̨��Swag

Minimum Passing Grade

For all PAS 500 level courses, PAS 329 and PHI 321, B- or satisfactory/pass are the preferred minimum passing grades. A grade of C or C+ in any basic science and clinical preparatory science course, while acceptable for academic credit, is indicative of increased risk for future academic difficulty. Grades of C-, F, and unsatisfactory/fail are not acceptable for academic credit. There are no grades of "D" in the PA Program.

For PAS 612 through 616, the minimum passing grade is "B". All grades below B are unsatisfactory and unacceptable for academic credit.

For PAS 601 through 610 (AKA supervised clinical practice experiences or clerkships I through X), a student must achieve an overall grade of “Satisfactory/Pass”.

Failure of any course will result in referral to the APC for consideration of disciplinary action including deceleration or dismissal from the PA program. Given the sequential nature of the program, most courses are only offered once per year and may not be taken out of sequence.

Future registration will be denied when prerequisite courses are not completed with an acceptable grade or if the student is not in good academic standing.

No course may be repeated more than once.

Minimum Grade Point Average

Only specific basic science and clinical preparatory PAS courses are used to calculate the semester GPA for consideration of good academic standing. Grades received in Medical Ethics, Statistics for EBP, electives, or other non-clinical PAS courses (e.g. Research Methods, Professional Issues, Psychosocial and Cultural Dynamics of Health Care) are not used in the calculations though must be passed per the course syllabus. 

• Year One-Fall Semester
  A student must achieve a PAS semester GPA of at least 2.50 to be in good academic standing.

  A student will be dismissed from the Physician Assistant Program if the PAS semester GPA is 2.24 or below after the Year One-Fall Semester.

  If the PAS semester GPA is between 2.25 and 2.49, the student will be placed on academic probation and given one semester to achieve good academic standing.

• Year One-Spring Semester
  A student must achieve a PAS semester GPA of at least 2.75 to be in good academic standing.

  A student will be dismissed from the Physician Assistant Program if the PAS semester GPA is 2.49 or below.

  If the PAS semester GPA is between 2.50 and 2.74, the student will be placed on academic probation and given one semester to achieve good academic standing.

• Year Two-Fall Semester

  A student must achieve a PAS semester GPA of at least 3.00 to be in good academic standing.

  A student will be dismissed from the Physician Assistant Program if the semester GPA is 2.49 or below.

  If the PAS semester GPA is between 2.50 and 2.74, the student may be placed on academic probation and required to repeat the Year I–Spring and Year II-Fall semesters and raise the Fall PAS semester GPA to at least 3.00. This may require registration for a limited number of credits with additional tuition costs and auditing other co-requisite courses. Course audits are subject to university and lab fees. The student will be maintained on academic probation for all subsequent semesters. It is very important to recognize that students who follow this path, based on past experience, remain at very high risk of future dismissal from the program or NCCPA PANCE failure.

  If the PAS semester GPA is between 2.75 and 2.99, the student will be placed on academic probation and given one semester to achieve good academic standing.

• Year Two-Spring Semester

  A student must achieve a PAS semester GPA of at least 3.00 to be in good academic standing.

  A student will be dismissed from the Physician Assistant Program if the semester GPA is 2.49 or below.

  If the PAS semester GPA is between 2.50 and 2.74, the student may be placed on academic probation and required to repeat both Year II semesters and raise the Spring PAS semester GPA to at least 3.00. This may require registration for a limited number of credits with additional tuition costs and auditing other co-requisite courses. Course audits are subject to university and lab fees. The student will be maintained on academic probation for all subsequent semesters. It is very important to recognize that students who follow this path, based on past experience, remain at very high risk of future dismissal from the program or NCCPA PANCE failure.

  If the semester GPA is between 2.75 and 2.99, the student will be placed on academic probation for the clinical year and must achieve good academic standing in the summer semester.

• Year Three

  A student must have an overall B average (3.00) in the 600 level PAS courses to graduate with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. A student not achieving this standard may be required to repeat coursework which could result in deceleration, at additional cost, or be dismissed from the program.

Graduation is dependent upon the successful completion of all courses and PA Program requirements. The PA Program and Registrar will review all student records prior to notifying the State Education Department and the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). A student will be considered as having successfully completed the ̨��Swag College Physician Assistant Department upon:

• Demonstrating proficiency on the required clinical procedures as documented in EXXAT
• Completion of at least 40 weeks of supervised clinical practice experiences
  • Receiving ten (10) passing grades from preceptors which include an assessment of professionalism and adherence to acceptable standards of ethical conduct.
  • Demonstrating minimum competency in pediatric and adolescent medicine, women’s health, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, family medicine and internal medicine
  • Logging a minimum of 1,000 patient encounters in EXXAT (Goal is 1500 or more)
• Passing the Summative Evaluation demonstrating medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, patient care skills and professionalism required to enter clinical PA practice (practical stations and End of Curriculum Exam)
• Passing all PAS 500 and 600 level courses as well as PHI321 Medical Ethics and PAS 329 Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice
• Meeting all curriculum requirements as published by the Registrar’s Office.

'All program requirements must be completed within 60 months of first matriculating in any PAS course. For example, a student matriculating on September 1, 2033 must complete all program requirements by August 31, 2038. A student unable to successfully complete all program requirements, including supervised clinical practice experiences, within 60 months will not be registered for any additional PAS courses and will be ineligible to graduate from the PA program.

A remediation plan will be initiated by the course instructor for students in the following circumstances:

• Scoring below the minimum passing grade on a practical physical assessment examination (PDI, PDII, CPS, Orthopedics) or Clinical Seminar Assessment
• Scoring 1.5 SD below a written examination’s mean score AND <80%, or exam failure. (excluding PAS 510/516)
• Scoring 1.5 SD below an assessment’s mean score AND <80% in PAS 510/516; exam failures that do not meet criteria for remediation will be required to establish regular coaching sessions through the Learning Center.
• Mid-rotation notification on Preceptor 2-Week Check-In
• Scoring 1.5 SD below the national mean on an End of RotationTM Examination
• Scoring below the minimum passing grade on a Faculty Clinical Assessment
• Failure to demonstrate satisfactory/passing on any component of the Final Preceptor Evaluation
• Failure to demonstrate satisfactory medical knowledge on the End of CurriculumTM Examination
• Failure on a component of the Summative Practical Examination

Procedure

The course instructor or Student Success Coordinator will arrange to meet with the student in a timely manner to address the identified deficiencies in knowledge and/or skills. An individualized remediation plan appropriate to the degree of deficiency will be developed at the discretion of the instructor and consistent with the grading policy published in the course’s syllabus. Some assessments may have an automatic repeat built into the course grading policy. For example, second attempts are automatically permitted for practical physical assessments, End of Rotation™ Examinations, Faculty Clinical Assessments, the End of Curriculum™ Examination, and the Summative Practical Examination.

A Course Remediation Form outlining the measurable requirements for successful remediation will be signed by both parties acknowledging the plan’s expectations. At the agreed upon time, both parties will meet again to measure if the student has successfully corrected the deficiencies. If the remediation plan cannot be completed before grades are due to the Registrar’s Office, the course instructor may at their discretion award an “Incomplete” final course grade in consultation with the Program Director. The course instructor will update the Course Remediation Form noting the outcome of the remediation in the student’s permanent academic file.

> Remediation will not replace any score on an assessment used to calculate a course’s final grade. If the student does not successfully complete the remediation correcting the deficiencies, a further remediation process may be initiated. Students are referred to the published syllabus for each course for more detailed information such as, but not limited to, methods of assessment, grading policies, deadlines, grade appeals, and reviewing of examinations. The learning outcomes and instructional objectives published in each course syllabus should be used by students to guide their acquisition of the required competencies, knowledge, and skills.

Deceleration

Deceleration is an APC sanction that requires the PA student to significantly change the expected date of program completion. For example, a student entering the PA Program with the Class of 2034 would complete a probationary leave of absence and transition to the Class of 2035. This sanction is most likely to be imposed for failing a didactic course, not meeting the GPA requirements while on academic probation, two semesters of unsatisfactory GPA, or unprofessional actions amenable to remediation. The student will be required to successfully audit previously completed courses to reinforce core knowledge and skills while meeting minimum semester GPA requirements. The student is required to meet the minimum GPA for each semester, even if courses are audited. Students auditing courses are subject to university, program, and lab fees. Any decelerated student who fails to meet the academic standards will be dismissed.

Dismissal

The Academic Progress Committee adjudicates dismissal. Dismissal may be imposed by majority vote for failing a course on a repeated attempt, semester GPAs below the published minimum, failure to meet the conditions of academic probation, level IV HIPAA violations, academic dishonesty, and unprofessional conduct.

Withdrawal  

Withdrawal to avoid an unsatisfactory grade, especially related to failure to meet professional expectations, is strictly prohibited. The program will not, almost without exception, authorize any selective withdrawals at the 500 and 600 level for academic reasons (i.e. failing a course) to avoid sanctions by the Academic Progress Committee. If a student withdraws from a course, this will be considered a withdrawal from the program, unless otherwise authorized in writing by the Program Director.

The ̨��Swag PA program adheres to the University Grievance Policies and Procedures as outlined in the ̨��Swag Student Handbook 

The ̨��Swag PA program adheres to the University Appeal Policies and Procedures as outlined in the ̨��Swag Student Handbook.

Some students have successfully been employed part-time while enrolled in the PA Program. Full-time employment is an unreasonable expectation, especially during supervised clinical practice assignments. Experience has shown that employment during the first semester of the program and during the clinical phase is often problematic.

The Associate Program Director for Didactic Education and Program Director must be informed in writing of the student's work schedule each semester at the 500 and 600 level, respectively.

Employment is never considered an appropriate rationale for “excused absences”.

Students are never required to work for the PA Program. Students with advanced degrees or prior clinical experience in a particular area may not substitute or serve as instructional faculty in the PA Program. Second and third year PA students who have demonstrated academic excellence and an aptitude for a particular subject may be given the opportunity to work as student peer tutors in the ̨��Swag Learning Center or as student peer anatomy laboratory assistants. Additionally, students may volunteer to serve as paid patient models for practical examinations being administered in other PAS courses. At no time will any PA student serving in these roles have access to grades or academic records of other PA students.

Students may not be expected to substitute for clinical or administrative staff while assigned to supervised clinical practice experiences. Students are not compensated for supervised clinical practice experiences; however, there is no prohibition against a student applying for a stipend that may rarely arise with supervised clinical practice experiences with federal agencies (e.g. VA, DOJ, DOD), if available.

Students are financially responsible for the travel to and from clinical sites, purchase of books, lab coats, scrubs, and other materials essential to supervised clinical practice experiences.

Students must have reliable transportation available, at all times, during supervised clinical practice experiences. While most Clinical Education Sites are located in Erie County, placements may be made throughout New York. Travel, between offices and hospitals, throughout the working day is frequent. Lack of access to reliable transportation may delay graduation/program completion.

Clinical placement decisions rest solely with the Clinical Coordinator. Professional communication with the entire clinical team is expected. Any disrespectful conduct will result in referral to the Academic Progress Committee.

Students failing to accept clinical assignments will experience delayed program completion/graduation and will be referred to the Academic Progress Committee for consideration of sanctions.

Students must be available to participate in supervised clinical practice experiences that occur outside the typical business day (e.g. overnight, early morning) and on weekends.