Document .pdfPANCE Pass Rate
First-time PANCE rate for the five most recent graduating classes.
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Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Curriculum
The Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Mercy College offers a dynamic curriculum across seven semesters, blending four semesters of in-depth didactic learning with three clinical semesters of hands-on experience. This program ensures students master medical sciences and patient care before applying these skills in diverse healthcare settings. With seven mandatory Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) and elective options, students are well-prepared for the real-world demands of healthcare, poised to become competent and compassionate Physician Assistants.
Didactic Phase Semesters I-IV
Semester I: Summer 1 (13 weeks – 14 credit hours)
| PAS 500 | PA Professional Issues and Medical Ethics (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 505 | Health Care Policy and Systems (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 510 | Basic Sciences Foundations (6 credit hours) | |
| PAS 520 | Pharmacology (3 credit hours) | |
| PAS 531 | Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills I (2 credit hours) | |
| PAS 541 | Clinical Diagnostics-I: Diagnostic Labs (1 credit hour) |
Semester II: Fall 1 (17 weeks – 18 credit hours)
| PAS 521 | Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics I (10 credit hours) | |
| PAS 532 | Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills II (3 credit hours) | |
| PAS 542 | Clinical Diagnostics II (2 credit hours) | |
| PAS 551 | Evidence Based Practice-I (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 561 | Clinical Integrations and Decision Making I (2 credit hours) |
Semester III: Spring 1 (17 weeks – 18 credit hours)
| PAS 522 | Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics II (10 credit hours) | |
| PAS 533 | Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills III (3 credit hours) | |
| PAS 543 | Clinical Diagnostics III (2 credit hours) | |
| PAS 562 | Clinical Integrations and Decision Making II (3 credit hours) |
Semester IV: Summer 2 (13 weeks – 12 credit hours)
| PAS 523 | Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics III (5 credit hours) | |
| PAS 534 | Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills IV (3 credit hours) | |
| PAS 552 | Evidence Based Practice-II (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 563 | Clinical Integrations and Decision Making III (3 credit hours) |
Clinical Phase (Clinical Year) Semesters V-VII
The PA Program’s clinical phase covers three semesters. The Clinical Phase Seminar and Scholarly Inquiry course series are first presented by semester as these run concurrent with the Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) which are assigned on a rotating basis over these three semesters. Students are typically expected back on campus for end of rotation activities after each major SCPE block. Students must pass the PA Program didactic phase to enter the clinical phase.
CONCURRENT DIDIACTIC COURSES during the Clinical Phase
Semester V: Fall 2
| PAS 651 | Scholarly Inquiry I (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 671 | Clinical Phase Seminar I (1 credit hour) |
Semester VI: Spring 2
| PAS 652 | Scholarly Inquiry II (1 credit hour) | |
| PAS 672 | Clinical Phase Seminar II (1 credit hour) |
Semester VII: Summer 3
| PAS 653 | Scholarly Inquiry III (2 credit hours) | |
| PAS 673 | Clinical Phase Seminar III (2 credit hours) |
SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCES (SCPE)
Students are assigned into a series of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences in a variety of settings on a rotating schedule. The SCPEs are divided into 8 periods of approximately 6 weeks each. Required 6-week experiences include Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine and General Surgery/Surgery. Experiences in Women’s Health, Pediatrics and Behavioral Health are required 3-week experiences that may be integrated throughout the clinical experiences. Electives are available in a variety of clinical practice areas, pending preceptor/site availability and prior rotation experience. Electives can be in a new discipline or an augmentation of a required discipline. Students are to average 45 hours a week at the clinical experiences (on site 40-60 hrs/wk). The PA Program reserves the right to assign rotations or supplemental activities to ensure that students meet all PA Program requirements for the SCPEs. The SCPEs are competency based with Pass/Fail grading.
Semester V: Fall 2
| PAS 661 | SCPE 1 (6) | |
| PAS 662 | SCPE 2 (6) | |
| PAS 663 | SCPE 3 (6) |
Semester VI: Spring 2
| PAS 664 | SCPE 4 (6) | |
| PAS 665 | SCPE 5 (6) | |
| PAS 666 | SCPE 6 (6) |
Semester VII: Summer 3
| PAS 667 | SCPE 7 (6) | |
| PAS 668 | SCPE 8 (6) |
| MPAS Program Goals | Benchmarks for Goals | Measures/Indicators |
| Guided by our mission, vision, and values, the PA Program of Mercy College of Ohio aspires to meet these goals: | ||
| 1. National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Board Pass Rate | Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) program performance at or above the national mean score for overall performance and for specialty and task areas. | National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Results Mercy College PANCE First-Time Pass Rates (Official) |
| 2. Employment Rate | At least 95% PA placement within 12 months of graduation | Results of Program Goals |
3. Meet Mission 3a. Service: Service to community, profession, college, external stakeholders, etc. 3b. Leadership: Leadership to community, profession, college, external stakeholders, etc. 3c. Scholarship: 100% of faculty and PAS participate in Boyer scholarship model activities |
100% of Physician Assistant Students (PAS) and PA faculty/staff will meet PA Program Mission annually through service, leadership, or scholarship by participating in at least two of these areas annually | Results of Program Goals |
Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs)/Program Defined Competencies
The Mercy College of Ohio PA Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) are the 6 Program Defined Competencies expected of a new PA graduate. The Mercy College of Ohio PA Program also articulates 7 PA Professional Competency Domains which fall under the PSLOs. The first competency domains listed under each PSLO are considered primary.
PSLO #1: Analyze population/public health issues that impact patients and their communities (e.g. health literacy, social determinants of health).
- D2. Population Health and Public Health
- D3. Communication- Health Literacy, Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- D6. Health Care Finance and Systems/Systems- Based Practice
PSLO #2: Analyze clinical scenarios, formulate differential diagnoses, perform clinical and technical skills and procedures, and create management plans rooted in current evidence-based and current best practice guidelines.
- D1. Patient-Centered Practice and Medical Knowledge
- D2. Population Health and Public Health
- D4. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership
- D6. Health Care Finance and Systems/Systems- Based Practice
PSLO #3: Engage in critical thinking in clinical reasoning and problem-solving and scholarly inquiry.
- D6. Health Care Finance and Systems/Systems- Based Practice
- D1. Patient-Centered Practice and Medical Knowledge
- D2. Population Health and Public Health
PSLO #4: Defend ethical decisions with respect to individual health care cases and population/public health issues using Mercy College Values.
- D5. Professional and Legal Aspects of Health Care/Professionalism
- D2. Population Health and Public Health
PSLO #5: Evaluate peers, interprofessional team members, and supervising professionals.
- D3. Communication- Health Literacy, Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- D4. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership
- D1. Patient-Centered Practice and Medical Knowledge
- D5. Professional and Legal Aspects of Health Care/Professionalism
PSLO #6: Create an action plan for professional growth and development.
- D7. Self-Assessment, Cultural Humility and Ongoing Professional Development