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What is a Physician Assistant? Institutional Partnership and Mission |
PA Program Frequently Asked Questions General Program
Information
General Information about the PA Profession
Admission's Process and Requirements
High School and Pre-PA Student Questions
What are the deadlines for application to the UW-L - Gundersen - Mayo PA Program for 2009 admission? DEADLINE:
September 1, 2008 Requirements for a Complete File To be considered complete an applicant's file must meet the following requirements:
The UW-L - Gundersen - Mayo PA Program is now a graduate program leading to the MS PAS degree. The program is no longer admitting undergraduate PA students. Are students able to enroll part-time? We do not offer a part-time curricular option. Our curriculum is tightly sequenced and is only available on a full-time basis. Rarely a student, admitted on full-time basis, will develop extenuating circumstances that do not allow them to succeed as a full-time student. Such students may request extension of the didactic curriculum from one to two years which will be considered by program administration. This option is, however, not available as an initial enrollment option for new students. The clinical phase curriculum is only available on a full-time basis. Thus, all students should plan on completing the program on a full-time basis. How can I get more information regarding your PA Program? The most complete information is available on the web at www.uwlax.edu/pastudies. How can I find out more information regarding the PA profession? You may find useful general information about the PA profession at www.aapa.org In addition, the following websites provide additional information as noted:
Do you require healthcare experience as a prerequisite to admission? The UW-L - Gundersen - Mayo PA Program EXPECTS that applicants will have healthcare experience. We do not, however, required a specific amount of healthcare experience. We definitely do consider your healthcare experience as one of our selection factors. Historically the average length of healthcare experience of those admitted is in the 3-6 year range with the least being about 3 months ranging up to over 20 years. We need to be assured that applicants understand the joys and sorrows of health care and will be pleased to be a healthcare provider as a PA. Are there particular types of healthcare positions applicants should choose for healthcare experience over others? The program expects that applicants' health care experience will involve direct patient contact. Among the positions commonly selected and more readily available with minimal training are nursing assistant, phlebotomist, and EMT. The training for these positions ranges from a brief on the job experience to about 6 months. There are often positions available in most communities with training in these areas, particularly nursing assistant and phlebotomy. The availability of volunteer EMT positions is generally greater in rural areas. The program, however, does consider all types of health care experiences and looks favorably on applicants that have been able to advance in their healthcare career and be given additional responsibility. Does the program require GRE scores? Application to the program does require submission of
scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants must provide scores to
the Age is not be perceived as a barrier in our program. Our program's has had mean student age at admission from 26 - 31. The oldest student we have admitted was age 49. Do you accept transfer students from medical schools? We do not routinely accept transfer students from medical school. If a medical student would like to attend our program they need to apply just like all of other students through the CASPA process and our supplemental application. In that process they would need to provide a rationale and justification for their admission. The program does not grant advanced placement to any student, regardless of their background. What is the difference between a PA and NP? If you are the patient being cared for by either a PA or NP and can't see your provider's name tag, you probably can't tell the difference. In any given practice setting the care provided will likely be indistinguishable based purely on the profession of the provider. Philosophically the approach of these two professions to the care they provide their patients is, however different. NPs describe themselves as advanced practitioners of nursing, while PAs practice medicine with physician supervision. There is also some difference in specialty mobility. NPs are trained in only one specialty (eg Family NP, Pediatric NP, Geriatric NP) and usually require additional formal training in order to move from one specialty to another. PAs are trained in a broad-based, primary care curriculum that allows mobility between specialties, typically with on-the-job training. When do I need to apply for UW-L graduate admission if I apply for admission to the PA Program? You do NOT need to apply for UW-L graduate admission until AFTER you've been offered admission to the PA Program (that is, unless you intend to take courses at UW-L prior to starting the PA Program). Graduate student slots are reserved for PA program students at UW-L. So if you meet the criteria for admission to the PA Program you will likely also meet the criteria for UW-L graduate admission and will be admitted to UW-L as a simple formality. Where do students in your program do their clinical rotations? Nearly all of the clinical
rotations are at Gundersen Lutheran and Mayo sites. These sites include many
rural sites in the Though some clinical sites are able to provide housing to students at their facility, the program does not require sites to provide housing. Ultimately the student has responsibility for securing housing during the clinical phase. Students are able to secure housing through contacts with previous students at the site, their own personal connections and the program's index of clinical housing opportunities. In the MS PAS program each student are required to complete a total of 44 weeks of clinical rotations which can include up to 8 weeks of elective rotations in disciplines and at sites of their choosing. Some student have chosen to do elective rotations at international locations, while other pursue experiences in medical specialties not in the required curriculum, and others do electives with practices in which they are considering employment. Thus, students have a great deal of flexibility and choice in selecting their electives. Additional information about Gundersen Lutheran and Mayo Clinic specialties and practice sites can be found at the following websites:
How can I obtain PA shadowing experiences to help me better understand the PA profession and its role in health care? Both the Mayo Clinic in What if I lack some of the prerequisites at the time I am applying for admission to the program, but plan to take them before I start classes in the program? You may apply to the program with some prerequisites yet to be completed if you have a plan to complete these courses prior to starting classes in the program. In the grade column of the Prerequisite Table on page 1 of the Supplemental Application courses that you are currently taking should be listed as CE (current enrollment); courses that you are not currently enrolled in, but plan to take before starting the program should be listed as PE (Planned Enrolment). Listing these courses on your application represents a commitment on your part to take and successfully complete these courses should you be admitted to the program. Once completed applicants must forward an official transcript documenting successful completion to these courses and their degree. Does it make a difference when I completed my prerequisites? This PA Program does not have a "statute of limitations" on prerequisite courses. So you will be considered to have met the prerequisites even if they were taken many years ago. However, with the program's academic rigor your current academic aptitude is considered. One means to demonstrate your current academic aptitude is through your performance on courses taken in the past 4 years. Thus, it may be advantageous to have completed some courses, potentially including prerequisites in the past 4 years. Do you accept didactic or clinical credits for the professional curriculum from other institutions or PA programs? Because of the tight sequencing and integration of the curriculum we do not accept didactic or clinical credits from other institutions. All of our students complete our entire curriculum regardless of their prior background and education. As a pre-PA student what should I select as my major? The PA Program does not require any particular major for pre-PA students. Rather you should select and academic major for your undergraduate preparation that you are interested in and are passionate about. Though many pre-PA students select a science major such as biology, microbiology or chemistry, we have admitted PA students with majors in history, English, psychology and music. You'll just need to complete the prerequisites required in biology, chemistry, mathematics and psychology. What if the college I'm attending does not offer two semesters of human anatomy/human physiology? The program will accept mammalian or vertebrate anatomy and physiology when human anatomy and physiology is not available. It is helpful if there is an emphasis on the human species in the course. Recognize that the admission process is competitive, and the program's professional curriculum includes human anatomy and physiology taught at the graduate level. If an applicant has a question regarding the acceptability of a course they intend to take, they should forward a copy of the course description and syllabus to the PA Program Office for review. What college or university should I attend to prepare for admission to this program? You may attend any accredited institution and pursue any major you'd like, provided you complete courses which will meet our prerequisites and an undergraduate degree. We consider and admit to the program students from a wide variety of undergraduate institutions. There's probably less variability in the preparation students get from different institutions, than there is diversity among students' own interests and experiences. We've admitted students with degrees from many colleges and universities in the region and elsewhere, both public and private. So it probably makes less difference where you go to school; it is more important how you do academically and what else you do to prepare...healthcare experience, experience with PAs, maturing life experiences, learning about the healthcare system and the role you'd like to play in healthcare...etc. Is there an advantage coming to UW-L as an undergraduate? Coming to UW-L may have some advantages, but certainly should not be perceived as a guarantee of admission. UW-L offers an exceptionally strong preparation in both the sciences and the liberal arts and has a nice variety of majors from which to select. As a smaller university students here have many opportunities to get to know their faculty and fellow students well. Classes and labs are nearly always taught by faculty and academic staff and only rarely by teaching assistants. For undergraduate students at
UW-L who declare "pre-PA" as their second major, PA Program faculty
provide academic advising. In this way we are able to help our UW-L
students make good choices along their pathway to applying to PA Programs.
With two large health care institutions in Of the students we have admitted in recent years about 1/3 have done their undergraduate work at UW-L. So we do admit more UW-L students than any other university. UW-L undergraduates have also been quite successful in seeking admission to other PA programs in the region and nationally. What are the pros/cons of taking college courses in preparation for the PA Program at a University compared to a Junior or Community college? As a graduate program, earning a bachelor's degree is required. However, specific courses at a junior/community college may meet the requirements. Biochemistry and an upper division biology elective must be completed in 4-year institutions. Also, given the rigor of the program's curriculum and the competitive nature of the admission process, it is to the applicant's advantage to complete many or most prerequisites at a baccalaureate institution rather than a community college. How are International Medical Graduates (IMGs) considered for admission? We consider International Medical Graduates (IMGs) on the
same basis as any other applicant. We have, in fact, offered admission to one
IMG. That said, our experience is that few of the IMGs who initiate an
application actually complete the application process. To be considered
IMGs must complete the entire process just like any other applicant. Note
that there are additional
requirements for applicants who have completed more than one semester of
post-secondary education outside of the One critical feature of the PA profession is the fact that PAs are dependent practitioners, always practicing within a supervisory relationship with a physician. This approach to medical practice is quite different from the independent practice model of physicians. IMGs should carefully consider and have some practical experience with this supervised role. With a substantive understanding of that role, one would need to determine if it is an appropriate role given previous experience as a physician. IMGs, like other applicants, need to fully understand the PA role and be able to articulate and endorse it for their own professional career. Who should I call if I have questions about my application?
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University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
1725 State Street La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 (608) 785-8000 |
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