Physician Assistant Studies

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Didactic Courses

Fall Semester I | 5 Courses | 15 Credits

PAS 501 - Anatomy (3)
PAS 504 - Physiology/Pathophysiology (3)
PAS 502 - Patient Evaluation and Clinical Reasoning I (3)
PAS 514 - Behavior Medicine I (2)
PAS 506 - Clinical Medicine I (4)

Winter Semester | 2 Courses | 4 Credits

PAS 515 - Evidence Based Medicine/Research Methods (2)
PAS 500 - Medical Law, Ethics, PA History (2)

Spring Semester | 5 Courses | 15 Credits

PAS 512 - Clinical Medicine II (6)
PAS 507 - Patient Evaluation and Clinical Reasoning II (2)
PAS 509 - Pharmacology I (3)
PAS 510 - Clinical Lab Medicine/Diagnostic Skills (2)
PAS 519 - Behavior Medicine II (2)

Summer Semester | 5 Courses | 11 Credits

PAS 511 - Pharmacology II (3)
PAS 530 - Clinical Specialty - Geriatrics (2)
PAS 517 - Clinical Specialty - Surgery/ICU (2)
PAS 513 - Clinical Skills - Procedures/Emergency Room (2)
PAS 503 - Public Health (2)

Fall Semester II | 5 Courses | 14 Credits

PAS 516 - Clinical Medicine III (6)
PAS 532 - Patient Evaluation and Clinical Reasoning III (2)
PAS 528 - Clinical Specialty - Reproductive-Male, Female/Genetics (3)
PAS 531 - Clinical Specialty - Pediatrics (2)
PAS 533 - Transition to Clinical Year (1)

Clinical Year Courses

Spring Semester | 3 Courses | 18 Credits

PAS 522 - Family Medicine Rotation (6)
PAS 520 - Internal Medicine Rotation (6)
PAS 521 - General Surgery Rotation (6)

Summer Semester | 3 Courses | 13 Credits

PAS 527 - Capstone I (1)
PAS 524 - Emergency Medicine Rotation (6)
PAS 523 - Women's Health Rotation (6)

Fall Semester | 6 Courses | 21 Credits

PAS 526 - Pediatric Rotation (6)
PAS 525 - Behavioral Health Rotation (6)
PAS 536 - Elective Rotation (6)
PAS 529 - Capstone II (1)
PAS 534 - Professional Seminar and Summative Evaluation (1)
PAS 535 - Transition to PA Practice (1)

NDMU PA Studies Credits

Total Didactic Year Credits = 59
Total Clinical Year Credits = 52
Total NDMU PA Program Credits = 111

Successful Completion of all required curricular and administrative components of the NDMU PA Studies Program will lead to the granting of a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree.

Medical Knowledge & Clinical/Technical Skills

Demonstrate knowledge of medical sciences and recognize the difference between normal and abnormal health states across the lifespan, including prenatal, infant, children, adolescents, adults, and elderly.

• Apply a fund of medical knowledge to the medical and surgical care of patients.
• Implement interventions for the prevention of disease, health promotion, and health maintenance
• Competently perform medical and surgical procedures expected of a practicing primary care Physician Assistant and educate patient regarding procedure, complications, and follow-up care.
• Distinguish among acute, chronic, and emergent disease states.
• Develop a problem-focused and comprehensive history and physical examination.
• Develop treatment plans to include pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.

Interpersonal Skills & Communication

• Provide effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication to patients, families, and health care team members in a clear and concise manner.
• Communicate effectively with patients and families by utilizing patient-centered interpersonal skills that demonstrate mutual respect for each patient.
• Develop respectful, working relationships that support effective interactions with all members of the health care team.

Professionalism

Demonstrate sincerity, honesty, and compassion while embracing a diverse patient population.

• Incorporate ethical principles pertaining to confidentiality, patient autonomy, informed consent, and legal compliance.
• Critique ongoing practice experience through self-reflection with a commitment to excellence, continued learning, and professional development.

Interprofessional Collaborative Practice

Appropriately collaborate with other health discipline professionals to optimize the quality of patient care.

• Engage the professional expertise of appropriate healthcare providers while coordinating patient care.
• Effectively present patient information to collaborating physicians and other health care providers.

Clinical Reasoning & Problem-Solving Skills

• Compile information acquired during patient encounters (history and physical exam findings) to formulate a differential diagnosis for acute and chronic disease.
• Select, order, and interpret appropriate lab and diagnostic studies to aid in decision-making.
• Formulate a diagnosis integrating clinical encounter (history and physical examination), results of diagnostic tests, social, and cultural aspects.
• Engage in critical thinking, demonstrating problem-solving in clinical practice.

Patient-Centered Care

• Incorporate patient safety strategies to reduce medical errors.
• Present healthcare information in an organized and logical manner to guide patients in making informed decisions.
• Support the unique needs of each patient, incorporating their individual preferences and cultural sensitivity in healthcare decisions.

Society & Population Health

• Integrate knowledge of population and community health needs and disparities into clinical practice.
• Describe how components of a complex health care system can impact patient care.

References

AAPA, PAEA, ARC-PA, NCCPA. Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession; 2005, rev. 2012. https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/PA-Competencies-updated.pdf. Accessed April 2022.

Facione, P. A. (2015). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. (Research Report). Millbrae, CA: The California Academic Press. 

Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice; 2016 update. https://ipec.memberclicks.net/assets/2016-Update.pdf. Accessed April 2022.

National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Competencies for the physician assistant profession. Revised 2021.

Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). Core competencies for new physician assistant graduates. 2018. https://paeaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/core_competencies-new-pa-graduates-092018.pdf. Accessed April 2022.

PA Program Tuition

Cost Per Credit: $694
Total Credits: 111
Total Program Tuition = $77,034

PA Program Student Fees

The following program fees support clinical and technical skills:

• Standardized Patient Activities - $252
• Professional Organization Memberships - $125
• Mandatory Training Modules/In-Services - $440
• Clinical Year LMS Fees (CORE/MyRT) - $286
• Instructional Technology Resources - $1,024
• Clinical Experience Fees - $400
• PA Technology Support Fees - $150
• Transition Course (Didactic to Clinical) - $99
• PA Technical Skills Lab Fee - $150
• Summative Assessment Fee - $80

Total Program Fees = $3,006

The total program cost for Physician Assistant Studies including tuition and fees is $80,040.

Additional Student Expenses – Equipment & Other Materials

Room & Board Expenses

PA students who wish to live on campus should plan for additional expenses for room and board. Please note, access to campus housing is on a first-come, first served basis, with preference given to undergraduate students.

Estimated Annual Room & Board Costs

Board (annual): $10,920
Meal Plan: $5,150

Refund Information

The Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) Physician Assistant Studies Program is actively pursuing Accreditation-Provisional status through the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). If the program is not awarded Accreditation-Provisional status, all tuition and fees paid by PA Program applicants will be fully refunded.

Please Note: Fees paid by applicants to the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) are not included in NDMU’s refund policy.

Once awarded Accreditation – Provisional status, the Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program will follow all Notre Dame of Maryland University policies and procedures regarding refunds.

Physical Capacities

The Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant student must possess the following physical capacities, with or without accommodations:

General Abilities

Adequate functioning of the senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste, and/or touch.  Each candidate’s and student’s senses must be keen enough to allow for gathering, integrating and analyzing data obtained during physical examinations, and in a consistent and reproducible manner.

Additionally, candidates and students must possess the ability to feel temperature differences, pain, pressure, vibration and movement.  The ability to gather and analyze such information must be accurate when compared to accepted physical examination standards, and physical findings confirmed by experienced clinicians.

Finally, sufficient emotional health and stability is required for exercising good judgment and promptly completing all academic and patient care responsibilities.

Perform Motor Tasks

Students must possess sufficient fine and gross motor control to effectively conduct inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation activities, all of which are required to complete a physical examination.

Additionally, all students must possess stable equilibrium, postural control, good motor function, and sound motor coordination, as is necessary for satisfactory performance in patient care and classroom or laboratory settings, including handling surgical instruments and providing routine and emergent medical procedures.

Students must also possess sufficient mental and physical stamina to meet the demands associated with extended periods of sitting, standing, moving, lifting, and physical exertion required for satisfactory performance in patient care, clinical education,  and classroom or laboratory settings..  

Cognitive Capacities

The Physician Assistant student must possess the following cognitive capacities:

Communicate

Communicate coherently and effectively with persons of any cultural and social background using appropriate verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills with faculty, peers, other members of the health care team, and patients/clients/caregivers.

Read, write, and interpret written and nonverbal communication in a timely manner at a competency level that allows one to safely function in the academic or clinical setting.

Answer calls, make calls, and communicate needs on a telephone.

Maintain Safety

Maintain a safe environment for students, faculty, patients, and colleagues. Recognize and respond appropriately and in a timely manner to a medical emergency. 

Observation

Students must be able to accurately observe, through vision, hearing, tactile sensation, and/or smell, a patient’s physical and emotional condition, as a means to differentiate between states of good health, acute illness or injury, and chronic illness.

Cognitively Process

Receive, remember, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and synthesize information from multiple sources, in a timely fashion.

Attend to multiple tasks throughout the day of scheduled classes and clinical education experiences.

Organize and prioritize information to make safe, appropriate, and timely decisions regarding patients for the purpose of further examination, intervention, or referral.

Problem solve, recognize deviations from a norm, formulate evaluations, and derive clinical judgments from information collected, in a timely fashion.

Observe and accurately interpret patient responses and adjust examination and/or intervention as indicated by the patient response. 

Demonstrate Professional & Social Behavior

Students must demonstrate the emotional health and stability that is required to persevere in spite of longs hours of classroom instruction, challenging laboratory settings, unsettling patient care experiences, differences of opinion with peers and instructors, and personal sacrifice.  They must demonstrate the flexibility and personal resolve that is necessary to endure long hours of physical and intellectual stress, without demonstration of adverse behavior, while working with multiple patients/families and colleagues at the same time.

Students must be able to engage with lab partners, patients, families, and others under stressful conditions, including but not limited to medically or emotionally unstable individuals, situations requiring rapid adaptations, the provision of CPR, or other emergency interventions.

Organization and prioritization of multiple tasks, integrating information, and making intuitive decisions will be required. PA students are expected to adherence to the “Guidelines for Ethical Conduct for the PA Profession (PDF)”, established by the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Applicants & Students with Disabilities

Notre Dame of Maryland University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations and equal access to its programs and services for individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Refer to the NDMU Office of Accessibility & Health Promotion for more information.

HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION DOCUMENTATION & STUDENT RECORDS

ARC-PA STANDARD A3.07(a,b) The program must define, publish, make readily available and consistently apply:

a) a policy on immunization and health screening of students. Such policy must be based on then current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for health professionals and state specific mandates.

And

b) written travel health policies based on then current CDC recommendations for international travel for programs offering elective international curricular components. (Please Note: As the NDMU PA Studies Program does not offer or support any curricular components that involve international travel, the program does not have a travel health policy.) 

        a.) Student Health and Immunization Policy

The Notre Dame of Maryland Physician Assistant Studies Program is committed to the safety, health, and welfare of our faculty, staff, PA students, and the community we serve. Students, faculty, and staff in the health sciences discipline are vulnerable to communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and polio. Those faculty and students also have the potential of being infected with hepatitis, HIV, or other viruses. These diseases are susceptible to control by appropriate immunizations.  Therefore, based on the Centers for Disease Control Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers most recent guidelines; the NDMU PA program has developed the following policy to ensure everyone’s health, safety, and welfare.

Required Immunizations:

Immunization requirements are based on the most current standards set by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for healthcare workers.

DEFINITIONS:

Immunization – A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

•             Influenza-Dose of influenza vaccination all matriculated students MUST present evidence of the following on an annual basis between October 1-October 16 during their tenure with the program.

•             Hepatitis B If you don’t have documented evidence of a complete hep B vaccine series, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to hepatitis B (i.e., no longer evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) then you should

•             Get a 3-dose series of Recombivax HB or Energix-B (dose #1 now, #2 in 1 month, #3 approximately 5 months after #2) or a 2-dose series of Heplisav-B, with the doses separated by at least 4 weeks.

•             Get an anti-HBs serologic test 1-2 months after the final dose.

•             MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to measles or mumps (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination), get 2 doses of MMR (1 dose now and the 2nd dose at least 28 days later). If you were born in 1957 or later and have not had the MMR vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to rubella, only one dose of MMR is recommended. However, you may end up receiving 2 doses, because the rubella component is in the combination vaccine with measles and mumps.

•             Varicella (Chicken Pox) If you have not had chickenpox (varicella), if you haven’t had varicella vaccine, or if you don’t have a blood test that shows you are immune to varicella (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) get 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 4 weeks apart.

•             Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis) Get a one-time dose of Tdap as soon as possible if you have not received Tdap previously (regardless of when the previous dose of Td was received). Get either a Td or Tdap booster shot every 10 years thereafter.

Pregnant students need to get Tdap during pregnancy.

•             Meningococcal Vaccination Recommended for those who are routinely exposed to isolates of N. meningitidis per CDC recommendations. Not required by the program but may be required at some clinical sites.

•             Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Documented evidence from a medical practitioner of negative two-step PPD testing and, if needed, negative Chest X-ray results if PPD positive, or evidence of contraindication.* Following the initial two-step PPD, one-step PPD is required annually.

•             COVID-19 Vaccination Documented evidence of two doses of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna), or a single shot of the Johnson and Johnson is required. 

•             Tuberculin skin testing and influenza (flu) vaccination is required annually for matriculated students

•             Vaccines are mandatory (with exceptions only for medical reasons) before matriculation with documentation provided.

*Contraindications to the above will be considered on a case-by-case basis, only with documentation from a medical provider, and must be discussed prior to matriculation. Personal/religious reasons for declining immunizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be discussed prior to matriculation.  It is important to understand that participating in some clinical experiences may be prohibited from some institutions/practices without the completion of immunization requirements.  

Health Requirements:

Required Drug Screen and background check:

                All students who have been offered conditional acceptance must successfully pass a chain of custody drug screen and national background check within one month of matriculating into the program.

                All matriculated students must complete and successfully pass the second chain of custody drug screen upon completion of the didactic phase prior to entering the clinical phase of the program.

                Some clinical sites may require the completion of additional background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screens to participate in the clinical rotation.

                Background checks and drug screens must be completed via the program-identified vender.

Students are responsible for all expenses related to background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screens.              

Required Physical Examination:

                 A comprehensive physical examination by a licensed medical provider (DO, MD, PA, or NP) must be completed indicating that the conditionally accepted applicant is appropriately screened for TB, current on all immunization requirements, and has been medically cleared for admission.

Students are financially responsible for the cost of all health care services they may require while enrolled in the program, including any health care services required as a result of their participation in scheduled program activities (TB testing, treatment of injuries, pathogen exposure evaluation and treatment).

Facilities and hospitals often require additional immunizations and titers which students must obtain prior to starting rotations at those sites. Information regarding these additional requirements will be given to students prior to starting rotations and they will be financially responsible.

Failure to comply with the Immunization Policy for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies or any additional immunizations and titers for SCPE’s will result in the inability to enter, continue with, or complete the program.

The program will maintain the immunization records of all matriculated students through a HIPAA-compliant secure cloud-based management system. The Director of Clinical Medicine will review the records upon admission into the program and annually. The Director of Clinical Medicine will also continually review the Centers for Disease Control Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers guidelines and recommendations for updates.

*Policy subject to change at any time in order to comply with ARC-PA standards, NDMU, and Hospital policies.  The NDMU Department of PA Studies will make every attempt to notify its students of these changes in a timely manner

b.) (As the NDMU PAS Program does not offer or support any curricular components that involve international travel, the program does not possess a travel health policy.)

References

1 CDC. Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR, 2011; 60(RR-7).

2 CDC. Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR, 2018; 67(RR1):1–30.

3 IAC. Pre-exposure Management for Healthcare Personnel with a Documented Hepatitis B Vaccine Series Who Have Not Had Post-vaccination Serologic Testing. Accessed at www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2108.pdf.

Introduction - Physician Assistant Studies Program Admission Process

Included below is information pertaining to the admission requirements and process for the Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) Physician Assistant Studies Program. The information will be presented in three distinct sections – Admission Requirements & Process, Technical Standards, and Frequently Asked Questions.  If you apply for the NDMU Physician Assistant Studies Program, please review all of this information carefully and proceed by applying through The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) link, which is provided below.

PLEASE NOTE: We will begin accepting applications through CASPA in July 2023 for the cohort that will begin in fall 2024 (pending ARC PA approval).  We will continue to accept applications until all seats are filled.

Admission Requirements & Process

The NDMU PA Studies Program gives preference to applicants who have completed the following requirements upon submission of their application:

• Fully completed undergraduate or graduate degree, prior to application
• Higher completed degree GPAs
• Fully completed prerequisite courses
• Higher prerequisite course grades and prerequisite GPA
• Prerequisite courses completed within the last 8 years
• A minimum of 500 hours of patient care experience (more hours are most favorable)
• A minimum of 40 hours of Physician Assistant shadowing (more hours are most favorable)
• Two or more letters of recommendation with a rating of “Recommend” or “Highly Recommend”
• Being an NDMU alumni is also favored (but will not exclude graduates from other colleges and universities in the application process)

The following requirements apply to each applicant who is seeking to enter the Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program.  Please carefully review all information that is presented in this section to guide you in determining your eligibility for admission.  The requirements are non-negotiable. 

All applicants should understand that the Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program will adhere to a rolling-admission process.  This means that an applicant who applies early during the allowed submission time period and who holds a completed bachelor’s degree, who has met, at the least, all minimum requirements to qualify for an interview, and who has a successful interview will be offered acceptance into the NDMU PA Program.  Applications will be reviewed until all seats (as allowed by ARC-PA accreditation requirements) have been offered and accepted.  (Applicants may be offered a position on the NDMU PA Studies Program’s waiting list. If an applicant agrees to accept a position on the waiting list, they may be offered a formal seat within the NDMU PA Studies Program at a future date, prior to the date of matriculation of the next scheduled cohort.)     

(The Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program is planning for an entering cohort size of 35 students. The initial cohort will begin in October 2023, predicated upon ARC-PA approval of the NDMU PA Studies Program’s application for Accreditation-Provisional status during the Commissions meeting in June 2023.)        

I. Completed Degree(s): (Applicants May Satisfy the Requirement for a Completed Degree by Either of the Following Two Mechanisms)

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree (from a regionally accredited college or university).  The degree must be fully completed prior to matriculation.  Applicants who have not completed their degree are not eligible for matriculation into the PA program.

  Applicants who have completed their undergraduate degree (or graduate degree) within the United States must present an official transcript which demonstrates a specific and distinct grade for each course and an overall (cumulative) GPA.  (If a grade is listed as Pass / Fail, a “Pass” will be considered as equivalent to a “C” and a “Fail” will be considered an “F”).

OR

• Applicants who intend to use foreign educational experiences and degrees (those obtained outside of the United States), must have their higher education record, including all course work and completed degree(s), evaluated by World Education Services (WES).  In addition, the evaluation of any foreign transcript(s) must result in verification of the equivalent of a fully completed bachelor’s degree, or higher, as compared to United States educational system standards.  Each course that is evaluated must also be assigned a specific grade.  (If a grade is listed as Pass / Fail, a “Pass” will be considered as equivalent to a “C” and a “Fail” will be considered an “F”).

  Applicants who have not completed a bachelor’s degree or higher-level degree from a regionally accredited college or university within the United States must complete a TOEFL evaluation.  To be eligible for entry into the PA program, such applicants must attain a minimum score of 20 in each TOEFL category (Reading / Listening / Speaking / Writing).  Please refer to the following web site for more information regarding TOEFL
  https://www.ets.org/toefl

• “Holistic” or qualitative transcripts (those without grades assigned to each course and / or without an overall GPA) will be considered as invalid for the purpose of acceptance into the Notre Dame of Maryland University PA Program.

Addition Information for All Applicants:

• Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree from any regionally accredited college or university are encouraged to apply.   The NDMU PA Program does not require an applicant to hold an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame of Maryland University to be eligible for admission.  Each application that is evaluated will be reviewed in an equitable and unbiased manner, utilizing the PA program evaluation tools that will be utilized to evaluate all applications.

• Applicants who have completed a bachelor or master’s degree through Notre Dame of Maryland University will be advantaged in the scoring of their initial application materials by an automatic addition of a specified number of admission criteria points.  As a result, Notre Dame of Maryland University graduates who apply to the PA Program will have an increased chance of being offered an interview.  However, the outcomes of the interview and overall final assessment of each applicant will determine if that individual is a “right-fit” candidate for the NDMU PA Studies Program.  An individual applicant will receive this advantage for being an NDMU graduate  This advantage equates to approximately a 5% increase in the academic (pre-interview) score.  

II. Academic Performance Standards & Required Prerequisites: Minimum Academic Requirements to Qualify for an Interview:

Overall GPA = 3.0 (Scoring will be assigned on a graduated scale; higher overall GPAs will receive higher scores.)  (NOTE:  We do not impose an age limit for the completed degree that will be submitted with the application.)

• Prerequisite Courses GPA = 3.0 (This will include all prerequisite courses completed by an applicant. Scoring will be assigned on a graduated scale; higher GPAs will receive higher rankings.  The determination of the prerequisite GPA will include all prerequisite courses completed by an applicant.)
• Prerequisite Courses = All courses, including medical terminology, must have an associated grade. Pass / fail grading will not be accepted.  Grades less than a “B” are not acceptable and will result in an applicant being disqualified for that application cycle.  Applicants may repeat prerequisite courses for grade improvement. Prerequisite GPAs will include ALL prerequisite courses taken, including the initial courses and those taken for grade improvement. (NOTE: All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 8 years.  Any prerequisite course that is older than 8 years will not satisfy our requirement for that prerequisite.)

Required Prerequisite Courses are as follows:

1. Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credits; face to face lab required)
2. Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credits; face to face lab required)
3. Microbiology (3 credits; face to face lab required)
4. Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (3 credits; lab not required)
5. Psychology (3 Credits)
6. Genetics (3 or 4 credits; lab not required)
7. Statistics (3 or 4 credits)
8. Med Term (2 or 3 credits) 

III. Patient Care Experience and Physician Assistant Shadowing: Completion of a minimum of 500 hours of (acceptable) patient care experience.  All patient care experience must be logged and substantiated by signed attestation of a supervising health professional who acted as your mentor. The mentor(s) must sign your completed patient care hours document, by hand, before you upload such documents into your CASPA application.

(Note: Direct Patient Care Experience May Occur in any of the following healthcare disciplines: Pharmacist; Chiropractor; Corpsman/ Medic / IDC; Forensic Pathologist; IMG with US Healthcare System Exp; RN; CRNP; Osteopathic Physician; Medical Doctor; Paramedic AAS; Physical Therapist; Podiatrist; Anesthesia Tech; Cardiovascular Tech; Athletic Trainer; ER Tech; Surgical Tech; OT; COTA; PT; PTA; EMT; LPN; MA; Phlebotomist; CAN; PT or OT Tech; Pharm Tech; SLP; Respiratory Therapist; Diagnostic Imaging Technologist; Medical Scribe.)

PA Shadowing: "Shadowed" Physician Assistants must sign off on your hours to verify and validate the total Shadowed Hours submitted. Please clearly identify these documents as “PA Shadowing” and compile the signed forms into a single file and upload into the CASPA Portal, as directed within the CASPA portal. (A minimum of 40 Shadowing Hours is required.)

All completed (hand signed) DOCUMENTATION of DIRECT PATIENT CARE and PA SHADOWING EXPERIENCE(s) must be upload through CASPA and included with your CASPA application.

IV. Personal Statement: An auto-biographical statement in which the applicant clearly and concisely addresses the following: What unique skills or attributes do you possess that will contribute to you becoming a collaborative, socially responsible Physician Assistant? Please provide real-world examples to support your answer.   

(Upload this document through CASPA; it should not exceed one page, double spaced with correct grammar, syntax, and spelling – size 11 or larger font.)

V. Letters of Recommendation: Two to three letters of recommendation with at least one, preferably two letter(s) being provided by a Physician Assistant.  At least one  recommendation should be provided by another licensed healthcare provider.        

VI. Interviews: If, after review and scoring of all (pre-interview) requirements, an applicant is determined to be eligible for an interview, he or she will be contacted and notified of any need to complete additional documents and/or a supplemental application, prior to being assigned an interview appointment.

VII. Interview Day: Applicants who are offered an interview must be present on their assigned 
interview day.  If not, an offer for an interview may be withdrawn. (Note: The NDMU PA Studies program intends to host in-person interviews on the NDMU campus. However, the NDMU PA Studies Program reserves the right to conduct interviews via virtual means if/when the NDMU PA Program deems it is necessary to do so.)

VIII. Acceptance into Program: Each applicant who achieves an evaluation score (combined pre-interview 
and interview evaluation assessments) that meets NDMU PA Studies Program standards for admission will be contacted within a reasonable period of time, via e-mail, with a formal offer of acceptance into the NDMU PA Studies Program.   

Next steps, deposits required to hold a seat, outstanding admission requirements, and additional information regarding matriculation will be provided after acceptance.

IX. Notre Dame of Maryland University – Graduate Admission Requirements: All students who are accepted into the Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program must also meet and comply with Notre Dame of Maryland University’s requirements for admission into graduate programs.  These requirements may be found through the following web address: https://www.ndm.edu/grad-prof-studies/admissions-aid/what-we-look-for

Admission Process Frequently Asked Questions

ARC-PA STANDARD A3.03 The program must define, publish, make readily available, and consistently apply a policy for prospective and enrolled students that they must not be required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.

The Notre Dame of Maryland University Physician Assistant Studies Program has a policy that prohibits prospective and enrolled students from being required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. The PA Program faculty and staff are responsible for obtaining and securing clinical sites and preceptors sufficient in number and quality to meet the educational needs of all of the program’s students.     

ARC PA STANDARD A3.05(a,b) The Program must define, publish, make readily available, and consistently apply a policy that PA students must not substitute for or function as:

a) Instructional Faculty

b) clinical or administrative staff 

NDMU PAS Policy: a) Regardless of a PAS student’s background, former education, or credentials previously obtained, No PAS Student enrolled in the NDMU PA Studies Program will act as or substitute for an instructional faculty member within the NDMU PA Studies program. b) no actively enrolled PA student may substitute for or function as a clinical or administrative staff member within or on behalf of the NDMU PA Studies Program or at an affiliated clinical site at which that student is participating in a clinical experience.

GOAL I : Educate and mentor Physician Assistant students to value and demonstrate inclusive behaviors in the delivery of healthcare.

GOAL II: Prepare PA graduates who possess the medical knowledge and skills necessary for entry into clinical practice.

GOAL III: Promote a culture of social responsibility within each cohort by serving local communities.

GOAL IV: Retain and graduate at least 94% of all matriculated students in each cohort.

GOAL V: Each NDMU PA Studies cohort will achieve a first-time taker PANCE Passage rate equal to or greater than the first-time taker PANCE National first-time taker passage rate for the same cohort year.

GOAL VI: The NDMU PA Program strives to create a welcoming culture with the goal of advancing the retention of faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds; the NDMU PAS team will initiate a mentorship program for new faculty and staff members, thereby demonstrating value for each new PAS team member.

NDMU PA GOALS (Results)