Academic Standards
A. 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 designee. The committee will consist of the 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.
B. Academic Performance in the Pre-Clinical Year
1. Definitions
a. The Pre-Clinical Year
· Semesters I, II and III
· Units I-V
b. Acceptable Academic Performance
· “Honors” or “Competent” on all course grades
c. Academic Performance in Need of Improvement
· First occurrence of “Concern” on one or more course grades
within a unit as determined by the Course Director(s)
· Receiving the above grade (Concern) from a Course Director(s) on the first
occurrence during Unit I-IV requires the student to develop a written plan for
improvement within one week of notification of grades by the Registrar. The plan
must be approved by the Course Director. If a student fails to successfully create
an approved written plan for improvement then the student is automatically placed
on academic probation.
d. Unacceptable Academic Performance (Academic Probation)
· “Failure” on one or more course grades within a unit as determined by the Course
Director(s), “Concern” on one or more course grades within a unit as determined
by the Course Director(s) after earning a “Failure” in a previous unit, a subsequent
occurrence of a “Concern” on one or more course grades within a unit as
determined by the Course Director(s), or the first occurrence of a “Concern” on
one or more course grades within Unit V as determined by the Course Director(s).
· Receiving the above grades (Failure, Concern after Failure, Subsequent Concerns,
First Concern during Unit V) from a Course Director(s) automatically places a
student on academic probation.
2. Notification of Academic Probation
a. The student will be notified in writing of their probationary status and academic
deficiencies by the Registrar.
b. 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
a. Remediation of a course and/or clinical coursework is considered a privilege offered
to students.
b. Any student on Academic Probation must participate in the process of reviewing
areas in need of remediation, formulate a remediation plan with the Course
Director(s) and adhere to all recommendations developed to achieve the required
level of competency.
c. Recommendations for remediation will be formulated by the student and the Course
Director(s).
d. A student on Academic Probation may choose to decline remediation and withdraw
from the program.
4. Removal from Probation
a. Students who successfully complete remediation as directed and confirmed by the
Course Director(s) may be considered for removal from probation.
b. "Concern" or "Failure" course grades must be remediated by whatever means the
Course Director(s) determines. Successful remediation can be reflected in a grade
of “Concern” and 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
first grade.
5. Dismissal from the PA Program in the Pre-Clinical Year
a. Failure to meet conditions for removal from probation results in dismissal from
the program.
b. Dismissal is effective upon receipt of the letter of notification from the Department
Chair or his designee.
c. Any student who requires Remediation of Academic Probation in more than one unit,
regardless of the number of courses involved, will automatically be considered
for dismissal from the program.
d. All students must successfully complete the Pre-Clinical Year course work before
being promoted to the Clinical Year.
C. Academic Performance in the Clinical Year
1. Definitions
a. Acceptable Performance
· “Competent” or “Honors” in all rotations and courses and Clinical Skills
Assessments (CSA).
b. Unacceptable Performance (Academic Probation)
· One or more “Concern” or “Failure” rotation or course grades.
2. Measures of Clinical Competency
a. Students are expected to gain steadily in clinical knowledge and skills during
their rotations and to conduct themselves in a professional manner.
b. 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
a. 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.
b. 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 designee, as well as the Chair of the PA Academic Affairs Committee.
c. 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.
d. 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
a. Successful completion of all coursework and CSAs at a level of “Competent”
or above qualifies the student for removal from probation.
b. 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
a. Failure to meet conditions for removal from probation will automatically be
considered as grounds for dismissal from the program. The process for this is
described in the Student Appeal procedure located elsewhere in this document.
b. 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 referred to the PA Academic Affairs Committee for
consideration for dismissal from the program with notification to the Department
Chair and Registrar.
c. Any student who requires more than one repeated course/rotation will be
automatically referred to PA Academic Affairs Committee for consideration for
dismissal from the program with notification to the Department Chair and Registrar.
d. Any student not meeting Competency after a third Clinical Skills Assessment will
automatically be referred to the PA Academic Affairs Committee for consideration
for dismissal with notification to the Department Chair and Registrar.
e. 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 designee.
D. Grade Appeal Guidelines
1. The policy for grade appeals is applicable to appeals initiated after June 1, 2008.
The policy may be periodically revised upon approval of the PA Studies Department
Chair, or his/her designee.
2. A student may appeal a final course grade. The appeal must be preceded by a meeting
with the involved course director. The student has up to ten (10) working days after
receipt of the grade to meet with the course director to clarify or challenge the grade.
This meeting will be recorded by the course director in the student’s academic file. If
the student wishes to file an appeal concerning the final grade after this meeting, the
appeal must be filed in writing with the Department Chair or his/her designee within
ten (10) working days after the meeting with the course director. The appeal to the
Department Chair or his/her designee must contain an explanation of the basis for the
appeal and a complete review of the circumstances. The Department Chair or his/her
designee will judge the appeal and notify the student of the decision in writing.
3. The decision of the PA Studies Department Chair or his/her designee may be appealed
to the Associate Dean for Education or his/her designee. The appeal to the Associate
Dean of Education must be in writing and must be received within five (5) working
days after the decision of the PA Studies Department Chair or his/her designee is
received. The Associate Dean for Education, or his/her designee, will judge the appeal
and notify the student of the decision in writing. The Chair of the Department of PA
Studies, the involved PA Studies course director and the PA Studies Registrar will also
be informed of the decision. The decision of the Associate Dean for Education or
his/her designee is final.
E. Additional Issues Regarding Academic Deficiencies
1. Failure to remediate a Course, Master Project or Rotation successfully will result in
dismissal from the Program.
2. Remediation of a course, rotation or CSA may affect graduation dates.
3. Master Project remediation may not exceed a 30 day period. Any delay in completion
may affect a student’s graduation date.
4. When a student on Academic Probation has successfully completed remediation as
directed, the PA Academic Affairs Committee will be notified by the Course Director(s)
and the PA Academic Affairs Committee may review the student’s progress to
determine if the student has successfully completed all of the remediation
requirements.
5. The PA 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.
Update 5/08*