Physician assistants (PAs) are academically and clinically prepared to provide health care services as members of collaborative health care teams. PAs make clinical decisions and provide a broad range of diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive, and health maintenance services. The clinical role of PAs includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice settings. PA practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research, and administrative activities.

The role of the PA demands intelligence, sound judgment, honesty, interpersonal skills, compassion, ethical behavior, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. An attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality when communicating with patients and their families, and a commitment to the patient's welfare are essential attributes of the graduate PA. PAs are educated at the master's degree level. The professional curriculum for PA education includes basic medical, behavioral, and social sciences; introduction to clinical medicine; patient assessment; health policy and professional practice issues; and supervised clinical practice experience.

The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies is a full-time program. The three-year (30 months on-site) program encompasses 98 credits distributed over four traditional semesters of didactic education, followed by 48 weeks of intense supervised clinical practice experience. View curriculum.

In the clinical phase, students complete more than 1,600 hours of clinical rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, emergency medicine, pediatrics, women's health, and behavioral medicine. They also have a choice of two elective rotations.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) granted Accreditation-Continued status to the New York Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program in September 2019. The approximate date for the next accreditation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2029. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

For information on the combined Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences/Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program, please view the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences pages.

Technical Standards for Admission and Matriculation

The Physician Assistant Program is committed to the admission and matriculation of highly qualified students and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Regarding disabled individuals, the university will not discriminate against such individuals who are otherwise qualified but will expect that all applicants meet minimal technical standards as set forth herein. These standards reflect what has been determined as reasonable expectations for PA students and graduate PAs in performing common and important functions, keeping in mind the safety and welfare of patients. View our program's technical standards used for admission and matriculation of PA students as well as for the granting of a PA degree. These standards do not reflect what may be required for entry-level employment of the graduate PA.

Costs

In addition to tuition costs and fees, PA students will be responsible for costs associated with books, medical equipment, computers, smartphone, lab coats, and Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification courses. See our program website for more information on the cost of attendance. It is often impossible to use public transportation to reach clinical clerkship sites. Prospective applicants are advised to budget for transportation costs, including mileage, tolls, and parking.

Academic Rigor

The Master of Science in PA Studies is a full-time and academically rigorous program. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students do not work while enrolled in the program. During the third year it is unlikely that a student can work as schedules on rotation sites constantly change.

Academic Criteria

The Master of Science in PA Studies program is a competency based graduate-level curriculum. The following criteria must be met throughout the program:

• Satisfactory professional conduct
• Fulfilment of academic progression standards outlined in the PA Studies Student Handbook
• Grade of C or higher in every course

Academic policies are further delineated in the PA Studies Student Handbook, and also available on the School of Health Professions' website.

Grade Appeal

Students may appeal an assigned final course grade by following the procedures outlined in the School of Health Professions' grade appeal policy.

Academic Dismissal/Failure

Students must receive a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above by the end of the two didactic years to progress to the clinical year. For more detailed information on policies of dismissal/failure, please refer to the PA Studies Student Handbook section on Academic Standing. The college identifies students that fall below a 3.0 GPA and places them on academic probation until the cumulative GPA reaches 3.0 or above. The program maintains the right to periodically update the policies in the handbook and students will be informed of such changes should they occur.

Clinical Education

PA students must have successfully completed all prior didactic coursework, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to be placed in clinical rotations. All PA students will participate in a total of 48 weeks and a minimum of 1600 hours of supervised clinical practice experience located in a variety of clinical settings throughout the tri-state area, and must successfully complete all clerkships to be eligible for graduation.

Applicants to the School of Health Professions should be aware that certain legal issues and/or convictions may preclude a student from being accepted by clerkships, internships, and/or field work and impact the student's ability to complete the required program courses and qualify for graduation, certification, and/or licensure. In addition, students assigned to clinical clerkships may be required to undergo drug screening in accordance with their institutional or federal policies. For full policies and procedures, refer to the PA Studies Student Handbook and Clinical Year Handbook.

Graduation Requirements

Students are recommended for graduation upon satisfactory completion of all academic and clinical education requirements. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation. The following are also required for graduation:

• Successful completion of all didactic courses
• Successful completion of all requirements of the clinical year including the summative exam
• Satisfactory standard of professional conduct
• Bursar account clearance

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Admission Requirements

The program accepts new students every academic year (beginning in September). The admission process is highly competitive. Applications are reviewed relative to undergraduate intensity of studies, cumulative and science GPA, patient care experience, personal narrative, and letters of reference. Personal interviews, required for admission, are offered to the most qualified individuals. Applicants who meet minimum requirements are not guaranteed an interview. For additional information, please visit our website.

• Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university (preferably in a science or health-related field)
• Minimum overall GPA of 3.0
• Minimum overall science GPA of 3.2
• Academic record that includes a strong emphasis on science and mathematics
• Minimum grade of B in all prerequisite courses, which may be taken up to two times to achieve the required score. Pass grades are only acceptable if earned during the Spring 2020 semester.
  
  • The minimum prerequisite courses must be completed within the previous ten (10) years at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or Canada.
  • You must have no more than four outstanding prerequisites by the application deadline; only two of the four outstanding courses may be completed in the final spring semester.
  • Prerequisite courses include:
    
    • Two semesters of biology with laboratory; genetics is highly recommended
    • Two semesters of general chemistry with laboratory
    • One semester of organic chemistry
    • One semester of biochemistry
    • One semester of microbiology (in addition to the two biology courses)
    • One semester of psychology
    • One semester of human anatomy AND one semester of human physiology OR a combination of Anatomy and Physiology I and II
    • Two semesters of college math; One of these courses must be statistics
• Minimum of 250 hours of verifiable patient care experience in the U.S. or Canadian healthcare system
• Meet the Technical Standards for the physician assistant program

Application Materials

The following documents must be submitted directly to CASPA:

• Submit application no later than October 1 for the class entering the following fall through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Specific instructions related to the application process can be found on the CASPA website. International applications must be complete, and all admissions materials and related documentation received, no later than November 1 of the year prior to the anticipated start date in order to ensure ample time for the visa application process.
• Three professional letters of recommendation, including one from a physician assistant, osteopathic doctor, or medical doctor
• One-page personal narrative (completed as part of the CASPA application)
• Copies of undergraduate transcripts for all schools attended. All final, official transcripts must be received prior to the start of your first semester.
• Successful completion of a criminal background check* will be required after acceptance and prior to entry
• Please do not submit any GRE or MCAT scores as they will not be part of our evaluation process.

* Applicants to the School of Health Professions should be aware that certain legal issues and/or convictions may preclude a student from being accepted by clerkships, internships, and/or fieldwork, and may impact the student's ability to successfully complete the program and achieve certification and/or licensure.

For more information about English proficiency, I-20, and transcript evaluation, please see International student requirements.