Medical studies is the name of DeSales University’s 3+2 program that leads to a BS in medical studies and an MS in physician assistant studies. Students complete their undergraduate studies in three years, then continue in the physician assistant program for another two years. Successful completion of this 5 year program will allow the student to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE).
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 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.
Technical Standards
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 to 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
Non-traditional (ACCESS) Students
The medical studies major does not allow part-time studies or transfer into the program.
Academic Requirements
Admission into the medical studies major is competitive. First, the applicant must be accepted by the University. Then, Admissions refers to the PA program qualified applicants, who must interview separately with the program. If accepted as a first-year student into the medical studies major, the articulation agreement guarantees a seat in the PA program without further application as long as all requirements have been met.
Language Requirements
International applicants should refer to the language requirements detailed in International Students of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Medical Studies Major
In addition to the requirements of the core curriculum, the required sciences are:
First year
Sophomore year
Junior year
The above courses should be taken in the appropriate year and semester to allow for proper progression. Please refer to the Medical Studies Graduation Requirements form for all other classes.
The required science courses must be taken at DeSales University or at an LVAIC institution (Lehigh University, Lafayette College, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College), except for advanced placement credit earned prior to starting college. This is to allow for reporting of grades required for the above GPA requirements. Students may take non-science courses at other institutions of their choice; however, there are important considerations if deciding to do this. The Medical Studies major was designed to help students prepare for the rigors of the didactic and clinical years in the graduate PA program. Diluting a semester by taking a course over the summer may make the student less prepared to succeed in the future. Students must take MD 301 , MD 302 , and MD 1001 at DeSales University. Additionally, students who desire to take coursework over the summer at another institution must have the course(s) approved by the Director of the Academic Success Center or the Associate Dean of Academic Life.
Progression Policy for Students in Medical Studies
- Each semester of first year, the student must average at least a 3.0 GPA overall and at least a 3.0 GPA for the required science courses. For each semester of Sophomore and Junior year, the student must average at least a 3.2 GPA overall and at least a 3.2 GPA for the required science courses. The first semester in which the student fails to meet these requirements they will be placed on probation. If the student fails to meet either of these requirements in any subsequent semester of the first three years, the student will lose their guaranteed seat in the PA Program and they must transfer out of Medical Studies to another major to remain at DeSales University.
- The Program will also evaluate any additional semesters taken at DeSales such as winter and summer semesters.
- The student must complete at least 500 hours of health care work (paid or as a volunteer). This must involve direct contact with patients. These hours must be documented and handed in to the Program Assistant.
- Students will not be able to do a semester abroad in the undergraduate portion of the Medical Studies program due to strict progression policies. There are summer abroad trips available.
- The student must also have earned a grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable) in each individual required science course.
- The student must have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and a required science cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to enter the PA Program (the fourth year).
- The student will be required to complete background checks prior to the PA Program. A positive result may affect the student’s ability to matriculate into the Program.
- The student will be required to maintain and document health insurance during the two years of the graduate PA Program.
Typical Program of Study (available at www.desales.edu/gradforms):
First Year
Fall
CH - 101 General Chemistry I
EN - 103 Composition and Rhetoric I
Foreign Language/World Cultures
MA - 111 Probability and Statistics: MOT/Mathematics
Spring
BI - 152 Introductory Biology II
CH - 102 General Chemistry II
EN - 104 Composition and Rhetoric II
Foreign Language/World Cultures
MD - 1001 PA as a Profession
PL - 109 Philosophical Thinking: MOT/Philosophy
Second Year
Fall
CH - 231 Organic Chemistry I
BI - 255 Molecular Biology
MOT/Literature
Humanities I
Free Elective
Physical Education (Activities)
Spring
BI - 264 Anatomy & Physiology II
BI - 352 Medical Microbiology
Humanities II
PS - 109 Introduction to Psychology: MOT/Social Science
TH - 109 Catholic Theology
Physical Education (Activity)
Third Year
Fall
BI - 355 Human Structure and Function I
Humanities III
TH 200/300: Intermediate Theology
BI - 353 Immunology
Free Elective
Spring
BI - 356 Human Structure and Function II
Humanities IV
MD - 301 Selected Medical Topics
MD - 302 Medical Terminology
MD - 306 Pharmacology and Toxicology
The fourth and fifth years are completed in the PA program. Please see the Graduate Catalog for details. Additionally, the PE 100 general education requirement is satisfied by PA 619, which is taken during the graduate phase.
Professional Requirements
Students matriculating into the PA Program are required to attend clinical sites during the first and second year of the Program. Criminal Background and Child Abuse Clearance checks are performed as a requirement of the rotation. If a student has a positive history in these regards, it is possible that the student will not be able to be placed at the clinical sites. All rotations must be successfully completed to complete the requirements for graduation.
Clinical sites also require that health/immunization clearance be performed before the student has contact with patients. Certain immunizations are required for attendance at these sites. Students must complete immunizations before patient contact. Information regarding these requirements is available through the program and the Student Health Center.
Admission to the PA Program from the Medical Studies Major
Enrollment in the medical studies major guarantees admission into the PA Program if the following criteria are met:
- successful completion of the undergraduate course, having earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses, and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in required science courses. The 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 science GPA must be earned each and every semester in the undergraduate years. Failure to attain a single semester 3.0 or a 3.0 average in the required science courses for any single semester places the student on program probation. A second occurrence of failing to meet the science 3.0 or the overall 3.0 for any given semester will cause dismissal from the medical studies major and the student will lose guaranteed placement into the PA Program
- completion of at least 500 hours of health care, patient contact, experience (paid or volunteer). This experience provides students with an awareness of the intricacies of medical-care delivery as it exists today and serves to provide information that enables them to realistically commit themselves to a profession that helps the sick and injured.
Physician Assistant Program
The physician assistant program is 24 months in duration, six consecutive semesters. It is designed to deliver the essential academic and clinical education necessary to prepare students for their professional roles as extenders of the primary care physician and to satisfy the eligibility requirements to sit for the PA certification examination. There is no advanced placement in the PA program. There is no credit for experiential learning.
Admission into the PA program can also be obtained by completing a regular 4-year degree at DeSales (or other college or university) and then applying through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) to the program. No specific major is required but the BA in biology is the recommended degree. A seat in the program is not guaranteed but all DeSales graduates are offered a priority interview. Full details of the PA program can be found in the Graduate Catalog of the University.
