Rush University Medical Center College of Health Sciences Department of Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2020 Student Handbook 2018-2019 Revised July 2018 PA Program Handbook Page 2 of 90 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 4 BACKGROUND ON THE PA PROFESSION ................................................................................................... 4 RUSH MISSION, VISION, AND GOALS STATEMENTS .................................................................................... 4 INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAM ACCREDITATION ......................................................................................... 6 GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION .................................................................................................. 7 PROGRAM CURRICULUM ......................................................................................................................... 7 PA CURRICULUM SEQUENCE .................................................................................................................. 8 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 10 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................... 20 ESTIMATE OF PROGRAM COSTS ............................................................................................................ 20 PA Program Scholarships .............................................................................................................. 20 RUSH PA PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ON THE NCCPA CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION................................... 21 PA PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ON GOALS ............................................................................................... 21 PA PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF ....................................................................................................... 24 PA PROGRAM POLICIES ..................................................................................................................... 25 ACADEMIC CALENDAR .......................................................................................................................... 25 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE – STANDARDS AND PROGRESSION IN THE PROGRAM ......................................... 25 Satisfactory Academic Performance ............................................................................................... 25 Unsatisfactory Academic Performance ........................................................................................... 26 Program Dismissal ......................................................................................................................... 28 ACADEMIC CONCERN AND PROBATION ................................................................................................... 29 ADVANCED ACADEMIC STANDING .......................................................................................................... 30 ADVISING ............................................................................................................................................ 30 ATTENDANCE ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Religious Holiday Time Off ............................................................................................................. 31 CLASS AND CLINICAL HOURS................................................................................................................. 31 CLASS OFFICERS ................................................................................................................................. 32 CLINICAL ROTATION ASSIGNMENTS ........................................................................................................ 32 COMMUNITY SERVICE ........................................................................................................................... 32 COPYRIGHT AND USE OF MATERIALS...................................................................................................... 33 COURSE EVALUATION PROCEDURES ...................................................................................................... 33 COURSE SEQUENCING AND DECELERATION ............................................................................................ 34 COURSE SYLLABUS AND OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS ............................................................................ 34 CUMULATIVE COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 35 Assessment Process Overview ...................................................................................................... 35 The Formative Evaluation .............................................................................................................. 35 The Summative Evaluation............................................................................................................. 36 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) ......................................................................... 36 OSCE Remediation ........................................................................................................................ 37 DISCRIMINATION AND/OR HARASSMENT OF STUDENTS ............................................................................. 37 ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN CLASS ............................................................................................................ 37 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION .............................................................................................................. 38 END OF ROTATION EXAMINATIONS ......................................................................................................... 38 EXAMINATION PROCEDURES AND POLICIES ............................................................................................. 38 Taking Exams: ............................................................................................................................... 38 Scoring Exams: .............................................................................................................................. 39 Multiple Component Exams: ........................................................................................................... 39 Missed Exams:............................................................................................................................... 39 Late Arrival to Exams: .................................................................................................................... 39 Reviewing Exams: ......................................................................................................................... 39 Exam Review and Rescoring:......................................................................................................... 40 Exam Score Posting: ...................................................................................................................... 40 PA Program Handbook Page 3 of 90 Failed Exams and Exam Remediation: ........................................................................................... 40 Exam Procedure Violations: ........................................................................................................... 40 GRADE ASSIGNMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 41 GRIEVANCES, COMPLAINTS, AND STUDENT APPEALS ............................................................................... 41 INCIDENTS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING ...................................................................................................... 41 INCOMING STUDENT SCREENING ........................................................................................................... 42 LEAVE OF ABSENCE ............................................................................................................................. 42 MEDICAL LIABILITY INSURANCE .............................................................................................................. 42 PATIENT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIALITY ............................................................................................... 43 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT NATIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION ................................................................ 43 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT CLINICAL KNOWLEDGE RATING AND ASSESSMENT TOOL (PACKRAT) ...................... 43 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP ......................................................................................... 44 PROFESSIONALISM AND PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR .................................................................................. 44 Academic Honesty ......................................................................................................................... 44 PROGRAM COMPLETION DEADLINE ........................................................................................................ 45 PROGRAM SUPPORTED STUDENT TRAVEL .............................................................................................. 45 PROGRESS AND PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE ............................................................................................