Academic Policies

Program policies and procedures apply to all PA students, faculty, and staff in both on-campus and clinical settings. In cases where program policies exceed institutional policies, the program’s policies take precedence. If a Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) supersedes the program's policies and procedures, the clinical site policies and procedures take precedence. Policies are reviewed annually, published in the program handbook, and communicated to students during the didactic and clinical orientations and through institutional email.

More policies coming soon.

Students who are dismissed from the program for academic reasons is eligible  to reapply to the program when the CASPA cycle reopens for the program. The program does not offer automatic readmission for any student dismissed for academic deficits. Students dismissed from the program are not guaranteed a seat. Any student dismissed from the program for violation of the Student Code of Conduct, safety and security issues, professionalism or egregious events is not eligible to reapply to the program.

The Carroll College PA Program commences on the second-to-last Monday each May, one week before Memorial Day. The program is 27 months in length, consisting of 7 semesters, and culminating with graduation in mid-August. Phase I is the Didactic Phase and is approximately 14 months long. Phase II is the Clinical Phase and is about 13 months long. Students may not participate in any aspect of the Clinical Phase without successful completion of the Didactic Phase. Both phases must be completed in accordance with program policies in order to graduate and be eligible to sit for the PANCE.

Policy: The Carroll College PA Program requires that the maximum timeframe for program completion is 200% of the published program length. Typical program progression results in program completion within 27 months. Therefore, all PA students must complete the PA program within 54 months of matriculation into the program.

Procedure: A PA student may leave their original cohort for many reasons. In order to be eligible for completion, the student must be able to complete the entire program within the above timeframe (54 months from matriculation).

Requirements for Didactic Year

In order to progress to the Clinical Year, students must successfully complete the following: 

  1. Successful completion of the didactic year.
  2. Comply with the policies and procedures of the Carroll College Physician Assistant Program
  3. Maintain a current health insurance policy
  4. Provide proof of up-to-date status of all required immunizations and negative PPD (or chest x-ray for conversion) as required by the program and clinical affiliates.
  5. Maintain a clear criminal background check as deemed by the program and clinical affiliates if another one is required prior to beginning rotations.
  6. Test negative on a drug screen as required by the program and clinical affiliates if another one is required prior to beginning rotations.
  7. Maintain minimum Technical Standards for Enrollment and Progression
  8. Pass all didactic phase courses with a grade of 70% (C) or better
  9. Pass all OSCE, Simulations, practical and written examinations with a grade of 70% (C) or better.
  10. Pass the didactic summative examination with a grade of 70% (C) or better
  11. Demonstrate professional conduct
  12. Successfully remediate any academic or professional conduct deficits.
  13. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

Any student who is on Academic and/or Professional Probation may be delayed in beginning the clinical year. It is the responsibility of the Student Progress Committee to determine the status of a student which would include remaining on probation or being removed from Academic and/or Professional Probation.

Successful completion of the Clinical Year includes:

  1. Comply with the policies and procedures of the Carroll College Physician Assistant Program
  2. Maintain minimum Technical Standards for Enrollment and Progression
  3. Pass all clinical phase courses with a grade of 70% (C) or better
  4. Pass all EOR examinations with a grade of 70% (C) or better.
  5. Pass all preceptor evaluations with “competent” or higher on each component.
  6. Complete all procedures competently as determined by the preceptors and as required for the clinical year.
  7. Demonstrate professional conduct
  8. Successfully remediate any academic or professional conduct deficits.
  9. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

Students must successfully complete the clinical year to move to the Summative Evaluation. Any Academic and/or Professional Probation may delay a student from taking the Summative Evaluation or prevent them from being able to graduate. The Student Progress Committee determines the progress of the student in the program and when a student is removed from Academic and/or Professional Probation.

Successful completion of the Summative Examination includes:

  1. Comply with the policies and procedures of the Carroll College Physician Assistant Program
  2. Pass the End of Curriculum (EOC) examination with a score of 1470 and above
  3. Pass the clinical and technical skills required for the summative exam with a grade of 70% (C) or higher.
  4. Pass the OSCEs required for the summative exam with a grade of 70% (C) or higher.
  5. Maintain minimum Technical Standards for Enrollment and Progression
  6. Demonstrate professional conduct
  7. Successfully remediate any academic or professional conduct deficits of the Summative examinations
  8. Demonstrate achievement of all the program’s competencies.
  9. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

Students failing any component of the Summative Examinations may have their graduation delayed. A student will be given one opportunity to remediate failed summative examinations. If a student fails to remediate successfully by earning a grade of 70% (C) or higher on the OSCEs and clinical and technical skills or greater than a 1470 on the End of Curriculum examination, they will appear before the Student Progress Committee for disposition in the program which may include dismissal.

Students who are on Academic and/or Professional Probation must have the status(es) removed in order to graduate from the PA program.

Students’ academic and professional standing are reviewed by the Student Progress Committee (SPC) at the completion of each semester. The committee that includes PA faculty and one faculty member from the Carroll College community approves the student for progression or provides an alternate decision for the student’s disposition. In order to graduate, students must successfully complete the didactic phase, clinical phase and summative examinations and not be on Academic and/or Professional Probation.

Students must complete all components of the program’s curriculum within 54 months of initial matriculation. This includes time for remediation and leaves of absence. The academic, professional, and non-academic requirements that students must meet in each phase of the program to be eligible for graduation are listed below.