School of Health Sciences
Physician Assistant Program
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The University reserves the right to change and to make exceptions to the provisions of this Handbook at any time and to apply any change or to make an exception applicable to any student without
regard to date of admission application or date of enrollment. This Handbook is neither a contract nor an offer to enter into a contract.
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TRINE UNIVERSITY
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA)
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Table of Content
Program Information
Accreditation Status………6
Mission and Vision Statements ………...7
Trine University School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program PA Program Outcomes (Goals)………... 8
PA Program Competencies………... 8
Assessment……….………...10
PA Curriculum ………..11
Clinical Education Experience………...13
Health Insurance……….…...14
Immunization Requirements …..………...………...14
Background Checks…...……….14
Rotation Descriptions ………...16
Course Description ………..…..…………19
Clinical Education Highlights…...……….….23
Learning Resources……….……26
Inter-Professional Education………...26
Admission Requirements Admissions ………... 27
PA Professional Program..……….…… 27
Undergraduate Direct Admissions……….……… 28
Conditional Admission………. 29
Transfers of Credit ……….……….. 30
Required Documentation………... 30
Payment of Educational Costs………30
Academic Standards Grading ……….……… 31
Grading System ……… 31
Grading Appeals and Incomplete Grade Policy……….31
Retention Requirements ……… 31
Progression through Curriculum ………... 32
Academic problems………32 Remediation………...……… 32 Deceleration………... 33 Academic Advisors ………... 33 Withdrawal ………... 33 Academic Withdrawal ………... 33
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Medical Withdrawal ……… 34
Administrative Dismissal ……….. 34
Disciplinary Dismissal ………. 34
Excessive Absence Dismissal ………. 34
Leave of Absence ………..………… 34
Requirements for Graduation ……… 34
Release of Student Information ………... 34
Affirmative Action Statement ………... 35
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance ………... 35
OSHA Training……….….36 HIPAA Training……….37 Technical Standards ………. 37 Standards of Conduct Community Standards………40 Academic Misconduct ……….. 41
American Academy of Physician Assistants Guidelines for Ethical Conduct ….………… 42
Student Membership in AAPA………. 42
Professional Behaviors ………..…………43 Dismissal Policy………... 43 Disciplinary Dismissal ……….. 43 Attendance Policy ………. 44 Holiday ………. 44 Adverse Weather ………... 44 Severe Thunderstorm ………... 45 Tornados ………... 45
Dress Code for Classroom and Lab ……….. 45
Laboratory and Classroom Use ………... 46
Use of Electronic Devices and Social Media ………... 47
Best Practices that PA Students are expected to Follow ………... 47
Activities That May be Grounds for Dismissal from the PA Program ……… 48
Laptop Computer Policy ………... 49
Miscellaneous Policies Job Placement……….…………. 50
Extra-curricular activities………. 50
Safety ………. 50
Student Information Form ………... 50
Changes in Health Status ………... 50
Chronic Health Condition Not Requiring Accommodations ………... 51
Health Risks ………. 51
Student Injury in the Classroom or During a Clinical Affiliation ………... 51
Authorized Access and Use of Information Regarding Patients/Clients …………. 51
Student Representatives on Committees ………... 51
Employment ………. 52
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Filing a Complaint about the Program Quality to ARC-PA ……….……… 53
Substance Abuse Testing ………..………53
CPR Certification ………..53
Student Health Services ………... 54
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PROGRAM INFORMATION
Accreditation Status
Trine University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org. Telephone 312.263.0456. The Physician Assistant Program accreditation is pending at this time. Trine University has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Trine University
anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2017, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the September 2016 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status for a new PA program that, at the time of its initial accreditation review, demonstrated its preparedness to initiate a program in accordance with the accreditation Standards. In the event that provisional accreditation is not received, the program will not commence in January 2017, and tuition deposits will be refunded.
This handbook is based on the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education (ARC-PA) and the Trine University Student Handbook. Each PA program must be compliant with the ARC-PA Standards to receive accreditation. For more information on the accreditation process or detailed information regarding Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education,
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Mission and Vision Statements
Mission Vision University Trine University promotes
intellectual and personal development, through professionally focused and formative learning opportunities, preparing students to succeed, lead, and serve.
Trine will be the very best mid-sized private university,
contributing to local and regional economic and cultural
development. Trine University will be characterized as engaged, dynamic, growing, and adding value.
School of Health Sciences
The School of Health Sciences at Trine University, by providing high quality, professionally focused and formative learning opportunities, enables its students, graduates and faculty to make a positive impact on the health and wellness of their communities through service, leadership, and scholarship.
The School of Health Sciences at Trine University will be
recognized as a premier provider of health science education, adding value to the lives of its graduates and community members.
Physician Assistant Program
The Physician Assistant Program at Trine University provides an outstanding professional educational experience that produces physician assistant graduates capable of delivering safe, effective, and patient-centered medical care in a variety of clinical settings, while also preparing them to succeed, lead, and serve.
The Physician Assistant Program at Trine University will provide a dynamic and engaging medical education to students using a combination of traditional and case-based learning experiences with emphases on professionalism, patient-centered approaches to care, and interprofessional collaborative practice.
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Trine P.A. Program Learning Outcomes (Goals)
The Trine University P.A. Program aspires to meet the following goals: 1. Achieve and maintain program accreditation by ARC-PA.
2. Select qualified applicants who possess, or are likely to acquire, those cognitive and non-cognitive qualities most strongly associated with successful completion of our P.A. program.
3. Provide an educational experience that encourages and promotes professional and ethical behaviors, appropriate sensitivity to diversities, and patient-centered care.
4. Provide an educational experience that encourages and promotes effective professional communication and interprofessional collaborative practice.
5. Provide an educational experience that promotes and encourages sound clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and decision making abilities.
6. Provide an educational experience that promotes lifelong learning, service to the profession, leadership, scholarship, and community service.
7. Provide an educational experience that affords students the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences needed for successfully passing the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE).
8. Provide an educational experience that exemplifies best practices in higher education. 9. Produce entry-level physician assistant graduates who are able to make positive impacts
on the healthcare needs of communities by providing competent medical care in a variety of clinical settings.
Trine P.A. Program Competencies
By the end of the P.A. Program, the graduating student should be able to… Knowledge Domain
1. Possess a sound knowledge of current and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences, and integrate and apply it to the medical care, health promotion, and disease prevention services offered.
2. Participate in lifelong learning to continually improve clinical knowledge, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
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3. Possess sufficient knowledge of the medicolegal, regulatory, billing/coding, reimbursement, and patient safety issues inherent to medical practice.
4. Possess the knowledge and abilities to critically evaluate the medical literature, conduct or participate in limited research projects, and evaluate clinical practice sites for quality, efficacy, compliance, patient safety, risk management, or other important outcomes that may impact patient care.
Clinical Skills Domain
5. Accurately and efficiently perform medical histories and physical examinations across the lifespan that are appropriate and relevant to the clinical situation and setting. 6. Appropriately order and correctly interpret laboratory, imaging, ECG, and other
diagnostic studies commonly performed in clinical settings.
7. Skillfully perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures most commonly performed by P.A.s.
Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving Abilities Domain
8. Effectively and efficiently utilize information from the health history, physical examination, laboratory tests and other diagnostic procedures to distinguish between expected vs. abnormal findings, to formulate reasonable differential diagnoses, and to narrow the differential diagnosis list to a presumptive diagnosis in a logical, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
9. Recommend pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic options that are most efficacious and evidence-based while also considering patient preferences and concerns, and the impacts of social, economic, and spiritual factors on health and wellness.
10. Provide appropriate medical care in emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of-life settings.
11. Assess patient outcomes to evaluate the accuracy of diagnoses, the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, patient compliance, and other factors that potentially impact patient care.
Technical Skills Domain
12. Effectively utilize both electronic and non-digital medical records to document findings, access clinical information, write prescriptions and orders, and make referrals.
13. Utilize technologies and other resources to effectively search, interpret, and appraise the medical literature for answers to clinical questions and evidence-based practices, and integrate and apply newly acquired knowledge into patient care.
10 Interpersonal & Communication Skills Domain
14. Document and communicate medical, legal, financial, or other relevant information to other members of the healthcare team in an accurate, logical, concise, and understandable manner.
15. Demonstrate appropriate and effective auditory, verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication skills when dealing with patients, families, caregivers, staff, colleagues, supervising physicians, administrators, and other healthcare professionals. 16. Demonstrate appropriate sensitivity, empathy, compassion, and respect when dealing
with all patients and all forms of diversity to promote and sustain therapeutically and ethically sound relationships.
Professional Behaviors Domain
17. Abide by, and uphold, the principles espoused in the “P.A. Professional Oath” (http://www.pasconnect.org/what-is-the-pa-professional-oath/) and the American Academy of Physician Assistant’s “Guidelines to the Ethical Conduct of the Physician Assistant Profession” https://www.aapa.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=815
18. Demonstrate and model professional behavior, most especially in interactions with patients, families, staff, colleagues, and superiors.
19. Abide by legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to the P.A. profession and clinical practice settings.
Assessment
The academic assessment process at Trine University is designed to measure the quality of the PA program. Students will be asked to reply to surveys or questionnaires that rate the quality of instruction, the level of satisfaction with career preparation, and the overall satisfaction of the Trine experience. Occasionally, anonymous samples of student course work will be used in an assessment process.
Trine University is committed to providing quality educational experiences for our students. The information gathered through the assessment process provides information for continual
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PA PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Didactic Phase (66 credit hours)
The didactic Phase of the physician assistant (P.A.) program is comprised of four semesters. Although primarily campus-based, students occasionally need to travel to clinical application obligations, including local interprofessional education activities.
Spring 1 (16 weeks – 18 credit hours)
PAS 5007 Foundations of Human Medicine (7) PAS 5014 Clinical Skills-I (4)
PAS 5022 P.A. Professional Issues, Medical Ethics, and Psychosocial Aspects (2) PAS 5052 Clinical Application and Reflection Experience-I (2)
PAS 5063 Pharmacology (3 credits) Summer 1 (12 weeks – 12 credit hours)
PAS 5105 Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics-I (5) PAS 5115 Clinical Skills-II (5)
PAS 5152 Clinical Application and Reflection Experience-II (2) Fall 1 (16 weeks – 18 credit hours)
PAS 5210 Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics-II (10) PAS 5215 Clinical Skills-III (5)
PAS 5252 Clinical Application and Reflection Experience-III (2) PAS 5271 Evidence Based Practice-I (1)
Spring 2 (16 weeks – 18 credit hours)
PAS 5310 Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics-III (10) PAS 5315 Clinical Skills-IV (5 credits)
PAS 5352 Clinical Application and Reflection Experience-IV (2) PAS 5371 Evidence Based Practice-II (1)
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Experiential Phase (Clinical Year) – (51 credit hours)
The clinical phase of the physician assistant (P.A.) program encompasses approximately three semesters and is comprised of nine clinical rotations organized in five-week blocks. Students must travel to clinical rotations and return to campus for end-of-rotation activities. Students are not eligible for experiential phase courses until having successfully completed all didactic phase courses.
PAS 6141 Senior Seminar-I (1) PAS 6241 Senior Seminar-II (1) PAS 6341 Senior Seminar III (1) PAS 6171 Graduate Project-I (1 Credit) PAS 6271 Graduate Project-II (1 Credit) PAS 6371 Graduate Project-III (1 Credit)
Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) (45 credit hours) PAS 6015 Rotation 1 (5) PAS 6025 Rotation 2 (5) PAS 6035 Rotation 3 (5) PAS 6045 Rotation 4 (5) PAS 6055 Rotation 5 (5) PAS 6065 Rotation 6 (5) PAS 6075 Rotation 7 (5) PAS 6085 Rotation 8 (5) PAS 6095 Rotation 9 (5)
Clinical Rotations
Required6 weeks - Family Medicine/Primary Care Medicine/Rural Medicine 6 weeks - General Surgery
6 weeks - Emergency Medicine 6 weeks - Internal Medicine 6 weeks - Orthopedics
6 weeks - OB/GYN/Women’s Health 6 weeks - Behavioral Medicine 6 weeks – Pediatrics
Elective
6 weeks - Elective 6 weeks – Elective or
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Clinical Education Experiences
Students are required to participate in clinical education experiences during their training. These experiences will include integrated clinical exposure during the didactic year and formal clinical rotations during the clinical phase. The students will participate in a total of 10 rotations, each lasting 6 weeks; 8 of which are required and 2 elective rotations. The two electives can be done in any of the required areas or any other subspecialty; anytime throughout the clinical year. If the student is selected for the Specialty Track, then the 2 electives will be combines into one 12 week preceptorship. The preceptorship will be the student’s final rotation.
The Clinical Coordinator will be responsible for setting up the rotation sites and schedule. The students should not set up any clinical rotation. If the student has a specific rotation that is not already established, then they can ask the Clinical Coordinator to create a new affiliation agreement with that site. Students will also not substitute for clinical or administrative staff during supervised clinical practical experiences. Please see the Clinical Education Section of this handbook for details about the policies and procedures, academic requirements, and rules and regulations of the clinical education process.
Any further questions about clinical education should be directed to Clinical Coordinator. Changes in the curriculum may occur as a natural result of the curriculum review process and self-assessment that occurs routinely. The Program has a curriculum committee that is responsible for curriculum review, periodic assessment, and recommendation of changes as a result of the assessment process.
Prior to beginning the program, the following documents must be submitted to the program director:
1. Current health insurance –required before didactic and clinical phase 2. Pass the criminal background check – before the didactic and clinical phase 3. Immunization records including required vaccinations and/or relevant titers 4. A statement of medical clearance signed by the HCP.
5. Results of TB test– required before didactic and clinical phase
6. Results of substance abuse test – required before didactic and clinical phase
The Clinical Education team will make copies of these documents to be placed in the student’s clinical education file. Any deficiencies in these documents will be communicated to the student upon receiving the documents. Failure to submit these documents prior to the start of the
program could result in dismissal from the program or other sanctions.
There are program required rotations and opportunities for elective experiences. Required are experiences in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, and Behavioral Health. The student will have opportunities to explore elective rotation experiences depending upon preceptor availability. The Program must ensure that students meet program requirements for the clinical phase, and, as such, reserve the right to assign rotations/supplemental activities to be sure requirements are met.
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Health Insurance
Students will be expected to show proof of coverage for personal health insurance before the start of the program and maintain coverage throughout the professional program. Students are required to submit a copy of their health insurance card annually to the Administrative Assistant. Copies of insurance cards will become part of the students’ clinical education file. Students are often required to show proof of personal health insurance prior to being accepted for clinical placements by clinical sites.
Immunizations
Some clinical education sites have additional health requirements (flu shots, drug screens, etc.). When these are known in advance, the program will inform the student of any additional health requirements. However, during preparations for upcoming internships, the student is responsible for checking with the Clinical Coordinator to determine if there are any additional health requirements. It is recommended that this process be initiated approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the clinical to allow adequate time for completion of any additional health requirements. The student should try to stay one rotation ahead of these possible additional requirements.
All expenses incurred in obtaining a physical, necessary laboratory tests, immunizations and additional health requirements are the responsibility of the student.
Required Screenings:
• Tuberculosis Screening:
o Gold test (Interferon or 2-step Mantoux yearly
Required Titers (completed prior to start of the program): • Mumps titer – * if negative, MMR required • Rubella titer – * if negative, MMR required • Rubeola titer – *if negative, MMR required
• Hepatitis B titer - *if negative, Hepatitis B vaccination series required • Varicella titer – *if titer is negative, 2 varicella vaccinations required Required Immunizations:
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis – adult booster required within the past 5 years • Others as identified above based on outcome of above titers*
Background Check
The purpose of the background check policy is to:
1. Promote and protect patient/client safety, as well as the well-being of the campus community.
2. Comply with the mandates of clinical sites which require student background checks as a condition of their written contracts with the Physician Assistant Program, Trine
University, as stipulated by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
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3. Promote early self-identification of students who may be “at risk” for not meeting Physician Assistant licensure eligibility requirements in some states due to a felony conviction.
a. Students with an identified history of criminal activity may be at risk for not being able to successfully complete the required clinical education requirements of the PA program. Successful completion of all designated clinical practicums and clinical internships is a graduation requirement for a MPAS degree.
b. In order to ensure that a student with a history of a felony conviction is eligible for sitting for the Physician Assistant Certification exam, the “at risk” student will need to seek clarifying information directly from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and the state licensing board in which s/he wishes to practice. As PA practice laws vary from state to state, it becomes the student’s responsibility to know the laws of individual states regarding policies associated with the awarding of a PA license; the “at risk” student may need to petition the NCCPA and state licensure agency to request a declaratory order/opinion from the licensure agency. The “at risk” student must obtain clarification and eligibility prior to acceptance into the PA Program.
All incoming physician assistant students are required to submit to and receive a criminal background check as a condition of enrollment. Instructions for obtaining the initial background screening will be provided to the student at the time of acceptance. Initial screenings are
conducted at the expense of the student. The background check consists of the following screens: criminal records search, identity tools, governmental registries search and a smart scan.
The Program will track each student to ensure compliance and to verify presence of a negative criminal record. If a background check identifies a history of criminal behavior, the student may be prohibited from participation in clinical education courses. Cases will be evaluated on an individual basis by the Clinical Coordinator and the Program Director and/or other University administrative personnel. Any criminal activity in question must be disclosed to the clinical site prior to placement. Clinical sites have the right to refuse placement for any student possessing a history of criminal activity.
All information gathered in the process of criminal background checks is strictly confidential. Information may not be revealed to any other party without written permission from the student. Students will be provided with the results of the background check and, unless otherwise
required by the clinical site, will be responsible for sharing this information with the assigned clinical site(s) upon request.
The procurement of any subsequent background screening and/or any additional screening that may be required from the assigned clinical site will be the responsibility of the student, as well. It is the responsibility of the student to learn of any additional and/or supplemental requirements by reviewing the Clinical Site Information Form (CSIF) and/or contacting the CC.
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ROTATION DESCRIPTIONS
FAMILY MEDICINE ROTATION
In this 5-week (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients in family medicine settings. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order and interpret laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
INTERNAL MEDICINE ROTATION
In this 5-week (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage adult and geriatric patients in a hospital setting or internal medicine office. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases for a diverse population. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
EMERGENCY MEDICINE ROTATION
In this 5-week (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients presenting to Emergency Department and urgent care settings. Students are expected to appropriately triage and stabilize patients, perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations, and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans, and make appropriate referrals. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of patients with acute disorders and acute exacerbations of chronic disorders, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
GENERAL SURGERY ROTATION
In this 5-week (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with common surgical disorders in
pre-operative, intra-pre-operative, and post-operative settings. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in determining if there is a surgically amenable condition and if the patient is a surgical candidate. Exposure to surgical techniques and surgical assisting are included. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of the surgical patient, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
WOMEN’S HEALTH ROTATION
In this (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage women’s health, gynecological and reproductive issues, and prenatal care. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. There is a potential for exposure to surgical techniques and surgical assisting opportunities. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into women’s health care, for a diverse population. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
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In this (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage newborns, infants, children, and adolescent patients. Students are expected to assess patients for normal growth and development, perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations, and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatments. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion (including
interpretation of immunization schedules) are incorporated into the care of the pediatric patient. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
BEHAVIOR HEALTH ROTATION
In this (required) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with psychiatric or behavioral health disorders. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and psychiatric assessments and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of patients with a psychiatric or behavioral health condition, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
ORTHOPEDICS CLINICAL ROTATION
In this 5-week (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal disorders. Exposure to surgical techniques and surgical assisting may be included. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of patients with musculoskeletal disorders, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
PLASTIC SURGERY ROTATION ELECTIVE
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients undergoing reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in pre-operative evaluation and post-operative patient management. Exposure to surgical techniques and surgical assisting opportunities are included. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with hematologic/oncologic disorders. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases, for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
GENITOURINARY ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients in a nephrology or urology practice. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases, for a
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diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
GASTROENTEROLOGY ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with gastrointestinal conditions in a gastroenterology practice. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating a diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY (ENT) ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with disorders of the ears, nose, throat and related
structures in an otorhinolaryngology practice. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating a diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
DERMATOLOGY ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients with acute and chronic skin conditions in a dermatology practice. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
CARDIOLOGY ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, Students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients in a cardiology practice. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases of a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
MISC. ELECTIVE ROTATION
In this (elective) clinical rotation, students apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed during the didactic phase to evaluate and manage patients in a medical or surgical practice area not otherwise listed in the course catalogue. Students are expected to perform appropriate health histories and physical
examinations and order laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to assist in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans as related to the elective’s discipline. Patient education, disease prevention, and health promotion are incorporated into the care of acute and chronic diseases for a diverse population over the lifespan. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail)
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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
PAS 5007 FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN MEDICINE (7 CREDITS)
This lecture and lab course is an in-depth study of gross human cadaveric anatomy and physiology, and covers clinically relevant genetics.
Prerequisite: Matriculation into the P.A. program. PAS 5014 CLINICAL SKILLS-I (4 CREDITS)
This is the first of a series of four lecture and lab courses in which students acquire and practice various diagnostic and therapeutic clinical skills, such as performance of basic and advanced health histories and physical exams, interpretation of laboratory, electrocardiographic, and imaging studies, the performance and interpretation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and training in basic and advanced cardiac life support. In this course, the emphasis will be on the art of communication in medicine, the medical interview, and the proper documentation of medical encounters. Students will also be introduced to the interpretation of common clinical laboratory tests and will begin to learn how to perform a general physical examination.
Prerequisite: Matriculation into the P.A. program.
PAS 5022 P.A. PROFESSIONAL ISSUES, MEDICAL ETHICS, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS (2 CREDITS)
In this course, students learn about issues important to the P.A. profession, including its history, P.A. roles, supervisory agreements, practice laws, P.A. organizations, and future directions. Other covered topics include an introduction to billing and coding and an introduction to the psychosocial aspects of medical care. Students also learn about medical ethics, including the P.A. Professional Oath, the Guidelines to the Ethical Conduct of the P.A. Profession, and ethical issues and concerns in medical practice.
Prerequisite: Matriculation into the P.A. Program. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 5052 CLINICAL APPLICATION AND REFLECTION EXPERIENCE-I (2 CREDITS)
This is the first in a series of four courses where students work in teams to practice and refine skills, employ problem-solving, participate in reflective experiences, and assume professional roles. Students are expected to retain and apply knowledge from concurrent and previous coursework. Examples of
experiences include simulation/standardized patients, interprofessional education opportunities, preclinical patient exposures, and case studies. Professional development areas include professional communications and behaviors, conflict resolution, and stress management.
Prerequisite: Matriculation into the P.A. Program. (Pass/Fail) PAS 5063 PHARMACOLOGY (3 CREDITS)
This course provides an introduction to drugs commonly used to treat human disorders, including their classification, mechanisms of actions, indications, contraindications/cautions, formulations, routes of metabolism and excretion, adverse reactions, and drug interactions.
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PAS 5105 CLINICAL MEDICINE AND THERAPEUTICS-I (5 CREDITS)
This is the first in a series of three courses for the study of the diagnosis and management of common acute and chronic medical disorders. The relevant anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of disease states are discussed, followed by incidence/prevalence, associated risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical findings, diagnostic criteria, diagnostic tests and procedures, pharmacologic and
non-pharmacologic therapeutic options, prevention, patient education, follow-up care, course, and prognosis. This 3-series course series collectively covers disorders categorized under the following organ systems: cardiovascular, dermatology, EENT, endocrine, GI/Nutritional, GU, hematology, infectious disease, musculoskeletal/rheumatology, neurological, psychiatry/behavioral medicine, pulmonary, and reproductive.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the Spring P.A. Curriculum. PAS 5115 CLINICAL SKILLS-II (5 CREDITS)
This is the second of a series of four lecture and lab courses in which students acquire and practice various diagnostic and therapeutic clinical skills, such as performance of health histories and physical exams, interpretation of laboratory, electrocardiographic, and imaging studies, the performance and interpretation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and training in basic and advanced cardiac life support. In this course, the emphasis is on the performance and documentation of a complete (head to toe) physical examination and the interpretation of 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs).
Prerequisite: PAS 5014.
PAS 5152 CLINICAL APPLICATION AND REFLECTION EXPERIENCE-II (2 CREDITS)
This is the second in a series of four courses where students work in teams to practice and refine skills, employ problem-solving, participate in reflective experiences, and assume professional roles. Students are expected to retain and apply knowledge from concurrent and previous coursework. Examples of
experiences include simulation/standardized patients, interprofessional education opportunities, preclinical patient exposures, and case studies. Professional development areas include professional communication and behavior, conflict resolution, and stress management.
Prerequisite: PAS 5052. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 5210 CLINICAL MEDICINE AND THERAPEUTICS-II (10 CREDITS)
This is the second in a series of three courses for the study of the diagnosis and management of common acute and chronic medical disorders. The relevant anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of disease states are discussed, followed by incidence/prevalence, associated risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical findings, diagnostic criteria, diagnostic tests and procedures, pharmacologic and
non-pharmacologic therapeutic options, prevention, patient education, follow-up care, course, and prognosis. This 3-series course series collectively covers disorders categorized under the following organ systems: cardiovascular, dermatology, EENT, endocrine, GI/Nutritional, GU, hematology, infectious disease, musculoskeletal, neurological, psychiatry/behavioral medicine, pulmonary, and reproductive.
21 PAS 5215 CLINICAL SKILLS-III (5 CREDITS)
This is the third of a series of four lecture and lab courses in which students acquire and practice various diagnostic and therapeutic clinical skills, such as performance of health histories and physical exams, interpretation of laboratory, electrocardiographic, and imaging studies, the performance and interpretation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and training in basic and advanced cardiac life support. In this course, the emphasis is on the performance and documentation of problem-focused medical interviews and physical examinations and interpretation of commonly performed imaging studies.
Prerequisite: PAS 5115.
PAS 5252 CLINICAL APPLICATION AND REFLECTION EXPERIENCE-III (2 CREDITS)
This is the third in a series of four courses where students work in teams to practice and refine skills, employ problem-solving, participate in reflective experiences, and assume professional roles. Students are expected to retain and apply knowledge from concurrent and previous coursework. Examples of
experiences include simulation/standardized patients, interprofessional education opportunities, preclinical patient exposures, and case studies. Professional development areas include professional communication and behavior, conflict resolution, and stress management.
Prerequisite: PAS 5152. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 5271 EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE-I (1 CREDIT)
In this two-course series, students are taught evidence-based methodologies to evaluate clinical questions related to diagnosis, therapy, harm, and prognosis. This includes how to effectively search the literature, as well as principles of research and statistical analysis for the critical appraisal of published research and for conducting future research or clinical quality improvement projects. Topics include research ethics, study designs, sampling methods, design validity, descriptive and inferential statistics, selecting the appropriate statistical test, and hypothesis testing. During these courses, students initiate a group research project that will be continued in the Graduate Project I, II, and III courses with the identification of a research problem, formulation of a research question, and the drafting of a literature review and study proposal.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the Summer P.A. Curriculum. (Pass/Fail) PAS 5310 CLINICAL MEDICINE AND THERAPEUTICS-III (10 CREDITS)
This is the third in a series of three courses for the study of the diagnosis and management of common acute and chronic medical disorders. The relevant anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of disease states will be discussed, followed by incidence/prevalence, associated risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical findings, diagnostic criteria, diagnostic tests and procedures, pharmacologic and
non-pharmacologic therapeutic options, prevention, patient education, follow-up care, course, and prognosis. This 3-series course series collectively covers disorders categorized under the following organ systems: cardiovascular, dermatology, EENT, endocrine, GI/Nutritional, GU, hematology, infectious disease, musculoskeletal, neurological, psychiatry/behavioral medicine, pulmonary, and reproductive.
22 PAS 5315 CLINICAL SKILLS-IV (5 CREDITS)
This is the fourth of a series of four lecture and lab courses in which students acquire and practice various diagnostic and therapeutic clinical skills, such as performance of health histories and physical exams, interpretation of laboratory, electrocardiographic, and imaging studies, the performance and interpretation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and training in basic and advanced cardiac life support. In this course, the emphasis is on specialty-focused medical interviews and physical examinations across the lifespan from pediatrics to geriatrics, including the unique healthcare needs for women, diverse patient populations, and patients with disabilities. The performance and interpretation of common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, advanced cardiac life support training, and an orientation to the operating room are also covered.
Prerequisite: PAS 5215. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 5352 CLINICAL APPLICATION AND REFLECTION EXPERIENCE-IV (2 CREDITS)
This is the fourth in a series of four courses where students work in teams to practice and refine skills, employ problem-solving, participate in reflective experiences, and assume professional roles. Students are expected to retain and apply knowledge from concurrent and previous coursework. Examples of
experiences include simulation/standardized patients, interprofessional education opportunities, preclinical patient exposures, and case studies. Professional development areas include professional communication and behavior, conflict resolution, and stress management.
Prerequisite: PAS 5252. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 5371 EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE-II (1 CREDIT)
This is a continuation of the Evidence Based Practice I course.
Prerequisite: PAS 5271. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 6141 SENIOR SEMINAR-I (1CREDIT)
This is the first of three Senior Seminar courses intertwined with the experiential phase of the P.A. Program. Over this course series, students will be exposed to a wide variety of topics pertinent to medical practice, including: healthcare policy and systems issues, medicolegal aspects of clinical practice,
reimbursement issues, P.A. employment issues, patient safety and error reduction measures, and public health issues (e.g., mandatory reporting requirements, public health disease control measures). In addition, students will give case presentations of interesting patients they cared for on clinical rotations, and participate in activities designed to prepare them for the end-of-program summative exam and PANCE.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail) PAS 6241 SENIOR SEMINAR-II (1 CREDIT)
This is a continuation of the three-course series of Senior Seminar.
Prerequisite: PAS 6141. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 6341 SENIOR SEMINAR III (1 CREDIT)
This is a continuation of the three-course series of Senior Seminar.
Prerequisite: PAS 6241. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 6171 GRADUATE PROJECT-I (1 CREDIT)
This is the first in a series of three courses designed to build upon the previous Evidence Based Practice courses and provide students with experience in planning and implementing a primary research or clinical practice improvement project. Over the series of the Graduate Project courses, students actively
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and obtain Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, gather and analyze data, and properly
communicate and defend findings in oral and written formats. By the conclusion of the Graduate Project I course, students are expected to complete a research proposal and apply for Institutional Review Board approval.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of all didactic phase courses. (Pass/Fail) PAS 6271 GRADUATE PROJECT-II (1 CREDIT)
This is the second in a series of three Graduate Project courses. By the conclusion of the Graduate Project II course, students are expected to finalize data collection and begin the data analysis and interpretation sections of their scholarly project.
Prerequisite: 6171. (Pass/Fail)
PAS 6371 GRADUATE PROJECT-III (1 CREDIT)
This is the third in a series of three Graduate Project courses. By the conclusion of the Graduate Project III course, students are expected to complete their scholarly project and present and defend their findings before program faculty.
Prerequisite: PAS 6271. (Pass/Fail)
Clinical Education Highlights
Refer to the Clinical Handbook for related polices for the clinical phase.
The following covers some highlights of the clinical phase of the program including defining some of the faculty and terms, responsibilities, and an overview of the main clinical phase policies.
Clinical Coordinator
The Clinical Coordinator is the core PA faculty member whose primary concern is to coordinate the students’ clinical education to the curriculum. The clinical coordinator will develop, select, and coordinate clinical education sites to provide quality clinical education for the students. Clinical Sites (CS)
A setting in which learning opportunities and guidance in clinical education is provided for physician assistant students. The clinical education site may be a hospital, clinic or other setting that is affiliated with Trine University through a contractual agreement.
Clinical Faculty (CF)/Preceptors
Clinical faculty, also be referred to as preceptors or supervising physician/PA. These board certified and licensed health care providers are volunteers in the clinical education components. Providing an opportunity to learn the roles and responsibilities of a physician assistant while Physician Assistant Students (PAS)
The Physician Assistant Student (PAS) shall be considered the extension of his/her specific Preceptor and is permitted to perform tasks delegated to him/her by the Preceptor. The PAS is to
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be an active learner and actively involved in all aspects of patient care from documenting in the medical record to performing “bedside” or “in office” procedures.
Patients
Throughout the clinical education process, CFs will select and assign students to work with specific patients who may assist the student in applying knowledge and gaining skills. Patients should grant verbal consent for a student to provide care and may refuse involvement with students at any time during the clinical education process with no risk to their rights and access to care.
Conflicts of Interest
Students shall not be assigned to clinical sites where a real or perceived conflict of interest may affect the educational experience. Students are required to identify any clinics where they may have a conflict of interest. Failure to disclose conflict in interest prior to the clinical rotation may result in termination of the clinical rotation and repeating the clinical experience.
Travel and Living Expenses
By nature of the clinical education experience, students will be traveling to various clinical site locations throughout Indiana and the United States. Although many clinical affiliations are within driving distance from Fort Wayne, not all placements are local. Therefore, all students should expect to travel outside of the Fort Wayne area. Students are responsible for all expenses of travel to clinical education sites, including the expense of temporary housing and other living expenses. While occasionally a clinical site will provide a small stipend for meals and/or
housing, students are advised to prepare in advance for this expense. The Program will not arrange housing or other temporary living arrangements for students assigned to out of town clinical experiences.
Clinical Attendance
Clinical attendance is mandatory. The clinical work schedule will be assigned by the supervising Clinical Faculty (CF). Students are expected to spend a minimum of 40 hours per week on each rotation. The schedule may require nights, weekends and “on call” time.
Severe Weather
Students are expected to exercise good judgment regarding safety. In the event of inclement weather, students are expected to adhere to the inclement weather policies of the affiliating clinical site; therefore, unless the clinic is closed, the student is expected to make reasonable effort to attend. Students on full-time clinical assignment will NOT follow the inclement weather closings by the university but rather the facility they are working at during the rotation.
Students participating in on-site or off-site clinical experiences scheduled as part of other didactic coursework during the 1st year of study will follow the inclement weather closings by
the university. Holidays
Students on full-time clinical assignment are expected to follow the holiday policy of the affiliating clinical site, not the university, when in the clinical setting.
25 Dress Code for Clinical Rotations
All students must adhere to a uniform dress code when attending clinical rotations. Unacceptable dress or appearance could lead to course failure. If the facility does not have a specific dress code, students should adhere to the PA Program dress code:
1. Men will wear khaki, navy or dark pants and designated short white lab coats with name tag, a button-down shirt tucked into the slacks.
2. Women will wear khaki, navy or dark pants with a choice of regular or elastic waist, a blouse tucked into slacks, and designated short white lab coat with name tag.
3. Shoes must have no more than a one-inch heel, be closed toed and heeled, be clean, and have non-skid soles. Tie-up shoes must be tied.
4. A Trine University nametag must be worn at all times identifying the student as a “Physician Assistant Student”.
5. No jewelry other than watches, small earrings, and wedding bands. No visible body piercing, except for the ears, is allowed.
6. No colognes, perfumes or heavily scented hair /body care products. 7. No hats.
8. Clothing must always be neat and clean.
9. Hair must be a naturally occurring color, clean and worn in a neat arrangement in accordance with the policy of each clinical facility.
10. Nails should be clean and cut no longer than the tips of the fingers. Artificial nails are not allowed if they interfere with normal dexterity and the student’s ability to perform the necessary tasks at the clinical site.
11. No gum chewing or smoking is permitted in any clinical setting.
Failure to comply with the above attire and identification criteria may result in probation for the remainder of the clinical rotation.
Evaluation for Clinical Education
Evaluation refers not only to evaluating the student’s skills, but also refers to evaluation of the curriculum, the faculty, and the clinical facility. All aspects of the evaluative process should include student input.
Full-time Clinical Experiences
Students will be evaluated at the conclusion of the rotation by the Clinical Faculty. The student will be required to take an end of rotation exam for each required rotation using the on-line tool from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), PAEA End of RotationTM exam (EOR). Other evaluation details are on found on the clinical course syllabi.
Requirement for Clinical Rotations
The student must submit to the site required up-to-date health information along with verification of health insurance, immunizations, background check, OSHA training, HIPAA training, CPR certification, and any additional information that the site is requesting.
Certificate of Liability Insurance
All students are provided professional liability insurance through Trine University. Professional liability insurance covers their activities as a physician assistant student in the classroom, laboratory educational experiences and clinical education experiences. A student’s professional
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liability insurance does not cover the student in activities outside the domain of the Physician Assistant Program (e.g. while employed as a CNA aide, orderly etc.) or during any
unsupervised practice. Proof of professional liability insurance by clinical sites is available upon request to the CC.
Learning Resources
LibraryA collection of current texts, journals, periodicals and reference materials applicable and related to the curriculum and the continued professional growth of the physician assistant is housed in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) and is available for student use. Various texts are kept on reserve at the LRC for on premise use only. Inter library exchange is available via inter library loans (ILL) from the main Trine University library and will be delivered and/or returned twice a week.
Physical Assessment Laboratory (PAL)
The Physician Assistant program maintains a number of audio-visual and manual demonstrative teaching modalities. Examination rooms, models, and equipment are available to practice clinical skills in the PAL.
Internet
Internet access is available for all students. The PA program is housed in a wi-fi enabled building. All students will use their assigned Trine University email address for program emails. Trine University also has access to numerous digital web based libraries.
Inter-Professional Education (IPE)
The Trine University PA program participates in the Fort Wayne Area Inter-Professional Education Consortium. The consortium is composed of graduate level medical education institutions and represents programs with family medicine residents, medical students, physician assistant students, graduate level nursing students (nurse practitioners and masters of science in nursing), physical therapy students, occupational therapy students and pharmacy students. The consortium gathers 3 times a year as a collaborative effort to introduce the students to the team concept of health care, strengthen patient outcomes and add value to the community. The consortium offers the opportunity for a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care and problem solving. It provides the students with the foundation to develop a healthy team approach to patient care. It also allows the faculty from different institutions the opportunity to collaborate.
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ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Trine University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status or age in the administration of any of its educational programs,
admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs, or in employment. However, students are informed that the process of becoming a Physician Assistant requires the completion of a graduate education program which is
intellectually, as well as, physically challenging and rigorous, that the candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner, and that reasonable accommodation does not mean that students with disabilities are exempt from certain tasks. An outline of the tasks, skills and abilities necessary to enter and complete this program can be found in the Technical
Standards (page 35). There are no advanced placement credit awarded in the Physical Assistant graduate program.
PA Professional Program
Graduate admission requirements for Trine University Physician Assistant Program include: Evidence that a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution will be completed
prior to entry into the program. The degree does not have to be in a science major but the applicant must have successfully completed all required prerequisite coursework.
Prerequisite course work may include with rigorous curricular expectations - minimum GPA of 3.0, with no individual course grade lower than a “C” taken at a regionally accredited US college or university from the courses that follow:
o 2 semesters of general biology with lab
o 2 semesters of general chemistry with lab
o 2 semesters of combined human anatomy and physiology with lab
o 1 semester of organic chemistry
o 1 semester of biochemistry
o 1 semester of microbiology with lab
o 1 semester in psychology
o 1 semester in statistics
o 1 course in medical terminology
(Up to 8 hours of the above prerequisite courses can be AP or dual enrollment credit with minimum score of 4.)
Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better with no single individual course grade lower than “C”.
Competitive applicants will usually apply with more than the minimum requirements. Complete the CASPA application online
o At least one of the letters of recommendation/evaluation must be from a practicing Physician Assistant.
If enrolling from a non-regionally accredited institution, students must have an accumulative GRE minimum test score of 300.
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Patient contact experience is not required, but is highly recommended, particularly to demonstrate a discernment process to enter the PA profession.
All applicants must meet the Technical Standards (page 35). All applicants must be a US citizen or legal resident.
Submit complete official transcripts from all necessary schools to Trine University after acceptance as part of the enrollment process.
Undergraduate Pre-Physician Assistant Studies Direct Admissions Track to the PA Program
The Direct Admission path allows a unique opportunity for a select Trine University
undergraduate students who excel academically and demonstrate an advanced level of maturity to guarantee admission into the PA program as part of the undergraduate admission process. This track is associated with Biology, Chemistry, Forensic Science and Biomedical
Engineer majors to guarantee their admission into the PA program the January following their graduation.
Undergraduate freshmen admission requirements for Trine University PA Direct Admission Track include:
Must meet or exceed the University admission requirements for the designated undergraduate program.
An official high school transcript with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5.
Official ACT score of at least 25 OR 1150 on the two-part SAT (Critical Reading and Mathematics sections).
Prerequisite college course taken at Trine University:
o 2 semesters of general biology with lab
o 2 semesters of general chemistry with lab
o 2 semesters of combined human anatomy and physiology with lab
o 1 semester of organic chemistry
o 1 semester of biochemistry
o 1 semester of microbiology with lab
o 1 semester in psychology
o 1 semester in statistics
o 1 course in medical terminology
(Up to 8 hours of the above prerequisite courses can be AP or dual enrollment credit with minimum score of 4.)
Applicants must experience a discernment process within the health care world such as formal documentation of shadowing a physician assistant or formal or informal health care experience.
All applicants must meet the technical standards. Progression Criteria for Direct Admissions Track:
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o There is a one-time, one semester Academic Probation period to enable a student to bring their GPA back up to 3.5 before being dismissed from the Direct
Admissions Track.
o Students may still apply for admission to the Trine University PA program through the competitive CASPA application process.
Demonstration of ongoing professional behaviors in accordance with expectations of all Trine University students.
Meet criteria of graduate program admissions including the ability to meet technical
standards, achievement of bachelor’s degree and the completion of a CASPA application to indicate formal intent of enrollment.
***Undergraduate financial aid does not extend into the PA Professional Program and will, therefore, be discontinued in January, at the beginning of the graduate level education***
The President of Trine University reserves the right to have executive authority over any admission decisions.
Conditional Admission
An applicant who has not earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in an undergraduate degree program may be considered for a conditional admission review. The following materials must be submitted:
1. Completion and clearance of the CASPA application materials to Trine University.
2. At least one CASPA letter of recommendation should be from a professional colleague who can address the applicant’s situation and current potential for success.
3. Submit the following to PACA@trine.edu: 3a. A petition letter
3b. A 2-3 page narrative describing the challenges or extenuating circumstances that led to the applicant earning less than 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work. Include a
description of specific strategies he/she will use to ensure academic progress within the Physician Assistant graduate degree program.
3c. An applicant may want to include course syllabi and course descriptions as an appendix to his/her petition.
3d. A curriculum vita or resume indicating positions held that demonstrate task commitment, knowledge and skill relevant to the applicable course of Physician Assistant study.
During the admissions cycle, after receipt of all the materials, the application will be reviewed by the PA Program Director and/or PA Program admission committee to be considered in the competitive admissions process. A recommendation may be made to the School of Health Sciences dean for conditional admission. A student admitted conditionally will become a graduate student in good standing upon completion of the first semester PA courses maintaining a B or better in each course. A conditional graduate student not garnering a grade of B or better in each of his/her first semester PA courses will be dismissed.
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Transfer of Credits
The PA program at Trine University does not accept transfer students into the Direct Admission or Professional Phase. Transfer credit from another PA program is not accepted and the applicant must submit as a new applicant.
The Physician Assistant Program does not permit credit by examination. Although 8 hours of advanced placement (AP) credit is accepted to enter the Direct Admit path, AP credit is not accepted for any coursework in the professional phase of the PA program.
Required Documentation
Prior to matriculation, the following documents must be submitted to the program director: 1. Current health insurance –required before didactic and clinical phase
2. Pass the criminal background check – before the didactic and clinical phase 3. Immunization records including required vaccinations and/or relevant titers
4. A statement of medical clearance signed by the HCP.
5. Results of TB test– required before didactic and clinical phase
6. Results of substance abuse test – required before didactic and clinical phase The student is financially responsible for obtaining the above mentioned testing, screening and documentation prior to beginning the program. If the documentation is not received 1 month prior to the first day of class, the applicant may be dis-enrolled and lose their position in the program.
Payment of Educational Costs
Payment of tuition and fees is due at the Business Office on the date indicated on the student’s bill. Students with outstanding financial obligations to the University will not be permitted to register for any subsequent semester or receive a transcript or diploma until the obligation is fulfilled. Students maintaining a balance owed to the University will be assessed late fees and will be responsible for collection and/or attorney costs if such efforts should become necessary.
