Student Employment

Policy Name: Student Employment Protocol

The policy of the University of Mount Saint Vincent Master of Science Physician Assistant Program advises all students within their initial didactic and senior clinical years of study to not seek or continue employment. The dynamics of the program curriculum and clinical courses of study will make it very difficult to effectively concentrate on academic and clinical studies while being employed at the same time.

Graduate Assistants
The College may utilize graduate assistants (GAs) for the day-to-day operation of the program. GAs utilized by the program cannot be physician assistant students.

Employment Protocol
The program will not require physician assistant students to perform work for the program in any capacity, including instructional faculty, administrative, adjunct faculty, security, or consultative work. Stronger students may have the opportunity to volunteer and be paid to tutor their peers, but will not be required to perform this service.

Enrolled students may assist the program during the admission process on scheduled interview days, as long as the scheduled interview days do not interfere with a student’s scheduled academic or clinical duties. This will be strictly on a voluntary basis and requires the approval of the program director.

Students will not be utilized as instructors or faculty for delivery of any component of the curriculum. Students will learn from one another during small group experiences or clinical skills practice, but do not function in a faculty/instructional role.

Clinical Interactions
During supervised clinical practical experiences (SCPE’s), enrolled students will not be assigned to a healthcare affiliate clinical site for which they are direct employees. Students who have been identified as employees or staff of affiliated clinical sites of the program site will be required to attend a different clinical site.

If a student is advised, or encouraged, to function as clinical or administrative staff during a supervised clinical practical experience, the student is required to report this incident immediately to the program director, director of clinical education/clinical coordinator (DCE/CC or the director of medical education/academic coordinator (DME/AC).

If student feels or is encouraged to substitute or function as clinical site instructional faculty the student should report this incident immediately to the program director, DCE/CC, or the DME/AC.

The Program Director, DCE/CC, or the DME/AC will verify at the beginning of every term that the course director or instructor of record for any component of the curriculum is not a student of the College’s program.

The student exit survey, completed at end of clinical year, will require of the student an affirmation that neither substituted or functioned as instructional faculty for any aspect of the program.