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Master of Physician Assistant Studies

 

Overview

The Mercy College of Ohio Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program is a 118-credit hour, cohort-based program. The seven (7)-semester curriculum includes four (4) didactic and three (3) clinical semesters. Students will have seven (7) required Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) areas along with opportunities for elective experiences. 

Mission

The MPAS Program provides a graduate-level learning experience that produces PA graduates who can provide competent, patient-centered medical care for diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings while also embracing service, scholarship, and leadership.

Vision

The Mercy College of Ohio PA program will be a premier graduate-level PA educational program in which its graduates contribute service, scholarship, and leadership to meet the medical care needs of the region, the State of Ohio, and the nation.

Program Goals

Guided by our mission, vision, and core values, the MPAS Program of Mercy College of Ohio aspires to meet the following goals:

  1. PANCE program performance at 95% first-time pass rate and aggregate mean score at or above the national mean score for overall performance

  2. At least 95% PA placement within 12 months of graduation.
  3. 100% of PAS and PA faculty/staff will meet PA Program Mission annually through service, leadership, or scholarship by participating in at least two of these areas:

3a. Service: Service to community, profession, college, and/or external stakeholders

       100% of MPAS faculty and PAS participate in service annually.

3b. Leadership: MPAS faculty and PAS provide leadership to community, profession, College, and/or external stakeholders.

3c. Scholarship: MPAS faculty and PAS participate in Boyer scholarship model activities.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon program completion, MPAS students will be able to demonstrate competency in the following domains:

  • Analyze population/public health issues that impact patients and their communities (e.g., health literacy, social determinants of health).
  • Analyze clinical scenarios, formulate differential diagnoses, perform clinical and technical skills and procedures, and create management plans rooted in current evidence-based and current best practice guidelines.
  • Engage in critical thinking in clinical reasoning and problem-solving and scholarly inquiry.
  • Defend ethical decisions with respect to individual health care cases and population/public health issues using Mercy College Values.
  • Evaluate peers, interprofessional team members, and supervising professionals.
  • Create an action plan for professional growth and development.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Applicants to graduate programs at Mercy College of Ohio are assessed according to academic background, aptitude for graduate-level work, and professional experience. Applicants to graduate programs are required to have access to the internet to complete online coursework.

Admission Criteria for Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

Admissions to a PA program is highly competitive. Accepted students often exceed the minimum requirements. Those not meeting the minimum requirements will not be considered for admission to the Mercy College of Ohio PA program.

Admissions are completed on a rolling basis.

Potential candidates will be reviewed and scored by the admissions committee based on the following criteria:

Minimum Requirements

  • An applicant must be a US citizen or US legal permanent resident to qualify for admission to the program.
  • Obtain a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to matriculation into the PA program.
    • Undergraduates may apply, provided they will receive a baccalaureate degree prior to the May starting date of the PA program.
    • Applicants with international transcripts are required to submit their official transcripts to World Education Services (WES) for a course-by-course level evaluation and calculated cumulative grade point average (GPA). Contact WES at https://www.wes.org/.
  • Prerequisite coursework with a course grade of C or better will be considered. Applicants with pending prerequisite coursework will be considered, but acceptance into the program will be conditional upon completing all required coursework satisfactorily prior to matriculation. Official transcripts must be requested by the applicant to be sent directly to Mercy College of Ohio upon completion of a baccalaureate degree and/or completion of pending coursework.
    • One semester of medical terminology (minimum 1 semester hour or equivalent quarter hours) or valid certificate of completion or equivalent
    • One semester of psychology (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)
    • One semester of statistics (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)
    • One semester of genetics (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)
    • One semester of organic chemistry that meets prerequisite criteria for biochemistry (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)
    • One semester of microbiology (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)
    • One semester of anatomy (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)*
    • One semester of Human Anatomy and Physiology I (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)*

      *Separate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses are acceptable as long as equates to a minimum of 3 semester hours each.

    • One semester of Human Anatomy and Physiology II (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)*

    *Separate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses are acceptable as long as equates to a minimum of 3 semester hours each.

    • One semester of physiology (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours)*
    • One semester of biochemistry following organic chemistry (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hour.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) coursework will not be accepted for pre-requisite coursework.
  • Online courses from regionally accredited institutions are acceptable.
  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recognized that applicants may have science coursework (including prerequisites) that are pass/fail. Although it is strongly encouraged that applicants complete a course and earn a letter grade, pass/fail coursework will be considered for classes completed only during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note pass/fail coursework does not factor into science GPA or prerequisite GPA calculations.
  • No advanced placement or standing will be awarded for coursework completed at a prior PA program. The Mercy College of Ohio PA program curriculum is specifically sequenced so each semester provides an educational foundation upon which the following semesters will build.
  • Submit a CASPA application online.
    • Applicants are encouraged to submit their application to CASPA as early as possible given the rolling basis of admissions.
    • There is no supplemental application or application fee.
  • Letters of recommendation: The first two submitted Letters of Recommendation (LOR) in CASPA will be scored using the ratings assigned by the letters’ authors (which include: adaptability, conflict resolution, empathy, intellectual ability, interpersonal relations, oral communication, reaction to criticism, reliability, self-awareness, team skills, and written communication). Examples of appropriate sources for reference letters include PA or Physician (MD or DO), current or former work supervisor, academic source such as an academic advisor, instructor, or professor. Letters from family members or friends do not qualify as professional references.
  • GRE General test taken within the last 5 years
    • The PA CASPA GRE code is 4751. Mercy College of Ohio must be chosen as the receiving institution, or it will not be visible on the college’s CASPA portal.
    • Official scores are required from the Graduate Record Examination general test (GRE).
    • No other test scores are accepted in lieu of the GRE.
    • GRE scores are required of ALL candidates, including candidates who have already earned Master's or Doctoral degrees.
  • Technical Standards must be met at time of matriculation and throughout the duration of the program.
  • Clinical Requirements must be met at time of matriculation and throughout the duration of the program.
  • Academic Misconduct, Healthcare Program Dismissal or Professional Misconduct can have a negative impact on a candidate’s application.

 Competitive Thresholds

  • Cumulative (Overall) GPA of 3.0
  • Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 with no course grade lower than C
  • GRE General test scores
    • Combined verbal/quantitative score over 300
    • Quantitative over 150
    • Analytical Writing GRE result of 3.5 or above

Admission Preferences

  • Preference for upper level prerequisite courses:
    • Microbiology
    • (Human) Anatomy and Physiology
    • Biochemistry
  • Preference for other relevant upper level science coursework earning a C or better.
  • For equally qualified candidates, preference is given to applicants that have had the greatest Patient Care Experience (in hours) per the CASPA application.

Admissions Cycle General Schedule

  • April: The CASPA (Central Application System for Physician Assistants) application cycle opens for applicants who wish to matriculate into the program in May of the following year.
  • All application materials must be received by CASPA by December 1.
  • May-December: The Admissions Committee will review and score completed applications on an ongoing basis in the order in which they are verified and completed.

Interviews and Offers of Admission

  • On a rolling basis, qualified candidates will be invited for an interview based upon application screening.
  • Invitations to complete the Acuity Insights Assessment will be extended to candidates eligible to interview. The Acuity Insights Assessment is used to further review and score an applicant.
  • Candidates are required to participate in an on-site interview occurring typically between July-January to be considered for admission.
  • Prior to the interview, candidates must attend a virtual information session, and they must submit signed Technical Standards and Pre-Disclosure forms.
  • Offers are extended to competitive candidates based upon open seats.
    • Upon receiving an offer of admission, candidates must:
      • Accept the position and conditions of acceptance
      • Pay the initial $750 non-refundable tuition deposit within 14 days
      • The second $500 non-refundable tuition deposit is due 14 days after the initial deposit to fully secure a seat in the cohort.
    • When the student matriculates, the non-refundable tuition deposit will be applied to the student’s tuition.
  • February-May: Final admissions decisions are made. Offers will be extended for seats that remain open and alternate positions in the class (Candidate wait-list). The initial and second deposit due dates are accelerated based on proximity to the matriculation date.
  • May: Matriculation

Technical Standards and Clinical Requirements

The MPAS Program has program-specific technical standards and clinical requirements identified on the program webpage.


 


 

 

Degree Requirements

Complete all of the following:

PAS 500Physician Assistant Professional Issues and Medical Ethics

1
PAS 505Health Care Policy and Systems

1
PAS 510Basic Sciences Foundations

6
PAS 520Pharmacology

3
PAS 521Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics I

10
PAS 522Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics II

10
PAS 523Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics III

5
PAS 531Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills I

2
PAS 532Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills II

3
PAS 533Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills III

3
PAS 534Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills IV

3
PAS 541Clinical Diagnostics-I

1
PAS 542Clinical Diagnostics II

2
PAS 543Clinical Diagnostics III

2
PAS 551Evidence Based Practice-I

1
PAS 552Evidence Based Practice-II

1
PAS 561Clinical Integrations and Decision Making I

2
PAS 562Clinical Integrations and Decision Making II

3
PAS 563Clinical Integrations and Decision Making III

3
PAS 651Scholarly Inquiry I

1
PAS 652Scholarly Inquiry II

1
PAS 653Scholarly Inquiry III

2
PAS 661Supervised Clinical Practice Experience I

6
PAS 662Supervised Clinical Practice Experience II

6
PAS 663Supervised Clinical Practice Experience III

6
PAS 664Supervised Clinical Practice Experience IV

6
PAS 665Supervised Clinical Practice Experience V

6
PAS 666Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VI

6
PAS 667Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VII

6
PAS 668Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VIII

6
PAS 671Clinical Phase Seminar I

1
PAS 672Clinical Phase Seminar II

1
PAS 673Clinical Phase Seminar III

2
Total Credit Hours:118

Note: All MPAS degree requirements need to be completed within five years of matriculation.

Sample MPAS Program of Study

Semester I – Summer 1

PAS 500Physician Assistant Professional Issues and Medical Ethics

1
PAS 505Health Care Policy and Systems

1
PAS 510Basic Sciences Foundations

6
PAS 520Pharmacology

3
PAS 531Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills I

2
PAS 541Clinical Diagnostics-I

1

Semester II – Fall 1

PAS 521Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics I

10
PAS 532Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills II

3
PAS 542Clinical Diagnostics II

2
PAS 551Evidence Based Practice-I

1
PAS 561Clinical Integrations and Decision Making I

2

Semester III – Spring 1

PAS 522Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics II

10
PAS 533Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills III

3
PAS 543Clinical Diagnostics III

2
PAS 562Clinical Integrations and Decision Making II

3

Semester IV – Summer 2

PAS 523Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics III

5
PAS 534Patient Assessment and Clinical Skills IV

3
PAS 552Evidence Based Practice-II

1
PAS 563Clinical Integrations and Decision Making III

3

Semester V – Fall 2

PAS 651Scholarly Inquiry I

1
PAS 671Clinical Phase Seminar I

1
PAS 661Supervised Clinical Practice Experience I

6
PAS 662Supervised Clinical Practice Experience II

6
PAS 663Supervised Clinical Practice Experience III

6

Semester VI – Spring 2

PAS 652Scholarly Inquiry II

1
PAS 672Clinical Phase Seminar II

1
PAS 664Supervised Clinical Practice Experience IV

6
PAS 665Supervised Clinical Practice Experience V

6
PAS 666Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VI

6
 

Semester VII – Summer 3

PAS 653Scholarly Inquiry III

2
PAS 673Clinical Phase Seminar III

2
PAS 667Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VII

6
PAS 668Supervised Clinical Practice Experience VIII

6