MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM - REQUIRED ACADEMIC STANDARDS - Preparing for a Health Sciences Career

Sep 20, 2026

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Required Academic Standards for the Misericordia University Physician Assistant Program define expectations for academic and professional behavior throughout didactic and clinical phases. The document emphasizes early intervention for academic difficulties, encourages students to seek help from instructors, advisors, and program leadership, and assigns specific contacts for didactic versus clinical issues. It specifies grade limits for enrollment retention, cumulative GPA requirements, conditions for probation and dismissal, and the role of measurable remediation. It also outlines review points during semesters and clinical rotations and addresses honor code and policy violations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Didactic Academic Standards

Clinical Academic Standards

Summative and Formative Evaluation Academic Standards

MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM REQUIRED ACADEMIC STANDARDS Preparing for a career in the health sciences is a rigorous undertaking. Practitioners are expected to possess not only excellent cognitive and technical clinical skills, but also to practice according to the highest ethical and professional standards. Preparation for meeting these high standards begins during the Physician Assistant student’s education. Some students may occasionally experience academic difficulties. Such difficulties are best addressed early before they grow to unmanageable proportions. As practitioners, Physician Assistants will be expected to exercise sound clinical judgment. As a Physician Assistant student, it is important to exercise sound academic judgment and seek academic assistance when necessary. Physician Assistant students should consult with course instructors, academic advisors, and/or the Program Director as soon as a difficulty becomes apparent. Course instructors, academic advisors, and or the Program Director may recommend utilizing MU Student Services such as the Student Success Center. It is the student’s responsibility to follow through with such recommendations. Didactic students are to contact the Didactic Director with any instructor, course, or other academic issues or concerns. Clinical students are to contact the Clinical Director with any supervised clinical practice experience, preceptor, or other academic issues or concerns. The following lists all academic standards that are required by the program to maintain enrollment. DIDACTIC ACADEMIC STANDARDS 1. PA Program students may not receive more than two (2) grades ofC in the completed didactic phase. A final grade ofC in any course will result in the student being placed on academic probation and require successful remediation. No more than two (2) courses may be remediated throughout the didactic phase, therefore a third C in any course will result in dismissal from the program. If the student earns a final course grade below a C in any course it will be a failure and will result in dismissal of the student from the program. No remediation can occur with a failing grade. 2. All students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to remain in good academic standing in the program. If unable to do so, the student will be dismissed from the program. 3. Remediation is designed to address deficiencies in a student’s knowledge and skills, such that the correction of these deficiencies is measurable and able to be documented. The intent is to improve a student’s level of clinical knowledge and skill so that the student is better prepared for entry into the clinical year and / or into clinical practice. (Please refer to the section of this document defining the “Remediation” process and Academic Mentoring Form) 4. The academic standing of each student will be reviewed at the mid-point and end of each academic semester. For students whose academic status is not to the standards required by the PA program, the Didactic Director will submit mid-semester warnings in accordance with university-designated dates and procedures, or as needed. 5. Violation of the Honor Code, Code of Ethics and/or Program or University Policies in any way will be subject to reprimand, which may include dismissal from the program for serious offenses, depending on the severity of the violation. 6. Students whose academic status is not consistent with program/course expectations at the end ofany semester maybe subject to Sanctions, Academic Probation, Remediation, Deceleration, or Dismissal from the program. CLINICAL ACADEMIC STANDARDS 1. PA Program students may not receive more than two (2) grades ofC in the clinical phase of the program. A final grade ofC in any course will result in the student being placed on academic probation and require successful remediation. No more than two (2) courses may be remediated throughout the clinical phase, therefore a

FAQs

What grade limits apply to PA students in the didactic and clinical phases?

In both phases, PA students may not receive more than two grades of C. A final C in any course results in academic probation and requires successful remediation, and a third C leads to dismissal. A final grade below C is a failure and results in dismissal, and failing grades cannot be remediated.

What cumulative GPA must students maintain to remain in good academic standing?

All students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. If a student cannot meet this requirement, the student will be dismissed from the program.

When and how are students’ academic standing reviewed, and who provides warnings?

Didactic academic standing is reviewed at the mid-point and end of each academic semester, with mid-semester warnings submitted by the Didactic Director when needed. Clinical academic standing is reviewed during the mid-point and end of each clinical rotation, with mid-point warnings submitted by the Clinical Director as needed.

Sep 20, 2026

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