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Academic Standards

PA Academic Affairs Committee Description

This standing committee and its chair will be appointed by the Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies (Department Chair) or his/her designee.  The committee will consist of a Chair, three representatives of the Department of PA Studies core faculty and three other professional representatives.  The Chair and members of the PA Academic Affairs Committee have access to all grades. The committee may periodically review the total performance and progress of all students and recommend to the Department Chair or his designee promotion, probation, special requirements or dismissal.  If dismissal is under consideration, the student will be invited to address the Committee.  Any recommendations of the PA Academic Affairs Committee will be sent to the Department Chair or his designee for review.  The Department Chair or his designee may accept the recommendations or adjust at their discretion and will then convey a final written decision to the student.

Academic Performance in the Pre-Clinical Year

1. Definitions
   1. Acceptable Academic Performance
      •  “Honors” or “Competent” on all course grades
   2. Unacceptable Academic Performance
      • Grade of Concern or Failure automatically places a student on Academic Probation
        
2. A student who earns a grade of concern or failure in two or more courses within one unit will automatically be referred to Academic Affairs Committee for consideration of dismissal from the program. Notification of Academic Probation
   1. The student will be notified in writing of their probationary status and academic deficiencies by the Registrar. 
   2. The Registrar will forward a copy of this notification to the Department Chair or his/her designee and the Chair of the PA Academic Affairs Committee.
3. Remediation of Academic Probation
   1. Remediation of a course and/or clinical coursework is considered a privilege offered to students. 
   2. Any student on Academic Probation must participate in the process of reviewing areas in need of remediation.
   3. The Course Director will formulate a remediation plan in conjunction with the student and the student will adhere to all recommendations developed to achieve the required level of competency.
   4. A student on Academic Probation may choose to decline remediation and withdraw from the program.
   5. Three Academic probations will automatically result in dismissal from the program. 
4. Removal from Probation
   1. Students who successfully complete remediation as directed and confirmed by the Course Director(s) will be considered for removal of Academic Probation by the Academic Affairs Committee.
   2. "Concern" or "Failure" course grades must be remediated by whatever means the Course Director(s) determines.  Successful remediation results in no higher than a "Competent" grade. For the purpose of the student’s transcript notation, the remediated grade will be reflected below the original course grade. 
5. Dismissal from the PA Program in the Pre-Clinical Year
   1. Any student placed on Academic Probation may be considered for dismissal from the program.
   2. Failure to meet conditions for removal from probation results in dismissal from the program.
   3. Dismissal is effective upon receipt of the letter of notification from the Department Chair or the Chair’s designee.
6. Promotion to the Clinical Year
   1. All students must successfully complete the Pre-Clinical Year course work before being promoted to the Clinical Year.
   2. A student with unacceptable academic performance (Academic Probation) at the end of the Pre-clinical year will automatically delay the start of the Clinical Year to allow for the time required for remediation. This delay will affect the student’s graduation/completion date.
      

Academic Performance in the Clinical Year  

1. Definitions
1. Acceptable Performance
   • “Competent” or “Honors” in all rotations and courses and Clinical Skills Assessments (CSA). 
2. Unacceptable Performance (Academic Probation)
• One or more “Concern” or “Failure” rotation or course grades
    
2. Measures of Clinical Competency
   1. Students are expected to gain steadily in clinical knowledge and skills during their rotations and to conduct themselves in a professional manner.
   2. A student failing to achieve acceptable progress as evidenced by performance evaluations, test scores, and judgments made by preceptors or the faculty of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies will be referred by the Director of Clinical Education to the PA Academic Affairs Committee with notification to the Department Chair and Registrar. 
3. Remediation of Academic Probation
   1. Students earning “Concern” or “Failure” course grades within the Clinical Year may be offered the privilege to remediate course deficiencies.  Any “Concern” or “Failure” rotation grade places the student on Academic Probation.
   2. Students will be notified in writing of academic deficiencies by the Director of  Clinical Education and recommendations will be forwarded to the Department Chair or his/her designee, as well as the Chair of the PA Academic Affairs Committee.
   3. Remediation activities may include repeating a course (rotation), repeating a  rotation examination, or other activities prescribed by the Director of Clinical  Education in consultation with the preceptor(s), the student and other core faculty members.  All remediation plans are forwarded to the Department Chair and the Chair of the PA Academic Affairs Committee.
   4.  A student not meeting Competency on Clinical Skills Assessments (CSA) will be subject to remediation of the required elements and retesting of those elements.  If a student does not meet Competency in the second CSA, the student will enter into a focused remediation including the assignment of an individual faculty advisor, and the Chairman of Academic Affairs Committee will be alerted.  A third retesting opportunity will be scheduled by the Director of Clinical Education. 
4. Removal from Academic Probation
   1. Successful completion of all coursework and CSAs at a level of “Competent” or above qualifies the student for removal from probation.
   2. A student who received a grade of “Concern” or “Failure”  on a course(rotation) and successfully repeats this course/rotation will have both course grades reflected on his/her academic transcript.
5. Academic Criteria for Dismissal from Program in the Clinical Year
   1. Failure to meet conditions for removal from probation will automatically be considered as grounds for dismissal from the program. 
   2.  Any student who was on Academic Probation at any time during the Pre-Clinical Year and subsequently requires remediation in a course/rotation during the Clinical Year will be automatically be considered for dismissal. 
   3. Any student who requires more than one repeated course/rotation will be       automatically considered for dismissal. 
   4. Any student who does not meet clinical competency for a third clinical rotation will be dismissed from the program.
   5. Any student not meeting Competency after a third Clinical Skills Assessment will be considered for dismissal. 
   6. Dismissal from the program is effective upon receipt of the letter of notification from the Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies or his/her designee.

Final Considerations for Program Completion

Policies:

1. Failure to remediate a Course successfully will result in dismissal from the Program.
2. Any delay for academic concerns during the program may affect graduation dates. 

Procedures:

1. When a student has successfully completed remediation, the Course Director(s) will notify the Academic Affairs Committee who will determine if the student has successfully completed all of the remediation requirements.
2. The Academic Affairs Committee Chair or his/her designee will provide written confirmation of removal from academic probation to the Department Chair and Registrar. The Registrar will then notify the student in writing.

 Updated May 2011