Minimum Technical Standards for Admission
and Continuance
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disability Act (ADA) require that qualified individuals
with a disability shall not, by reason of such disability, be
excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of services,
programs, or activities or be subjected to discrimination. The term
“qualified individual with a disability” refers to an individual,
who with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or
practices, the removal of architectural, communication or
transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and
services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the
receipt of services or for participation in programs or activities.
St. John's University complies with the Americans with Disability
Act. St. John’s PA Education Program, its Admissions Committee
and its Academic Standings and Promotions Committee will not
discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. In
carrying out their functions, the program’s committees will be
guided by the technical standards set forth in this proposal as
standards necessary for admissions, continuance and successful
completion of the program. This information is used in conjunction
with policies and procedures as delineated in the Student
Guidelines and the Clinical Guidelines.
Physician Assistant students are required to perform efficiently
in a variety of learning and clinical settings and to render a wide
spectrum of patient care. Candidates and students must be able to
tolerate taxing workloads and must be able to adapt to changing
environments. All candidates for the Physician Assistant Program
must possess the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze
and synthesize data, often in the face of uncertainties which are
inherent in clinical scenarios. In order to enable them to carry
out all activities required in physician assistant education and to
meet the demands of total patient care, candidates must possess
capabilities and skills in five areas*.
- Observation - Candidates must have
sufficient sensory capacity to observe in the lecture hall, the
laboratory, the outpatient setting and at the patient’s bedside.
Sensory skills adequate to perform a physical examination are
required. These sensory skills must be adequate to elicit
information through procedures regularly required in physical
examination, such as general inspection, visual examination, and
identification of specific findings.
- Communication - Candidates must be
able to communicate effectively in both the academic and health
care settings. Candidates must show evidence of effective written
and verbal communication skills so as to effectively and
efficiently communicate with patients and all members of the health
care team. Candidates and students should be able to elicit
information, examine patients, describe changes in mood, activity
and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications.
- Motor - Candidates must have
sufficient motor function to participate in basic diagnostic and
therapeutic procedures (e.g. palpation, percussion, auscultation).
A candidate should have motor function sufficient to execute
movements required to provide general care and emergency treatment
to patients. Such skills require coordination of gross and fine
muscular movements, equilibrium and sensation. Physical stamina
sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical
study is required. Long periods of sitting, standing or moving are
also required.
- Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and
Quantitative abilities - These abilities include
measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis.
Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of physician
assistants requires all of these intellectual abilities. The
candidate should also be able to comprehend three dimensional
relationships and the spatial relationships of structures.
Candidates must be able to read and comprehend the medical
literature. In order to complete the physician assistant program,
students are required to demonstrate mastery of these skills and
the ability to use them together in medical problem-solving and
patient care.
- Behavioral and Social Attributes -
Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required
for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise
of good judgment, and the prompt completion of all responsibilities
attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients. The development of
mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and
members of the health care team is essential. The ability to
function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical
practice, flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation,
interpersonal skills and concern for others are all required.
Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physical and
emotional stress and continue to function effectively.
*these activities may be performed by the student with
reasonable accommodation