ADMISSIONS - Program Policies
Technical
Standards
The Augsburg College Department of Physician Assistant Studies is pledged to
the admission and matriculation of all qualified students and prohibit unlawful
discrimination against anyone on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, status without regard to public
assistance or disability.
Regarding disabled individuals, the PA department is committed to provide reasonable accommodations and will not discriminate against individuals who are qualified, but will expect all applicants and students to meet certain minimal technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodations.
The physician assistant must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situation and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. They must be able to integrate all information received by whatever sense(s) employed, consistently, quickly, and accurately, and they must have the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze and synthesize data.
Candidates for physician assistant certification offered by this department must have, with or without reasonable accommodation, multiple abilities and skills including: visual, oral-auditory, motor, cognitive, behavioral/social. Candidates for admission and progression must be able to perform these abilities and skills in a reasonably independent manner.
* Visual: Candidates must be able to observe and participate in experiments in the basic sciences. In order to make proper clinical decisions, candidates must be able to observe a patient accurately. Candidates must be able to acquire information from written documents, films, slides or videos. Candidates must also be able to interpret X-ray and other graphic images, and digital or analog representations of physiologic phenomena, such as EKG’s with or without the use of assistive devices. Thus, functional use of vision is necessary.
* Oral-Auditory: Candidates must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients. Candidates must also be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with other members of the health care team. In emergency situations, candidates must be able to understand and convey information essential for the safe and effective care of patients in a clear, unambiguous and rapid fashion. In addition, candidates must have the ability to relate information to and receive information from patients in a caring and confidential manner.
* Motor: Candidates must possess the motor skills necessary to perform palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other diagnostic maneuvers. Candidates must be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general and emergency medical care such as airway management, placement of intravenous catheters, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and application of pressure to control bleeding. These skills require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and integrated use of the senses of touch and vision.
* Cognitive: In order to effectively solve clinical problems, candidates must be able to measure, evaluate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize in a timely fashion. In addition, they must be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and to understand the special relationships of structures.
* Social: Candidates must possess the emotional health required for the full utilization of their intellectual abilities, for the exercise of good judgement, for the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and for the development of effective relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients.
* Tests and Evaluations: In order to evaluate the competence and quality of candidates, the Augsburg Physician Assistant Program employs periodic examinations as an essential component of the Physician Assistant curriculum. Successful completion of these examinations is required of all candidates as a condition for continued progress through the curriculum. Reasonable accommodation will be made in the form or manner of administration of these evaluations where necessary and possible.
* Clinical Assessments: Demonstration of clinical competence is also of fundamental importance to the career and curriculum progression of the candidates. Therefore, the process of faculty evaluation of the clinical performance of candidates is an integral and essential part of the curriculum. Although reasonable accommodation will be made, participation in clinical experiences and the evaluation of that participation is required.
Experiential Learning Policy
The Augsburg Physician Assistant program does not award academic credit
to an individual for experiential learning. Applicants desiring admission
to Augsburg's PA Program must satisfactorily complete all prerequisite
courses. Experiential learning will be considered separately from prerequisite
courses. Experiential learning prior to and during admittance to the
Augsburg PA Program will not substitute for any part of the clinical
year or preceptorship.
Employment While in the Program
Program faculty discourage outside employment while in the Physician
Assistant Program. Faculty do recognize that employment may be an issue
that some students will face. Given this recognition, realize that
program obligations will not be altered due to a student's work obligations.
It is further expected that work obligations will not interfere with
the Physician Assistant Students' learning progress or responsibilities
while in the program.
Student Health Insurance
All PA students are encouraged to obtain and maintain their own health insurance coverage throughout their enrollment in the Augsburg College PA Program. Students may be required to provide proof of health insurance upon request by individual clinical sites. Augsburg College does not offer a student health insurance plan, however, information regarding carriers who offer student rates can be found at www.augsburg.edu/cchp. All costs related to personal health care are the responsibility of the student.
Withdrawal and Readmission Policies
1. Withdrawal
Voluntary withdrawal from the Physician Assistant Program may be initiated
by a student after submission of a letter to the Program Director requesting
withdrawal. In the letter, the student should outline the circumstances
and reasons for withdrawal. Students will be requested to conduct an
exit interview with the Program Director prior to leaving the program.
All students are further advised to follow the college catalog procedure
for withdrawal from the College.
2. Readmission
Students may request readmission after voluntary withdrawal by submitting
a letter to the Program Director stating the reasons the student wishes
readmission and the anticipated date for readmission. The submission
of a letter and previous enrollment does not constitute automatic acceptance
and/or reentry into the program.Reapplication to the PA Program after
dismissal from the program will be considered only under extremely
unusual circumstances. Students who submit letters will be reviewed
by the program faculty. Any student requesting readmission will be
considered a new applicant to the program and will be required to complete
the program application process as a new applicant, and may be required
to repeat course work.
Reapplication does not guarantee readmission to the Physician Assistant Program. After careful review of the students' previous academic record and the request for readmission, a decision will be made. Students may be required to repeat selected course work or meet new requirements of the Physician Assistant Program that became effective after the student's withdrawal. A decision will also be rendered as to what program course work will be considered for credit as completed.
