Physician Assistant B.S./M.S.

Curriculum Sequence

4-Year Combined BS/MS Degree Curriculum-First & Second Year (Pre-professional Phase)

CHE-101General Chemistry I3
CHE-101LGeneral Chemistry Laboratory1
CHE-102General Chemistry II3
CHE-102LGeneral Chemistry Laboratory II1
BIO-107Human Anatomy & Physiology I3
BIO-107LHuman Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory1
BIO-108Human Anatomy & Physiology II3
BIO-108LHuman Anatomy & Physiology II Lab1
ENG-112Humanities Seminar3
or HIS-112 Humanities Seminar
MAT-201Biostatistics3
BIO-208Microbiology3
BIO-208LMicrobiology Lab1
CHE-219
219L
Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry Lab
4
or CHE-209
209L
Principles of Organic Chemistry
and Principles of Organic Chemistry Lab
HP-203Medical Terminology1
PSY-203Lifespan Development 13
or PSY-101 General Psychology
PHI-214Challenges of Death 13
or RS-214 Challenges of Death
PHI-312Bioethics Seminar 13
or RS-312 Bioethics Seminar
Total Credits40
1

Fulfills departmental curriculum requirements and liberal arts and science requirements.

General Education Requirements15
Free Elective Requirements9
400-Level General Education Graduate Capstone3
Total Credits27

 Requirements subtotal: 75

Didactic Year Requirements - Third Year (Professional Phase)

BIO-607Pathophysiology3
BIO-639Human Gross Anatomy6
BIO-639LHuman Gross Anatomy Lab0
PA-506Clinical Laboratory Medicine I2
PA-507Clinical Laboratory Medicine II2
PA-508Clinical Laboratory Medicine III2
PA-510Behavioral Medicine2
PA-516Clinical Medicine I4
PA-517Clinical Medicine II4
PA-518Physical Diagnosis I3
PA-518LPhysical Diagnosis I Lab2
PA-519Physical Diagnosis II3
PA-519LPhysical Diagnosis II Lab2
PA-520Pre-Pharmacology for PA1
PA-521Pharmacology I3
PA-522Pharmacology II3
PA-523Clinical Skills I2
PA-524Clinical Skills II2
PA-525Genetics for Physician Assistants1
PA-526Clinical Assessment and Planning I1
PA-527Clinical Assessment and Planning II1
Total Credits49

Clinical Year Requirements - Fourth Year (Professional Phase)

PA-500Professional Issues1
PA-504Graduate Seminar I1
PA-505Graduate Seminar II1
PA-513Senior Seminar Clinical Enrichment A 13
or PA-514
PA-528Clinical Assessment and Planning III2
PA-529Clinical Assessment and Planning IV2
PA-603Applied Research Methods3
PA-604Applied Project Seminar I3
PA-605Applied Project Seminar II3
PA-606Medical Epidemiology3
PA-610Summative Review2
PA-611Internal Medicine3
PA-612Family Medicine 23
PA-613General Surgery3
PA-614General Pediatrics 23
PA-615Obstetrics and Gynecology3
PA-616Psychiatry 23
PA-617Emergency Medicine3
PA-618Elective Clinical Rotation I 23
PA-619Elective Clinical Rotation II 23
Total Credits51
1

One credit course, taken every semester in clinical phase, for a total of 3 credits

2

Denotes Clinical Rotation

 Total of B.S./M.S. Degree: 175

Student Responsibilities

The physician assistant department is a demanding program in coursework, time commitment, and financial obligations. Students enrolled in the PA department must complete three summer sessions in addition to the eight regular full-time semesters, for a total of 175 credit hours. It is composed of two phases, which extend across four years:

  • Phase I - Pre-professional phase
    • Years 1 & 2: Comprised of the prerequisites and core undergraduate curriculum.
  • Phase II - Professional phase
    • Year 3: Didactic year: Includes core training in pathophysiology, clinical medicine, clinical laboratory sciences, physical diagnosis skills, and pharmacology.
    • Year 4: Clinical year: Includes didactic preparation, clinical rotations, and the research curriculum. 

All students are responsible for their own housing and transportation to and from clinical rotations, and extended daily travel distances may be required. It is required that each student have a valid driver’s license and his or her own vehicle. Due to the time commitment of the program, particularly in the professional phase, off-campus work is strongly discouraged while enrolled in the program. Students are encouraged to be a member of the D'Youville Student Physician Assistant Association. 

Academic Regulations

In addition to general university policies and regulations, which apply to all students, additional academic regulations of the physician assistant department include the following:

  1. Physician assistant students must complete all required coursework and meet minimum academic standards.
  2. Students must demonstrate the ability to meet all required technical standards.
  3. Clinical rotations may require additional expenses for travel-related costs and room and board, which are the sole responsibility of the student. Extended daily travel distances may be required. Student housing is not provided.
  4. It is required that each student have a valid driver’s license and their own vehicle. 
  5. Due to the time commitment of the program, particularly in the professional phase of the curriculum, outside employment is strongly discouraged.
  6. Each phase of the program is considered a prerequisite to the next phase and must be satisfactorily completed prior to advancement. In the professional phase, each semester is considered a prerequisite to the next and must be satisfactorily completed prior to advancement.
  7. Students enrolled in the PA department are expected to demonstrate high standards of personal behavior and professional conduct in all academic and clinical environments.
    1. Dishonesty in any form, whether academic or professional, will not be tolerated. Instances of academic dishonesty will result in immediate dismissal from the program.
    2. Professional misconduct may result in probation and/or dismissal from the program depending on the student's academic history and individual circumstances of the offense.
    3. Unprofessional behavior in the clinical setting will result in failure of the clinical rotation regardless of course mastery and may result in dismissal from the department.
  8. PA students are not permitted to work for the program. Students may not substitute for or function as instructional faculty, regardless of prior training or qualifications.
  9. Students must possess current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), child abuse recognition certification, HIPAA training, and New York State in-servicing on bloodborne pathogens prior to matriculation into the clinical phase of the program.
  10. All students in the clinical and graduate phases will be required to have professional liability insurance as specified by the program.
  11. Students must have current evidence of all required vaccinations/immunizations and annual history and physical examinations in compliance with CDC recommendations for health care professionals.
  12. Students are required to obtain permission from the department faculty prior to registering for clinical rotations.
  13. Students who do not meet minimum criteria in any clinical rotation course, or who voluntarily withdraw from the clinical rotation, must receive formal approval from the departmental Student Progress Committee to repeat that course or to continue with subsequent rotations. 

Academic Standing 

Failure to meet minimum academic and professional standards may result in negative consequences, including assignment of remediation activities and/or additional assessments, placement on probationary status, deceleration to the next graduating class, repeating failed course(s) and/or coursework, and/or dismissal from the program. Despite meeting minimum academic standards, permission to progress into the clinical phase may be denied on the basis of demonstrated weakness or inability to meet the program's academic, technical, and/or professional standards. Students may be required to appear before the Committee to discuss their academic status and identify contributing, mitigating, or extenuating circumstances that led to the academic performance issue.

Good Academic Standing

To remain in academic good standing, all PA students must meet the following minimum academic requirements:

Phase I - Pre-professional Phase:

  1. Once students are matriculated and enrolled in the first two years of the curriculum, they must maintain a cumulative science grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 3.00.
  2. Once students are matriculated and enrolled in the first two years of the curriculum, they must maintain an overall semester and cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 3.00.
  3. A minimum grade of a B- for all science courses (C for all other coursework) specified as a Phase I prerequisite in the curriculum plan is required. However, students must be aware of the 3.0 minimum semester and cumulative G.P.A. requirements and 3.0 minimum cumulative science G.P.A.

Phase II - Professional Phase:

  1. Minimum B- (80%) or better in all coursework.
  2. Minimum 3.0 semester, science, and cumulative GPA.
  3. Successful completion of all competency exams (technical assessments, OSCE exams, comprehensive exams, summative assessments, etc.).
  4. All master's degree candidates must satisfactorily complete a research project with a corresponding presentation. This project must have prior approval of the department and the IRB and be overseen by a faculty advisor.
Remediation

Students who fail to meet minimum academic standards, or are otherwise unable to demonstrate proficiency in program assessments, competencies, or technical standards may be assigned additional educational enrichment activities. Successful completion of these activities is required for continued progression in the program. Students must pass any assigned remediation activities on the first attempt. Failure to successfully complete remediation may result in negative consequences, outlined above.

Academic Probation

Phase I:

  1. If the student fails to achieve a 3.00 (semester and cumulative) overall and science G.P.A. (cumulative), they will be placed on probation, will be required to retake courses at D'Youville in which they did not meet the minimum, and may also be decelerated. These are the minimum grade standards of all PA department curricular requirements.
  2. If a student fails to achieve these standards in any department required course, they will be placed on probation.
  3. Students who do not meet academic requirements for two science course requirements in the same semester will be automatically decelerated into the next graduating class, and at the very least, placed on probation.
  4. A student will be placed on academic probation when there is a failure to satisfy specific departmental academic standards or regulations.
  5. Academic deficiencies that result in departmental academic probation must be corrected within the two full-time semesters that immediately follow the date of probation.
  6. Probationary students on a decelerated or part-time schedule must continue to meet all conditions of the probation while on a part-time schedule.

Placement on probationary status is permanent for the remainder of the program.

Phase II:

The following conditions may result in placement on probationary status regardless of prior academic standing:

  1. Failure to maintain minimum grade and GPA standards outlined above.
  2. Course failure.
  3. Professionalism standard violations.
  4. Academic misconduct.
  5. The following additional criteria apply to the professional phase only:
    1. Failure of more than 3 exams in any single semester.
    2. Failure of more than 4 exams cumulatively over the course of the program.
    3. Failure of a clinical rotation.
    4. Failure of a clinical phase OSCE examination.
    5. Failure of a course final examination.
    6. Failure of an assigned remediation activity.

Placement on probationary status is permanent for the remainder of the program. 

Leave of Absence and Deceleration

Students may only decelerate one time while enrolled in the PA program, regardless of cause. Any subsequent requests for a leave of absence that would result in deceleration require approval from the departmental Student Progress Committee. At the discretion of the committee, a student may be permitted to decelerate and repeat certain courses on a case-by-case basis. This determination may not be requested or initiated by the student. Any department-required course may be repeated only once per university policy, and at the discretion of the departmental Student Progress Committee. Students who must repeat a professional phase course will be required demonstrate proficiency prior to progressing.

Dismissal

At the discretion of the departmental Student Progress Committee, the following events may result in immediate dismissal from the program on a first offense:

  1. Failure to meet the conditions of probation.
  2. Failure to meet academic standards while on probation.
  3. A second failure of the same course.
  4. Clinical rotation failures.
  5. Academic dishonesty or misconduct in any form.
  6. Violation of departmental professionalism standards.
  7. Failure of two courses in the same semester.
Timeline for Program Completion

Students must complete the degree program within 2 years of starting the Clinical Phase of the curriculum.

Eligibility for Re-Entry

Students who are dismissed from the PA program for any reason will be ineligible for reapplication/re-entry.

Appeals

Students who receive an eligible dismissal decision have the right to a departmental appeal process. Students who plan to appeal any eligible dismissal decision, whether at the department level or School of Health Professions level, are expected to continue attending all courses and clinical rotations during all stages of the appeals process unless expressly told otherwise by the department Chair, appeal officer, or other DYU academic official. Existing course policies on attendance, participation, assignments, and/or assessments (including but not limited to OSCEs, exams, and quizzes) will remain in full effect throughout the appeal process.

Informal Resolution

Only decisions or actions that do not have significant academic consequences (such as a grade dispute that does not result in probation, suspension, dismissal, or other significant change in academic status) are eligible for an informal resolution process. In these situations, the student should attempt to rectify the concern by dealing directly with the course director. This should be done within five (5) working days of the decision or action in question, and the informal resolution process shall not exceed ten (10) working days from that decision or action. In cases involving allegations of improper academic evaluation (such as a grade), the student must demonstrate clearly and convincingly that the policies in the syllabus or other stated requirements of the course were not followed. The PA department does not permit an informal resolution process at the Progress Committee or Chair level of review.​ Decisions or actions that cannot be resolved informally with the course director must proceed to the formal appeal process.

​Formal Appeal Process

If the student seeks to challenge a departmental Student Progress Committee decision or action that has a significant academic consequence (outlined above), they may file a formal appeal by submitting a written complaint to the department Chair within five (5) working days of the decision or action that they seek to challenge. If the complaint is not filed within five (5) working days, it is considered untimely and will not be accepted or considered. The student has the right to meet with the department Chair as a part of the formal appeal process. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate this meeting request, which is to be scheduled at a mutually beneficial time but may not exceed the time limitations below. Students who do not initiate the request for this meeting within the specified time frame forfeit this right. Only the following conditions will be eligible for an appeal review at the departmental level:​

  1. The departmental Student Progress Committee did not comply with a specific departmental policy or procedure. The policy in question must be clearly stated in the appeal request, including the location of the policy and page number, if applicable, or a direct link for policies housed online.​

  2. New evidence pertinent to the situation that was not available at the time of the committee review. This new evidence must be clearly stated in the appeal request. Any evidence must be submitted at the time of appeal.​

  3. Significant extenuating or mitigating circumstances that were not disclosed to the committee at the time of review. The circumstance(s) must be clearly stated in the appeal request. Any evidence of the circumstance(s) must be submitted at the time of appeal.​

Following the evaluation of the statements and supporting documentation, the department Chair will issue a written determination of the appeal. This written determination must be provided to both the student and the Chair of the departmental Progress Committee within ten (10) working days of the date of appeal submission.  ​

Department Chair determinations are final and will not be further reviewed at the department level.​ Students who are not satisfied with the department Chair's decision must follow the School of Health Professions' appeals Academic Appeals Procedures, available at: https://catalog.dyouville.edu/policies-disclosures/policies-procedures-all-students/academic-appeals-procedure/​

Admissions Criteria

For the 4-year B.S./M.S. track, traditional freshmen will be admitted directly into the freshman year, and transfer students may be admitted directly into the program at any point in Phase I of the curriculum. Class placement for transfer students will be dependent on successful completion of prerequisites and competitive availability of class seats. Qualified applicants are determined, via web-based application materials and personal interview, on the basis of several criteria: ability to master the rigorous academic content of the program, verbal and written communication skills, emotional maturity, and understanding of and motivation to enter the profession. 

Once accepted into the PA department, students are expected to complete all preprofessional requirements at D'Youville. If a transfer student has satisfactorily completed these specific courses with an earned grade of B- or better at another institution within 18 months prior to program matriculation, the course content will be reviewed independently by the PA Department Chair and Registrar to determine transferability. Courses accepted for University transfer credit are not necessarily guaranteed to be accepted for transfer credit toward the B.S./M.S. degree program. Documentation of direct patient interaction (DPI), either through volunteer activities or employment activities, is strongly encouraged. While there are no current minimum requirements, candidates who have completed higher numbers of DPI hours will be considered more competitive. 

Minimum Admission Academic Requirements

Incoming Freshmen

Admission to the Physician Assistant program is offered to a select group of students who meet the following criteria. Applications and all required documents must be submitted by November 1 for consideration.

  • A minimum class average of 85 percent
  • Three years of math, one year of Chemistry, and one year of Biology. Math and science subjects must have a minimum grade of at least 83 percent (B)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Admissions essay specifically addressing the topic of why the student wants to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant
  • Compliance with technical standards of the profession as noted in the application
  • Standardized SAT/ACT test scores are not required. They are utilized in a holistic review of the applicant if provided.

Transfer Students

Admission to the Physician Assistant program is offered to a select group of transfer students who meet the following criteria. Applications and all required documents must be submitted and verified by CASPA by October 1st. Please be aware that verification of applications can take up to 4 weeks.

  • A minimum undergraduate overall and science GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • Earned grade of B- or better in all science courses (which can only be transferred in for direct credit to the program if they are less than six years old at the time of acceptance into the department)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Admissions essay specifically addressing the topic of why the student wants to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant
  • Compliance with technical standards of the profession as noted in the application

Application Process

Acceptance into the DYU PA Program is highly competitive. Following review of the application materials, a pool of applicants are selected for a formal interview. Not all applicants satisfying minimum admission requirements will be offered an interview. Interviews are scheduled between October and January of each year. All materials must be received by the Office of Admissions no later than October 1 for transfer applicants and November 1 for traditional freshman applicants. Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the minimum requirements will not be reviewed. Candidates must also submit an essay and three references, as specified on the PA department website. All students are accepted on a space-available, first come first served basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply early in the application cycle. An offer of acceptance does not guarantee seat placement without submission of a tuition deposit.

Cohort assignment is determined by the students' projected graduation year. For select candidates, and if seats are available, qualifying candidates may be offered acceleration into an earlier graduating cohort. The acceleration review process takes place after acceptance into the program and advising by the Student Success Center. The program is currently transitioning to this new B.S./M.S. curriculum, which may affect some transfer students' ability to accelerate.

The maximum size limit is 55 students per cohort as per accreditation rules and regulations.