PA Program Mission, Values and Goals

We emphasize the importance of giving back to the community through service and volunteering, fostering compassionate and socially responsible healthcare professionals.

We expect and cultivate rigorous academic preparation, lifelong learning, and professionalism in all aspects of healthcare education and practice.

We emphasize the development of strong critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills necessary for success in clinical practice. Students are encouraged to approach challenges with curiosity, creativity, and evidence-based decision-making to ensure safe, effective, and patient-centered care.

A commitment to fostering a welcoming and respectful environment that is inclusive, embraces diversity, and promotes equality of opportunity.

We uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior, honesty, and integrity in all academic, clinical, and professional activities.

We value effective communication, cultural awareness, and collaboration among healthcare professionals as essential to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

We value maturity, self-reflection, and a commitment to personal and professional growth to ensure our graduates excel in their roles as healthcare providers.

We value strong organizational abilities, time management, and prioritization skills, which are critical for success in both PA education and clinical practice.

We emphasize the importance of fostering wellness in both personal and professional spheres. This includes cultivating practices that support personal well-being, effective stress management, and work-life balance, while also promoting health and wellness among patients and within the communities we serve. By prioritizing health promotion, we empower ourselves and others to achieve better health outcomes for all.

Goal: Prepare clinically competent PAs who exhibit the knowledge and skills necessary to be an entry-level PA

Rationale: Achieving a high first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and demonstrating clinical excellence throughout the program are critical indicators of student preparedness and program success.

Evidence of Effectiveness:

• At least 85% of program graduates will pass the PANCE on their first attempt.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for medical knowledge overall of their rotations.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for clinical and technical skills and clinical reasoning/problem-solving over all of their rotations.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for evidence-based preventative care and counseling skills over all of their rotations.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for technical skills over all of their rotations.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 80% or higher on the comprehensive technical skills evaluation during the capstone course. 
• At least 85% of students will score above the national average on End-of-Rotation exams in half or more clinical disciplines, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge.
• At least 85% of students will score above the national average on End-of-Curriculum exam in half or more topic or task areas, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge.

Goal: Prepare compassionate and community-focused PAs who demonstrate the empathy and commitment to service necessary to deliver patient-centered care.

Rationale: Compassionate care is fundamental to fostering strong patient relationships, improving health outcomes, and maintaining ethical and professional standards. Community engagement and service reinforces the altruistic nature inherent to medicine and medical service and further aligns with the mission and values of the PA program and the PA profession.

Evidence of Effectiveness:

• At least 85% of students will attend and complete over 20 volunteer hours of community engagement activities during the program.
• Collectively, students will demonstrate a 20% average cohort score improvement between self-reported orientation survey data and exit survey data pertaining to community service.
• Collectively, students will demonstrate a 20% average cohort score improvement between self-reported orientation survey data and exit survey data pertaining to empathy.
• Collectively, students will demonstrate a 20% average cohort score improvement between self-reported orientation survey data and exit survey data pertaining to compassionate patient care.
• At least 85% of students will score a 4.0/5.0 or higher on professional behavior evaluations related to the consideration of social, cultural, and economic factors when coordinating care related to patient interactions during preceptor evaluations on clinical rotations.
• At least 85% of students will score a 4.0/5.0 or higher on professional behavior evaluations related to the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the impact of healthcare disparities and identify resources to assist with these issues related to patient interactions during preceptor evaluations on clinical rotations.
• At least 85% of students will score a 5.0/6.0 or higher on empathetic professional behavior on standardized patient evaluations of students related to patient interactions during simulation assessments.

Goal: Foster culturally aware PAs who can effectively address the unique healthcare needs and perspectives of diverse populations.

Rationale: Cultural awareness among physician assistant students is imperative as it enhances their capacity to deliver patient-centered care, understand diverse health perspectives, and navigate cultural nuances, fostering improved communication, trust, and positive health outcomes in a multicultural healthcare landscape.

Evidence of Effectiveness:

• Collectively, students will demonstrate a 20% average cohort score improvement between self-reported orientation survey data and exit survey data pertaining to cultural awareness.
• At least 85% of students will achieve a 4.0/5.0 on their cultural awareness presentation assessment during the didactic year. 
• At least 85% of students will score a 4.0/5.0 or higher on professional behavior evaluations related to the consideration of social, cultural, and economic factors when coordinating care related to patient interactions during preceptor evaluations on clinical rotations.
• At least 85% of program graduates will report feeling "very prepared" or "extremely prepared" to provide care to diverse populations in exit surveys.

Goal: Develop PAs who develop research skills and utilize evidence-based medicine to inform clinical decision-making. 

Rationale: Practicing evidence-based medicine ensures that graduates provide high-quality care informed by the latest research and best practices, supporting better patient outcomes and advancing healthcare excellence.

Evidence of Effectiveness:

• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for evidence-based preventative care and counseling skills over all of their 
  rotations.
• At least 85% of students will achieve a score of 90% or higher on their Capstone research project, which includes a novel rapid review article and professional poster presentation.
• At least 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for the utilization of evidence-based medicine to stay current on preventative care, health maintenance, and screening guidelines and recommendations over all of their 
  rotations.
• At least 85% of program graduates will report actively using evidence-based resources during clinical rotations. 
• At least 85% of program graduates will report actively using evidence-based resources in their clinical practice within one year of graduation.

Goal: Engage students in interprofessional medical education that will enable them to adapt to the changing healthcare environment, work with a healthcare team, and understand the various roles in healthcare and a PA’s scope of practice. 

Rationale: Mastery of interprofessional collaboration and team-based care is essential for improving patient outcomes and ensuring effective healthcare delivery in dynamic, multidisciplinary environments.

Evidence of Effectiveness:

• Collectively, students will demonstrate a 20% average cohort score improvement between self-reported orientation survey data and exit survey data pertaining to team-based medicine.
• 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for the following preceptor evaluation section: Ability to work on a team - including the understanding of roles and responsibilities of team members
• 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for the following preceptor evaluation section: Student awareness of personal limitations and PA scope of practice.
• 85% of students will achieve an average score of 4.0/5.0 or higher on Preceptor Evaluations for the following preceptor evaluation section: Student awareness of the role of the physician assistant and the supervising physician
• The program average for exam items categorized with “interprofessional education” will meet or exceed an 85% success rate for the graduating cohort of any particular year.