Technical Standards

All candidates and graduates must possess and demonstrate throughout the program the necessary technical standards that establish the essential qualities required to achieve the level of competency to complete this program.

Observation and Sensation

• Candidates and graduates must possess sufficient visual, auditory, and tactile sensation to participate in the classroom, laboratory, and other educational or clinical settings.
• Must be able to receive verbal and nonverbal communications from patients and others, and to perform a complete patient physical exam. 

Communication

• Candidates and graduates must be able to speak, hear, and observe patients, family members, and other clinicians.
• Communicate clearly and effectively through oral and written communication.
• Candidates and graduates must have the ability to receive and process communication from the healthcare team to respond in a timely manner and make appropriate decisions.
• Candidates and graduates must possess the skills to communicate attentively and sensitively to others while honoring the HIPAA policy. 

Motor Skills

• Candidates and graduates must have sufficient strength, coordination, dexterity, and equilibrium to perform the activities required of a physician assistant, including performing a physical examination utilizing diagnostic instruments and techniques required in auscultation, palpation, percussion, and diagnostic maneuvers.
• Must be able to manipulate medical equipment for basic laboratory tests and procedures such as airway management, suturing, needle placement & IV, stethoscope & ophthalmoscope, tongue blades, gynecologic speculum and scalpel.
• Candidates and graduates must have the physical stamina to sit, stand, and move within classroom, laboratory, examination rooms, treatment rooms, and operating rooms for long periods of time. 

Intellectual Ability

• Candidates and graduates must possess clinical problem solving and reasoning skills to think critically with sound judgment, emotional stability, maturity, and empathy.
• Candidates and graduates must be able to accurately collect, measure, organize, prioritize, calculate, reason, analyze and integrate data to make decisions in a timely manner.
• Must be able to comprehend the medical literature to use this knowledge in problem solving and patient care.
• Must be able to interpret diagnostic testing and treatment regimens.
  
  

Behavior

• Candidates and graduates must be able to establish and maintain appropriate professional relationships.
• Must work cooperatively with other members of the health care team.
• Must be able to prioritize competing demands and exercise good clinical judgment.
• Must be able to respond to emergencies in a calm and reasonable manner and handle physical, mental, and emotional stress while functioning effectively.
• Must be able to develop rapport with patients and their families as well as their colleagues.
• Must be able to demonstrate compassion, empathy, motivation, integrity, and flexibility while interacting with a diverse population.
• Must be able to accept criticism and modify behavior and practice as needed.
• Candidates and graduates must understand and apply ethical standards and responsibility in their daily practice.
• Candidates and graduates must demonstrate emotional stability to deliver the appropriate patient care in all settings.

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Accreditation

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Franklin Pierce University Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Hybrid Program -- Round Rock, TX Campus sponsored by Franklin Pierce 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. 

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