Physician Assistant Practice - MPAP

Master of Physician Assistant Practice

Physician Assistant Practice – MP6356

School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences
Division of Physician Assistant Practice
6805 Bobcat Way
Suite 112
Dublin, OH 43016
614.793.5619
PAinfo@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Dublin Campus

Terms of Entry: Spring

Terms of Entry Requiring Program Permission: None

Program Overview

The College of Health Sciences and Professions offers a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Practice (MPAP) at Ohio University’s Dublin Integrated Education Center located in Dublin, Ohio.

The mission of the Ohio University Master of Physician Assistant Practice Program is to prepare students to be leaders in physician assistant practice in any clinical setting with a particular emphasis on primary care in urban and rural medically underserved communities in Ohio and throughout Appalachia.

The Ohio University Physician Assistant (PA) Program includes 76 semester hours of didactic coursework and 30 hours of clinical rotations for a total of 106 semester hours.

The program educationally prepares students in six areas: 1) Didactic coursework, 2) Clinical skills, 3) Professionalism, 4) Interprofessional education and work environments, 5) Cultural awareness and sensitivity, and 6) Supervised clinical practice experiences in urban/ rural community-based practice settings as well as rotations in university affiliated academic medical centers.

This is a full-time program over seven consecutive semesters.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Ohio University PA Program educates qualified individuals to be highly skilled licensed health care providers who practice team-based medicine in collaboration with physicians. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

(COMMUNICATION) demonstrate effective communication with patients and healthcare professionals.
(ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY) perform patient assessment skills and analyze results of the patient’s history and physical exam to develop an accurate diagnosis and effective intervention plan.
(ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY) perform and/or select appropriate diagnostic procedures/tests and interpret the results as part of an effective intervention plan.
(EBP DECISION MAKING) integrate critically appraised evidence into clinical practice.
(PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT) demonstrate principles of lifelong learning and ongoing professional development.
(HEALTHCARE TEAM COLLABORATION) foster healthcare team collaboration to provide patient-centered care.
(LEADERSHIP / SERVICE) exhibit leadership within the community and profession.
(ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE) demonstrate ethical and professional behaviors in alignment with the AAPA Code of Ethics.

Opportunities for Graduates

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, PAs had a median annual salary in May 2020 of $115,390 with the top 10 percent of the profession earning more than $162,470. With the aging population and with the rapidly changing healthcare environment, significant growth is expected over the next decade.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/rehab/physician-assistant

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U. S. institution. Candidates may apply if a bachelor’s degree will be conferred by matriculation.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0: CASPA will compute a merged cumulative GPA based on each institution attended. The merged GPA must be a 3.0 in order to meet minimum application standards.
A minimum prerequisite math and science GPA of 3.0: The math and science GPA is based upon the program prerequisite courses. If an applicant retakes prerequisite courses or takes a higher-level course, the OHIO PA admissions committee may take the most recent grade into consideration.
Prerequisite Courses
- Potential applicants should check the program website for details about all of the prerequisite courses: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/rehab/physician-assistant/prerequisites
- All prerequisite courses must be completed at the pre-medical or pre-health science level at a Regionally Accredited U. S. institution. All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of “C.” At the time of application, a candidate can only have two outstanding prerequisite courses. Alternative grading options given during the COVID-19 pandemic will be subject to further review. If given the option, applicants should elect to keep the standard letter grade for the course in progress. If an alternative (pass/satisfactory) grade is elected, a formal letter from the graduating institution verifying that a C or higher was earned in the course will be required at the time of application. OHIO’s PA program reserves the right to decline coursework with alternative grades. No candidate will be eligible for matriculation unless all prerequisite coursework is complete by December 31.
- Prerequisite science courses must be at the pre-medical or pre-health professional level. Students should check course equivalents with their academic advisor at their home institution.
- If students have questions about preadmission coursework, please contact our admissions office at PAadmissions@ohio.edu.
GRE: Candidate must submit official GRE scores. GRE scores are valid for five years as of test date. Students will submit official GRE scores directly to Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) from ETS. Ohio University has a CASPA specific GRE code: 0957.
Previous Healthcare Experience (or PA 2100 for Ohio University students): Students are required to have patient care experience acquired within five years of matriculation. Experience can be full-time, part-time or volunteer. Clinical experiences will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of the experience. The program does not require a minimum number of hours. Some examples of acceptable experiences can be found here: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/rehab/physician-assistant/faq
- Proof of accumulated non-shadowing healthcare and/or patient care hours reported in CASPA is required. Proof must be on the official letterhead from the employer(s) and must contain the following information: your name, dates of employment, job title, job status (full time, part time, or volunteer) and the number of hours worked. The letter must be signed by an HR official or immediate supervisor. Hours accumulated within the past 5 years will be accepted.
- For Ohio University students, PA 2100 Introduction to the PA Profession can be substituted for the healthcare experience requirement, however additional hands-on patient care experience is highly recommended.
Community Service & Leadership Experience
- Candidates may report community service and leadership experience acquired within five years of matriculation. Experiences will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of the experience.
Professional Recommendations: Candidates must submit two letters of recommendation. At least one letter of recommendation must be from a non-related, practicing PA or Physician (MD or DO). The other reference should be from someone who has observed the applicant in an academic or professional setting.

Other Considerations: In keeping with the mission of Ohio University, the PA program gives special consideration to candidates who are:
- Permanent residents of Appalachia (opens in a new window) or medically underserved areas as indicated in the CASPA application.
- U.S. Military members – defined as active duty, reserves or veteran status from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard.
- OHIO University graduates
- Applicants who have two or more misdemeanor convictions or a single felony conviction will not be considered for admission.
- Applicants who have been dismissed from a College, University and/or professional degree program will not be considered for admission.

International Students

Ohio University’s PA program does not permit full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 cannot be issued based on admission to this program. Applicants to Ohio University’s PA program must be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident and must also hold a degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.

Graduation Requirements

Complete 106 credit hours as follows:

Required Courses

Complete the following courses (not necessarily in the order given here):

Clinical Rotation Courses

Complete the following course for a total of 30 credit hours:

Other Requirements

In order to graduate from the Ohio University Physician Assistant Program, a student must complete the following requirements:

“C” or better in each required course in the curriculum
Have a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the time of graduation
Successful completion of the summative evaluation (greater than a 70%), which includes a comprehensive written examination (medical knowledge), objective structured clinical exam - OSCE (clinical skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking and problem solving and professional behavior), and professional behavior assessment (summary of professionalism assessment tool and clinical evaluations made throughout the curriculum)
Complete payment of all tuition, program and campus fees

Culminating Experience

Successfully compete the following:

Comprehensive written examination (medical knowledge)
Objective structured clinical exam - OSCE (clinical skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking and problem solving and professional behavior)
Professional behavior assessment (summary of professionalism assessment tool and clinical evaluations made throughout the curriculum)

The Master of Physician Assistant Practice degree requires each student to complete a graduate project as partial fulfillment of a graduate degree. The Evidence Based Research course series (I-III) is designed to prepare students with the skills to appraise evidence and to write scientifically.