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Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) - TX

Program Location WCU Texas
Program Credits 117 Credits
Program Length 6 Trimesters, 90 Instructional Weeks
Time to Complete 24 Months

* Program length may vary.

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code: 29-1071

Program Mission: The West Coast University Physician Assistant Program prepares students to excel as clinicians and leaders by providing them with opportunities to learn and adopt practice-ready knowledge, skills, and behaviors that are patient-centered, innovative, embracing cultural humility, adaptability, and agility within the evolving, challenging, and ambiguous context of contemporary healthcare. We prepare professionals who will contribute to the advancement of the physician assistant profession through exemplar practice, life-long learning, and service, within and across their healthcare communities.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, the WCU MPA Program, a student acting in the capacity of an entry-level PA will be able to:  

Medical Knowledge

1. Demonstrate acquisition of core medical knowledge to provide person-centric care for patients across the lifespan and in various clinical settings

Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving Abilities

2. Evaluate a patient effectively during a medical encounter through the proper selection and accurate interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic studies.

  3. Formulate a differential diagnosis based upon historical information, physical exam, laboratory, and diagnostic study findings.

4. Design person-centric patient therapeutic management plans that consider cost, efficacy, possible adverse reactions, contraindications, monitoring, and referrals.

  5. Apply an evidence-based medicine approach that also considers the social determinants of health in patient care decisions.

Clinical and Technical Skills

  6. Elicit an accurate and pertinent medical history from patients.

  7. Perform a comprehensive or problem-focused physical exam adapted to the patient’s age and care needs.

  8. Perform medical and surgical procedures common to general medicine.  

Interpersonal Skills

9. Demonstrate interpersonal skills necessary to communicate clearly and effectively with patients/family members, and members of healthcare teams. 

  10. Communicate the findings of a clinical encounter in appropriate and effective written and oral forms.

11. Deliver evidence-based education and counseling to patients, and their family members regarding patient evaluation and care that includes principles of preventive care, public health and health literacy.

Professional Behaviors

  12. Demonstrate professionalism including principles of sensitivity, respect, collaboration, accountability, cultural humility, and commitment to excellence in all interactions with patients, families and members of healthcare team. 

Admission Requirements

A student applying for admission to a graduate program at West Coast University must:

  1. Submit a completed application to WCU through Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).
  2. Pay a non-refundable $75 application fee through WCU.
  3. Submit original transcripts for all previous higher education through CASPA.
  4. Participate in an admissions interview.
    1. Meet all requirements by the application deadline to be considered.
    2. Meet program specific admissions requirements. 
    3. Complete the enrollment agreement if accepted to the program. 

Program Specific Application Requirements

  1. Obtain a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, by October 1.
  2. Complete all aspects of the CASPA application including the personal statement and program specific questions.
    1. List all college coursework taken (including foreign coursework and transcript evaluation from an approved agency) on the CASPA application.
    2. Submit three letters of recommendation. These letters of recommendations must be able to provide feedback regarding your preparation for a profession in medicine including professionalism, work ethic, ethics and character, and academic preparation. Letters of recommendation must come from: medical providers (MDs, DOs, PAs, etc), professors, supervisors/employers, and mentors. Letters must not come from personal contacts such as family members, neighbors, personal medical providers, and religious leaders.
  3. Submit results of CASPer for non-academic attributes and/or people skills. acuityinsights.com
  4. Meet the Technical Standards for admissions as follows:
    1. Candidates must be able to observe and participate in demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences.
    2. Candidates must have sufficient use of the sensory, vision, hearing, motor, and somatic sensation necessary to perform a physical examination including point-of-care techniques.
    3. Candidates must be able to perform examination activities such as palpation, auscultation, percussion, the administration of intravenous medication, the application of pressure to stop bleeding, the opening of obstructed airways, and the movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the sense of touch and vision.
    4. Candidates must be able to learn to respond with precise, quick, and appropriate action in emergency situations.
    5. Candidates must have the interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with accuracy, clarity, efficiency, and sensitivity.
    6. Candidates must have the skills to be able to analyze and synthesize information, solve problems, and reach diagnostic and therapeutic judgments.
    7. Candidates must be able to acknowledge evaluation and respond appropriately.
    8. Candidates must possess the interpersonal skills to develop rapport and positive relationships with patients.
    9. Candidates must possess basic technology and digital literacy.
    10. Candidates are expected to possess the perseverance, diligence, and consistency to complete the PA Program curriculum. Candidates, therefore, must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads, to function effectively under stress, to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.
  5. Pre-Admission Academic Standards:
    1. Have obtained a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution recognized by the United States Department of Education with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and a Biology/Chemistry/Physics (BCP) grade point average of 2.7 or better.
    2. A minimum number of paid health care experience, shadowing, and/or volunteerism hours are not required for admittance into the program. However, a point value for volunteerism, paid health care experience, shadowing and volunteerism is assigned during application review. It is to an applicant's best interest to pursue 500 hours to be a competitive candidate.
    3. Must earn a "C" or better in all prerequisite courses and they must be completed within the last ten years.
    4. Baccalaureate degree and prerequisite courses must be completed by October 1 prior to matriculation.
    5. For prerequisite courses, advanced-placement, transfer-of-credit, pass/no credit, CLEP or credit for experiential learning will not be accepted.
  6. Applicants for the Master of Physician Assistant Texas program must have completed prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. Higher Education institution in the United States.

Required Prerequisite Courses:

  1. Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (6 semester credits or 8 quarter credits) OR Human Anatomy with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits) AND Human Physiology with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)
  2. General Chemistry I and II with lab (6 semester credits or 8 quarter credits)
  3. Microbiology with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)
  4. Human Genetics (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)
  5. Organic Chemistry with lab (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)
  6. Biochemistry (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits)
  7. Statistics (3 semester credits or 4 quarter credits): Introductory level accepted for this prerequisite

Additional Information:

International Applicants

International applicants who are not U.S. citizens and who are living in the U.S. must be prepared to provide proof of legal U.S. residency during the application process. Applicants must provide proof of legal U.S. residency prior to any offer of acceptance.

International Applicants with a degree earned outside the U.S. must meet the following criteria:

  1. Submit your foreign degree coursework for a transcript evaluation by World Education Services (WES), submitted through CASPA.
  2. All required prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited U.S. higher education institution and be verifiable through official transcripts. 
  3. Official TOEFL scores submitted to CASPA with a minimum score of 100 (Internet based) AND at least 25 in each section (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). TOEFL. Scores are only valid for two years.

Transfer Policy

The Master of Physician Assistant-Texas program does not allow for transfer credit.

Advanced Placement Policy

Advanced placement is defined as a waiver of required professional coursework in the MPA program, and it will not be granted under any circumstance. All students who enter the program must fulfill all program requirements. All courses within the curriculum are required. No transfer credit is accepted. No credit is granted for pre-admission experiential learning, prior coursework, degrees, certifications, or advanced training.

Candidate Seat Deposit

Applicants are conditionally accepted to the Master of Physician Assistant program until a non-refundable $250.00 good faith payment for a Seat Deposit has been submitted. The Seat Deposit is not a separate charge but will be credited to the program costs should the student not cancel their enrollment. The University will retain the full amount of this deposit should the student cancel their enrollment at any time, for any reason. Seat Deposits may be paid by credit card, debit card, money order, or cashier's check made payable to West Coast University. A Seat Deposit will be collected for each enrollment and cannot be applied to or carried over to enrollments for other programs or start terms. At their discretion, the Executive Director may refund the full Seat Deposit for unusual or unexpected circumstances that would warrant a full refund. 

Master of Physician Assistant - Program Requirements

  1. Obtain background clearance*
  2. Undergo one or more comprehensive drug screening tests*
  3. Strict adherence to the Bloodborne Pathogens Policy and Exposure Control Plan.
  4. Submit documentation of immunizations, vaccinations, tuberculosis clearance.*
  5. Provide and maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS).*
  6. Expect the hours and days to vary depending on the trimester schedule.
  7. Expect the clinical year schedule to be variable, final and non-negotiable. If a student refuses a clinical assignment, the student may be dismissed from the program.

*Information regarding these requirements is provided during the application process and at the program orientation.

Program Information and Disclosures

Master of Physician Assistant Program Clinical Requirements

  1. Obtain background clearance.*
  2. Undergo a drug screening.*
  3. Strict adherence to Standard Precautions and Student Incident, Injury, and Exposure Reporting Plan.   
  4. Submit documentation of immunizations, vaccinations, tuberculosis clearance.*
  5. Provide and maintain current Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications.  
  6. Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.  
  7. Expect the hours and days to vary depending on the academic schedule.  
  8. Expect the schedule to be final and non-negotiable.  If a student refuses a clinical assignment, the student will be dismissed from the program.  

*Information regarding these requirements is provided during the application process and at the program orientation.  

Master of Physician Assistant Program Accreditation Disclosure

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the West Coast University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by West Coast 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 appears 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.  The program's accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-west-coast-university/.  

Master of Physician Assistant Program Licensure Disclosure

To become a certified PA (PA-C), one must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).  In addition, students must obtain state medical board registration/licensure.  The licensure requirements will vary from state to state.  

A PA may not begin working as a Physician Assistant in most states until they have successfully passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) AND has been licensed/registered by the state in which they practice.  There may be exceptions for certain state licensures or for federal employment, such as the military and Veterans Administration.  Failure to complete all necessary steps may constitute practicing medicine without a medical license.  Upon graduation, students are responsible for ensuring they obtain all required and licenses and certifications.  West Coast University is not responsible for registration or licensing; the student is solely responsible for all such requirements and verifying proper authorizations to practice medicine have been obtained.  

Health Insurance Requirement

Students enrolled in the MPA program will be required to provide evidence of health insurance prior to participation in clinical experiences.  Participation in all clinical experience courses is required to complete the program. 

MPA Curriculum

 

Physician Assistant Courses

PA 500Medical Science

3
PA 502Clinical Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab

6
PA 506Patient Assessment & Counseling I with Lab

5.5
PA 509Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics I

3
PA 511Clinical Diagnostics I

2.5
PA 515Disease & Society I

4.5
PA 518Mental Health

3
PA 521Clinical Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab

5.5
PA 524Patient Assessment & Counseling II with Lab

5
PA 527Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics II

3
PA 530Clinical Diagnostic II

1.5
PA 533Disease & Society II

5.5
PA 536Patient Assessment & Counseling III with Lab

5
PA 539Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics III

3
PA 542Clinical Diagnostics III

1.5
PA 545Disease & Society III

6
PA 548Evidence Based Medicine

1.5
PA 551Physician Assistant Profession

2
PA 554Clinical Skills & Preparation Lab

2
PA 600Clinical Experience - Family Medicine

4.5
PA 603Clinical Experience - Internal Medicine

4.5
PA 606Clinical Experience - Emergency Medicine

4.5
PA 609Masters Project I

1.5
PA 612Art of Care I

1.5
PA 615Clinical Experience - Women's Health

4.5
PA 618Clinical Experience - Pediatric Medicine

4.5
PA 621Clinical Experience - Behavioral Medicine

4.5
PA 624Masters Project II

1.5
PA 627Art of Care II

1.5
PA 630Clinical Experience - Surgery

4.5
PA 633Clinical Experience - SCPE Elective

4.5
PA 636Clinical Experience - Advanced Topics

3
PA 639Capstone Masters Project

1.5
PA 642Art of Care III

1.5
Total Credit Hours:117.0

MPA Program Costs

For program costs, please see the Graduate Tuition and Fees section.