Policies & Procedures

To maintain compliance with ARC-PA accreditation standards, prospective and enrolled students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. Upon acceptance into the program, students will work with the UND DPAS clinical education team for all primary care and specialty rotation placements. Students may not contact any known or prospective preceptors or attempt to establish their own clinical rotations, unless after initial contact by program faculty are directed to do so.

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Clinical rotations may occur in any geographical area that the program deems fit to meet program requirements and national accreditation standards which are of utmost priority. Students should expect to travel outside of their home area and temporarily relocate to complete clinical rotations. Costs related to travel and relocation will be the responsibility of the student.

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Immunization and health screening requirements are based on current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) health professionals’ recommendations and applicable state or country mandates. It is the student’s responsibility to provide updated information regularly throughout their enrollment.

The program does not offer student clinical experiences outside of the United States.  

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The Department of PA Studies does not accept transfer students from any other PA program. Advanced placement and transfer of credits are not allowed. Due to the progressive nature of the sequential curriculum, credit for experiential learning is also not allowed. No prerequisite work may be substituted for more advanced applied content within the graduate professional program.

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Technical Standards Page

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The minimum passing grade for all courses throughout the curriculum is a “B”. Students will receive information regarding their academic performance throughout the course progression through written and practical examinations, direct feedback from Course Instructors, and consultations with their Faculty Advisors.

Academic progression is based on the demonstration of the student’s ability to master the content, skills, and professional behaviors consistent with expectations and competencies established by the faculty. A student must successfully complete all sequential coursework with a passing grade prior to beginning the next curricular session. In addition, students must possess the professional abilities and competencies deemed appropriate by the PA profession.

It is expected that the requirements leading to the MPAS degree will be completed in two years. Upon successful completion of the curriculum, students will have earned 90 graduate academic credits and are awarded a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Degree.

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Students seeking the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as requirements set forth by the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

1. Successfully complete all graded courses with a grade of at least a B.
2. Satisfactorily complete all required clinical rotations as defined by the DPAS.
3. Satisfactorily complete all clinical experience logs including cases, time, and procedures/skills as required by DPAS.
4. Successfully complete a scholarly project and related poster presentation approved by the academic advisor and graduate director.
5. Fulfill expectations of professional behavior.
6. Pass clinical testing administered during the clinical medicine courses and at the program's conclusion.
7. Pass the cumulative objective exam administered at the program's conclusion.

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Decisions regarding student requests for remediation will be determined on an individual basis with consideration of all pertinent circumstances, review of academic records, and consultation with the Course Instructor and Faculty Advisor. The Faculty Committee of the Whole will make and approve any remediation plans as appropriate.  Student requests for remediation, as approved by the Faculty Committee, may require the student to decelerate for the purpose of academic remediation. In some cases, remediation may extend into subsequent weeks or may need to be completed the following year due to the sequential nature of the material.

A student is limited to one course remediation within the basic science courses (anatomy, physiology/pathophysiology, and pharmacology). Within the clinical courses, two remediation processes would be allowed, which may include course remediation and/or clinical step exam remediation (including the scholarly project and related poster presentation); however, no more than three total remediation processes are allowed for continuance within the program.

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Deceleration is the loss of a student from the entering cohort, who remains matriculated in the educational program. The Faculty Committee of the Whole will make and approve any deceleration plans as appropriate.  In all cases deceleration will be completed the following year due to the sequential nature of the material. Any student offered deceleration must regularly communicate progress and fulfill all the terms defined in the plan within the designated time frame. The student is responsible for additional expenses associated with deceleration.

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A student wishing to withdraw from the Department of PA Studies must communicate with the Department Chair, complete the withdrawal form from the Graduate School and submit a withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar. Failure to do so may result in a grade of F in all classes and no refund of fees.

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A student is subject to dismissal if failure to meet the minimum standards of progress as defined in the academic and/or professional regulations of the Department of PA Studies and/or the UND School of Graduate Studies. The Department or the Graduate School may also require dismissal at any time deemed necessary to safeguard its standards of scholarship, to conduct orderly operations, and to ensure the safety of patients. The department will communicate enrollment changes with the School of Graduate Studies.

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Should a student feel a decision rendered is unfair, the student has the opportunity to respectfully address the conflict with the appropriate faculty member within ten (10) calendar days to clarify and understand the context of the issue, ultimately seeking a mutually acceptable, informal resolution of the complaint.

If after the informal process the issue remains unresolved, a grievance with supporting documents may be submitted within ten (10) calendar days to the department chair for review. The student may have access to available materials and records pursuant to the student records policy (see student records section of this document). The student will be provided with an opportunity to present the petition to the Faculty Committee of the Whole and may have an advocate present for this process. If the petition is not approved by Faculty Committee of the Whole, the original determination is upheld. Any additional expenses incurred are the responsibility of the student.

Students who wish to appeal the final determination of the Faculty Committee of the Whole may do so by adhering to the Student Academic Grievance and Appeal Policy for all SMHS students.

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The PA curricular program is a very intense 24-month calendar that demands a great amount of time. It is important that students remain well balanced by allowing sufficient time for social activities, recreation, and rest. Students are strongly advised to forego employment during the program. Students are encouraged to take advantage of financial aid opportunities or other funding options.

The curriculum does not follow the typical university academic calendar and would make it difficult to maintain employment during the didactic and clinical sessions. Students may be assigned to sites that are distant and/or have irregular schedules including evenings, nights, and weekends. A conflicting work schedule will not be considered just cause for a change in academic/clinical schedule. Employment will not be considered an acceptable excuse for violation of the attendance policy.

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