Program Policies

Upon admission into the program, PA students are given access to an electronic version of the SEU PA Program Student Handbook.

The following policies are contained within the SEU PA Program Student Handbook.

Progression

Due to the sequential nature of the curriculum, students must successfully complete all coursework in one semester before being allowed to progress to the subsequent semester.

At the conclusion of each semester, the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee reviews each student’s academic and professional performance. Students must be recommended for progression by the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee in order to continue to the following semester.

At the conclusion of the didactic year, review of student performance is done to ensure the student has met the SEU PA Program defined level of competency for the program student learning outcomes before being recommended for progression to the clinical year.

Prior to the completion of the SEU PA Program, overall student performance is reviewed to ensure the student has met the SEU PA Program student learning outcomes (PSLOs) and demonstrated an ability to meet the Competencies of a program graduate in order to be recommended for graduation.

In the event the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee determines a student is not recommended for the next semester, or not recommended to progress to the clinical year or not recommended for graduation, the committee will make a recommendation of the student’s status. This recommendation may include, but is not limited to, progression pending completion of required remediation, deceleration to a subsequent matriculating cohort, or dismissal (A3.15d).

Students may progress to the subsequent semester pending completion of a required remediation, per the discretion of the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee. PA students who are required to remediate and repeat a clinical rotation course and/or remediate a component of the summative evaluation are permitted to complete the requirements during the semester immediately following their original expected completion date. This situation will result in a delay in the student’s completion and degree conferral dates.

Deceleration

All courses must be completed in sequence. Therefore, in the event the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee determines a student be given the opportunity to decelerate, the student will join the next available matriculating cohort on a full time basis. Students who decelerate to the next matriculation year must successfully complete all required courses. Therefore they must repeat all courses completed prior to deceleration, no matter the original course grade.

• Students are fully responsible for any additional tuition and fees, including changes in tuition and fees, resulting from deceleration.
• Students are advised to discuss financial aid implications with the University’s financial aid personnel prior to making any decisions regarding returning to the program if granted the option of deceleration.

Clinical Year Course Repetition

Students may be required to repeat a clinical year course per the discretion of the SEU PA Program Student Progress, despite receiving a passing course grade. Instances where course repetition may be required include, but are not limited to the following: failure to pass the end of clinical rotation exam and make up exam or failure to achieve a 3 or better on all components of the preceptor evaluation. In these situations, the student will also be referred to the SEU PA Program Student Progress Committee for evaluation, which will include review of the student’s overall academic record and determination of the student’s suitability for continuing in the program (see Progression section above).

• Students are fully responsible for any additional tuition and fees, including changes in tuition and fees, resulting from a clinical year course repetition.

Clinical Site Policy

The SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Sites and SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Education are responsible for overseeing the identification and development of all sites to be used for the clinical rotation courses. The SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Education will assign students to the clinical sites for each clinical year course. These include the seven ‘core’ course/rotations and the two ‘elective’ course/rotations. The SEU PA Program does not permit students to participate in “external rotations.”

PA students are not permitted to solicit a clinical site or clinician for a clinical rotation. Students will be allowed to suggest potential sites and preceptors to the SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Education and SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Sites. However, the clinical year faculty is responsible for clinical site identification, contact, and evaluation as well as the evaluation of a potential preceptor. The SEU PA Program must approve all clinical sites and preceptors prior to student placement. Students should not expect to be placed at a clinical site for which they make a suggestion.

Student Work Policy

External Employment

Due to the full-time curriculum and intensity of the SEU PA Program, PA students are advised not to work. Any student who does undertake such employment must understand that the requirements of the SEU PA Program will not be altered to accommodate a work schedule.

In the event that a PA student does engage in employment outside the SEU PA Program, they should:

• Inform the PA Program Director;
• Acknowledge that they understand that under no circumstances will changes be made to the SEU PA Program requirements to accommodate their job schedule/duties; and
• Meet with the PA Program Director periodically to determine if their job obligations are having a negative impact on their academic performance.

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Internal Employment

The SEU PA Program does not require PA students to work for the SEU PA Program. PA students may volunteer for SEU PA Program related activities such as interviews and tours, but are not required to do so.

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Students as Instructional Faculty/Clinical or Administrative Staff

PA students are not permitted to substitute for instructional faculty.

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Didactic Courses

Students, who have been asked to participate in such a role during a didactic course, must inform the SEU PA Program Director immediately to address the situation.

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Clinical Year/Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences

While engaged in clinical rotations, PA students may not be used as clinical or administrative staff. Students are required to notify the SEU PA Program Director of Clinical Education immediately if they are asked to perform these duties to address the situation. Under no circumstance may a student accept payment or compensation for their time while assigned to a clinical rotation course as a PA student.