Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS)

PANCE Results

NCCPA PANCE Results available January 2030

Graduation Rate

Graduation rate available September 2029

Endicott College's Physician Assistant Program will run 24 months, comprising 6 semesters. The first year curriculum is designed in an integrated, system-based approach. The system-based courses incorporate anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology for each system being studied. The study of these basics within the context of the system-based course provides an immediate and relevant foundation, grounded in adult learning theory, and designed to meet the needs of the adult learner/PA student. The course then progresses to discuss the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common diseases of the system. The PA role courses utilize a developmental model with the first semester focused on self (The PA Profession), the second semester focused on the patient-provider relationship (The PA in Practice), and the third semester focused on the PA’s role in community and public health (The PA in the Community). Clinical Assessment prepares students to conduct comprehensive and focused patient encounters along with common bedside diagnostic and treatment techniques utilized in the primary care setting.

The program has incorporated curriculum in the PA courses and each system-based course that addresses prevention and treatment of disease using the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. This curriculum provides greater depth and breadth of knowledge in non-pharmaceutical prevention and management of common diseases. The program is applying to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) for “partial academic pathway” approval wherein students will graduate with 20 of the 50 credits needed to sit for the ACLM exam and earn certification in lifestyle medicine.

The second year, students will be immersed in clinical learning in the seven accreditation-required clinical rotations and one elective, with periodic returns to campus to debrief, integrate, and test new skills and knowledge acquired in the clinical setting.

For course descriptions, contact paprogram@endicott.edu.

Year 1 – 57 Credits

Semester 1 (Fall)
Course and Credits

The PA Profession 2
Clinical Assessment I 5
Fundamentals of Medicine 2
Dermatology 2
Cardiovascular Medicine 3
Pulmonary Medicine 2
Musculoskeletal Medicine 3
19 credits

Winter Intersession
Course and Credits

Winter Internship 2
2 credits

Semester 2 (Spring)
Course and Credits

The PA in Practice 2
Clinical Assessment II 5
Gastroenterology 2
Nephrology and Urology 2
Reproductive Medicine 3
Endocrinology 2
Lifespan Medicine 3
19 credits

Semester 3 (Summer)
Course and Credits

The PA in the Community 2
Clinical Assessment III 4
Hematology 1
Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology 2
Neurology 3
Psychiatry 3
Tertiary Care 2
17 credits

Year 2 – 38 Credits

These 5-week clinical rotations will occur in the following medical specialties: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women's Health, Psychiatry, Surgery, and Emergency Medicine. In addition, students will have one elective rotation which may be from a specialty secured by the program (i.e. cardiology, nephrology, etc.) or a repeat of one of the 7 required rotations.

Semester 4 (Fall)
Course and Credits

Preparation for Rotations 1
Emergency Medicine Clinical Rotation – 4 Cr
Family Medicine Clinical Rotation – 4 Cr
Internal Medicine Clinical Rotation – 4 Cr
13 credits

Winter Intersession
Course and Credits

Seminar I 2
2 credits

Semester 5 (Spring)
Course and Credits

Surgery Clinical Rotation – 4 cr
Behavioral Health Clinical Rotation – 4 cr
Pediatrics Clinical Rotation – 4 cr
Seminar II 1
13 credits

Semester 6 (Summer)
Course and Credits

Women's Health Clinical Rotation – 4 cr
Elective Clinical Rotation – 4 cr
Practice Readiness 2 cr
10 credits

Total Program Credits: 95

Cost per credit: $1,220
Total Program credits: 95
Programs Fees: $10,858

ENDICOTT COLLEGE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Technical Standards are designed to ensure that all candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation possess the essential physical, cognitive, and behavioral abilities required to complete the curriculum and safely and effectively practice medicine as a certified physician assistant. The Endicott College PA Program maintains a strong commitment to equal educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities who apply for admission or who are already enrolled. The technical standards are not intended to deter any candidate for whom reasonable accommodation will allow the fulfillment of the curriculum, as well as safe and competent participation in patient care as a physician assistant student and practicing PA. This process is informed by the knowledge that students with varied types of disability have the essential abilities to become safe and successful physician assistants. If you are an applicant with a disability who may require accommodations in our program, we encourage you to contact the Center for Accessibility Services for a confidential consultation. See “Accommodations” below for more information.

• Observation: Students should be able to obtain information from demonstrations and laboratory exercises. They should be able to assess a patient and evaluate findings accurately. These skills require the use of vision, hearing, and touch or the functional equivalent.
• Communication: Students should be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and families in order to elicit information, to detect changes in mood and activity, and to establish a therapeutic relationship. Student should be able to engage in effective communication with colleagues in academic and clinical settings. Participation in the academic and clinical endeavors of the profession requires near-native fluency in written and spoken English.
• Motor Skills: Students should possess the capacity required to perform a physical examination, common diagnostic procedures, and motor movements required to provide general patient care. These actions require some aspects of fine and gross motor skills, coordination, balance, and equilibrium.
• Intellectual Abilities: Students should be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize information to identify and solve problems. They should be able to read and understand complex information, grasp three-dimensional relationships, and learn and apply concepts in a timely manner. They should possess the capacity to adapt to different learning environments and modalities.
• Behavioral and Social: Students should possess the emotional health, maturity, and flexibility to manage the stressors of a taxing academic and clinical workload. Students should be able to function effectively under stress and adapt to changing environments while completing all responsibility’s attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients. Professionalism, empathy, the ability to accept criticism, and self-awareness regarding personal limitations are all personal qualities that are expected during the education processes.

PA ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT

Endicott College, through the Division of Academic Success and the Center for Accessibility Services, seeks to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals as stated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 Title III, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). Accommodation provides qualified individuals with an equal opportunity to obtain the same benefit or privileges as those available to a similarly situated individual without a disability. The law does not require institutions to waive specific courses or academic requirements considered essential to a particular program or degree if doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or the degree.

Students requesting accommodations must self-identify and provide appropriate documentation of their disability. Eligibility for reasonable and appropriate accommodation will be determined on an individual basis.

ENDICOTT COLLEGE PA PROGRAM GRADUATE COMPETENCIES

The graduate competencies of the Endicott PA Program were informed by the PAEA Core Competencies for New PA Graduates and aligned with ARC-PA accreditation standards. These competencies are organized into six domains; Medical Knowledge, Clinical and Technical Skills, Clinical Reasoning, Interpersonal Skills, Professional Behaviors, and Society and Population Health. Endicott College PA students are required to demonstrate acquisition of these competencies prior to graduation.

Medical Knowledge

Endicott PA graduates will demonstrate the requisite knowledge to provide patient-centered preventive, acute, chronic and emergent healthcare across the life span.

1.  Demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based biomedical, clinical, and social behavioral sciences necessary to evaluate and manage patients across the lifespan and illness-wellness continuum.
2.  Discern among acute, chronic, and emergent disease states across the lifespan and in various clinical settings.
3.  Demonstrate knowledge of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to treat illness and promote wellness.

Clinical and Technical Skills

Endicott PA graduates will demonstrate the clinical and technical skills necessary to provide age- appropriate assessment, evaluation, and management of common medical conditions.

1.  Conduct an appropriate history and physical examination for comprehensive and problem- focused patient encounters.
2.  Critically appraise current scientific evidence to guide clinical practice.
3.  Generate cost-effective diagnostic evaluations necessary for common medical conditions.
4.  Communicate patient encounters concisely following accepted oral and written formats.
5.  Demonstrate safe and accurate performance of common diagnostic and therapeutic clinical procedures.
6.  Demonstrate effective communication when counseling and educating patients and families.

Clinical Reasoning

Endicott PA graduates will analyze data gathered in the course of a patient encounter and formulate an appropriate and accurate plan of care that incorporates patient needs and preferences with an emphasis on prevention and a focus on wellness.

1.  Generate appropriate diagnoses based on comprehensive clinical data.
2.  Formulate treatment plans based on up-to-date scientific evidence and patient preferences.
3.  Apply interventions designed to prevent, manage, and reverse chronic disease, incorporating the six pillars of lifestyle medicine.

Interpersonal Skills

Endicott PA graduates will be able to build meaningful therapeutic and interprofessional relationships with patients, families, and colleagues.

1.  Demonstrate empathy, respect, and compassion in all professional interactions.
2.  Respond effectively to patients’ values, beliefs, preferences, and abilities in clinical encounters.
3.  Collaborate with members of the healthcare team to achieve optimal patient health and wellness.
4.  Demonstrate emotional intelligence that includes personal resilience, stability, and adaptability.

Professional Behaviors

Endicott PA graduates will demonstrate accountability, ethical practice, and a commitment to lifelong learning enabling them to provide high quality care.

1.  Adhere to the ethical, legal, financial, and regulatory standards that guide PA practice.
2.  Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong growth and improvement of one’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide high-quality patient care.
3.  Develop competence as a leader, advocating for patients, self, and the PA profession.

Society and Population Health

Endicott PA graduates will demonstrate leadership in the healthcare system and community-based practice changes aimed at improving health, function, and quality of life in their communities of practice.

1.  Promote quality and healthcare system improvements.
2.  Integrate strategies to promote wellness and minimize harmful environmental, social, and economic impacts on health.
3.  Advocate for high-quality, cost-effective patient care while recognizing the complexities of healthcare systems, including access to care, insurance, and resource utilization.

Prior Education
Students must have been awarded a Bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation in the program.  Applicants who meet all other criteria for application may apply with a Bachelor’s degree in progress. If offered a seat in the program, the offer will be contingent upon the student being conferred their degree prior to matriculation.

Students must hold a conferred Bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation into the program. Applicants who meet all other eligibility criteria may apply with their Bachelor’s degree in progress. In such cases, any offer of admission will be considered conditional and is contingent upon the applicant providing official documentation verifying degree conferral before the established matriculation date. Failure to meet this requirement will result in forfeiture of the admission offer.

Advanced Placement
While some programs at Endicott College permit the transfer of credits toward degree completion, the PA program does not accept transferable credits, advanced placement, or Prior Learning Assessment portfolios toward the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree. All students must complete the full MSPAS curriculum as prescribed in order to meet degree requirements.

Student Employment while Enrolled in the Program
The program does not dictate whether or not a student can work while enrolled. Given the pace and intensity of the curriculum, working is strongly discouraged. Any volunteer or work activities undertaken while enrolled in the program cannot interfere with classroom or clinical schedules, which vary and include evenings and weekends.

At no time will students be required to work for the program nor can they substitute for or function as instructional faculty, clinical or administrative staff.

Clinical Rotation Assignments and Travel to Required Rotation Sites

Program-Arranged Sites: In accordance with ARC-PA standards, students are not allowed to solicit clinical sites or preceptors. The program is responsible for recruiting, developing, vetting, and maintaining all required clinical rotation affiliations. Students may refer potential preceptors or sites to the program. Any suggested site must be formally vetted, approved, and contracted by the program before a student can be placed there. The program will make all final decisions regarding clinical site suitability and assignment to ensure compliance with ARC-PA standards and to safeguard the quality and consistency of the clinical educational experience.

Assigning Clinical Sites: The program is responsible for all clinical assignments. Students will be given the opportunity to share their preferences for placements, but the final decision lies with the program. While personal needs and preferences will be considered in the process, the program is responsible for ensuring that each student is placed in the most academically appropriate setting and must meet the needs of the entire cohort within the limitations of available placements.

Location Flexibility: Students should expect that rotation locations will vary widely throughout the clinical year. Rotations may be assigned across urban, suburban, and rural communities. The program reserves the discretion to assign students to any approved clinical site necessary to meet curricular objectives and accreditation requirements.

Required Travel: Students must expect and be prepared for travel. Rotations may be scheduled at a significant distance from campus or the student's residence to secure necessary clinical experiences.

Commuting: The program makes every effort to identify clinical placements within a commutable distance from campus (approximately 50 miles each way). Students are expected to commute daily to their assigned site when within a reasonable distance from campus.

Distant Clinical Assignments: Students can expect to be assigned to at least one rotation that may be beyond a reasonable commuting distance. In this instance, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange and pay for temporary lodging, meals, and long-distance travel.

Cost of Travel and Housing: Students are responsible for all expenses related to commuting to local sites, traveling to distant sites, and securing temporary lodging when necessary. Estimated cost for one distant clinical placement is $2,000.