Physician Assistant Studies (MS)

The University of Saint Francis has identified technical standards that must be met by students in order to successfully progress in and graduate from its health science programs. These standards establish performance standards that will enable students to become competent practitioners who are able to provide safe care for their patients (persons, families and/or communities) with critical judgment, broadly based knowledge, and well-honed technical skills.

Technical standards (see below) outline skills, abilities and behavioral characteristics required to successfully complete health science programs at the university. Key areas include having abilities and skills in the areas of: (1) acquiring fundamental knowledge; (2) developing communication skills; (3) interpreting data; (4) integrating knowledge to establish clinical judgment; and (5) incorporating professional attitudes and behaviors into practice.

The university provides reasonable accommodations to all students on a nondiscriminatory basis and consistent with legal requirements as outlined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to an instructional activity, equipment, facility, program or service that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to fulfill the requirements necessary for graduation from the program. To be eligible for accommodations, a student must have a documented disability of (a) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (b) a record of such impairment; or (c) be regarded as having such a condition.

Acquiring Fundamental Knowledge: Students must be able to learn in classroom and other educational settings via lectures, demonstrations, review of research and patient care situations. Students must have the ability to find sources of knowledge, acquire the knowledge, be a life-long learner and demonstrate adaptive thinking.

Developing Communication Skills: Students must have the ability to effectively communicate verbally, nonverbally, in writing, with groups and using information technology. Students must be able to interact appropriately with patients (persons, families and/or communities), peers, and with all members of the health care team. Students must be able to interpret and convey information gathered from communications. They must be able to speak, read and write in English.

Interpreting Data: Students must have the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize data in a timely manner. They must successfully fulfill examination requirements of the program, including written and practical examinations. Students must have the ability to (1) observe patient conditions and responses to health and illness, (2) assess and monitor health needs, (3) translate data into abstract concepts, and (4) understand evidence-based reasoning.

Integrating Knowledge to Establish Clinical Judgment: Students must demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making ability needed to care for individuals, families and/or communities across the health continuum. They must demonstrate clinical competency and the ability to participate in clinical experiences. Students must possess sensory capacity and motor function to gather patient data, perform patient assessment and implement therapeutic interventions.

Incorporating Professional Attitudes and Behaviors into Practice: Students must demonstrate cross cultural competency, integrity, moral reasoning, ethical behaviors and concern for others. They must have the ability to acquire interpersonal skills for professional interactions with diverse individuals, families and/or communities. They must be able to work cooperatively with intra and inter professional teams, adapt to changing environments inherent in clinical practice, and function effectively under stress.

The University of Saint Francis is committed to providing equal access to all students, including those students with disabilities. Once students are admitted to a health sciences program, they should contact Academic and Career Development Center at 260-399-7700 x 6075 if they believe that they may require reasonable accommodation to fulfill the Health Sciences Technical Standards.

The following list defines the medical knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities required for PA Practice:

• Embrace the role of a physician assistant and recognize personal limitations while practicing.
• Apply critical thinking and medical decision-making strategies to all aspects of acute and chronic patient care.
• Practice evidence-based medicine which incorporates life-long learning and current clinical guidelines.
• Communicate effectively with patients and families by utilizing patient centered interpersonal skills that incorporates mutual respect with the patient and cultural awareness.
• Accurately complete written documentation of patient care, to include orders and referrals to other specialty care providers.
• Elicit a patient-centered problem-oriented or comprehensive history from a patient of any age and gender utilizing appropriate interpersonal skills and cultural awareness.
• Perform an appropriate focused and comprehensive physical examination for a patient of any age and gender recognizing normal and abnormal findings.
• Possess a thorough understanding of medical ethics and the legal aspects of professional practice.
• Integrate findings of the history, physical examination, risk factors, and epidemiology to formulate an appropriate problem list and differential diagnosis.
• Effectively orally present a patient to supervising physicians incorporating cultural sensitivity regarding diverse patient populations.
• Perform patient education which considers social determinants and encourages treatment adherence and lifestyle modification.
• Practice preventive care including age-appropriate screening, immunization recommendations, patient education, behavioral modifications.
• Identify, order, and interpret laboratory and diagnostic studies to appropriately address a patient’s differential diagnosis.
• Prepare, implement, and monitor cost-effective treatment plans that utilize pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic modalities in a variety of patient care areas across the life span.
• Appropriately perform diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures and counsel patients regarding procedure, side effects, follow-up care, and informed consent.
• Utilize medical knowledge of acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions including etiology, pathophysiology, incidence, risk factors, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and treatment strategies to effectively manage a patient across the life span.
• Distinguish between emergent and non-emergent patient presentation and appropriately initiate an evaluation in life-threatening situations.
• Implement public health and patient safety approaches to improve the quality of patient care.
• Practice professionalism in all aspects of clinical practice while advocating for the patient.
• Perform as an interprofessional team member and understand the roles of other health care professionals.

Academic Plan

Procurement of Clinical Rotations: The PA Program faculty are responsible for obtaining, assigning and monitoring clinical rotations. Preceptors and clinical rotation sites are chosen and assigned by the PA Program, not the students. Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.

Since the M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies curriculum was implemented with the class of 2004, 433 USF graduates have taken the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). Of those 433 students, 423 passed on the first attempt (98%). The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) provides a NCCPA PANCE Pass Rate Summary Report that displays first-time Graduate Performance on Certification Exam results by exam administration year. The program report below demonstrates USF first time pass rate by graduation cohort since 2008.

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies provides education in medical knowledge and competencies needed by individuals to serve effectively as physician assistants who are mindful of the needs of underserved populations. The Department prepares students to be clinicians who achieve professional standards and have enhanced critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and competency in evidence-based medicine. We foster an educational environment of mutual respect, personal growth, and professional advancement.

Vision Statement

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies will prepare students to become compassionate and accomplished practitioners who are engaged in life-long learning and dedicated to service, education, and leadership.

Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size.

Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.

The table above can also be viewed as a PDF.

Cost of Tuition

Tuition and fees will be made available as soon as established by the University of Saint Francis and the PA Program. Within three weeks of notification of acceptance to the PA Program, prospective students are required to pay a non-refundable program deposit of $1,000.00. For those students who matriculate, the program deposit is applied to the cost of tuition.

Physician assistant students are billed at a block tuition rate that includes semester and technology fees. Updated tuition information is available on the Tuition page. Each student is financially responsible for any tuition and/or fees associated with taking additional courses due to failure, remediation, or deceleration in the PA Program for any reason. Cost of additional tuition and fees will be established by the University of Saint Francis.

Required Physician Assistant Departmental Fees

In addition to the published tuition, a PA Program Fee of $750.00 and a Clinical Health and Exercise Science Technology Fee of $250.00 will be billed to the student each semester. The PA Program Fee supports instruction in programmatic lab experiences (e.g., cadaver lab, simulation lab, physical exam/ procedural labs) and use of training software (i.e., SonoSim and ExamSoft). The Clinical Health and Exercise Science Technology Fee is required of all COHS students. Cumulatively, these fees result in a total cost of $5,250.00 across the duration of the program.

Additionally, a one-time Typhon Group Fee of $90.00 and a EHR Go Fee of $240.00 will be billed to the student during the first summer term. The Typhon Group Fee is used to purchase student access to Typhon. This database is used throughout didactic and clinical years to complete programmatic evaluations and to log patient experiences during the clinical year. The EHR Go fee provides the student with access to realistic medical documentation software that allow exceptional training for the clinical year and professional practice.

Throughout the curriculum, students will be required to pay for additional materials, certifications, and tests. The following table provides an overview of these costs and their frequency. Please note that these remain estimates and may change throughout the student’s tenure in the program.

*Offered for free at the USF Wellness Clinic
Potential Physician Assistant Departmental Fees

In addition to the required fees noted above, several other fees may apply. These are estimates only and prices are subject to change.

Procurement of Medical Equipment

All physician assistant students are required to purchase medical equipment of suitable quality to perform physical examinations. This includes a stethoscope, an otoscope and ear specula, an ophthalmoscope, ruler and/or flexible tape measure, two tuning forks (128 Hz and 512 Hz), a reflex hammer, hand-held eye chart, sensory testing tools, a sphygmomanometer, and a suture pad. The cost of these items will be approximately $1,000 – $1,200. Items to be purchased are stated in the enrollment packet materials and will be discussed in the summer I semester. Please do not purchase these materials before speaking with programmatic faculty.

Cost of Books & Other Materials

The following includes an estimated cost of books and materials for the duration of the program. Prices are subject to change.

Housing & Living Expenses

Students are expected to procure their own housing throughout the duration of the PA Program. Graduate housing is not offered by the University of Saint Francis. All transportation and living expenses are to be covered by the student while enrolled. All students (didactic and clinical) are expected to maintain housing within a 1-hour commute of the Fort Wayne area throughout the entirety of the PA Program. Former students have enjoyed living at Canal Flats Apartments, The Willows of Coventry, Canterbury Green Apartments, CityScape Flats, and Centlivre. Neither the University of Saint Francis nor the PA Program have any affiliation with the housing options listed. These are provided solely as examples of possible housing opportunities based on positive feedback shared by former PA students.

Most clinical rotations assigned to students will be within a 1 ½ hour commute from the Fort Wayne campus. More distant sites are occasionally assigned, and the student will be made aware of this in advance. Housing is occasionally provided by the University, but students may need to secure their own housing, as well. If a student requests and is assigned to a distant rotation site at which a clinical affiliate/the University does not provide housing, the student is responsible to procure and pay for housing within a 1 ½ hour commute of the rotation site.

Student Transportation

Students are responsible for their own transportation and related costs to off-campus classes, activities, and clinical sites. The university is not responsible for personal injury to students when traveling to off-campus activities.

Insurance

As required by agreements set forth between the University of Saint Francis and various clinical sites, students are required to have a current health insurance plan. This plan must be maintained throughout the entirety of the clinical experiences associated with enrollment in the PA Program at the University of Saint Francis. If a student’s current health insurance plan is cancelled or changed, the student is required to promptly notify the Director of Clinical Education. It must also be understood that students may be required by either the University of Saint Francis or the clinical site to which he/she is assigned to provide proof of current health insurance by providing a copy of a valid insurance card or other documentation as requested. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the student being dropped from clinical rotations until such time as he/she obtains appropriate health insurance and may also result in a delay of graduation. Information about how students can purchase health insurance is available through the Office of Student Affairs, located in room 137 of Trinity Hall. The office may be contacted by email, at [email protected], or by phone, at (260)-399-8100.

As part of the University of Saint Francis’s affiliation agreement, the university provides general and professional liability insurance for students performing clinical assignments as part of the educational experience against any claim for injury or damage to property (COHS Policy 1.4.1).