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it’s all about Choices… Physician Assistant Program School of Health Related Professions S H RP D E PA RT M E N T O F P R I M A RY C A R E

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Page 1: physicians assistant

it’s all about

Choices…Physician Assistant Program

School of Health Related ProfessionsS H R P

D E P A R T M E N T O F P R I M A R Y C A R E

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ChoicesStudents who chooseUMDNJ’s School ofHealth RelatedProfessions want a University that isexclusively dedicated to health care, with state-of-the-art equipment, rigorouscoursework, and faculty who care. All our resources gotoward supporting ahealth care educationalenvironment thatattracts and nurturesthe very best facultyand students.

P H Y S I C I A N A S S I S T A N T P R O G R A M

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PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS: PArtners in Medicine

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health care professionals licensed to prac-tice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensiveresponsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illness-es, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist insurgery, and in most states write prescriptions. The education of PAs isbased on the medical model designed to complement physician training.Upon graduation, physician assistants take a national certifying examina-tion developed by the National Commission on Certification of PAs inconjunction with the National Board of Medical Examiners.

PAs work in a variety of clinical settings. More than half are employed inone of the primary care fields: family practice, internal medicine, pedi-atrics, and obstetrics and gynecology. Other popular areas of practiceinclude surgery and emergency medicine.

THE UMDNJ PA PROGRAM

The UMDNJ Physician Assistant Program, located at Robert WoodJohnson Medical School, confers a Master of Science degree upon com-pletion of three years of didactic and clinical education. We have beeneducating PAs since 1975, and are fully accredited by the AccreditationReview Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

There are two routes of entry into this program. Students may be admit-ted directly into the professional program after earning a baccalaureatedegree and completing the required prerequisite courses. Alternatively,students may be admitted into the joint BA/MS program through one ofthe Program’s affiliated Universities.

We believe our three-year format affords the best opportunity for trainingas a physician assistant, and we are pleased that the very high rankingof our program on the national certifying exam supports this. Our pro-gram is one of the top programs in the country. Our graduates consis-tently achieve a 100% first-time pass rate on the national certifyingexamination, with scores that place the program in or above the 97thpercentile nationwide.

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JOINT BA/MS PROGRAMS

The UMDNJ Physician Assistant Program, in collaboration with severalNew Jersey Universities,* offers undergraduates an opportunity to jointhe PA Program. These programs are designed as “3+3” programswith the first three years spent as an undergraduate and the last threeyears spent in the professional graduate program. Students may applyto the professional program in April of their second year by contactingthe PA Program for an application. Personal interviews will be requiredof those applicants being considered for admission. The interview willserve to determine the applicant’s emotional and intellectual maturity,the ability to communicate, and the potential to achieve career satis-faction within the PA role. All applications must be received by June1st and final notices of acceptance will be made by August 1st.Acceptance will be guaranteed at the end of the third year if the appli-cant maintains a 3.0 GPA, is successful in the interview process, andmeets all the requirements for the undergraduate degree before thebeginning of the fourth year (first professional year).

For more information about our “3+3” Programs, please contact the PAProgram office.

*For a list of affiliated universities, please visit our website:http://shrp.umdnj.edu/programs/paweb.

JOINT MS/MPH PROGRAM

The UMDNJ Physician Assistant Program, in conjunction with theUMDNJ School of Public Health, offers a program leading to a Masterof Science in physician assistant studies and a Master of Public Health.The program allows physician assistant students to complete both theirgraduate Physician Assistant studies and MPH degree in four years(including summers). Application to this program is limited to studentswho have already been accepted to the Physician Assistant Programand have taken the GRE. Students accepted into this dual degreetrack would attend the Physician Assistant Program part-time for twoyears while attending the MPH Program part-time. Students maybegin this Program in the summer prior to beginning the PhysicianAssistant Program or in the first fall semester. During the third andfourth years of the Program, the student will be attending the Physician

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Assistant Program full-time and completing their fieldwork for the MSand MPH. Students may choose to study in one of the following divi-sions in the School of Public Health: Health Education and BehavioralScience; Environmental and Occupational Health; or Health Systemsand Policy.

For more information about our MS/MPH Program, please contact thePA Program office.

THE CURRICULUM

The Program is an intensive three-year curriculum that is divided intoone and one half years of didactic education and one and one halfyears of clinical rotations. Classes are primarily held on the UMDNJcampus in Piscataway. Clinical rotations are offered in New Jersey,New York and Connecticut.

A part-time daytime curriculum is also offered. Applicants who areinterested in this option should contact the Program for more informa-tion.

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First Year

Fall Semester Credits

Microbiology 7Gross Anatomy 4Cellular & Genetic Mechanisms 4Biochemistry 2Professionalism I 1Medical Ethics 1Introduction to Scientific Inquiry 1

Total Credits: 20

Second Year

Fall Semester Credits

Clinical Medicine I 11Physical Diagnosis 3Introduction to Radiology 3Pharmacology 3Medical Interviewing 3Applied Clinical Correlates 1

Total Credits: 24

Spring Semester Credits

Medical Physiology 7Pathology 5Human Development/Health Maintenance 3Neuroanatomy 2Electrocardiography 1Clinical Laboratory 3Systems Histology 1

Total Credits: 22

Summer Semester Credits

Applied Clinical Research 3

Total Credits: 3

Spring Semester Credits

Clinical Medicine II 2Clinical Nutrition 1Psychiatry 3Dynamics of Human Sexuality 1Introduction to Clinical Clerkships 2Physician Assistant Internship I 12

Total Credits: 21

Summer Semester Credits

Physician Assistant Internship II 8

Total Credits: 8

Third Year

Fall Semester Credits

Physician Assistant Internship III 12

Total Credits: 12

Spring Semester Credits

Physician Assistant Internship IV 12Professionalism II 1

Total Credits: 13

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Admission Requirements

The following requirements must be met in order to obtain admission:

1. The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree or be attendingone of our affiliated Universities.

2. The applicant should have completed the following courses with agrade of “C” or better:

General Psychology 3 semester hoursEnglish (composition) 3 semester hoursMathematics (precalculus) 3-4 semester hoursGeneral Chemistry (with lab) 8 semester hoursOrganic Chemistry 3-4 semester hoursBiological Sciences (with lab) 8 semester hours

Persons with incomplete prerequisites may apply; however, they muststate how they will satisfy the prerequisites by the end of the springsemester prior to the start of the program.

3. The applicant must have an overall and science GPA of no less than3.0 (on a scale where 4 equals A). In cases where individuals showhigh potential by improved performance, exceptions to this require-ment may be considered.

4. The applicant must submit three completed RecommendationForms. It is preferable that one recommendation be prepared by acollege instructor, one by an employment supervisor and one by anindividual who is thoroughly familiar with the applicant’s generalcharacteristics. He/she may be an instructor, counselor, communityleader, etc.

5. Interviews will be required of those applicants being considered foradmission. The determination is made following an initial screeningby the Admissions Committee. The interview will serve to identifyqualities such as communication skills, motivation, and generalinterpersonal skills. The applicant should demonstrate a clear under-standing of the PA role and how this fits into the applicant’s careergoals. The applicant is reminded that competition is very keen forthe available spaces.

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6. Prior patient contact experience is considered desirable and appli-cants with such experience will be given priority consideration, butnot to the exclusion of applicants without such experience. TheAdmissions Committee is empowered to make admission condi-tional upon completion of a designated period of experience in ahealth related field for a duration of not less than four (4) or morethan twelve (12) weeks.

7. The Committee is pleased to consider applications from out-of-statecandidates.

8. Applicants are advised to submit their applications by October 1prior to the academic year for which the application is made. Allapplications with supporting documents must be received no laterthan February 1.

9. Applicants who received their degrees outside the USA are requiredto take the TOEFL exam. TOEFL currently administers the internet-based (IB) and paper-based (PB) testing. A minimum score of 100(IB) or 600 (PB) must be achieved. The TOEFL Designated InstitutionCode is 2391. Along with taking the TOEFL exam, applicants arerequired to submit an evaluation of the foreign transcript.Evaluations can be obtained by contacting World EducationServices, Inc. at www.wes.org or International EducationEvaluations, Inc. at http://www.iee1981.com/.

10. Most of our applicants are placed on a hold list until February whenthe interview process is completed. At that time final decisions aremade and applicants are notified of the Admissions Committee’sfinal decisions by March. Some applicants may be offered a placeon our waiting list, which we utilize when applicants decline our offerof acceptance.

If you would like to discuss your application or have questions pertain-ing to the application process, contact the program. Phone confer-ences with faculty or our admissions coordinator are available byappointment.

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXPENSES

Please contact the PA Program office or visit our website for the cur-rent tuition information and fee schedule.

TuitionTuition for out-of-state residents and for students whose permanentresidence is outside the US is 50% more than that of in-state residents.

Students who are interested in applying for resident status can find thepolicy and application at the following website:

http://www.umdnj.edu/oppmweb/Policies/HTML/StudentServices/00-01-25-15_05.html

Financial AidFinancial Aid is available through UMDNJ. Veterans EducationAssistance benefits are available to persons who qualify. Scholarships,grants, loans, and on campus jobs are available for eligible applicants.Interested applicants should contact the Financial Aid Office at RobertWood Johnson Medical School at (732) 235-4689 for information.

PA students are also eligible for several different federal loan repaymentprograms. Interested students should contact The National HealthService Corps, The Indian Health Service and/or The US Department ofJustice-Federal Bureau of Prisons for more information.

The booklet: “Financial Aid Resources for PA Students” can beobtained by calling the American Academy of Physician Assistants at(703) 836-2272. The cost is approximately $10.00.

EquipmentUpon entrance into the PA Program, all students will be expected topurchase medical diagnostic equipment at an estimated cost of$950.00.

General Service FeeUMDNJ has implemented a Student Health Service on its various cam-puses. All full time students who pay tuition directly to UMDNJ and arebased on a UMDNJ campus are required to pay the Health ServiceFee.

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Health Insurance FeeIn addition to the General Service Fee, all students are required to pur-chase health insurance from the University. This fee may be waived, ifthe student can provide documentation of equivalent coverage byanother insurer.

BooksBooks are approximately $400 per semester for the three didacticsemesters.

Program FeesFees for all SHRP programs are charged at a per-credit rate to a maxi-mum of 16 credits. This includes part-time students.

Technology FeeA per-semester fee is charged to all UMDNJ tuition paying studentstaking six (6) or more credits.

Housing There is no on-campus housing available. Most students live in privatehomes and apartments near the University with other students in theprogram.

Parking FeeThere is a yearly parking fee in order to park on the UMDNJ campus.

Graduation FeeStudents are required to pay a one-time graduation fee.

Background Check FeeStudents are required to pay a one-time background check fee.

In addition to the tuition and fees, students may be held responsible forthe cost of housing if assigned to a clinical rotation at a distant site.Participation in off-campus activities and clinical sites will necessitatetravel by individual automobile.

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OTHER SERVICES AND POLICIES

Support ServicesDue to the challenges of this rigorous curriculum, the program hasestablished several services to help students to succeed. These includemental health counseling, cognitive skills counseling, and private tutor-ing services. All of these are provided to students at no extra cost.

Advanced PlacementApplicants interested in advanced placement should provide documen-tation of graduate level course work and submit a letter of request tothe Program Director. Applicants should be aware that for some cours-es a placement exam is required.

Transfer CreditsTransfer credit is only awarded for students seeking advanced place-ment (see above). Transfer credit will only be considered for studentswho can document equivalent graduate level course work from anaccredited college or university with a grade of at least “B”.

Experiential LearningStudents may apply for credit for experiential learning through theOffice of Enrollment Services in Newark. Applications for credit forexperiential learning will only be considered after a student is acceptedinto the PA Program.

Graduation RequirementsOnce accepted into the PA Program, students must maintain a mini-mum grade point average of 2.5 (on a scale where 4.0 = A) in order tograduate from the Program.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is a PA permitted to prescribe medications?Most states, including New Jersey, permit PAs to prescribe certainclasses of drugs with physician controls and supervision. In January,2005, the New Jersey legislature passed a bill authorizing PAs to pre-scribe controlled substances.

Is a PA a dependant practitioner?Yes. A PA is a professional member of the health care team, qualifiedby academic and clinical training, who functions with responsiblesupervision of a licensed physician. Supervision may be direct or indi-rect. This relationship augments the physician’s data gathering andtechnical abilities, thus assisting the supervising physician in formulat-ing and instituting care plans and treatment for the physician’s patients.The supervising physician may delegate to the PA those medical pro-cedures and other tasks that are performed within the normal scope ofthe physician’s practice. The PA is subject to the limitations set forthby the supervising physician in addition to the laws, rules, and regula-tions that affect PA practice.

What kind of salary do most PAs command?In 2006, the average salary for new graduates (those in practice for lessthan one year) is approximately $71,000. The average PA salarynationwide is $84,000.

Are PAs certified?PAs are certified by the National Commission on Certification ofPhysician Assistants (NCCPA), which was formed by 14 national orga-nizations in 1974 to determine examination eligibility and establishexamination criteria.

How is PA certification obtained?The PA must pass a stringent examination developed and administeredby the National Board of Medical Examiners under a contract with theNCCPA.

What type of examination is given?The certifying exam is composed of multiple choice questions. It isdesigned to assess the competence of PAs in conducting a variety ofhealth care functions normally encountered in practice.

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Are there any limits on certification?NCCPA certification is for six years and the PA must also re-registerevery two years.

What are the re-registration requirements? The NCCPA requires PAs to earn 100 hours of Continuing MedicalEducation (CME) credit every two years in order to re-register. In addi-tion, a written recertifying exam must be taken every six years.

Do PAs need a license to practice?Each state has developed its own criteria regulating PA practice. Somestates offer “registration” while others offer “licensing”. In general, therequirements to obtain privileges to practice include: proof of gradua-tion from an accredited PA Program, proof of NCCPA certification, let-ters of reference, and a photograph. The physician/PA team may berequired to make a joint application.

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The School of Health Related Professions wasestablished as a formal institution of the University in1976. This school has been successful in creating aconsistent framework for allied health educationstatewide.

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❑ General Biology I

❑ General Biology II

❑ General Chemistry I

❑ General Chemistry II

❑ Organic Chemistry I

❑ General Psychology

❑ Precalculus level math or higher

(does not include Statistics)

❑ English Composition

UMDNJ-SHRPPHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM675 Hoes LanePiscataway, NJ 08854-5635

Name (please print)

Address

City/State/Zip Code

( )

Telephone Number

Email Address

Do you have a baccalaureate degree? □ Yes □ No

Are you presently a student in one of our affiliated undergraduate institutions?□ Yes □ No

Are you applying to the BA/MS Program □ Yes □ No

Check the prerequisites you have successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better.If you have NOT completed the prerequisite but will have done so by the end of thespring semester, write "SS" next to the course title below.

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Physician Assistant Program675 Hoes Lane

Piscataway, NJ 08854732-235-4444

For more information,Please visit our website at:

http://shrp.umdnj.edu/programs/paweb