Overview

Uniquely located on the prestigious campus of Eastern Virginia Medical School, the Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) Program utilizes innovative instructional methods in conjunction with the medical school's diverse resources to provide students with a premier education. The curriculum provides graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the delivery of primary health care as physician assistants and leaders in a changing health-care industry.

Our PA program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Only graduates of an ARC-PA-accredited program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination.

The PA profession is a growing and dynamic medical career. The U.S. Department of Labor rates job growth for PAs as “much faster than average.”

Additionally, in 2007, CNN/Money Magazine ranked the PA profession as number 5 in its "Top Ten Best Jobs in America." The number of PA jobs is projected to increase by 50% over the next 10 years.

Mission and Goals

The mission of the PA Program is to provide a premier education defined by academic excellence, clinical and community partnerships, and a commitment to facilitate access to primary care for underserved populations.

The goals of the PA Program are to prepare graduates:

• To provide quality health care to diverse patient populations in various delivery settings, spanning a range of acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions
• For service as capable leaders in clinical, academic, administrative and research environments

Accomplishment of our goals will serve the:

• Student, by fostering personal and professional discovery and development
• Patient, through student preparation of the highest level
• Institution, by contributing to a seamless learning environment which fosters the development of competent and compassionate healthcare professionals
• Community, by graduating professionals who have been educated to provide culturally sensitive primary care

Educational Program

The PA Program is divided into two phases and spans 27 consecutive months (seven semesters). Phase I, the 15-month pre-clinical year (66 credit hours), incorporates traditional classroom interaction with clinical skills development through the Theresa A. Thomas Professional Skills Teaching and Assessment Center.

In Phase II (27 credit hours), students complete eight clinical field experiences which form the basis of the professional socialization processes for adaptation to the role and functions of a physician assistant.

Clinical sites are located throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students should plan on the possibility of being placed outside the Hampton Roads area for at least one or two supervised clinical practice experiences during their clinical training.

Following graduation, graduates are required to pass the PA National Certifying Examination (PANCE). Below are the most recent trends in the performance of our graduates.

EVMS PA Program Trends in Pass Rates for the PA National Certifying Examination (PANCE)
Compared to National First-Time Pass Rates 2005 to 2009

The chart above compares the EVMS First Time Pass Rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), in blue, to the rate of first time takers of the exam nationally, in red, for the last five years. On the far right of the chart, a simple average of the five-year period is depicted.

Tuition and Fees

The tuition and fee rates of the Master of Physician Assistant Program are announced prior to the start of each academic year and are subject to change without notice. The tuition for students matriculating after January 1, 2010 is $7,705 per semester for in-state students and $8,437 for out-of-state students. Other estimated costs are the required learning resource fee ($1,280), the activity fee ($1,250), health fee ($788), and costs of books, supplies and equipment ($3,700). Historically, tuition has increased each year in July by about three percent.

A student budget for the coming year is available by clicking on the hyperlink.

Financial Aid

The primary responsibility for the funding of your education lies with you and your family. Financial aid is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Program Sequence and Advanced Standing

Students are expected to complete the designated professional curriculum in the sequence specified. Each semester's course work is to be considered pre-requisite to the next semester. Students may not enter the program with advanced standing.

ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

All applications must be submitted to the Centralized Application Service for PA Programs CASPA. Applications are accepted beginning late April and must be submitted by March 1st for entry into the class that will start the following January. All applicants will receive written notification of their application status by the Director of Enrollment for Health Professions.

Please note that the following deadlines for consideration into specific classes remain in effect:

Indicate on your CASPA application the year for which you are applying. All requirements and prerequisites MUST be applicable to the application cycle to which you are applying. Early application does not guarantee an interview or give the application an advantage. All applications will be considered as if they arrived at the same time.

Admissions Timeline Overview:

Application Requirements:

GPA: ALL APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2010 must have one of the three qualifying GPAs described below of 3.00 OR BETTER for consideration.We will use the BETTER of the following THREE possibilities:

• Undergraduate GPA,
• Completed graduate degree GPA, or
• A GPA computed from the most recent 40 semester credit hours at the time of your CASPA application (NOTE: this will be a onetime calculation at the time we process your application and will not be re-calculated as you complete additional courses.)

NOTE: although 3.00 is the minimum GPA required, our average accepted student has a GPA of about 3.5

◊ You MUST be a United States CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT (Green Card).

◊ A BACHELOR'S DEGREE from an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution must be completed before September 1st, prior to matriculation (same as prerequisites).

Those with foreign degrees may be considered on a case-by-case basis. A written request must be submitted and provide the following:

• an official translation of the foreign transcript
• all prerequisite courses must be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution

Some applicants with English as a second language are required to provide TOEFL scores.

• This requirement will apply to anyone who entered the U.S. after the age of 12 from a non-English-speaking country of origin

◊ HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE, although not required to apply, is desirable and rewarded in the screening process (our average accepted student has about 2 years of paid healthcare experience).

◊ Understanding of and compliance with the Program’s TECHNICAL STANDARDS

◊ Completion of all program HEALTH REQUIREMENTS (click here) prior to matriculation.

◊ PREREQUISITE COURSES: ALL PREQUISITES must be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution with a B- or better for acceptance 

• The program does not accept transfer credits for advanced standing in the PA program. (Prerequisite courses are not considered transfer credits.)

ON THE CASPA APPLICATION, PLEASE INDICATE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ALL PREREQUISITE COURSES AND DEGREES.

FOR THOSE HAVING INCOMPLETE PREREQUISITES at the time of application, you MUST provide a written PLAN OF COMPLETION.

• The WRITTEN PLAN is due by April 1st (or your application will NOT be reviewed).
• The REMAINING PREREQUISITE COURSES must be completed by September 1st.

Example: all prerequisites complete by September 1, 2010 for entry into program on January 2, 2011.

*Ten-Year Rule for Prerequisites:

If prerequisite coursework was completed MORE THAN ten years ago:

An exception to the ten-year rule for courses successfully completed may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Petition the PA Program Director of Admissions for exceptions to the "ten-year rule":

• The letter or email MUST include when you took the course,
• The grade received in the course,
• and your rationale for requesting the exception.

Please note that we believe that success in the program is dependent upon current working knowledge of the five courses with a 10-year time limit. Exceptions to the rule are likely to be rare.

Example: You took 5 semester credit hours of Organic Chemistry more than 10 years ago, received an A, and feel that you shouldn't have to repeat the course because you have taught organic and biochemistry at the college level for the past 5 years.

To apply to the MPA Program at EVMS:

Go to the CASPA Web site and follow the instructions for participating in the national application process administered by the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).

• Contact CASPA at (617) 612-2080 or the P.A. Program at EVMS at (757) 446-7158 if you have questions.
• Waiver of fees: If the CASPA fee is prohibitive to applying, please review the “Fee Waiver Division” information at the CASPA Web site to determine if you qualify for this service.
• Individuals with broad educational backgrounds, prior health-care experience, and those who are under-represented in the health-care professions are encouraged to apply for admission.

Clinical Role Modeling Experiences (PA Shadowing)

Clinical Role Modeling Experiences are NO LONGER REQUIRED or tracked for individuals applying for the class entering in January 2011 or later.

It is recommended that you talk about the PA profession with a Physician Assistant and that you research the profession before interviewing. Your knowledge of the profession and your reasons for selecting this career are likely to play a role in the interview process.

These links may be useful in learning about the PA Profession:

• The American Academy of Physician Assistants http://www.aapa.org/
• The Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants http://www.vapa.org/
• The Physician Assistant Education Association http://www.paeaonline.org/
• The US Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

Notice of Interviews

Following the receipt of all required documents, the application is first evaluated for completeness by the Director of Enrollment for Health Professions. A second review for compliance with program requirements and selection for personal interview is performed by the Admissions Screening Committee and designated staff.

All applicants will receive written notification of their application status within 45 days of the deadline for applications. Competitive applicants will be invited to participate in a half-day interview process conducted in August. Interviews will be held on the EVMS Campus and candidates will be given no less than two weeks' notice to facilitate the necessary arrangements to participate in the interview process. Absence or withdrawal from the interview automatically places the applicant at risk for forfeiture of consideration for a seat in the class.

Acceptance into the Program

Notification of acceptance into the EVMS PA program will be provided within two weeks of the final interviews. Applicants offered a seat in the January class must acknowledge acceptance within 10 business days of notification and forward a signed PA Acceptance Form and a non-refundable acceptance deposit (which will be applied toward tuition) to hold a seat in the class.

Wait List Status

Students who are not offered a seat in the program following Interview Day may be placed on a wait list, at the recommendation of the Admissions Screening Committee and/or the Program Director. The wait list is activated as necessary by the Program Director. A wait list is valid from the close of the interview process through the first week of classes for which the student applied. Wait-listed applicants not advanced to a seat are not considered for admission to the following class without reapplication. Consultation with the Director of Enrollment for Health Professions or Program Director is recommended in those cases.

Application of Technical Standards

The abilities and skills candidates and students must possess in order to complete the education and training associated with physician assistant education are referred to as Technical Standards. These abilities and skills are essential for clinical practice as a physician assistant.

The Technical Standards listed in this site reflect five categorical areas — observation, communication, critical reasoning (intellectual), motor and sensory, behavioral/social — and represent minimum competency levels.

Students must attest that they meet these Technical Standards prior to or at the time of matriculation from the PA Program at EVMS. Students found to be in violation of Technical Standards are at risk for dismissal from the program. Each standard is defined here and is followed by examples of indicators of minimum competence in that area.

Important Phone Numbers

Thomas Parish, DHSc, PA-C
Director
P.O. Box 1980
Norfolk, VA 23501-1980
Phone: (757) 446-7158
Fax: (757) 446-7403
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