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2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

CIP Code

51.0912

Sacred Heart University’s College of Health Professions offers a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree as a full-time, 27-month, 123-credit program.

The MSPAS program will prepare individuals to practice medicine in collaboration with a licensed physician as part of a medical team, in compliance with the PA profession competencies described and accepted by the profession. For more information on the PA profession competencies, visit the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) website.

The SHU MSPAS program is designed to prepare future professionals to work as generalist PAs. MSPAS graduates will be educated to provide compassionate, respectful, high-quality healthcare, and have proficiency in the competencies as described by the PA profession competencies. After successfully passing the PA National Certification Exam, graduates of the SHU MSPAS program will qualify to work in any of the fifty states as a certified PA (PA-C). The PA-C must then apply for and obtain state licensure in the state(s) they wish to work.

 

Accreditation Status

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Sacred Heart University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by the Sacred Heart University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2031. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the www.arc-pa.org

Disclosure, Certification, Licensure

In order to obtain a license to practice medicine as a Physician Assistant, all PA’s must graduate from an accredited PA program and pass the PA National Certification Examination (PANCE).

Students graduating from Sacred Heart University’s MSPAS program are eligible for state licensure in all 50 states and U.S. territories. PA’s who practice in Connecticut are required to obtain licensure from the CT State Department of Health.

For information on CT PA licensure, visit the CT DPH PA Licensure. For information on requirements in other states, please visit the following link: https://www.sacredheart.edu/about-shu/consumer-information/state-authorization-disclosures-student-complaints/.  Information on licensure requirements in other states. 

PA’s who practice in Connecticut are required to obtain licensure from the CT State Department of Health. For information on CT PA licensure, visit the CT DPH PA Licensure. For information on requirements in other states, please visit the following link: Information on licensure requirements in other states. 

Program Mission

Our mission is to provide students with engaging experiences that facilitate lifelong learning, enhance diverse perspectives, emphasize primary care and collaborative practice, and foster a spirit of service with a commitment to continuously improve the health of our communities.

To achieve our mission, we are committed to the following core values:

Excellence
Our program is dedicated to promoting critical thinking, evidence-based practice, integrity, and professionalism as hallmarks of the PA profession. We foster in our students a desire to contribute to the growth of medical knowledge and continuous advancement of PA practice, integrating quality improvement and patient safety, and to become leaders in our profession and communities.

Diversity
Our program is committed to diversity and global awareness. We are dedicated to advocating inclusion and to appreciating and embracing the diversity of the human community.

Compassion
We value the dignity of those we teach, work with, and the communities we serve. We recognize that caring must be the foundation of our professional and personal interactions, and believe that each person deserves health, wellness, equity, and respect.

Program Goals & Objectives

To work toward achieving our mission, our program goals are to:

  • Graduate PA students to work in Primary Care Medicine, with a benchmark of 20% of each cohort employed in a primary care setting after graduation
  • Emphasize the responsibility of service for the betterment of the community through completion of service-learning experiences by ensuring 100% of students are compliant with required volunteer hours
  • Encourage professional involvement, leadership, and service with a target of 15% of students serving in leadership roles in local, state and national PA organizations
  • Expand recruitment efforts to target qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds
  • Maintain first-time PANCE pass rate at or above the national average

What Makes Our Program Unique

  • Join a university rich in the tradition of service, learning, and commitment to community service
  • Learn alongside world-class physicians and clinicians in preeminent medical facilities in a variety of clinical settings
  • New classroom facilities that include a patient-assessment and simulation suite
  • Interprofessional educational experiences with students in other SHU College of Health Professions programs
  • Faculty involvement in national PA organizations
  • Student-centered learning environment
  • Innovative curriculum that includes specific courses offered in a hybrid online/on-campus format
  • First-year clinical integration experiences
  • Primary-care, patient-centered focus
  • Small class size
  • Located in Stamford, a culturally diverse community in southwest Connecticut, within 40 miles of New York City

Admissions Requirements

In recognition of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the MSPAS program has updated it’s admission requirements to accept prerequisite courses and labs completed online starting with the Spring 2020 academic year through Fall of 2021 admissions cycle.  All admission interviews for qualified candidates will be held virtually for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle.

Sacred Heart University (SHU) Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies seeks students who are mature, possess excellent communication skills, are team-oriented, and demonstrate both intellectual capacity and integrity.

The SHU Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program employs a holistic admissions process. This process balances an applicant’s cognitive skills, such as GPA, with non-cognitive variables including but not limited to commitment to service, cultural sensitivity, empathy, capacity for growth, emotional resilience, strength of character, and interpersonal skills. This approach encourages diversity and the equitable evaluation of well-rounded applicants.

Witzburg, R. A., & Sondheimer, H. M. (2013). Holistic review: Shaping the medical profession one applicant at a time. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(17), 1565-1567.

To apply, all applicants must use the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). CASPA opens on April 28, 2022. All prerequisites and requirements must be complete at the time of submission to CASPA. Any additional information, clinical hours, or prerequisites will not be considered after application is submitted. The deadline to apply to the SHU MPAS Program is September 1st, 2022.

All applicants, including graduates from foreign institutions, must hold either U.S. citizenship or permanent residence status at the time of application. Applicants with pending citizenship or temporary residency will not be considered.

Degree Prerequisites

An earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent institution as determined by Sacred Heart University, must be conferred at the time of application submission to CASPA.

Applicants educated outside the U.S. must utilize a transcript evaluation service to verify their degree and course work.  The academic record must show credits and grades equivalent to those given by U.S. institutions of higher learning.

Test Scores

  • Scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) are NOT required for admission to the SHU MPAS Program.
  • Applicants who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution in the U.S. must also submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) regardless of the official language of the country in which the education took place, or the predominant language of the degree-granting institution.

Minimum TOEFL scores accepted are:

  • Reading 24/30
  • Listening 24/30
  • Speaking 28/30
  • Writing 26/30

Coursework Prerequisites 

The following courses must be completed at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, with a grade of "C" or better. We do not accept pass/fail courses. There is no time expiration for these prerequisites.  All courses must be completed at the time of application submission to CASPA.

  • Biological Science courses*, which must include:
  • Microbiology with lab (4 credits)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (4 credits)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (4 credits)
  • Any upper-level human biological science course with or without lab (3-4 credits)
  • Examples of acceptable coursework include:
    • Cell Biology, Human Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, and Pathology
    • General Biology/Biology I or II is NOT an acceptable course for the upper division biological science requirement.
One course of each of the following:
  • Organic Chemistry I with lab (4 credits) and Organic Chemistry II with lab (4 credits); or Biochemistry with lab (4 credits) - Biochemistry preferred
  • Statistics (Biostatistics preferred)
  • General Psychology

Advanced Placement® (AP) credits will be accepted for Psychology and Statistics

Highly recommended, but not required courses:

  • Human Genetics
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Biostatistics
  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Medical Terminology

SHU MSPAS Program is unable to accept transfer credits and does not accept applications for challenge examinations. We do not accept previous experience or medical training for advanced placement in the SHU MPAS program. All students are expected to complete all didactic and clinical elements of the SHU MPAS program.

*SHU MSPAS Program accepts prerequisite lecture courses and labs completed online starting with any online courses taken in the Spring 2020 through Fall 2021 for the current 2022-2023 admissions cycle. However, course and labs completed in a classroom setting are preferred.

Minimum Requirements 

  • Overall GPA of 3.0 
  • All Prerequisite courses: Cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • A minimum of 1,000 hours of verifiable, paid, direct patient care experience in the U.S. Healthcare system. Healthcare experience will be evaluated based on the type of work and level of patient interaction.

Examples of paid, direct patient care experiences include but is not limited to:

  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
  • Emergency Department Technician
  •  Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
  • Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN)
  • Medical Assistant (MA) – Does not include administrative/clerical work
  • Medical/ER Scribe
  • Military Medic or Corpsman
  • Ophthalmic technician
  • Paramedic 
  • Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
  • Radiological Technician
  • Physical Therapy Aide
  • Registered Nurse
  • Respiratory Therapist 

Due to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the MSPAS program will accept Telehealth experience. Although accepted, this type of experience cannot be more than half of the minimally required clinical hours (no more than 500 hours). Direct patient care experience is preferred.

Highly competitive applicants will also possess the following:

  • Participation in community service or volunteer work
  • Greater than 1,000 hours of paid, direct patient care experience completed in the U.S. healthcare system
  • Overall science GPA of 3.3 or greater
  • Prerequisite courses completed within the past 10 years
  • Completed 80 hours or more of college-level science course credit hours

Additional consideration will be given to applicants with current Connecticut resident status or applicants with verifiable military service. SHU participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Applicants with an earned bachelor's or master’s degree from Sacred Heart University or a current employee of Stamford Hospital or Stamford Health Medical Group who meet all minimum requirements and Technical Standards will be granted an in-person interview.

Additional requirements: 

  • Application through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
  • Three letters of reference, including at least one letter from a work supervisor. 
  • Personal Statement (on CASPA)
  • Official College Transcripts (sent to CASPA)
  • Supplemental SHU Essay Questions completion (on CASPA)
  • Successful interview, by invitation only.
  • Must meet all SHU MPAS Program Technical Standards requirements. 
  • Completion of criminal background check is required prior to starting the PA program.
  • Completion of required SHU MPAS Health & Immunization clearance.
  • If selected to join SHU's PA Program, a candidate is required to provide proof of paid patient care hours to Graduate Admissions.

Master's Capstone Project

The Master’s Capstone Project (MCP) will be completed during the clinical phase of the SHU PA program; successful completion is required for graduation and conferment of the Masters’ Degree.  The MCP refers to a manuscript that reports on original research, with the general expectation that the finished product is of publishable quality, meets professional standards, and is useful to some external audience. This course builds on first year courses (Evidence-Based Practice, Healthcare Delivery, and Population Health and Wellness) and is designed for the PA student to complete a Master’s Capstone Project (MCP) under the guidance of the DORA and approved external advisor. Students will work in teams of two (when available) to complete the MCP. There are four MCP tracks: Clinical, Global Health, Community Outreach, and PA Education. Each student must choose one of these tracts to complete their MCP; generally, any topic that is appropriate for the MCP will fall into one of these categories. Each team will identify a scholarly question on a clinical, global health, community outreach, or PA education topic, search and analyze the literature, then develop a scholarly paper of publishable quality in a peer-reviewed journal (i.e. JAAPA, Clinical Review, PA Professional, Journal of PA Education, etc.). Each MCP project will also encompass a complementary presentation and may require an additional Capstone Deliverable: Clinical track – scholarly poster, Global Health – scholarly poster, Community Outreach – scholarly poster & community service learning project, PA Education – scholarly poster & presentation/lecture. 

Teams will be required to complete each component of their MCP according to the time line outlined in this handbook.  Teams will be expected to complete components of the MCP sequentially within their assigned Capstone Block.  

Interview and Acceptance Process

We review each application individually on its own merit and admission decisions are based on the evaluation of an applicant's academic record, personal statements, previous healthcare/direct patient care experience, service, attributes, and a formal interview. Only completed applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee and only applicants formally interviewed will be considered for admission. Highly qualified candidates will be contacted through CASPA and invited for an interview. Interviews are conducted during the Fall following the start of each admissions cycle. We begin offering admission to qualified candidates throughout the Fall interview process with all admission decisions made by December following completion of the interview process.

Enrollment Fee

Upon acceptance to the Program, the applicant is required to remit $1,000 to secure his/her place in the incoming class. This fee is non-refundable. However, this fee is applied to the student’s tuition and is not in addition to the tuition due.

Immunization Requirements

The SHU PA Program requires COVID-19 vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination. Additional vaccination requirements can be found in the MSPAS Policy and Procedure Manual. Students must upload their proof of vaccination to their SHU health portal.  Any student applying for an exemption must submit their requests into the SHU health portal by published deadlines.

Background 

Successful completion of the MSPAS program includes satisfactory completion of the clinical education component of the curriculum. The majority of clinical sites now require students to complete a criminal background check prior to participating in clinical education placements. Some facilities may also require fingerprinting and/or drug screening. State licensure laws may also restrict or prohibit those with criminal convictions from obtaining a professional license to practice following graduation. Thus, students with criminal convictions or backgrounds may not be able to obtain required clinical education experience(s) thereby failing to meet the academic standards of the Program.

It is therefore the policy of PA Program that all admitted students enrolled in the MSPAS Program must consent, submit to, and satisfactorily complete a criminal background check and drug screen as a condition of matriculation. Matriculation will not be final until the completion of the criminal background check with results deemed acceptable to the Program Director or MSPAS Director of Clinical Education.

All expenses associated with the criminal background check and drug screen are the responsibility of the student. Students who do not consent to the required background check, refuse to provide information necessary to conduct the background check, or provide false or misleading information in regards to the background check will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including refusal of matriculation or dismissal from the program.

Criminal background information is strictly confidential, for use only by authorized MSPAS Program faculty and/or administrative staff, and shall be retained only until the student graduates or is dismissed from the program.

Technical Standards

A Physician Assistant (PA) must have the knowledge and skill to practice in a variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of care based on the patient’s needs. In addition to academic achievements, exam results, and recommendations, physician assistant students must possess the physical, emotional, and behavioral capabilities requisite for the practice of medicine as a PA. In order to successfully complete the PA clinical training program, candidates and students must demonstrate proficiency in academic and clinical activities with regard to the competencies described below.

Observation

Candidates and PA students must have sufficient sensory capacity to observe in the classroom, the laboratory, the outpatient setting, and at the patient’s bedside. The sensory skills required to perform an adequate physical examination include functional vision, hearing, smell, and tactile sensation. All of these senses must be adequate to observe a patient’s condition and to accurately elicit information through procedures regularly required in a physical examination, such as inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation.

Communication

Candidates and PA students must be able to:

  • Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and others in both academic and healthcare settings.
  • Speak clearly.
  • Communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written English with faculty, staff, patients, and all members of the health care team. Communication includes not only clear speech, but also reading and writing skills.
  • Demonstrate reading skills at a level sufficient to accomplish curricular requirements, provide clinical care for patients, and complete appropriate medical records, documents, and plans according to protocol in a thorough and timely manner.
  • Perceive and describe changes in mood, posture, activity, and interpret non-verbal communication signs.

Motor Coordination and Function

Candidates and PA students are required to possess motor skills sufficient to directly perform palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other basic diagnostic procedures. Additionally, they must possess the ability to execute the motor movements reasonably required to provide basic medical care and emergency care to patients, including but not limited to:

  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Administration of intravenous medication
  • Application of pressure to stop hemorrhage
  • Opening of obstructed airways
  • Suturing of simple wounds
  • Performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers
  • Negotiate patient care environments and must be able to move between settings, such as clinic, classroom, laboratory, and hospital
  • Maintain sufficient physical stamina to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study which include long periods of sitting, standing, or moving in classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities

These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of physician assistants, requires all of these intellectual abilities. Candidates and PA students must be able to:

  • Measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize. Problem solving, one of the critical skills demanded of physician assistants requires all of these intellectual abilities.
  • Interpret dimensional relationships, and understand the spatial relationships of anatomical structures
  • Search, read, and interpret medical literature

The ability to incorporate new information from peers, faculty, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans is essential. To complete the Physician Assistant Program, candidates must be able to demonstrate proficiency of these skills and the ability to use them together in a timely fashion in medical problem-solving and patient care.

Behavioral and Social Attributes

Compassion, integrity, ethical standards, concern for others, interpersonal skills, and motivation are all personal qualities important to providing compassionate and quality patient care.

Leave of Absence Policy

Leave of Absence (LOA) is a student-requested withdrawal from all Program activities for a specific and defined period of time.  The Program Director and the PPC, through the process described below, may grant a LOA.  Students should note that the Program is not obligated to honor a request for LOA when it is determined by the Program that the leave is educationally unsound.  By definition, LOA is withdrawal from all Program activities.  Student activities cannot be scheduled for the student during the leave, nor may the student present themselves as a SHU Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program student during the leave of absence.

During the didactic year: The Program Director may grant a Leave of Absence (LOA) in the event of unexpected illness, injury or other extenuating circumstances.

During the clinical phase: Refer to the MSPAS Student Clinical Policy and Procedure Manual for requesting a LOA during the clinical phase of the program.  

Unexpected absences due to illness, injury, or other extenuating circumstances:

The Program Director may grant a Leave of Absence (LOA) in the event of unexpected illness, injury, or other extenuating circumstances through the process described below.  During the didactic year, students with unexpected absences who miss one consecutive calendar week must request in writing with supporting documentation a leave of absence from all program activities. This is due to the robust, lock-step educational curriculum.  Students should note that the Program is not obligated to honor a request for LOA.  To be considered for a LOA, students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing.  Leave of absence will not be considered for academic or professionalism concerns.

Neither student activities can be scheduled for the student during the leave, nor can the student present themselves as a SHU Master of Science Physician Assistant Studies Program student during the leave of absence.

Students who are granted a LOA, which is at the discretion of the Program Director and is dependent on availability, must rematriculate before they are eligible to enroll for classes.  Students must return to the program no later than within 24 months from the start of the leave.  Any completed courses must be retaken to ensure the student is proficient and current in course content, which will incur additional tuition and costs to complete the program (no auditing of courses is allowed). 

Sacred Heart University Dismissal Policy/Academic Appeals
Please refer to the MSPAS Program Student Policy and Procedure Manual for criteria for dismissal. Please also refer to the section of the SHU Graduate Catalog for the protocol on appealing a grade, and for the grievance and appeals policies.

For updated program information, please visit our website at Sacred Heart Physician Assistant Program.

 

Candidates and PA students must:

  • Possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the completion of all academic and patient care responsibilities.
  • Develop mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients, faculty and other members of the health care team.
  • Function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical practice and adapt to changing environments.
  • Possess flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation, interpersonal skills, and concern for others.

Individuals with disabilities (as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act) may be qualified for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program with the use of reasonable accommodations. Upon enrollment, a student requesting accommodations will be required to provide documentation in the form of testing and/or medical opinions to the University Jandrisevits Learning Center Office of Student Accessibility (OSA).

If a student submits documentation that is incomplete or the submitted documentation does not adequately determine if a student has a disability or qualifies for the accommodations being requested, the Office of Student Accessibility (OSA) reserves the right to request additional documentation. All information shared with the Office of Student Accessibility is confidential.

To be qualified for enrollment in the SHU MPAS program, candidates must be able to meet both our Academic Standards and Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodation. Accommodation is viewed as a means of assisting students with disabilities to meet essential standards by providing them with an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of each course or clinical experience. (Reasonable accommodation is not intended to guarantee that students will be successful in meeting the requirements of any one course or clinical education.)

The Use of Auxiliary Aids and Intermediaries

Qualified students with documented disabilities, who are provided with reasonable accommodations, may use an intermediary or an auxiliary aid. Such reasonable accommodations should be designed to help the student meet learning outcomes without eliminating essential program elements or fundamentally altering the MPAS curriculum. No disability can be reasonably accommodated with an intermediary that provides cognitive support or substitutes for essential clinical skills, or supplements clinical and ethical judgment. Thus, accommodations cannot eliminate essential program elements or fundamentally alter the MPAS curriculum.

Degree Requirements

The program is full-time consisting of seven academic trimesters. Coursework during the academic trimesters is completed with full-time classes. Classes are scheduled during the day and/or evening. The supervised clinical rotations are full-time with the hours determined by the clinical site. The full-time program sequence is completed in 27 months including summers. Successful completion of all coursework, clinical rotations, and the Capstone Project are required for graduation.

Student Work Policy

Students are discouraged from working while in the PA Studies program due to the robust nature of the PA program. In the event a student chooses to work, they are not permitted to miss or reschedule lectures, lab sessions, journal clubs, seminar sessions, or any part of their didactic or clinical educational requirements. The program has the right to recommend termination of employment based on academics that fall below the minimum University and program requirements. Additionally, PA students are not permitted to be employed by or perform clerical or administrative tasks for the PA Program.

Curriculum

The Sacred Heart University PA Program is a 27-month program that has a 12-consecutive month didactic phase, and a 15-month clinical phase which includes a Masters’ Capstone Project.

Clinical rotations are ten 5-week clinical rotations, providing approximately 2,000 hours of hands-on clinical experience. Clinical rotations include supervised experiences in Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Mental Health, Family Medicine, Primary Care, and Emergency Medicine. There is also one elective rotation in which the student chooses the area of medicine for this rotation. Most clinical rotation sites are located in the tri-state area surrounding Connecticut.

Students must complete all aspects of the curriculum to complete the program. Students are required to successfully complete the entire program in order to qualify to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). For more information on becoming certified, go to the NCCPA website. Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. The students may make suggestions to the Director of Clinical Education, Clinical Coordinator, or principal faculty regarding potential or requested preceptors and/or clinical sites, but are not required to do so. The MSPAS program verifies all clinical sites for educational suitability and arranges all Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) for students.

Integrated Curriculum Based on Body System Modules

Curriculum integration is used throughout the program to bridge the gaps between subject areas in order to provide students with better learning opportunities that will facilitate the development of knowledge that is relevant and meaningful to clinical practice. The curriculum is based on body systems and follows a systematic, step-wise approach to build on the depth and breadth of knowledge.

For updated program information, please visit our website at Sacred Heart University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies.