Department Contact:
Chair: Melissa Kagarise, DHSc, MMS, PA-C
Accreditation Statement:
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Physician Assistant program sponsored by Saint Francis University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. ARC-PA may be contacted at 12000 Findley Road, Suite 150, Johns Creek, GA 30097; (770)476-1224; www.arc-pa.org.
Program Description:
The Master of Physician Assistant Science (M.P.A.S.) program at Saint Francis University is designed to prepare students for a rewarding career as a Physician Assistant (PA). Fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the program is renowned for its strong emphasis on clinical competence, professionalism, and compassionate care.
The program comprises a year of didactic study followed by a year of clinical experiences. The didactic year prepares students through a comprehensive curriculum that includes medicine modules focusing on diagnosis and treatment of disease across all organ systems. Students gain knowledge in anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, disease treatment, prevention and health maintenance, while developing skills in history taking, physical examinations, diagnostic studies, clinical skills and interventions. The clinical year consists of nine 5-week rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, surgery, behavioral medicine, and elective rotations, offering students extensive hands-on experience.
The program emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and patient education, ensuring graduates are adept at addressing the complexities of modern healthcare. The program’s focus on ethical practice and community service aligns with the university’s mission to cultivate healthcare professionals dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes and advancing the medical field.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Medical Knowledge
Goal Statement: Graduates will possess comprehensive medical knowledge to provide competent and comprehensive health care.
Learning Outcomes:
•Graduates will accurately diagnose and manage common medical conditions using evidence-based practices.
•Graduates will apply biomedical and clinical sciences knowledge to patient care through investigatory and analytic thinking.
2. Clinical Competence
Goal Statement: Graduates will provide ethical, compassionate, and collaborative clinical care across diverse populations.
Learning Outcomes:
•Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in performing clinical procedures and technical skills necessary for patient care.
•Graduates will exhibit strong clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities to deliver equitable and efficient patient-centered care.
3. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Goal Statement: Graduates will possess interpersonal and communication skills for effective information exchange with patients, families, physicians, and other health professionals.
Learning Outcomes:
•Graduates will effectively communicate with patients and their families to ensure understanding and compliance with treatment plans.
•Graduates will collaborate with healthcare teams using clear and concise verbal, nonverbal, and written communication.
4. Professionalism
Goal Statement: Graduates will demonstrate appropriate academic and professional skills, attributes, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to function as physician assistants.
Learning Outcomes:
•Graduates will adhere to professional standards in all aspects of patient care and professional interactions.
•Graduates will understand health policies and delivery systems to lead and address community and professional challenges, providing service in line with the Franciscan tradition.
Estimated Completion Time:
BS to MPAS Accelerated Program: Typically, four years of full-time study to complete the B.S. in Health Sciences, plus one additional year of full-time study to complete the Master of Physician Assistant Sciences degree
MPAS only: Typically, two years of full-time study to complete the Master of Physician Assistant Sciences degree
Admission Requirements:
Graduate Admission requirements
Applicants for Graduate Admission are required apply through CASPA by August 1.
- Completed Bachelor’s degree prior to program matriculation
- Minimum overall QPA of 3.2
- Foreign graduates must provide credit evaluation(s) from an international credential evaluation agency (i.e., SpanTran of a NACES member-institution).
- Pre-requisite course requirements:
- Chemistry - 2 courses with labs *
- Human Anatomy & Physiology - 2 courses with labs *
- Microbiology - 1 course with lab *
- Medical Terminology - 1 course *
- Psychology - 1 course
- Statistics or Upper-Level Math - 1 course
*Preference given to applicants with combined GPA calculation of 3.0 or higher in these courses
*Preference given to applicants with GPA of 2.67 or higher for the 8 credits of Anatomy and Physiology
- 100 hours of non-paid health care experience, at least 40 hours of which must be shadowing a physician assistant in clinical practice. Demonstrated health care experience must be outside of earned academic credit.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Regardless of citizenship, international applicants - as well as immigrants to the U.S. and U.S. permanent residents - whose native language is not English, are required to submit current TOEFL scores. Please note however that students who have received a baccalaureate degree in the United States are exempt from this requirement. Applicants required to take a language proficiency exam must have a minimum of one of the following:
- IELTS score of 7.0
- TOEFL scores of 102 on iBT or 607 on PBT
Admission Deadline:
To be considered for admission to the next academic year cohort, an applicant must complete the Centralized Application Process through CASPA between April 24 and August 1 in the year prior to anticipated start. Interviews are conducted in October and November.
Technical Standards or Essential Functions:
Saint Francis University is committed to the principle that no qualified individual, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits or services, programs or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination by the University as required by the Americans with Disability Act. A copy of the technical standards for admission into the Physician Assistant Sciences program is available in the office of the program director or on the department’s website. The Physician Assistant Sciences program adheres to the policies for academic accommodation as determined by the Center for Academic Success. The Center’s Office of Disability Services assists eligible students in receiving basic services as determined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act. Every effort is made to arrange appropriate academic accommodations for students who experience physical or mental disabilities. Students are required to provide appropriate documentation to the accessibility coordinator upon request of the accommodation.
Progression and/or Retention Criteria:
Didactic Year:
During the didactic year, the student must meet the following academic requirements to maintain good academic standing and progress as a Physician Assistant student:
- Obtain a minimum 2.75 cumulative Q.P.A. in the didactic phase course work by the end of the spring semester
- Complete each letter-graded Physician Assistant course with a minimum grade of “C”
- Complete each pass/fail Physician Assistant course with a grade of “P.”
Clinical Year:
During the clinical year, the student must meet the following academic requirements to maintain good academic standing prior to graduation:
- Maintain a minimum 2.75 cumulative combined didactic and clinical phase Q.P.A. at the end of the summer, fall and spring semesters
- Complete each letter-graded Physician Assistant course, including all clinical rotations, with a minimum grade of “C.”
Graduation Requirements:
A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete degree and course requirements for the program;
- Meet all progression standards for the program;
- Successful completion of a summative evaluation and a Master’s capstone;
- Achieve a cumulative didactic and clinical grade point average of 2.75 or better;
- Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and
- Satisfy financial obligations to the University.
Other information to include, related to this program:
- Students are responsible for costs associated with the completion, documentation and submission of all required health information including physical examination, labs, immunizations and titers as per CDC recommendations to participate in clinical experiences for both the didactic and clinical years.
- Criminal background checks, child abuse clearance and fingerprinting are required for didactic and clinical years, paid by the student.
- Students are required to provide their own transportation to clinical experiences during didactic and clinical year.
- Students are required to secure their own housing for clinical rotations.
Professional Licensure and/or Certification:
Graduates of the MPAS program are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be a certified physician assistant eligible to practice in the United States. Physician assistants are required to be licensed by the state in which they practice in. While, national certification is required for state licensure, each state has its own requirements for licensing.