Mount St. Joseph University Physician Assistant Program

Program Highlights

• A 27-month graduate program with 12 months of classroom training including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, clinical medicine, genetics, diagnostic lab, EKG, physical exam and clinical skills.
• Clinical rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, orthopedics and behavioral health, along with two student selected elective rotations. Following the clinical phase, students complete a comprehensive summative evaluation.
• On campus Simulation Lab featuring Simulation IQ with audiovisual recording capability and embedded electronic health record.
• Advanced Anatomy Lab including AnatomageTM virtual anatomy program to supplement cadaver specimens.
• Graduates receive a Masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) and are eligible to take the PA National Certification Exam (PANCE).

Mission and Vision

The specific mission of the Physician Assistant program is to educate outstanding, compassionate clinicians, fully prepared to deliver high quality, accessible health care, demonstrating commitment to life-long learning and ethical practice. The Mount St. Joseph University Physician Assistant program graduates will be recognized for their leadership and for the quality of health care they provide, exemplifying professionalism, empathy and an attitude of service to others.

Accreditation

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Mount St. Joseph University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Mount St. Joseph University.

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.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

What We're About

At the heart of the Mount’s mission is an emphasis on leadership through service and a commitment to values, integrity and social responsibility. 

Our campus, located atop one of the many beautiful hills of Cincinnati, Ohio, offers a community dedicated to your learning and growth. At the edge of our campus you’ll find our neighbors, and our founders, The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. 

Our location in the major urban center of Cincinnati, Ohio, means that the arts, employment, sports, and entertainment are all within a 15-minute drive. Discover Music Hall, Newport on the Levee, the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals, Fountain Square, and more.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 and Science GPA of 3.2

Course of study must include the successful completion (grade of C or greater) of the following courses with labs. The natural science courses must be taken at the major’s level.

• General Chemistry  (one year)
• Organic Chemistry  (one year)
• Biochemistry
• General Biology (one year)
• Cellular Biology
• Microbiology
• Anatomy and Physiology (one year)
• Developmental Psychology
• Statistics
• Genetics

These prerequisite courses must have been completed within 5 years of the application date unless the applicant has been continuously employed as a health care professional.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

• The exam must have been taken within the last 5 years with a minimum combined score of 300 with an analytical writing score of 4
• No substitution for the exam will be accepted (i.e. MCAT or GMAT)
• GRE Code for Mount St. Joseph University CASPA- 7328

See http://www.ets.org/gre for further information

Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Submission

The application can be accessed at https://portal.caspaonline.org/

• The cycle opens each year in April and closes the following September

Three letters of Recommendation

• One letter from a Physician Assistant
• One letter from a current professor or supervisor
• One letter must be from another professional or social colleague (family members not permitted)

Health Care Experience

• Minimum health care experience of 500 hours to include direct patient care (e.g. nurse aide, nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMT) which may be paid or voluntary in nature.
• Minimum of 40 hours shadowing a Physician Assistant in a clinical setting

              Click here for Shadowing Verification Form

            Click here for Direct Patient Care Form

TOEFL iBT Requirement for international students or those students who did not attend a high school where English is the primary language. Information can be accessed at https://www.ets.org/toefl

• A minimum score of 120 is required with at least a 26 in each of the following:

            Reading
            Listening
            Speaking
            Writing

After completion of the initial application process, a prospective student may be offered an interview with the program admissions committee to determine the applicant’s readiness to undertake the rigorous course of study.  The committee will consider all information available including academic achievements, letters of recommendation, community service, interpersonal and communication skills, personal integrity, compassion and motivation for a health care career.

Preference will be given to those applicants who are:

• Graduates of Mount St. Joseph University
• Veterans of the Armed Forces
• Residents of Greater Cincinnati
• Applicants with significant prior health care experience

There is no acceleration or advanced standing in the program regardless of prior experience or degree. Following acceptance into the program, but prior to matriculation, students must;

• Complete a criminal background check and drug screening evaluation. This is completed at the student’s expense.
• Provide proof of immunization status consistent with the current CDC recommendations for health care workers.
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage
• Complete a medical screening examination with a health care professional who attests the student meets the Technical Standards for Physician Assistant students with reasonable accommodation, if necessary.

              Medical Screening Examination Form

Additional background checks, drug screening and proof of immunization will occur annually throughout the program and as may be required by clinical rotation sites. This will be done at the student’s expense. 

Application Deadlines

Applications for the January 2018 cohort will be accepted through CASPA beginning April 27, 2017 through September 1, 2017.

Clinical Education