CMSV 327 Standards of Progression Didactic Year

Policy Name: Standards of Progression

All University of Mount Saint Vincent Master of Science Physician Assistant Program students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. Students must maintain a minimum grade of C- (70%) in all designated courses at the College, as well as a ‘P’ in all of the College’s pass/fail courses.

Students must also complete all of the requirements designated for every CMSV-specific course.

Promotion Through the Didactic Year

• All University of Mount Saint Vincent Physician Assistant Students must comply with the following criteria:
  • Standards of Principles of Conduct for the Physician Assistant set forth in the program’s student handbook and by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant (Revised 2019).
  • Guidelines for Ethical Conduct for the PA Profession set forth by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) | (Adopted 2000, reaffirmed 2013, amended 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2018).
  • Adhere to the policies of the University of Mount Saint Vincent Master of Science Physician Assistant Program.
• All written, physical, or combination examinations must be successfully completed.
• A satisfactory rating from the Academic Performance Committee (APC) must be obtained through meeting all academic and professional standards as outlined above.
• Students must demonstrate that they possess the clinical skills that will be needed for clinical practice as determined by the University of Mount Saint Vincent Master of Science Physician Assistant Program.

Progression Through the Program | Successful Completion of the Didactic Year

• Follow all policies (rules) and regulations published by the program.
• Maintain professional behavior within the program at all times, showing respect toward all faculty members and administrative staff of the program.
• PA students must successfully pass each University of Mount Saint Vincent designated letter graded courses with a minimum grade of a C- (70%) and a ‘P’ in all PASP pass/fail graded courses.
  • Please note: Aside from successfully passing each designated letter course with a grade of C- (70%), the PA student must also maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 following the completion of each didactic and clinical semester.
• Students are required to pass the end of the didactic year summative examination with a C- (70%) to be able to proceed into the clinical year.
• Students are required to pass the end of the didactic year OSCE with a B- (80%) to be able to proceed into the clinical year.
• Students must receive a satisfactory or better rating from the APC by meeting all academic and professional standards.
• At the end of the didactic year all students will be evaluated via the use of the Professional Development Assessment Tool (PDAT).
  • The PDAT grades a student based on ‘Outstanding,’ ‘Satisfactory,’ ‘Needs Improvement,’ and ‘Unsatisfactory.’ Students must achieve a rating of ‘Needs Improvement’ or better in all categories, where applicable, in order to proceed into the clinical year of studies.

Failure of either the Didactic End-of-the-Year Summative Examination and/or OSCE

Failure of the didactic end of the year summative:

• Students will be allowed to take a remediation examination (make-up) and must achieve a score of C- (70%) to pass.
  • Failure of the didactic end-of-the-year remediation examination (make-up) will automatically trigger a referral to the APC by the director of medical education, where the following student options will be discussed:
    • Dismissal from the program;
    • Deceleration; or
    • Student will be place within the pre-clinical year 6-week remediation course and will not be allowed to enter the clinical year.
      • At the end of the 6-week pre-clinical remediation course, the student must successfully pass all remediation course requirements as well as a didactic summative examination with a score of C- (70%).

• Failure of the didactic end of the year OSCE:
  • Student will be allowed to take a remediation examination (make-up) and must achieve a score of B- (80%) to pass.
  • Failure of the end of the didactic year OSCE remediation examination (make-up) will automatically trigger a referral to the APC by the director of medical education, where the following student options will be discussed:
    1. • Dismissal from the program;
       • Deceleration; or
       • Student will be place within the pre-clinical year 6-week remediation course and will not be allowed to enter the clinical year.
         • At the end of the 6-week pre-clinical remediation course, the student must successfully pass all remediation course requirements as well as the end of the didactic year OSCE with a B- (80%).

• Failure of the remediation course requirement will result in student:
  • Dismissal from the program;
  • Deceleration.