professional Fee 2,000
Total $ 33,300+

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $8,657
Living Expenses 9,800
Total $18,457

Summer 2025, Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition: $46,450
Professional Fee 2,750
Total $49,200+

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $11,583
Living Expenses 13,069
Total $24,652

Final Summer Semester 2026

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition: $15,650
Professional Fee 1,000
Total $ 16,650+

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $2,923
Living Expenses 3,267
Total $ 6,190

+Tuition rates for Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 are subject to increase; final rates for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 terms are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees in March 2024.

Important Contact Information

Office of Financial Aid (610) 282-1100 ext. 1287 finaid@desales.edu

Treasurer’s Office (610) 282-1100 ext. 1474 treasurer@desales.edu

The Financial Aid Office staff is available to meet on campus, virtually, or set up a call to discuss any questions you may have as you work through the process. You can sign up for a meeting here: https://www.desales.edu/admissions-financial-aid/undergraduate-admissions-aid/financial-aid-scholarships

Physician Assistant Program Information 2024-2025 (Summer Start)

Financial Aid Application Process

Complete and submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. Be sure to designate DeSales University with school code 003986. Note: You will need to complete a 2025-2026 FAFSA to receive financial aid for the final summer semester.

Financial Aid Loans

Eligible PA students may borrow up to $10,250 per semester in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program. Note that the Department of Education takes a 1% origination fee on all Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans. As an example, the net amount disbursed on a $10,250 Federal Direct Loan will be $10,142. Students may choose to make interest payments while in school, but are not required to until after they graduate or are no longer enrolled in at least three credits per term. Federal Direct Loans have an aggregate borrowing limit of $138,500. This includes loans borrowed during an undergraduate degree program. If you have previously borrowed and would like to review your loan history, log into https://studentaid.gov/ and view your “Dashboard.”

Federal Direct Loans cannot be processed for any repeated courses/clinicals.

Additional Loan Options (Completed after May 1, 2024) Students are required to maximize their Unsubsidized Loan Eligibility prior to utilizing the additional loan options below:

Billing and Payment Information:

FINANCIAL AID AWARD PERIOD FEDERAL LOAN INFORMATION

Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025
FAFSA 2024-2025

Summer 2024
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

Fall 2024
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

Spring 2025
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

Final Summer 2025
FAFSA 2025-2026 Summer 2025**
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

**You will need to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA to qualify for Federal loans in the Final Summer term

Cost of Attendance

Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition: $46,450
Professional Fee 2,750
Total $49,200+

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $11,583
Living Expenses 13,069
Total $24,652

Final Summer 2025

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition: $15,650
Professional Fee 1,000
Total $16,650+

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $2,923
Living Expenses 3,267
Total $ 6,190

+Tuition and fee rates for Summer 2025 are subject to change. Final rates for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 terms subject to approval by the Board of Trustees in March 2024

Important Contact Information

Office of Financial Aid (610) 282-1100 ext. 1287 finaid@desales.edu

Treasurer’s Office (610) 282-1100 ext. 1474 treasurer@desales.edu

Physician Assistant Program Information 2024-2025 (Final Summer)

Financial Aid Application Process

Complete and submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. Be sure to designate DeSales University with school code 003986.

Financial Aid Loans

Eligible PA students may borrow up to $10,250 per semester in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program. Students may choose to make interest payments while in school, but are not required to until after they graduate or are no longer enrolled in at least three credits per term. Federal Direct Loans have an aggregate borrowing limit of $138,500. This includes loans borrowed during an undergraduate degree program. If you have previously borrowed and would like to review your loan history, log into https://studentaid.gov/ and view your “Dashboard.”

Federal Direct Loans cannot be processed for any repeated courses/clinicals.

Additional Loan Options (Completed after May 1, 2024) Students are required to maximize their Unsubsidized Loan Eligibility prior to seeking the additional loan options below:

Billing and Payment Information:

FINANCIAL AID AWARD PERIOD FEDERAL LOAN INFORMATION

Summer 2024
FAFSA 2024-2025
Unsubsidized Loan: $10,250

Cost of Attendance

To assist in financial planning, the estimated Direct and Indirect costs for the 2024-2025 academic year are listed below. Direct Costs (billed to the student) plus Indirect Costs (estimated additional expenses not billed to the student) are referred to as your Cost of Attendance. Please note: These figures are subject to change.

Final Summer Semester 2024

DIRECT COSTS:
Tuition: $15,150
Professional Fee 750
Total $15,900

INDIRECT COSTS:
Transportation/Personal $2,923
Living Expenses 3,267
Total $6,190

Important Contact Information

Office of Financial Aid (610) 282-1100 ext. 1287 finaid@desales.edu

Treasurer’s Office (610) 282-1100 ext. 1474 treasurer@desales.edu

Schedule

The Didactic Year schedule generally follows the University’s regular academic calendar. The clinical year schedule is:

2024-25 CLINICAL ROTATION SCHEDULE*

ROTATION #: ROTATION DATES:

Transition Week August 26, 2024- August 30, 2024

Rotation #1 September 3, 2024-October 2, 2024

Rotation #2 October 7, 2024 -November 6, 2024

Rotation #3 November 11, 2024 -December 11, 2024

BREAK - DECEMBER 15, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025

Rotation #4 January 2, 2025 - January 29, 2025

Rotation #5 February 3, 2025- March 5, 2025

Rotation #6 March 10, 2025- April 9, 2025

Rotation #7 April 14, 2025- May 14, 2025

AAPA CONFERENCE BREAK- May 15, 2025 - May 26, 2025

Rotation #8 May 27, 2025 - June 24, 2025

PACKRAT - FRIDAY, June 27, 2025

Rotation #9 June 30, 2025 - July 29, 2025

SUMMATIVE EXPERIENCE - AUGUST 4, 2025 - August 8, 2025

PROGRAM COMPLETION CEREMONY - SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2025

*subject to change

Scheduled Call Back Day;

Rotation #1 October 7 & 8

Rotation #2 November 7 & 8

Rotation #3 December 12 & 13

Rotation #4 January 30 & 31

Rotation #5 March 6 & 7

Rotation #6 April 10 & 11

Rotation #7 May 15 & 17

Rotation #8 June 25, 26 & 27

Rotation #9 July 30 & 31

Call Back Day: All Physician Assistant students are required to participate in all Call Back Day activities.

Health Care Services Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Services is awarded only to students in the MSPAS program who cannot advance in the MSPAS program but have been deemed eligible based on a review by an academic advisor. Students who are not demonstrating satisfactory academic progress and are approaching the possibility of dismissal are advised of potential eligibility for the certificate by their advisor. Eligibility is defined as:

cumulative grade point average >=3.0 in required certificate courses
no grades below a ‘C’
no professional or behavioral concerns
approval of the student’s primary advisor

The certificate program cannot be awarded to a PA student in addition to the MSPAS degree.

Curriculum (Courses Accepted from PA Program)

PA - 502 History and Physical Exam I Credits: 3
PA - 503 History and Physical Examination II Credits: 3
PA - 504 Clinical Medicine I Credits: 4
PA - 505 Clinical Medicine II Credits: 4
PA - 506 Clinical Reasoning I Credits: 2
PA - 507 Clinical Reasoning II Credits: 2
PA - 517 Research Seminar Credits: 1
PA - 575 Ethics of Health Care: Values Seminar Credits: 3
PA - 619 Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Credits: 1

Program Learning Objectives

PATIENT CARE	Fundamental patient care skills including communication, medical terminology, documentation, assessment of vital signs, cognition, pain, and the integumentary system	History and Physical Examination II History and Physical Examination I
CLINICAL MEDICINE	Study of disease processes, the incidence, prevalence, presentation, treatments, expected outcomes	Clinical Medicine II Clinical Medicine I
CLINICAL REASONING	Ability to integrate and apply different types of knowledge, to weigh evidence, critically think about arguments and to reflect upon the process used to arrive at a diagnosis	Clinical Reasoning II Clinical Reasoning I
EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE	Develop critical thinking skills	Research Seminar Ethics of Health Care Prev Med & Health Promotion

Programs

Masters

Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS)