Health and Technical Standards

The Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) Program provides specific health and technical standards that all enrolled students must meet and maintain to actively participate in the educational components of the curriculum. Applicants pursing a physician assistant degree must have abilities and skills in six areas: Observation, Communication, Motor, Intellectual, Behavioral and Environmental.  While technological accommodations can address some disabilities in certain areas, applicants should perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary, which relies on someone else’s power of selection and observation, is not a permissible accommodation.

1.  Observation: Observation requires the functional use of vision and somatic sensations. The applicant must be able to observe demonstrations and experience lessons in the basic sciences including, but not limited to, physiological and pharmacological demonstrations, microbiologic cultures, and microscopic studies of tissues in normal and pathologic states. An applicant must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation is enhanced by functional use of the sense of smell.
2.  Communication: An applicant must exhibit interpersonal skills to enable effective caregiving of patients, including the ability to communicate effectively in person and in writing with all members of a multidisciplinary health care team, patients, and those supporting patients. This communication allows for information gathering and observation of changes in mood, activity, posture, and perceived nonverbal communication.
3.  Motor: Applicants should have sufficient motor function to elicit information by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures. An applicant should be able to execute movements which are reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Motor function requires coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and tactile and visual assessment.
4.  Intellectual: Applicants should possess conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities. These include obtaining measurements and performing calculations, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem-solving, the critical skill demanded of physician assistants, requires all these intellectual abilities. In addition, applicants should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand spatial relationships of structure.
5.  Behavioral: Applicants should be able to demonstrate full use of their intellectual capacity, sound judgment, and capability to care for patients in a mature, sensitive, and effective manner. Applicants must be able to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent to the clinical care of patients. Compassion, integrity, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are considered during the admission and education process.
6.  Environmental: Applicants should be able to function in educational and healthcare settings with potential exposure to chemicals, gases, biohazards, and environmental allergens that may be normally present in those settings. In those settings that require exposure to biohazards and/or chemicals, OSHA exposure limits and standards must be followed, including ability to use appropriate PPE.