Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Sacred Heart University’s College of Health Professions offers a Master in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree as a full-time, 27-month, 123-credit program.
The MPAS program will prepare individuals to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician, in compliance with the PA profession competencies described and accepted by the profession. For more information on the PA profession competencies, visit the NCCPA website.
The SHU MPAS program is designed to prepare future professionals to work as generalist PAs. MPAS 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 MPAS 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 they wish to work.
Accreditation Status
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Sacred Heart University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Sacred Heart University. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
For information about accreditation, please visit the ARC-PA website at www.arc-pa.org.
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 suite
- Interprofessional educational experiences with students in other SHU College of Health Professions programs
- Experienced PA educators
- 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
Physician Assistant Studies 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
To work toward achieving our mission, our program goals are to:
- Prepare graduates to practice in primary-care and other healthcare settings by providing them with the skills to promote health, wellness, and safety in their patients and communities as professional, caring providers of high-quality medical care.
- Educate highly qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are committed to our mission.
- Prepare graduates to work collaboratively as members of an interprofessional team, advocating a culture of teamwork and fostering compassionate patient-centered care in a mutually respectful community.
- Promote ethical and professional behavior in all interactions.
- Equip graduates to be lifelong, self-directed learners who assess and improve patient care outcomes by utilizing current evidence-based practice and information exchange systems.
- Encourage students and graduates to make a contribution to the community, acknowledging and respecting social and cultural influences on population health outcomes, by providing opportunities and encouraging on-going participation in community service.
- Support personal and professional growth of students, faculty, and staff by providing development and leadership opportunities.
Admissions Requirements
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies program seeks students who are mature, possess excellent communication skills, are team-oriented, and demonstrate intellectual capacity and integrity.
The Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program uses a holistic admissions process. This is a process by which applicant’s cognitive skills, such as GPA, are balanced 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, 1565–1567.
Applicants must use the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). All prerequisites and requirements must be completed by the SHU admissions deadline of October 1.
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, is required to be conferred by the SHU admissions deadline (October 1).
Applicants educated outside the U.S. must utilize a transcript evaluation service to verify their degree and coursework. The academic record must show credits and grades equivalent to those given by U.S. institutions of higher learning.
Coursework Prerequisites
The following courses must be completed at a regionally accredited institution in the United States with a grade of C or better by the Oct. 1 deadline and are the minimum requirements for all applicants.
16 semester units of biological science courses, which must include:
- Microbiology with Lab
- Human Anatomy with Lab
- Human Physiology with Lab
- Upper Division College-Level Biological Science with Lab
- Examples of acceptable coursework: Cell Biology, Human Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology and Pathology
- General Biology/Biology I is not an acceptable course for the Upper Division Biological Science requirement
One course of EACH of the following:
- Organic Chemistry I with Lab or Biochemistry with Lab (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
The PA Studies program accepts prerequisite lecture courses completed online but does not accept labs completed online. PA Studies requires that all labs be completed in a classroom setting. Virtual labs are not considered an acceptable format. Some online courses offer an online lecture with labs completed in a classroom setting; this is an acceptable format.
PA Studies does not 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 PA Studies program. All students are expected to complete all didactic and clinical elements of the PA Studies program.
Minimum Requirements
- Overall GPA of 3.0
- All Prerequisite courses: Cumulative GPA of 3.0
- A minimum of 1,000 hours of verifiable, paid, hands-on (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, hands-on (direct) patient experience include but are not limited to:
- Back Office Medical Assistant (MA)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
- Emergency Department Technician
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN)
- Medical Scribe
- Military Medic or Corpsman
- Paramedic
- Physical Therapy Aide
- Radiological Technician
- Respiratory Therapist
Highly competitive applicants will also possess the following:
- Participation in community service or volunteer work
- Greater than 2,000 hours of paid, hands-on (direct) patient care experience completed in the U.S. healthcare system
- Prerequisite GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Completed college-level science course credit hours of 80 hours or more
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: http://www.sacredheart.edu/officesservices/registrar/vabenefits/yellowribbonprogram/.
Applicants with an earned bachelor’s or master’s degree from Sacred Heart University or a current Stamford Hospital employee or a current Stamford Health employee 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)
- A personal statement (on CASPA)
- Supplemental SHU Essay Questions completion (on CASPA)
- Official college transcripts (sent to CASPA)
- Three letters of reference must include at least one letter from a work supervisor
- Successful interview, by invitation only
- Must meet all Technical Standards
- Completion of criminal background check is required prior to starting the PA program and clinical phase
- If selected to join SHU's PA Program a candidate is required to provide proof of patient care hours
Test Scores
- Scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) are NOT required for admission to the PA Studies 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: 22/30
Listening: 22/30
Speaking: 26/30
Writing: 24/30
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. Sensory skills adequate to perform a physical examination are required including functional vision, hearing, smell, and tactile sensation. All 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 and staff, patients, and all members of the healthcare team. Communication includes not only 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, and to execute 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 ability 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. Long periods of sitting, standing, or moving are required 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
- 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, teachers, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans is essential. To complete the Physician Assistant Studies program, candidates and PA students 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.
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 healthcare 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. Students requesting accommodations will be required to provide documentation in the form of testing and/or medical opinions. After reviewing that documentation, the university may require the student to submit to our own testing and/or medical evaluations. To be qualified for the MPAS program, candidates and students must be able to meet both our academic 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, 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 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.
Background Check
Successful completion of the MPAS 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 Studies Program that all admitted students planning to enroll in the MPAS Program must consent, submit to, and satisfactorily complete a criminal background check before registration for courses 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 MPAS Director of Clinical Education.
All expenses associated with the criminal background check 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 regard 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 MPAS Program faculty and/or administrative staff, and shall be retained only until the student graduates or is dismissed from the program.
Curriculum
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.
Didactic Year (65 credits)
Fall Semester:
| PA 501 | Medical Science I | 4 |
| PA 503 | Infectious Disease/Clinical Microbiology | 3 |
| PA 504 | Principles of Medicine I | 5 |
| PA 507 | Pharmacology I | 2 |
| PA 510 | Patient Assessment & Clinical Reasoning I | 2.5 |
| PA 512 | Diagnostic Medicine I | 2.5 |
| PA 514 | Professional Practice | 2 |
Spring Semester:
| PA 502 | Medical Science II | 4 |
| PA 505 | Principles of Medicine II | 7 |
| PA 508 | Pharmacology II | 2 |
| PA 511 | Patient Assessment & Clinical Reasoning II | 3 |
| PA 513 | Diagnostic Medicine II | 2.5 |
| PA 516 | Evidence-Based Practice | 2.5 |
| PA 523 | Medical Spanish | 2 |
Summer Semester:
| PA 506 | Principles of Medicine III | 7 |
| PA 509 | Pharmacology III | 2 |
| PA 518 | Clinical Integration | 2.5 |
| PA 519 | Behavioral/Mental Health Medicine | 2 |
| PA 520 | Primary Care Medicine | 2 |
| PA 521 | Clinical Skills & Procedures | 2 |
| PA 522 | Healthcare Delivery | 1.5 |
| PA 515 | Population Health & Wellness | 2 |
Clinical Phase (58 credits)