Clinical Year Courses

Criminal Background Checks:
As part of the clinical year program students are placed in off-campus sites for clinical training. Clinical training sites may require criminal background checks prior to placement at that facility. Conviction of a felony, misdemeanor or withheld judgment may result in a student being denied a clinical assignment which, in turn, may cause the student to be unable to complete the program. Further, conviction of a felony, misdemeanor or withheld judgment may prevent a student from obtaining licensure as a Physician Assistant. Licensure laws vary by state.

For example, some clinical sites specify the following regarding student background checks:

The student may not have a history or criminal record (including conviction, plea agreement, withheld judgment, or pending charges) concerning any of the following crimes (felony or misdemeanor): (1) sexual assault, rape, indecent exposure, lewd and lascivious behavior, or any crime involving non-consensual sexual conduct; (2) child abuse or neglect, sexual exploitation of children, child abduction, contributing to the delinquency or neglect of a child, enticing a child for immoral purposes, exposing a minor to pornography or other harmful materials, incest, or any other crime involving children as victims or participants; (3) vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation; (4) homicide or manslaughter; (5) assault or battery occurring within the prior seven years; (6) drug trafficking or other offenses involving narcotics, alcohol or controlled substances during the prior five years; (7) theft, embezzlement, fraud, or other crimes involving dishonesty committed during the prior five years; (8) driving under the influence during the prior two years if the Student's duties in the Program may involve driving; and (9) any felony conviction.

In addition to the required courses listed below, some students may be asked to enroll in the PAS 6689 ST: PANCE Prep course to receive specialized study plans for the PA National Certifying Exam. For more details, please refer to the Guidelines & Policies.