Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Return to: Graduate Programs

Wayne C. Stuart, M.D.
Program Director
610.282.1100, ext. 1344
wayne.stuart@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 offers a MSPAS degree. Continuing accreditation has been granted by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)

The program has been designed to develop generalists with emphasis in primary care medicine. Students gain strong fundamental knowledge of medicine together 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 images and electrocardiograms. Hands-on procedures such as suturing, casting, insertion of nasogastric tubes Foley catheters, and intravenous devices are stressed.
• Research techniques as they relate to medical topics are taught for efficiency in accessing pertinent 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.

The physician assistant program is 24 months (6 semesters) with the first year emphasizing academic medicine and the second year emphasizing clinical training.

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

1. Maintain PANCE pass rates higher than the national average, with the ideal being 100%.
2. Prepare graduates to obtain employment within the first six months following graduation.
3. Foster and maintain close connections between the students and faculty in a collaborative learning environment.
4. Provide ongoing clinical experiences throughout the program to complement classroom teaching and foster development of excellent clinical reasoning and skills.
5. Use critical thinking skills and case-based learning to guide learners to develop as clinicians while maintaining focus on patient centered care.
6. Provide experiences with diverse and vulnerable populations to reinforce compassionate and ethical medical care, as illustrated by the Christian humanism of St. Francis de Sales.
7. Emphasize a focus on the patient in primary care medicine which spans all specialties and includes interprofessional education.

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 four months of graduation.

Learning Outcomes

The program provides academic and clinical expertise that prepares the physician assistant for certification and success in his/ her professional role as an extender to the practicing physician, especially the primary care physician. As a result of their education and training, graduates of the DeSales University Physician Assistant program will:

• perform with competency and proficiency functions and tasks involved in patient evaluation, monitoring, diagnostic, therapeutic, counseling, and referral in diverse practice settings;
• conduct themselves in a professional demeanor expressing sensibility and understanding of the nature and impact of mental and physical disease;
• demonstrate behaviors that are essential to acquiring and sustaining the confidence of colleagues, other health care professionals, patients, and the community; and
• be able to initiate management and provide supportive care for acute life-threatening emergencies.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards for Admission, Academic Progress, and Graduation: The technical standards for the DeSales University Physician Assistant Program have been established to ensure than students have the ability to demonstrate academic mastery, perform clinical skills, and communicate clinical information. 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 for 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 of 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 coordinator of learning and disability services (Dooling Hall, room 26, extension 1453).

Admission Requirements

Selection for a place in the physician assistant program is very competitive. In order to be considered for admission in the next academic year, an applicant’s file must ordinarily be completed no later than December 1. Admission is based on academic achievement, high quality performance in science and/or healthcare related courses, demonstrated motivation and professional potential, and strong interpersonal skills. Experience with underserved or vulnerable populations receives consideration in keeping with DeSales University’s mission of Christian Humanism. As DeSales University participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, special consideration is given to applicants who have served or are serving in the US military.

Advanced placement in the physician assistant program is not possible. There is no credit for experiential learning.

NOTE: All Applicants must apply and submit required forms and documentation via CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants: www.caspaonline.org). To qualify for admission into the physician assistant program, students should have:

1. A bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies (Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, Southern, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges). An applicant who possesses a degree from an accredited institution outside of the US may also be considered for admission. Students must have their transcript verified and translated by an approved organization (such as World Education Council) and should meet all other requirements including those described in the International Student section.
2. Completed all required classes before matriculation in the program. Students may apply before the completion of these courses but should inform the University as to when and where the needed course(s) will be taken. Such candidates may gain conditional acceptance.
3. Ordinarily achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 in all courses and a GPA of at least 3.0 in science courses required.
4. Taken and submitted the test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores should be received by December 1. GRE will be waived if a score of 30 or higher has been achieved on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
5. Submitted three letters of reference.
6. Completed a minimum of 500 hours of health care experience (paid or volunteer). The experience should be completed within the United States due to the wide variety of health care delivery systems around the world. The 500 hour requirement must be completed before matriculation into the program and does not need to be completed by the time of the application. Direct patient care is preferred.
7. Submitted all transcripts of studies completed outside of the United States by December 1. These transcripts must have been evaluated by an accredited credentialing agency.
8. Attended a personal interview (by invitation only).
9. Submitted to CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) a completed application and official transcripts from all colleges attended.
10. A criminal background check, fingerprinting, child abuse clearance, and immunizations are required for matriculation into the program. A positive result may affect the ability of the student to matriculate into the program or obtain licensure.

International Admissions Requirements

Please see section on International students in The University  portion of the graduate catalog.

Prerequisite Requirements

Prerequisite requirements for students with Bachelor Degree:

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

The anatomy and physiology courses and microbiology courses 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

For the purpose of defining the students 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 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 P.A. program academic probation. These students will be notified of their probationary status in writing. 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. 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 adjunct faculty and will therefore have a role in evaluating the professional behavior of the students.

Details about academic standing can be found in the in-house publications available at the program office.

Work Policy

Students enrolled in the physician assistant program are not prohibited, but are discouraged from working full-time due to the intense and vigorous nature of the program.

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.,
• complete all professional phase courses with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 with no course or rotation grade below “C” (C- is not acceptable),
• complete all remediation assignments as determined by the program,
• settle all financial accounts with the University, and
• successfully complete the Senior Summative Experience upon completion of the clinical year.

Senior Summative Experience

Consistent with Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Standards, the University provides a summative experience following completion of the program. The successful completion of the one week long summative experience is a graduation requirement. This includes a 200-question written comprehensive examination, which must be completed with at least a 70% result, and various stations that evaluate the student’s cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills and professional competence.

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 2020-2021
(Summer Start)

Financial Aid Application Process

• Complete and submit the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the renewal FAFSA (for returning students) by May 1, 2020. Be sure to designate DeSales University by the school code of 003986. If you wish, you may file the FAFSA online at https://studentaid.gov/. Note: You will need to complete a 2021-2022 FAFSA to receive financial aid for the final summer semester.
• DeSales University utilizes criteria from methodology created by the Federal government to determine need for financial assistance. Your Official Award Letter is based on the information provided on the FAFSA and your enrollment. Email notifications are sent when award packages have been prepared. You can view your Award Letter by logging into your WebAdvisor account under the Financial Aid heading and by clicking on the “Financial Aid Award Letter” link.

Financial Aid Loans

• If this is the first time you will be applying for a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan at DeSales, you must complete an electronic Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling. You can complete these forms on line at https://studentaid.gov. Please note that this process must only be completed one time while you are enrolled at DeSales University.
• Under the unsubsidized Federal Direct loan, a student may choose to make quarterly interest payments on this loan while enrolled in a degree program or add the accruing interest to the principal until repayment. Repayment will begin six months after graduation or when he/she is no longer enrolled in a degree program on at least a half-time basis.
• DeSales University offers the Graduate Direct PLUS loan. A student may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid that the student has been awarded. Please note that a student is required to maximize his/her loan borrowing options prior to the Grad Direct PLUS.
• If you use a portion of your financial aid for living expenses, you may be eligible to receive a refund (of your credit balance) after the drop/add period based on the semester’s time table. 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 (i.e. dropping a class or classes) then you may be required to repay all or a portion of the refund back to the federal government.

**This holds true provided all your paperwork is completed with the Office of Financial Aid and you do not have any financial holds with the Bursar’s Office.**

SEE INFORMATION ABOUT COSTS AND LOAN AMOUNTS ON BACK

FINANCIAL AID AWARD PERIOD FEDERAL LOAN LIMITS +

Final Semester 2021

Cost of Attendance

To assist in your financial planning, the direct and indirect costs used to determine your Cost of Attendance for the 2020-2021 academic year are listed below. “Direct costs” plus “indirect costs” are referred to as your Cost of Attendance. The Cost of Attendance is used to determine a student’s financial aid eligibility.

Summer 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021

Final Summer Semester 2021

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

+Tuition and fee rates for Summer 2021 are subject to change. Final rates for fall 2020 and spring 2021 terms subject to approval by the Board of Trustees in March 2020.

Physician Assistant Program Information 2020-2021
(Fall Start)

Financial Aid Application Process

• Complete and submit the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the renewal FAFSA (for returning students) by May 1, 2020. Be sure to designate DeSales University by the school code of 003986. If you wish, you may file the FAFSA online at https://studentaid.gov. Note: You will need to complete a 2021-2022 FAFSA to receive financial aid the following year and, for the final summer semester, you will need to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA. These forms will be available each year after October 1.
• DeSales University utilizes criteria from methodology created by the Federal government to determine need for financial assistance. Your Official Award Letter is based on the information provided on the FAFSA and your enrollment. Email notifications are sent when award packages have been prepared. You can view your Award Letter by logging into your WebAdvisor account under the Financial Aid heading and by clicking on the “Financial Aid Award Letter” link.

Financial Aid Loans

• If this is the first time you will be applying for a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan at DeSales, you must complete an electronic Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling. You can complete these forms on line at www.studentloans.gov. Please note that this process must only be completed one time while you are enrolled at DeSales University.
• Under the unsubsidized Federal Direct loan, a student may choose to make quarterly interest payments on this loan while enrolled in a degree program or add the accruing interest to the principal until repayment. Repayment will begin six months after graduation or when he/she is no longer enrolled in a degree program on at least a half-time basis.

FINANCIAL AID AWARD PERIOD FEDERAL LOAN LIMITS +

Bachelor’s degree students from other institutions enrolling in the Graduate program (otherwise known as the Professional Phase)

Final Semester 2022

**SEE INFORMATION ABOUT COSTS ON BACK**

• DeSales University offers the Graduate Direct PLUS loan. A student may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid that the student has been awarded. Please note that a student is required to maximize his/her loan borrowing options prior to the Grad Direct PLUS.
• If you use a portion of your financial aid for living expenses, you may be eligible to receive a refund (of your credit balance) after the drop/add period based on the semester’s time table. 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 (i.e. dropping a class or classes) then you may be required to repay all or a portion of the refund back to the federal government.

**This holds true provided all your paperwork is completed with the Office of Financial Aid   you do not have any financial holds with the Bursar’s Office.**

Cost of Attendance

To assist in your financial planning, the direct and indirect costs used to determine your Cost of Attendance for the 2020-2021 academic year are listed below. “Direct costs” plus “indirect costs” are referred to as your Cost of Attendance. The Cost of Attendance is used to determine a student’s financial aid eligibility.

Bachelor’s degree students from other institutions enrolling in the Graduate program (otherwise known as the Professional Phase)

Fall 2020 and Spring 2021

Summer 2021, Fall 2021 and Spring 2022

Final Summer Semester 2022

* Tuition rates for Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 are subject to increase; final rates for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 terms are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees in March 2020.

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

Schedule

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

2020-21 CLINICAL ROTATION SCHEDULE*

ROTATION #:                             ROTATION DATES

Rotation #1                               September 8, 2020 - October 7, 2020

Rotation #2                               October 12, 2020 - November 11, 2020

Rotation #3                                November 16, 2020 - December 16, 2020

BREAK - DECEMBER 19, 2020 - JANUARY 3, 2021

Rotation #4                                  January 4, 2021 - February 3, 2021

Rotation #5                                  February 8, 2021 - March 10, 2021

Rotation #6                                  March 15, 2021 - April 14, 2021

Rotation #7                                  April 19, 2021 - May 19, 2021

AAPA CONFERENCE BREAK - MAY  22 - MAY 31, 2021

Rotation #8                                  June 1, 2021 - June 30, 2021

Rotation #9                                  July 5, 2021 - August 3, 2021

PACKRAT - Friday, August 6, 2021

SENIOR SUMMATIVE EXPERIENCE - August 9-13, 2021

GRADUATION - Saturday, August 14, 2021

*subject to change

Scheduled Call Bak Day;

Rotation #1  October 8 & 9

Rotation #2  November 12 & 13

Rotation #3  December 17 & 18

Rotation #4  February 4 & 5

Rotation #5  March 11 & 12

Rotation #6  April 15 & 16

Rotation #7  May 20 & 21

Rotation #8  July 1 & 2

Rotation #9  August 4 & 5

Call Back Day: All PA students participate in Call Back Day testing including all end of rotation assessments.

Programs

• Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS)

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