Program Overview
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program prepares students to become highly skilled healthcare providers with a focus on patient-centered care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and lifelong learning. The 27-month program combines didactic and clinical components, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in various healthcare settings. Graduates have a high pass rate on the NCCPA PANCE exam and are highly regarded for their professionalism and clinical abilities.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Objectives:
- Develop critical thinking and professional problem-solving skills
- Foster an appreciation for human diversity
- Instill ethical leadership principles
- Address the need for qualified healthcare providers in surrounding communities
Program Focus:
- Patient-centered care with an interdisciplinary approach
- Impact of the U.S. Healthcare Delivery System on societal issues
- Collaborative physician/PA relationship
- Interdisciplinary nature of healthcare access and needs
- Importance of lifelong learning for PAs
Educational Philosophy:
- Provide didactic and clinical education to produce excellent clinicians
- Equip students with the ability to evaluate and utilize current health policy, medical research, cultural effects, and information technology
- Foster lifelong learning skills to prepare students for the expectations of the physician assistant profession
- Emphasize patient care, respect, and responsibility
Outline:
Content:
- Medical terminology
- Anatomy and physiology
- General biology
- General psychology
- English composition
- Elementary statistics or biostatistics
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Principles of chemistry with lab
- Organic chemistry with lab
Structure:
- 27-month program
- Didactic and clinical components
Faculty:
- Betsy Ekey, Professor, Physician Assistant Studies and Program Director
- Roger Kunes, Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies
- Kelly Dallas, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Studies
- Vanessa Worley, Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies
Unique Approaches:
- Focus on professionalism, as recognized by the medical community and clinical preceptors
- Tight-knit community and collaborative faculty and staff
- Encouragement of student questions and one-on-one interactions
Careers:
Potential Career Paths:
- Physician Assistant
Opportunities:
- Employment in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and private practices
- Collaboration with physicians in providing patient care
Outcomes:
- 96% five-year NCCPA PANCE exam pass rate for first-time takers (2016-2020)
- Average of 9.77 out of 10 for professionalism on preceptor evaluations over the past five years
- Extensive opportunities for hands-on experience outside of clinical rotations
Entry Requirements:
Degree:
A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university or college is required. Applicants with degrees from any discipline are welcome to apply to the program as long as the prerequisite coursework is completed prior to matriculation.
GPA:
The program requires an overall GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale and a cumulative GPA 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale in prerequisite coursework. Overall and science GPAs of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale are required.
Prerequisite Coursework:
The following coursework is required: | Prerequisite Course | Mount Union Course Equivalents + | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | English Composition | WRT 100 or successful completion of WOC Portfolio | | General Psychology | PSY 110S | | General Biology I and II with labs or upper-level Biology coursework | BIO 140N AND BIO 141N | | Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs † | BIO 210 BIO 211 | | Genetics | BIO 240 | | Principles of Chemistry w/lab (Inorganic Chemistry with lab) | CHE 120N | | Organic Chemistry I w/lab | CHE 231 | | Elementary statistics or Biostatistics †† | MTH 123 OR PSY 200 or 222 | | Microbiology with lab | BIO 305 | | Medical Terminology ††† All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. No grade of “C-” or lower will be accepted. All prerequisite science and math coursework must have been completed within the past 10 years. Coursework older than 10 years will be reviewed on a case by case basis for acceptance. † One semester of Human Anatomy with lab PLUS one semester of Human Physiology with lab can substitute for Anatomy and Physiology I and II. †† Elementary Statistics cannot be replaced by any other math (like calculus). ††† Medical Terminology requirement must be met via a proficiency exam given on the day of orientation. Failure of the proficiency exam will require the student to complete and pass a self-directed medical terminology course prior to matriculation.
Physician Assistant Shadowing Experience:
All applicants to the program must complete 40 hours of shadowing an NCCPA-certified physician assistant prior to application to the program. The applicant is responsible for the arrangement of the shadowing experience. Documentation verifying the shadowing experience must be submitted with the CASPA application to the program. Applicants with more than the minimum 40-hour requirement will be preferred. Download Shadowing Form. (Note: Upload to CASPA all completed shadowing forms in one file)
Supplemental Application:
Applicants no longer need to download and fill out a Supplemental Application. This information will be captured when applying via the CASPA website.
Completed Application:
Applicants must complete an application via the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and submit it by the October 1st deadline.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE):
General Exam. Please designate code 5966 on the GRE registration. Test scores should not be older than three years. While there is no minimum GRE score required for admission, the competitive candidate will have scores above the 50th percentile. Scores greater than the 50th percentile are preferred.
Candidates must have the ability to meet the Technical Standards of the program:
See Technical Standards link for details.
Three letters of recommendation must be submitted via the CASPA website:
One recommendation must be from a practicing physician or physician assistant.
International Students Only: Foreign Transcripts:
All transcripts from an institution in any country other than the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation, plus determination of letter grade equivalence. The following agencies may be used for foreign transcript evaluation:
- World Education Services Attn: Document Center, Bowling Green Station PO Box 5087 New York, NY 10274-5087 Phone: (212) 966-6311 or (800) 937-3898 Fax: (212) 739-6100 Web: http://www.wes.org
- Education Credentials Evaluators PO Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 Phone: (414) 289-3400 Fax: (414) 289-3411 Web: http://www.ece.org/
- SpanTran: a credential and transcript evaluation service. Users who access the link below are offered a 10% off discount. Web: SpanTran
International students must submit official TOEFL scores:
Scores of 590 or above on the paper-based test, 243 or above on the computerized test or 100 or above on the internet test are required for citizens of non-English speaking countries.
International students are required to have U.S. Visa information:
if they are currently residing in the United States.
Background Check:
Students must request and pay online for a criminal background check prior to program matriculation. Information will be provided upon acceptance.
Preference:
Preference in the selection of students for the interview process will be given to University of Mount Union graduates who meet all other admissions prerequisites. Priority Admission: The University of Mount Union Physician Assistant Studies Program offers priority admission to some applicants. Please see the Priority Admissions section for details.
