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ADMISSION TO THE PA PROGRAM
Admission to the Physician Assistant
Program is competitive. Applicants are selected based on a committee’s
assessment of their ability to successfully complete the training, and
competently function in the role of the profession as defined by: the
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant,
Inc. as published in the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant
Education; the State of Pennsylvania as published in the
Medical Practice Act; and the Program. Candidates must have the physical,
emotional and intellectual attributes necessary for success in this type
of education.
Technical,
Academic, and Professional Standards
For admission to the program candidates must:
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Have the academic ability to learn a large volume of technically
detailed information, and be able to synthesize and use this data to
solve complex clinical problems. This information must be acquired in a
short and intense period of study, that requires well-developed study
skills, a high level of motivation, and may require considerable
personal and financial sacrifice.
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Possess the emotional maturity and stability
necessary to
approach highly stressful human situations in a calm and rational
manner.
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Be able to communicate effectively with ill
patients from a wide diversity of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds
in an empathetic and sensitive fashion.
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Have well-developed oral and written
communication skills.
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Be comfortable with the role of a dependent
practitioner operating under the supervision of a licensed physician,
while simultaneously feeling comfortable with the large amount of
responsibility that goes along with the delivery of patient care in
sometimes remote locations.
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Display strong ethical integrity consistent
with working as a health care professional.
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Have sufficient physical abilities in the areas
of sensory function (vision, hearing and touch sensation), hand-eye
coordination, and neurologic and muscular coordination and control to
competently perform the technical activities that are a critical part of
the program and profession, including:
a) physical examinations which include visual
inspection, listening to heart and lung sounds with a stethoscope,
examination by touch to gather information such as skin temperature
and texture, and other maneuvers.
b) performance and interpretation of diagnostic
studies such as blood tests, EKG’s, and
X-rays;
c) surgical assisting which can involve
activities such as control of bleeding and suturing (wound closure by
placing stitches); and
d) performing common procedures such as applying
casts, suturing, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR), venipuncture (placing needle into a vein to
collect a blood sample) and starting an intravenous access line.
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