Immunizations and Technical Standards
Students are required to complete the Health Status Verification & Technical Standards Form with a health care provider and return it to the program within 30 days of their acceptance. Candidates for the Physician Assistant Program must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner without the use of trained intermediaries:
Immunizations: All candidates accepted to the program are required to have current immunizations and titers. Please refer to the Immunizations Form for specific requirements.
General Abilities: Candidate for admission to the Physician Assistant program must possess, or be able to achieve through a reasonable accommodation, certain sensory and motor functions that would enable the individual to carry out the activities described in the sections that follow.
Observation: Candidate must acquire information as presented in the learning environment including audiovisual presentations in lectures and laboratories, microscopic examination of microorganisms, gross organs and tissues in normal and pathologic states. In addition, a candidate must be able to evaluate a patient accurately and assess relevant health, behavioral and medical information. Candidates must be able to obtain and interpret information through comprehensive assessment of patients, correctly interpret diagnostic representations of patient physiologic data, and accurately evaluate patient conditions and responses.
Communication: Candidate must be able to communicate accurately and with clarity in speech and written forms, with appropriate respect and sensitivity toward faculty, patients and all members of the health care team.
Motor: Candidate should have sufficient motor function such that they are able to execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonable required of PAs are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of intravenous medication, application of pressure to stop bleeding, opening of obstructed airways, suturing of simple wounds, performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers, and movement of patients. These actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the senses of touch, hearing, and vision.
Behavioral Attributes & Social Skills: Candidate must be able to exercise good judgment, promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. The skills required to do so include the ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. Candidate must possess the emotional health necessary for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of sound judgment, the prompt completion of responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with faculty, clinical staff and patients.
Problem-solving: Candidate is expected to have critical thinking abilities. This includes the ability to measure, calculate, analyze and synthesize data to reach diagnostic and therapeutic judgments.
Professionalism: Candidates are expected to exhibit professionalism, personal accountability, compassion, integrity, concern for others, and interpersonal skills including the ability to accept and apply feedback and to respect boundaries and care for all individuals in a respectful and effective manner regardless of gender identity, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other protected status. Candidates should understand, and function within, the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a physician assistant in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students and the public. Interest and motivation throughout the educational processes are expected of all candidates.
Transportation: During the Clinical Year, the student must be able to attain transportation to a variety of clinical rotation settings in a timely manner.
