Lawrence Technological University is pleased to announce that it will launch a two-year, master’s degree program in physician assistant studies in Fall 2022, pending achieving Accreditation- Provisional status (see Accreditation tab for details).
Please check back here often for program updates and additional information. If you have questions about the PA program, please contact the Physician Assistant Program Director, Aimee Lamb.
Why LTU for your Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies?
- Clinical rotations within the Ascension Healthcare System
- Focus on Technology and Medicine
- State of the art simulation lab
- Theory and practice approach
- Curriculum foundation of ethics and compassion
- Skill based learning: synergy of examination, evaluation, and procedures
CONTACT :
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM
As a candidate for admission to the physician assistant program you must meet the following requirements:
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution within the United States is required (see below for international applicant criteria) and
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required in order to be considered for the physician assistant program. All prerequisite courses must be taken at regionally accredited institutions. No grade lower than a 3.0 will be accepted for prerequisite coursework. CLEP credits, AP credits and P/F credits will not be considered for prerequisites. Last 60 credit calculations will be considered if the applicant does not meet the 3.0 minimum requirement.
Special Considerations:
Applicants who meet the admission requirements and additionally with a 3.25 cumulative GPA will be granted special consideration for interview: LTU graduates and students, Veterans or active military, employees and children of Ascension Health and those that meet the criteria for diversity and inclusion.
Factors that our admissions committee values include:
Traits desirable in a future physician assistant such as empathy, compassion and advocacy, previous accomplishments, diverse life experiences, a comprehensive knowledge of the PA profession and significant knowledge of how to deliver health care. Experiences which demonstrate these traits may include: volunteer work, international mission work, military service, proficiency in foreign languages, unique life experiences, health training or certification, unique leadership positions, and biomedical research experience.
Anatomy + Lab- one course in human anatomy with lab is required (or may complete a 2 semester series of anatomy and physiology with labs to meet both the anatomy and physiology prerequisites)
Physiology + Lab- one course with lab in human physiology is required (see above)
Biochemistry or organic chemistry- one course is required
Microbiology + Lab- one course with lab is required
Statistics or Biostatistics - One course is required
Developmental Psychology - One course in required
Other Encouraged courses-
Medical terminology is not required but strongly encouraged as you will be testing on your medical terminology knowledge the first week of classes. This course is available in a variety of settings including online courses that would prepare you for the exam.
Genetics is encouraged as a foundational class for the PA curriculum and the understanding of new treatments targeted at the genetics of individuals.
Ethics or Medical Ethics- The LTU PA program is committed to the ethical considerations of medicine and a foundation in ethics is very helpful in providing a framework from which to build and integrate this approach.
-All Prerequisite courses must be completed within six years of matriculation.
-You may have one outstanding prerequisite at the time of application but must successfully complete by the time of matriculation and must meet the required course minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
-A waiver of a prerequisite may be considered if either or both of the following criteria are met:
- The applicant has been continuously employed in a field that demonstrates ongoing knowledge and application of the materials covered in the waiver requested course and/or
- The applicant has completed a higher level course(s) in the subject of the prerequisite requirement with a minimum of a B average within the past three years.
Direct Patient care Experience- As an applicant, you must have completed at least 750 hours of direct patient care experience* as an employee in a medical office, hospital, or extended-care facility. Acceptable roles include CNA (certified nursing assistant), medical assistant, EMT (emergency medical technician) or paramedic, radiology technician, ECG technician, LPN or RN, phlebotomist, medical scribe**, physical therapy assistant, surgical tech, respiratory therapist, chiropractor, athletic trainer and others. Patient care experiences obtained through the military (combat medic, field medical tech, etc.) are also competitive. Please contact the program with any questions regarding qualifying patient care experience. You may apply to the PA program prior to completing the patient care experience hours but must indicate a plan for completion on your application and have completed at least 500 of the 750 total hours at the time of application.
*This is defined as direct, hands on care of patients and the most competitive candidates will have 1000+ hours of direct patient care experience with the required hours completed at the time of application.
*Medical scribe experience can account for up to 500 hours of the total hours required but must be combined with actual hands on experience of at least 250 hours.
Shadowing- Shadowing a physician assistant is required for a minimum of 20 hours and at least two different physician assistants. Please note, completion of PA shadowing hours prior to application is expected for consideration.
Lawrence Technological University PA program is requiring their applicants to take the PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test). The PA-CAT is a specialized test designed to measure applicant knowledge in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. For information about the PA-CAT and to schedule your exam, visit their website at www.PA-CAT.com
Step 1: Go to www.PA-CAT.com to register, pay and schedule your exam date for the PA-CAT.
- Ensure Lawrence Technological University is selected in your candidate portal as the institution to receive your score report.
- It is highly recommended you take the PA-CAT before the end of May 2021, for early consideration.
- Applicants need to take the PA-CAT no later than Sept 30th, 2021 for their individual PA-CAT score to be processed and received by Lawrence Technological University PA Program admissions department in time to be included with their application.
Step 2: Study for the PA-CAT with resources provided on their website: www.PA-CAT.com. Instructions on how to access the resources are included in your registration confirmation email.
PA-CAT Study materials provided by Exam Master include:
- 120 Question PA-CAT Practice Exam
- Eight 50-Question Subject Exams
- Candidate PA-CAT Study Guide
- Pre-Matriculation Success Program
PA-CAT Covered Subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, Statistics.
You may wish to look for additional resources that will help you learn about the topics covered on the PA-CAT.
All applicants are required to take the Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer). CASPer is an online test that assesses non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. Applicants should go to www.takeCASPer.com to sign up for the American Professional Health Sciences test (CSP10101) and select Lawrence Technological University for LTU to receive your scores. You do not need to have results sent to CASPA. Please be sure to select the current admissions cycle and to review available test dates carefully. CASPer must be completed and scores received prior to the admission cycle deadline and can take 3-4 weeks to process and limited exam dates/times so last minute bookings are strongly discouraged.
CASPer test results are only valid for one (1) admissions cycle; applicants who have completed CASPer in previous cycles must retake it for the current cycle.
Technical Standards for Admission, Academic Promotion and Graduation
The purpose of this document is to specify the technical standards the University deems necessary for a student to matriculate, remain in good standing and ultimately achieve all the competencies/outcomes necessary for graduation within the PA program. The University, therefore, requires candidates to confirm their ability to comply with these standards, with or without accommodation, as a condition of admission and on an annual basis thereafter.
Fulfillment of the technical standards for graduation does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to fulfill the technical requirements of any specific residency program or employment settings.
Accepted students must complete a criminal background check, which may include a drug screen, through the LTU preferred vendor. Results must be released to LTU prior to matriculation, and the cost of this process will be paid by the student. Students are required to disclose all past or present charges, convictions, dismissals, deferred judgments and expunged records as related to a misdemeanor or felony. They are also obligated to disclose any additional charges and convictions which occur following completion of the initial criminal background check. Admission to the program may be revoked if misrepresentations or omissions from the application are noted in the background check. LTU students are required to complete annual criminal background checks, which may include drug screening, while enrolled in the LTU PA Program.
Permanent Residents
Applicants who are legal permanent residents of the U.S. will be required to provide a copy of their permanent resident card ("green card") prior to admission. Permanent residents will apply through the standard application process. If admitted to LTU, a notarized copy of your permanent resident card (green card) will be required as part of your conditions of enrollment. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide appropriate documentation with valid expiration date which covers the duration of your degree program.
Note: Applicants with permanent residency status “pending” are not eligible for admission.
Transcripts for degrees earned outside of the U.S.
Applicants with degrees earned outside the U.S. should plan to fulfill all standard application requirements, and additionally are required to submit a course-by-course Foreign Transcript Evaluation per one of the services listed below:
- World Education Services (WES)
- Josef Silny and Associates, Inc.
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
- SpanTran
Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. equivalence by one of these evaluation services and an official copy must be sent from the service directly to CASPA and LTU. Your application will not be complete and cannot be verified without an official course-by-course evaluation. ECFMG certification does not waive this requirement. In addition, please follow the instructions provided by CASPA regarding transcript or evaluation submission.
TOEFL Score
TOEFL is required of all international applicants unless the applicant has earned a degree from an accredited University in any country whose sole national language is English. Results from the IELTS or USMLE are not accepted in lieu of TOEFL. There is no waiver for this requirement. The minimum TOEFL score is 85.
Three (3) letters of reference are required. Additional letters will not be considered by the program. Reference letters should not be from personal friends or family members. Letters of reference must be submitted directly to CASPA and postmarked prior to the application deadline. Letters of reference will only be accepted through CASPA. No exceptions. Examples include physician assistant, science professor, physician, nurse, previous employer (preferred in healthcare) and mentors.
LTU has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Lawrence Technological University anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2022, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the March 2022 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. The program will not commence in the event that provisional accreditation is not received. If students have been accepted and paid a deposit this will be fully refunded in the event that provisional accreditation is not achieved.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Physician Assistant program at LTU is to train exceptional , compassionate healthcare professionals in a supportive academic and clinical environment. To prepare future PA’s to provide outstanding holistic patient centered care throughout the healthcare continuum, embrace diversity, invite interprofessional collaboration and approach the complex and ever changing face of technology in healthcare with confidence. To inspire a generation of clinicians who will be lifelong learners, advocates of evidence based medical practice and who are passionate advocates of their patients, profession and community.
Vision
The physician assistant program will be a cutting edge program based on two guiding principles of LTU. The first, the Theory and Practice mode of education, which takes abstract ideas and brings them into the real world to solve tomorrow’s problems and to confidently and effectively integrate healthcare technology into their future practice.
GOAL 1
- To achieve PANCE pass rates that are at or above the national average and student confidence in their ability to succeed.
- Provided by maintaining a high standard of instruction throughout the program with ongoing assessments evaluating their knowledge base and focused guidance in areas of weakness in preparation for program completion
- As evidenced by LTU PANCE pass rates at or above the national average
- As evidenced by LTU PANCE performance in all organ system task areas at or above the national average.
GOAL 2
- To prepare students to actively and effectively participate in interdisciplinary healthcare teams and the care of diverse populations across the lifespan.
- As evidenced by participation in interdisciplinary educational experiences and exposure to diverse populations during the program.
- Measured by clinical preceptor evaluations, student site evaluations and student perception of preparedness to participate in interdisciplinary teams.
GOAL 3
- To create a culture of advocacy for the PA profession, patients and community.
- As evidenced by admission standards that value student experiences in volunteer activities and community involvement. The program will provide opportunities and participation in community service and professional memberships. There will be both required and volunteer opportunities during the program.
- As evidenced by student record of participation in community service, student memberships and attendance at state or national PA conferences.
GOAL 4
- To prepare students to confidently utilize available healthcare technology in order to enhance patient care and better prepare them for future practice.
- As evidenced by curriculum content that includes exposure to a variety of technology in healthcare practice such as EMR utilization, telemedicine exposure and diagnostic tools and procedures utilizing technology.
- As evidenced by clinical preceptor evaluation and course assessment and student survey responses.
- Patient Centered Practice Knowledge:
Graduates will be able to recognize healthy versus ill patients in the context of the patients’ lives. This will include:
- Diagnose, treat, manage illness and the ability to determine differential diagnosis
- Order and interpret laboratory findings and imaging
- Possess necessary core procedural competence
- The competent graduate will be able to determine the stage of illness: preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative and end of life and arrive at patient-focused shared decision making of the treatment course.
- Society and Population Health:
Graduates will be able to recognize and understand that the influences of the larger community may impact the health of patients and integrate knowledge of social determinants of health into care decisions. The competent graduate will be able to integrate into practice the cultural norms, needs, influences, socioeconomic, environmental, genetic and other population level determinants affecting the health of the individual and the community being served. Demonstrate accountability in assessing and removing barriers to health such as adequacy of individual and community resources and a commitment to ongoing quality improvement.
- Health Literacy and Communication:
Graduates will be able to communicate with patients as partners who engage in shared decision-making and who communicate, interpret and express themselves as individuals with unique personal, cultural and social values. Competent graduates will be able to establish meaningful relationships with their patients, families and other healthcare professionals.
- Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Leadership:
Graduates will be able to recognize that teamwork and the coordination of care across multiple professions are the keys to delivering safe, quality, multidisciplinary health care in a way that is complementary to the goals of the provider-patient partnership while acknowledging that the patient is at the center of all health care goals. This requires the coordination of care to optimize the health and wellness of patients and populations.
- Professional and Legal Aspects of Health Care:
Graduates will be able to practice medicine in a beneficent manner, recognizing and adhering to standards of care while attuned to advancing social justice. This will include the ability to provide standard of care practice while demonstrating respect for the dignity and privacy of patients, demonstrate professional accountability, the recognition of personal limitations and self- advocacy, responsiveness to patient needs that supersedes self-interest and include personal wellness strategies to prevent impairment and burnout.
- Health Care Finance and Systems:
Graduates will be able to articulate the essential aspects of value-based health care and apply this understanding to the delivery of safe and quality care. The competent graduate will be a steward of resources, recognize the financial implications of the provision of health care and understand the different types of healthcare systems including private and governmental payors such as Medicare.
Simulation Lab
This lab allows students to acquire procedural skills with the most advanced models, cadaver specimens, and superior equipment used by Ascension medical professionals. Take advantage of ultrasound and robotic surgery simulators, access to an impressive library of radiologic images from actual studies performed, and an extensive exposure and education on a wide range of diagnostics and procedures deemed vital to PA practice.
Ascension
