Master of Physician Assistant Science

Mission Statement

To prepare high quality physician assistants, exceptionally trained to practice evidence-based medicine and embrace culturally diverse and inclusive environments, who will serve each person with compassion and professionalism.

Vision Statement

To transform students, through rigorous academic preparation and excellence in clinical skill development, into leading members of collaborative health care teams, providing empathetic and inclusive care and leaving lasting impacts on the patients and communities they serve.

• Recruit, select and retain a pool of highly qualified applicants from a variety of backgrounds that reflects the diversity of patient populations.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • Adopt and support the Oakland University Strategic Goal to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in an environment of mutual trust and respect and facilitate opportunities and success for all MPAS faculty, staff and students.
      • Establish policies and practices that support and promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
      • Implement a holistic admissions process that is mission-aligned with selection processes that take into consideration an applicants' experiences, attributes and academic metrics as well as the value an applicant would contribute to learning, practice and teaching.
      • Analysis of cohort demographics
        • Self-Report: MPAS Program Admission-Enrollment-Orientation Survey (A-E-O).
        • CASPA Metrics (starting with the 2025 admissions cycle).
• The program will provide students with the necessary tools and support to develop cognitive knowledge, affective behavior, and technical skills to reliably practice as a competent PA.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • Didactic Curriculum:
      • ≤10% of all assessments have student scores low enough to require remediation.
      • No student remediation efforts are deemed unsuccessful by the corresponding Principal or Instructional Faculty.
      • ≤5% of all final course grades are below a passing percentage of 80%.
      • Each cohort will achieve an average Packrat score at or above national average.
    • Clinical Curriculum
      • ≤10% of all assessments including the End-of-Rotation Exams (EOREs) have student scores low enough to require remediation.
      • ≤5% of all SCPE course grades earn a failing (below 80%) grade.
      • Preceptor Evaluation minimum of 3.5/5.0 on a Likert scale in the clinical and technical knowledge domain.
    • Program Completion
      • 95-100% of students pass all comprehensive exams (End of Curriculum and Comprehensive OSCE evaluations).
      • End of Curriculum exam scores at or above the National Average.
      • First time PANCE pass rate at or above the National average.
    • Professionalism
      • 95-100% passing grade of 80% or greater in the Ethics and Evidence Based Medicine Course.
      • Preceptor Evaluation minimum of 3.5/5.0 liker scale evaluation in the professionalism domain.
      • Advisor Professionalism Assessment: minimum of 3.5/5.0 Likert scale.
• Reinforce collaborative learning and a team-based approach to the practice of medicine through a variety of learning modalities.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • Full participation and engagement in interprofessional learning opportunities.
      • Interdisciplinary Anatomy Cadaver Lab workshop with the Physical Therapy Department.
    • 95-100% of students with a passing grade of 80% or greater in PAS 5250 Trends in Medicine and Wellness assessments in Nutrition and Exercise in collaboration with the Nutrition and Exercise Science programs.
    • Receive passing scores from the clinical preceptors assessing interdisciplinary teamwork during Clinical Practicums/SCPEs.
• Prepare students to practice cultural competency and raise awareness of social determinants of health and equity in healthcare through didactic education, clinical placement, and community engagement.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • Participation and completion of Implicit Bias Training in Capstone I.
    • 95-100% of students with a passing grade of 80% or greater in PAS 5150 (Ethics and Evidence Based Medicine) PAS 5220 Public Health Science and PAS 5120 Psychosocial Factors in Medicine.
    • Active participation and engagement in community outreach opportunities through participation in the AAPA student society chapter at Oakland University.
• Develop proficiency in all manners of communication and demonstrate competency in oral and written communications skills.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • Preceptor Evaluation minimum of 3.5/5.0 liker scale evaluation in the communication domain.
    • 95-100% of students with a passing grade of 80% or greater in PAS 5030 Medical Interview and Documentation and PAS 5350 Clinical Transitions and Advanced Documentation.
    • Faculty team Evaluation of Physical Assessment OSCEs minimum of 3.5/5.0 Likert scale in the communication domain.
• Prepare our students to be PA advocates and leaders by providing opportunities for growth.
  • Plans to measure effectiveness:
    • 100% participation and demonstration of effective Leadership in the AAPA student society chapter at Oakland University.
    • 90-100% participation in AAPA and/or MAPA as graduates of the program (Graduate Survey).
    • Graduate survey results assessing leadership and advocacy positions of graduates.

1. Medical Knowledge
   1. Integrate core knowledge of established and emerging biomedical and clinical science, and the application of this knowledge to patient care.
   2. Integrate into practice basic principles of public health including epidemiology, disease prevention, surveillance, reporting, and the maintenance of population health.
   3. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the different types of healthcare systems including the legal, regulatory, insurance, reimbursement, billing/coding, and patient safety issues related to the practice of medicine.
2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
   1. Demonstrate effective documentation of medical information in an accurate, logical and understandable manner.
   2. Demonstrate effective communication skills with patients, families, and other healthcare providers using various modalities such as auditory, verbal, and non-verbal modalities of communication.
   3. Practice cultural competency by understanding and integrating cultural norms and needs, of the individual patients and community being served.
   4. Integrate interventions that reduce health disparities including gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, and geographical location pertaining to the patient and community in which medical practice is conducted.
   5. Communicate effectively and respectfully with patients, families, and other health care team members.
3. Clinical and Technical Skills
   1. Demonstrate the ability to gather clinical information, formulate differential diagnoses, order, and interpret laboratory studies and imaging.
   2. Demonstrate the appropriate technical skills necessary to perform core duty procedures, and diagnose, prevent, treat, and manage illness among acute, chronic, and emerging disease states across the lifespan.
   3. Integrate current research and techniques to make the best evidence-based decisions when providing patient care and technical procedures.
   4. Demonstrate utilization of both electronic and non-digital medical records to document findings, access clinical information, write prescriptions and orders, and make referrals.
   5. Use and apply basic technologies and other resources to appropriately search and interpret medical literature for answers to clinical questions and evidence-based practices.
   6. Integrate and apply newly acquired knowledge into patient care practice.
4. Professional Behavior
   1. Provide appropriate standards of care practice while advocating and practicing respect for patient privacy.
   2. Demonstrate professional behavior including sensitivity to diverse populations, as an integral (leading) member of the healthcare team, especially when interacting with patients, families, staff, administrators, and colleagues.
   3. Demonstrate professional accountability by ethical and legal awareness within our scope of practice.
   4. Incorporate a personal wellness plan to promote resilience and prevent burnout.
   5. Acknowledge and agree to abide by the principles included in the American Academy of Physician Assistants “Guidelines to the Ethical Conduct of the Physician Assistant Profession”.
5. Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving Abilities
   1. Coordinate care to optimize the health of patients and populations.
   2. Integrate methods of addressing inequities of social determinants of health including economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context.
   3. Recommend pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapeutic options that are evidence-based while also considering patient preferences and concerns, spiritual considerations, and barriers to social determinants of health.
   4. Utilize information derived from medical history, physical exam, and diagnostic testing to formulate working differential diagnosis into acute presumptive diagnosis.
   5. Demonstrate ability to provide efficient and effective care in a variety of medical settings including emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of-life encounters.

Technical standards are published to allow a student candidate the ability to make an informed decision regarding application to the MPAS program.  These standards are considered necessary to successfully complete the didactic and clinical portions of the program as well as continue with the skills necessary to progress to clinical competency as a practitioner.

Academic adjustments can be made for disabilities in some instances, but a student must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.

The Disability Support Services Office (DSS) assists current and prospective students who are requesting accommodations to access the programs and services at Oakland University. Accommodations are determined through an interactive, individualized, case by case interview between DSS and the student. Application for accommodations and documentation guidelines can be found on the DSS website. https://oakland.edu/dss/student-resources/accommodations/.

Practitioners in healthcare must have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to function in a wide variety of clinical experiences and patient care scenarios.  Students in the Master of Physician Assistant Science Program must be able to integrate, analyze and synthesize data consistently and accurately.

Technical standards are addressed in seven categories:  observation; communication; motor; sensory; strength, mobility, and endurance; intellectual including conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and behavioral and social.

Requirements for Admission, Promotion, Continuation and Graduation

Minimal Technical Standards

1. Observation: Candidates and students must have sufficient uncorrected or corrected visual acuity, depth perception, and color perception to be able to observe demonstrations, experiments, laboratory exercises and lectures in the basic and clinical sciences. They must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and up close. Vision must be sufficient to utilize clinical instrumentation; observe written and graphic information (such as EKGs and X rays); identify clinical landmarks and textural changes on anatomical structures; and observe patient physical qualities such as posture, locomotion, and movement in a clinical setting. Observing the patient includes the use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensation, and is enhanced by the functional use of other sensory modalities.
   
   If for any reason the candidate's ability to observe or acquire information through the above- mentioned sensory modalities is inhibited, the candidate must possess the ability to obtain the acquired information, whether basic science or patient related, in an alternative fashion.

2. Communication: Candidates and students must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively using both oral and written communication skills with patients, their families, and with all members of the health care team using traditional or non-traditional means. The candidate must be able to create and comprehend written materials such as medical records, laboratory reports, and pharmacological prescriptions. The candidate must possess adequate interpersonal skills, empathy toward others, and a willingness to interact cooperatively in all professional environments.
   
   
3. Motor: Candidates and students must have sufficient motor functions to execute movements required to perform laboratory exercises and provide clinical care. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine motor movements and equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The candidate must possess the motor skills necessary to perform palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other diagnostic maneuvers to complete basic and specialized portions of the physical examination of a patient and is expected to execute movements and assume reasonable bodily postures required to provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment of patients including emergency medical care.  If unable to perform these tasks independently, they must be able to direct others to perform these tasks.
   
   
4. Sensory: Candidates and students must have functional use of sensory skills such as tactile discrimination and proprioception for classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Functional use of hearing and vision are also required and are described in the sections above.
   
   
5. Strength, Mobility and Endurance: Candidates and students must have sufficient upright posture, balance, flexibility, mobility, strength, and cardiovascular endurance for standing, sitting, lifting moderate weight and participating in classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences.
   
   
6. Intellectual: Candidates and students must have sufficient cognitive capabilities to assimilate the detailed and complex information presented in formal lectures, small group discussions, individual teaching sessions, and clinical settings. The ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, recall and synthesize information across various modalities; understand spatial relationships of structure and form and test hypothesizes are essential components of critical thinking. Problem solving, the critical and essential skill demanded of physicians, requires all these intellectual abilities. These problem-solving skills must be performed in a timely fashion.
   
   
7. Behavioral and Social: Candidates and students must possess the demeanor and maturity required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities. This includes interactions with faculty, staff, student colleagues and the general population.  Students must  exercise good judgment in diagnosis and treatment of patients. Required skills include the ability to function in stressful and demanding environments, and demonstration of the flexibility to cope with changing situations and the ambiguity inherent in medical problem solving.
   
   Candidates and students must consistently demonstrate compassion, honesty, integrity, concern, and respect for self and others. In addition to possessing an intrinsic desire for excellence, the candidate must possess tolerance for and acceptance of difference, and show interest and motivation to become an effective PA.
   
   Students are expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior at all times in their personal and professional life. Failure to do so can result in dismissal. Examples of inappropriate behavior include but are not limited to substance abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, violent behavior, and illegal activities.

Oakland University MPAS program will also include a link in the Student Handbook, the “Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates” as developed by PAEA to include:

1. Patient Centered Practice Knowledge
2. Society and Population Health
3. Health Literacy and Communication
4. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership
5. Professional and Legal aspects of healthcare

And the “Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession” as developed by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Accreditation and Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) to include competency areas related to:

1. Medical knowledge
2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
3. Patient care

The OU MPAS program is committed to the promotion of a diverse student body representative of the patient populations we serve. In support of our mission, we recognize and embrace that diversity promotes excellence in education, research, professionalism and health care. Through holistic admission policies and recruitment and retention strategies, we strive to ensure that no student is denied access to an Oakland University education based on their gender, gender identification, race, religion, national origin or economic status. A diversified and inclusive student body provides opportunity for the development of enhanced communication skills through social and cultural immersion and shared experiences with others from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. This further supports our goals of excellence in clinical decision making, advanced interpersonal skills and competent, quality patient care.

For further information on Oakland University's DEI initiative, visit the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion's website.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives:

Oakland University is committed to supporting the MPAS program’s goals for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (std. A1.11)

• Defining (A1.11a)
  • Strategic goal 4:
    • Advance diversity, equity and inclusion in an environment of mutual trust and respect at ALL levels of the institution.
    • Facilitate opportunities for success for all community members
  • OU Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Collective and coherent voice to serve as a resource for all
    • Short- and Long-term strategies for structure, policies, processes, curricula and engagement
  • Diversity advocate Program
    • Development of equity and diversity advocated on search committees
• Recruiting (A1.11b)
  • Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
    • Align Oakland University’s strategic framework with student recruitment goals
      • Increasing graduate enrollment
      • Increasing the diversity of all student populations including international students
  • OU MPAS
    • Holistic Admissions Policy
• Retention (A1.11c)
  • Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
    • Support goals and tactics identified by the DEI Council
    • Increase representation
  • Center for Multicultural Initiatives
    • Oakland University Trustee Academic Success (OUTAS) program
      • Comprehensive support services including academic support, to the diverse group of OU students, including those in the MPAS program
    • CORE (Collectively Oakland Retains Everyone)
      • Academic support: advising, tutoring, mentoring, workshops, counseling
• Resources for the MPAS program, faculty, staff and students. (A1.11d)
  • Diversity Training for Faculty and Staff
    • Center for Multicultural Initiatives provides workshops and presentations
    • OUMPAS: Capstone I course will include diversity training for all clinical year students
  • Disability support services
    • All students with disabilities will participate fully in university life
    • OUMPAS: All students promptly referred to DSS for evaluation and academic support
  • Gender and Sexuality Center
    • Supports the retention and graduation of LGBTQ+
    • OUMPAS: Workshops and “Brown Bag” lunch presentations for OU MPAS students
    • OUMPAS: Sponsored events through the OU MPAS student chapter of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (Associates)
  • Office of Title IX and Compliance
    • OUMPAS: providing a safe and secure learning environment
  • Veteran and Support Services
    • OUMPAS: support enrollment of veterans in the MPAS program
    • Resources for Military members and Veterans including using the GI bill and/or other resources for MPAS cost of attendance.