Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Overview

The Mercy College of Ohio Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program is a 118-credit hour, cohort-based program. The seven (7)-semester curriculum includes four (4) didactic and three (3) clinical semesters. Students will have seven (7) required Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) areas along with opportunities for elective experiences. Students are expected to participate in direct patient contact for 40-60 hours per week.

Mission

The MPAS Program provides a graduate-level learning experience that produces PA graduates who can provide competent, patient-centered medical care for diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings while also embracing service, scholarship, and leadership.

Vision

The Mercy College of Ohio PA program will be a premier graduate-level PA educational program in which its graduates contribute service, scholarship, and leadership to meet the medical care needs of the region, the State of Ohio, and the nation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes/Program Competencies

Upon program completion, MPAS students will be able to demonstrate competency in the following measurable and observable domains:

• Analyze population/public health issues that impact patients and their communities (e.g., health literacy, social determinants of health).
• Analyze clinical scenarios, formulate differential diagnoses, and create management plans rooted in current evidence-based and current best practice guidelines.
• Engage in critical thinking in clinical decision making and scholarly inquiry.
• Defend ethical decisions with respect to individual health care cases and population/public health issues using Mercy College Values.
• Evaluate peers, interprofessional team members, and supervising professionals.
• Create an action plan for professional growth and development.

Program Goals

Guided by our mission, vision, and values, the PA Program of Mercy College of Ohio aspires to meet these goals:

• National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Board Pass Rate program performance at or above the national mean score for overall performance and for specialty and task areas.
• Employment Rate of at least 95% PA placement within 12 months of graduation.
• Meet Mission annually through service, leadership, or scholarship by participating in at least two of these areas annually: service, leadership, and scholarship.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to graduate programs at Mercy College of Ohio are assessed according to academic background, aptitude for graduate-level work, and professional experience. Applicants to graduate programs are required to have access to the internet to complete online coursework.

Admission Criteria for Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

Admission requirements for the graduate MPAS program at Mercy College of Ohio follow. Note that competitive applicants will typically have more than minimal requirements. The PA Program does not accept transfer credits or credit by examination for prerequisite courses. The PA Program does not award advanced placement. The PA Program does not admit students with conditional, provisional, or special status.

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution prior to matriculation into the PA program.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 as a competitive threshold.
• Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 with no course grade lower than “C” as a competitive threshold. Successfully repeated with a grade “C” or above will be considered.
• Must be a US citizen or legal resident.

Prerequisite Coursework

It is highly recommended students take the prerequisite courses noted with an asterisk (*) at an upper level, as opposed to a lower level or survey courses, preferably taken within the last 5 years.

• One semester of medical terminology (minimum 1 semester hour or equivalent quarter hours) or valid certificate of completion or equivalent.
• One semester of psychology (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours).
• One semester of statistics (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours).
• One semester of genetics (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours).
• One semester of organic chemistry (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours) (proper organic chemistry as prerequisite to biochemistry course).
• One semester of microbiology (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours).*
• Equivalent of two semesters of combined (human) anatomy and physiology (minimum 6 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours), with lab preferred.*
• One semester of biochemistry (with organic chemistry prerequisite) (minimum 3 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours).*

Requirements

• CASPA application online
• Letters of recommendation:
  • At least two academic or professional letters of recommendation
• GRE General test within the last 5 years:
  • Preferred competitive combined verbal/quantitative score over 300
  • Preferred competitive quantitative over 150
  • Analytical Writing GRE result of 3.5 or above
• Discernment into the profession such as healthcare experience/patient contact
• Technical Standards must be met
• Clinical Requirements must be met at time of matriculation and ongoing per program requirements
• Other relevant science courses earning “C” or above will be considered holistically within applicant's science academic bodies of work.

Technical Standards and Clinical Requirements

The MPAS Program has program-specific technical standards and clinical requirements identified on the program webpage.