Jul 01, 2025

2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

Program Overview

The SF PA Program is an intense, 27-month, cohort-based curriculum comprised of 98 credits. A Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS) is awarded upon completion of program requirements and fulfillment of SF requirements. Students must attend the program on a full-time basis. The first fifteen months of the program are spent primarily in the classroom obtaining a foundation of medical knowledge in the areas of human anatomy, human physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, microbiology, genetics, immunology, human behavior (e.g., sociology, psychology), clinical medicine, physical assessment, diagnostics, therapeutics, public health, and various medical specialties. During the last twelve months of the program, students complete supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) in which they work with a clinician preceptor in various settings, including the emergency department, inpatient, outpatient, and operating room settings. All students complete core rotations in the areas of family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, women’s health (including prenatal and gynecologic care), and behavioral and mental health care. Students also complete a series of elective rotations.

Accreditation Status

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne Physician Assistant Program sponsored by University of Saint Francis. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2034. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-university-of-st-francis-in/. Specific questions regarding the program and its plans should be directed to the program director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).

Program Mission Statement

Through a foundation of faith, service, and Franciscan charism, the Physician Assistant Studies Program develops competent, reflective healthcare professionals who value human dignity and integrate medical knowledge, clinical skills, and compassion to provide excellent care in every community they serve.

Program Vision Statement

The Physician Assistant Studies Program strives to create a vibrant academic and clinical community that fosters compassion, critical thinking, and whole-person care-equipping students to serve others with excellence, humility, and respect for the dignity of all.

Program Goals

The SF PA Program has six programmatic goals:

Select competent, experienced, and service-oriented students dedicated to the PA profession from a diverse pool of applicants.
Provide a quality educational experience in the biomedical and clinical sciences that emphasizes the development of critical thinking/clinical reasoning and evidence-based medical practices necessary for entry-level practice.
Provide students with clinical skills needed to assess and diagnose patients appropriately.
Prepare students to be practitioners who engage in service-learning and care for the underserved.
Prepare PA students for successful passage of the PANCE.
Foster an environment where students are culturally sensitive and prepared to work with diverse patient populations.

Evidence of SF PA Program effectiveness in meeting its goals is available on the PA Program’s website.

Program Competencies

The following list defines the SF PA Program’s competencies, or the medical knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities required for entry level practice. These competencies are consistent with the competencies as defined by the PA profession (https://www.aapa.org/download/90503/):

Embrace the role of a physician assistant and recognize personal limitations while practicing.
Apply critical thinking and medical decision-making strategies to all aspects of acute and chronic patient care.
Practice evidence-based medicine which incorporates life-long learning and current clinical guidelines.
Communicate effectively with patients and families by utilizing patient centered interpersonal skills that incorporate mutual respect with the patient, effective provider-patient interactions, and cultural awareness.
Accurately complete written documentation of patient care, to include orders and referrals to other specialty care providers.
Elicit a patient-centered problem-oriented or comprehensive history from a patient of any age and gender utilizing appropriate interpersonal skills and cultural awareness.
Perform an appropriate focused and comprehensive physical examination for a patient of any age and gender recognizing normal and abnormal findings.
Possess a thorough understanding of medical ethics and the legal aspects of professional practice.
Integrate findings of the history, physical examination, risk factors, and epidemiology to formulate an appropriate problem list and differential diagnosis.
Effectively orally present a patient to collaborating provider incorporating cultural sensitivity regarding diverse patient populations.
Perform patient education which considers social determinants and encourages treatment adherence and lifestyle modification.
Practice preventive care including age-appropriate screening, immunization recommendations, patient education, and behavioral modifications.
Identify, order, and interpret laboratory and diagnostic studies to appropriately address a patient’s differential diagnosis.
Prepare, implement, and monitor cost-effective treatment plans that utilize pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic modalities in a variety of patient care areas across the life span.
Appropriately perform diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures and counsel patients regarding procedure, side effects, follow-up care, and informed consent.
Utilize medical knowledge of acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions including anatomy, physiology, etiology, pathophysiology, incidence, risk factors, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and treatment strategies to effectively manage a patient across the life span.
Distinguish between emergent and non-emergent patient presentation and appropriately initiate evaluation and clinical intervention in life-threatening situations.
Implement public health and patient safety approaches to improve the quality of patient care.
Practice professionalism in all aspects of clinical practice while advocating for the patient.
Perform as an interprofessional team member and understand the roles of other health care professionals.

Academic Credit Offered by the Program

The SF PA Program requires the successful completion of a 98-credit hour curriculum. This includes:

62 credit hours in the didactic phase (semesters one through four)
- 15 credits during the first semester
- 16 credits during the second semester
- 16 credits during the third semester
- 15 credits during the fourth semester

36 credits hours in the clinical phase (semesters five through seven)
- 12 credits during the fifth semester
- 12 credits during the sixth semester
- 12 credits during the seventh semester

Required Academic Standards

Academic standards define the academic criteria needed to progress through the curriculum. The required academic standards of the SF PA Program include:

Maintenance of a cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.00.
Earn a “B-” in all courses.
- It should be noted that repeatedly earning a grade of “B-” may result in the student’s GPA dropping below the required maintenance of a cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.00.

Requirements & Deadlines for Program Progression

To progress in the SF PA program, students must maintain both good academic standing and professional standing, as well as achieve the following criteria by their respective deadlines.

Criteria	Deadline
Complete the COHS Program Technical Standards	Prior to matriculation into the program and entry into the clinical phase of the program
Complete the PA Program Technical Standards	Prior to matriculation into the program and entry into the clinical phase of the program
Achieve a score ≥80% on the Medical Terminology Competency Exam	Prior to the start of the second semester of the didactic phase
Possess certification in Basic Life Support (including CPR) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support	Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program
Complete all didactic summative evaluation components with a score ≥80% on each competency, component, medical content category, and task area	Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program
Complete all didactic courses with a grade of “B-” or better	Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program
Complete the didactic phase summative checklist	Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program
Complete the PACKRAT1	Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program

Requirements & Deadlines for Program Completion

To complete the SF PA program, students must complete all required criteria by the stated deadline.

Criteria	Deadline
Complete all required medical documentation assignments associated with the clinical phase curriculum	Prior to graduation
Complete all PAEA End of Rotation (EOR) exams with a score ≥ 1 standard deviation below the national mean for each assessment (i.e., family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and behavioral health, women’s health)	Prior to graduation
Demonstrate achievement of all clinical rotation learning outcomes with a score of ≥3	Prior to graduation
Demonstrate achievement of all program competencies with a score ≥80%	Prior to graduation
Complete all clinical summative evaluation components with a score ≥80% on each component, medical content category, and task area	Within the last four months of the program and prior to graduation
Complete the PACKRAT2	Prior to graduation
Complete the PAEA End of Curriculum Exam	Prior to graduation
Complete the clinical phase summative checklist	Prior to graduation
Complete all outstanding improvement plans (success, academic, competency, and/or professional)	Prior to graduation
Complete all 98 credit hours in the PA curriculum with a grade of “B-” or above	Prior to graduation and within 5 years of matriculation to the PA program
Acquire a minimum of 12 service-learning hours (Cohorts 2025 and 2026) // Acquire a minimum of 28 service / volunteer hours (Cohort 2027)	Prior to graduation
Fulfill all financial obligations to the University of Saint Francis	Prior to graduation

Failure to meet a criterion by the specified deadline will result in a meeting with the SAT, and at the discretion of the FEC, may require remediation, delay of graduation, deceleration, or programmatic dismissal.

Program of Study

Students complete 50 credit hours in the didactic year.

First Summer Semester, 13 Credit Hours:

First Year Fall Semester, 12 Credit Hours:

First Year Spring Semester, 13 Credit Hours:

Second Summer Semester, 12 Credit Hours:

Note:

Students complete 48 credit hours in the clinical year. In the clinical year, all students complete a core of rotations in areas of Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, and an elective as well as specialized experiences in pediatrics, women’s health, and mental health. Students also choose from a series of rotations in one of the following the areas:

trauma/surgery subspecialty
hospital inpatient care
family practice
internal medicine

Admission Criteria

In addition to University of Saint Francis general admission requirements, the minimum requirements for admission to the Physician Assistant program are:

A minimum overall GPA of 3.0.
A minimum overall Science GPA of 3.0.
Possession of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or the submission of equivalency verification for foreign credentials. The bachelor’s degree must be completed prior to the beginning of the first full week of May of the matriculation year.
Submission of scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with a minimum score of 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section.
Satisfactorily complete 12 credit hours in chemistry with a grade of “C” or better, including one semester of each of the following courses: general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
Satisfactorily complete, with a grade of “C” or better, 15 credit hours in biology, including the equivalence of two semesters of human anatomy and physiology, and a course in microbiology.
Satisfactorily complete, with a grade of “C” or better, six credit hours in the area of psychology.
Possess direct patient care experience. The most direct and responsible forms of patient care experience in a compensated position are preferred.
Clinical components of the educational experience required for other health care professions are considered but will not totally fulfill this requirement. Volunteer activity and/or appropriate life experiences will be considered but will not totally fulfill this requirement.

Volunteer activity and/or appropriate life experience will be considered but will not totally fulfill this requirement.

Note: The personal computer (PC) is used extensively throughout the program for communication, instruction and assessment. It is advisable for students to own a personal computer with hardware and software compatible with that of the university. A laptop is very helpful in class activities. Being online with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is also recommended. The university does provide these services on campus for students during normal business hours.

Applications are accepted by the PA Program Admissions Committee from May 1* through December 1 for classes beginning the following May. Selected qualified applicants are offered an interview. All applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. *Applications are submitted through Centralized Application Service for the Physician Assistant (CASPA) and may be submitted beginning at the opening date for the Physician Assistant cycle published at www.Caspaonline.org.

Up to five seats in each class are reserved for early entry applicants who apply to the undergraduate university with a dual admission to an undergraduate major and the PA Program. An additional two seats may be reserved for dual accept candidates from articulating programs.

Enrollment Requirements

Before an applicant is accepted into the PA program, the following requirements must be met:

The University of Saint Francis has identified non-academic technical standards critical to the success of students in Physician Assistant program. These standards are designed not to be exclusionary, but to establish performance expectations that will enable students to provide safe patient practice with or without accommodations. (The standards are program requirements, not individual functional ability requirements.)

Technical Standards

Observation: Candidates and students must be able to observe lectures, demonstrations, research, and patient situations in the practice of health care professions. Observation is necessary to perform competent health assessments and interventions and necessitates functional use of vision, hearing, tactile and somatic senses.
Communication: Candidates and students must have the ability to use multiple communication techniques (verbal, written, nonverbal, group processes, and information technology) that enable them to communicate effectively with clients, teachers and all members of the health care team. They must be able to speak, read and write in English. Candidates and students must be able to report to members of the health care team, express appropriate information to others, communicate with sensitivity and teach, explain, direct and counsel clients.
Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: Candidates and students must have the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize data in a timely manner. Problem solving, a critical skill demanded of health care practitioners, requires all these intellectual abilities. Additionally, candidates and students must be able to comprehend threedimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures.
Motor Skills: Candidates and students must possess fine and gross motor function necessary to perform patient assessment and therapeutic interventions. Such interventions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, stamina, equilibrium and functional use of touch and vision.
Behavioral and Social Attributes: Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, demonstration of good judgment, prompt and safe completion of all responsibilities, and development of mature and effective relationships with patients. They must be able to work cooperatively with others, adapt to rapidly changing environments, think clearly and tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads under stressful situations. Additionally they must demonstrate moral reasoning and ethical behaviors.

In addition to the technical standards stated above, students must be able to successfully complete all required components of the curriculum.

It is the policy of University of Saint Francis to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities to provide equal opportunity to meet the performance and technical standards. Determination of a reasonable accommodation will be considered on an individual basis and is an interactive collaboration with the disability services director, the student, faculty advisor, and Program Director when indicated. Students with disabilities will adhere to the same admission, progression, dismissal, and readmission policies as all students.

Clinical Requirements

Background Check Requirement

The University of Saint Francis Physician Assistant Program requires individuals who have been accepted to the Program to complete a Background Check, at the student’s expense prior to enrollment into the program to meet requirements of many of our clinical training affiliates.

Evidence of positive drug screens, any DUI, driving violations or penalties, crimes such as battery or assault, theft or embezzlement, and drug or other substance abuse-related crimes may make students ineligible to participate in clinical experiences and therefore ineligible to be admitted to the PA program.

Substance Abuse Testing

Students are prohibited from the use of illegal (“street”) drugs and use of prescription drugs not supported by a current, valid prescription written for that student. All PA students will annually complete drug testing at their expense and sign a release to have results sent to the department of Physician Assistant Studies.

Further Requirements

Completion of Health and Physical Exam form.
Acknowledgement of receipt of the PA Program Bulletin which describes the program’s policies and expectations.
Acknowledgement of the program’s class and clinical attendance policy.
Agreement to a full-time student commitment which does not permit time for extracurricular employment.
Completion of “Informed Consent” agreement.
Completion of “Student Confidentiality” agreement.
Acknowledgement of and commitment to the PA Honor Code.
Completion of “Personal Information Release” agreement allowing the PA program to communicate information required by clinical affiliates for student participation.

Progression Criteria

In order to advance in the Physician Assistant program, the student must:

Complete all courses with a minimum grade of “C” or equivalent.
Comply with the PA Program Attendance Policy.
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Complete all 500 level didactic courses before entry into the clinical year curriculum.
Complete any incomplete grades within 8 weeks of the last day of the incomplete course.
Satisfactorily complete all clinical rotation objectives.
Successfully complete didactic and clinical comprehensive exams.
Successfully complete didactic year summative evaluations.
Successfully complete clinical year summative evaluations.

Failure to comply with any of the progression criteria standards will result in an academic review by the Physician Assistant Program Director and faculty.

Graduation Requirements

The following requirements must be met in order to graduate with a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies:

Complete all 98 credit hours in the Physician Assistant program curriculum with a minimum of “C” or its equivalent in each course.
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Successfully complete summative evaluations.
Fulfill all financial obligations to the University of Saint Francis.

All courses contained within the Physician Assistant curriculum must be completed prior to graduation without exception or exemption. No transfer credit or credit by portfolio is accepted. No students are exempt from classes because of prior courses, training or experience.