STANFORD PCAP SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

Transcription

1 STANFORD PCAP SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM Program Mission The mission of the Primary Care Associate Program is: To educate PAs for clinical practice in primary care and medically underserved communities in California To increase the enrollment and deployment of underrepresented minorities To respond to the needs of our communities and stakeholders, including Stanford Medical Center The Primary Care Associate Program (PCAP) is administered cooperatively by Stanford University School of Medicine and Foothill College, although Stanford is the sole sponsor for the program s accreditation. Established in 1971, the program prepares physician assistants (PAs) to provide primary health care services with physician supervision. The curriculum also includes training in hospitals and subspecialties. Graduates earn a Certificate of Clinical Proficiency from the Stanford University School of Medicine. Degree completion options are available. (Bachelor through San Jose State, Master through St. Francis University) Contents Features Program Mission 1 Description of Program 2 Academic Prerequisites 3 Clinical Prerequisites/Foreign Coursework 4 Program Emphasis/Technical Standards 5 Housing/Technology 6 PANCE/Accreditation 7 Highlights Program Admissions 2 Program Academic Prerequisites 3 Estimated Educational Costs 4 Financial Aid 5 Community Satellites 6 Contact Info 7

2 2 Description of the Program The Stanford Primary Care Associate Program curriculum is based on principles of adult learning and community based education. The accelerated 16 month curriculum is designed for students with considerable prior health care experience. After the first fall quarter of didactic education, students learn in clinical sites in their home communities for three weeks/month and attend classes on campus one week/month. (Quarters 2 5, San Diego satellite students have approximately one class week/quarter in San Diego ). This curriculum design allows students to immediately apply didactic content in clinical practice. The didactic curriculum is structured on a body system model and is iterative in design. The first fall quarter provides a solid foundation of basic medical sciences, clinical medicine lectures, pharmacotherapeutics, information literacy, history taking/communication skills, physical exam skills, critical thinking applications and cultural medicine. From the 2nd through 5th quarters, students are placed in primary care preceptorships and rotations: Program Admissions Application packets for classes beginning in September 2008 must be postmarked by October 1, All applications received by the deadline are prescreened to make sure that the clinical and academic prerequisites have been met. Complete applications are then reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Based on this review, selected applicants are invited for interviews. Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to provide a writing sample. Final admission decisions are made shortly after interviews are conducted. Frequently, the most competitive applicants are those that have surpassed the minimum academic and clinical requirements. All applicants will receive written notification of the results of their application. Confidentiality issues prohibit giving feedback by telephone. Application packets can be downloaded from our web site. 17 weeks minimum family medicine/internal medicine preceptorships 6 weeks pediatrics* 6 weeks OB/GYN* 3 weeks inpatient rotation 2 weeks surgery rotation 2 weeks emergency medicine rotation *may be incorporated into primary care preceptorships or may be separate rotations Each student is required to spend a minimum of 20 clinical days in medically underserved sites, with a concentration on either urban or rural medicine. The Primary Care Associate Program offers a curriculum that emphasizes community based clinical education in combination with didactic classes. Much of the clinical education takes place in the office of a preceptor a practicing physician who teaches the student during the course of his/her clinical practice. The PCA Program has the responsibility for arranging the clinical instruction and supervision of each student, including identifying and supplying preceptors. Students are encouraged to seek out compatible primary care physician preceptors in their home communities, however students are not required to do so. The program must approve each clinical site and retains the responsibility for student training and evaluation. Preceptorship sites are located throughout California. Applicants from community satellites, if accepted into the program, must complete preceptorships in their designated satellite county. Academic Prerequisites All required coursework must be documented as being completed on an official transcript from a United States school, college or university possessing "institutional accreditation" by one of the following six regional associations: Western Association (WASC Junior and Senior), Middle States Association (MSA), Northwest Association (NASC), North Central Association (NCA), Southern Association (SACS CC), and New England Association (NEASC-CIHE and CTCI) of Schools and Colleges.

3 The institution must be accredited at the time the coursework was completed. All prior coursework will be considered regardless of the year in which the course was taken. All high school coursework submitted to meet program prerequisites must be completed in the United States. Except for meeting the program and GE prerequisites, advanced placement, transfer of credit, or credit for experiential learning are not permitted because of the integrative structure of the curriculum. Institutions that have specialized, professional or single mission types of accreditation (often held by trade, technical, vocational, occupational or military schools) will need to be reviewed by Foothill College to determine whether such credits will be acceptable. Candidates with chiropractic and naturopathic degrees often need to fulfill Foothill College s General Education (GE) requirements, unless they possess a degree from an accredited institution. Courses offered through the United States military must be credited by a regionally accredited institution. Official transcripts from all regionally accredited institutions attended must be included in the application packet; therefore, request them at least a month in advance. Applicants who expect to receive their Associate s degree or higher before the end of the Spring term of the application year must include a letter from a school evaluator or counselor verifying degree candidacy in the application packet. Applicants expecting to receive their first academic degree are strongly encouraged to complete these requirements by the application deadline. Applicants who expect to obtain the Associate of Science degree from Foothill College upon completion of our program are required to complete the General Education requirements, unless they have a Bachelor s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution. To facilitate the admissions process for those needing to fulfill the General Education requirements, we recommend that a Foothill College counselor evaluate your transcripts prior to applying. An applicant is allowed a maximum of three (3) courses in progress or lacking at the time of the application deadline, but a maximum of two (2) classes may be in progress or lacking after January This includes courses for academic (program and general education) prerequisites for admission and all degree requirements for applicants expecting their first academic degree before the end of the Spring term of the application year. Proof of registration for all courses in progress or lacking and, subsequently, the transcripts showing the final grades must be submitted to the admissions office as soon as possible. Grades for Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology must be submitted by the end of the Fall term. No exceptions. For combined Human Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) classes, a full academic year curriculum is required. All coursework for A&P must total at least 12 quarter units or 8 semester units. Applicants who do not meet the minimum unit requirements or who completed A&P more than 10 years ago are strongly encouraged to retake the full year curriculum of A&P. It is recommended that applicants complete courses beyond the minimum requirements for English and Math because of the need for strong analytical and communication skills. For example, we encourage applicants to complete a general statistics course and take English 1B. substitutions that do not include the scope or information covered in the above classes will not be accepted. If you have any questions regarding academic prerequisites, please contact our admissions office. Clinical Prerequisites A minimum of 3,000 hours of direct patient care experience must be completed by the application deadline. Hours accrued as a student in a training program cannot be used towards this total. (continued on page 4) Program Academic Prerequisites All applicants, regardless of degrees held, must complete the following courses with a grade of C or better. A minimum of three (3) semester or four (4) quarter units is required for each course. Human Anatomy with Lab Human Physiology with Lab Microbiology with Lab Introductory Chemistry - One year of high school or one college course. Intermediate Algebra One year of high school or one college course that is equivalent or higher English Composition - English 1A or equivalent. Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Cultural Anthropology General or Introduction to Psychology IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A DEGREE Applicants who have not received an Associate s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution and who do not expect to receive a degree by the end of the Spring term of the application year, must complete coursework for the following Foothill College General Education requirements: Intermediate Algebra - May be met by completing a college Intermediate Algebra course Humanities - Communication and Analytical Thinking Multicultural Studies Lifelong Understanding A total of 4 quarter units or 3 semester units from two different academic departments. 3

4 4 This requirement can be met with 18 months of full time work experience or equivalent part time hours. This requirement is meant to help the applicant achieve a knowledge base and skill set needed for the successful completion of our Program. Not all health care positions can or will provide the appropriate clinical experience. Factors considered are time spent, position responsibilities (level of decision making), and setting of clinical experience(s). Both paid and volunteer hours are acceptable. Examples of Acceptable Clinical Experiences Clinical experiences involving direct patient care are evaluated on an individual basis. Students have entered our Program from a variety of clinical backgrounds, including, but not limited to: Medical Assistant (Back Office) Military Medic or Corpsman Nurse (LVN or RN) Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Paramedic/EMT Radiology Technician Physical Therapist Respiratory Therapist International Medical Graduate Foreign Coursework Estimated Educational Costs California (CA) Resident: Fees ($4,500/quarter) $22,250 $13/unitx86 units $1,118 Foothill Student Fees $ 202 Sum of School Cost: $23,820 Home computer w/ and internet access $1,500 Books and Equipment $2,200 Handheld device or PDA $ 400 Total CA Resident Costs: $27,920 Non CA Resident Fee: $9,000 Total Non CA Resident Cost: $36,920 * These figures are provided for planning purposes only, and are subject to change. Applicants who complete coursework outside of the United States must have their official foreign transcripts evaluated and translated by an independent educational evaluating service based in the United States. The evaluation should establish degree, course and credit (unit or hour) equivalency for all foreign coursework. If English is evaluated as ESL, you will have to meet the English (1A) Composition requirement. If Sociology/Cultural Anthro. or Psychology is not a lower division undergraduate introductory course; you will need to complete it. Prerequisites in Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and Microbiology cannot be met using foreign credit unless the coursework was completed in Great Britain or Canada. If coursework was completed in Great Britain or Canada, please contact the Admissions Office for information on using these credits to meet the prerequisites. Otherwise, these courses must be taken in the United States at a regionally accredited institution. All other prerequisites may be met with foreign equivalent credits, pending prior approval of applicable courses by the Primary Care Associate Program Admissions Office. Prior to submitting an application for admission, applicants must submit a course description, in English, from the foreign school attended. The Admissions Office then determines if the course is comparable to one offered at a regionally accredited institution in the United States. No foreign high school classes will be accepted. Applicants with foreign degrees that are awarded equivalency of a Bachelor s degree or higher are not required to meet General Education prerequisites. Applicants with foreign degrees that are equivalent to a Doctor of Medicine degree are not required to meet program prerequisites for Algebra and Chemistry. No PA Program courses will be waived for prior completion of similar courses at a foreign medical school. An official copy of the independent evaluation as well as the course descriptions of the pre approved coursework must be included in the application packet. The International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF), World Education Services (WES) or equivalent organizations are recommended educational evaluators.

5 Program Emphasis 5 Consistent with the Programs mission to be responsive to the needs of medically underserved communities and the service needs of Stanford University Medical Center, the Primary Care Associate Program seeks applicants with: Extensive clinical experience: Background and potential for a career as a clinical PA Understanding of the Physician Assistant role Levels of clinical responsibility that involve decision making Job related expertise and work history Evidence of good working relationships with other health care team members and sensitivity in caring for diverse patients Strong references from physicians and other clinical supervisors Recency of clinical experience Strong academic preparation: Strong performance in admissions prerequisite coursework Demonstrated ability to succeed at the college level Ability to learn in an accelerated, self paced environment Favorable characteristics of a highly competitive applicant: Willingness to help/serve others Language skills Sensitivity and awareness of social issues Detail orientated with a can do attitude Community leadership Favorable experiences of a highly competitive applicant: Experiences/Knowledge of economic disadvantaged and underserved population as related to: Medical Care Employment Education Housing/Living situation Evidence of volunteer efforts with aiding economically disadvantaged and/or underserved populations Technical Standards The technical standards for admission establish the expectations and abilities considered essential for students admitted to the Primary Care Associate Program in order to achieve the level of competency required for graduation and practice. All students admitted to the Primary Care Associate Program are expected to be able to demonstrate the abilities specified below. Financial Aid Inquiries about financial assistance can be directed to the Financial Aid office at Foothill College. Scholarship, loan, and grant information can also be obtained from the internet and at a public library. Students enrolled in the program are eligible to apply for veterans benefits and federal/state grants and loans. When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), include Foothill College among the list of schools to which your information should be sent. The Title IV Code for Foothill College is The deadline to apply for the FAFSA is in early March, please pay special attention to this as it can effect your ability to get loans and scholarships. Applicants who are not California residents should note that additional fees are required. Residency usually can be established after living in the state for one year. Primary Care Associate Program students must have: the mental capacity to assimilate and learn a large amount of complex, technical and detailed information in order to formulate diagnostic and therapeutic plans the ability to maintain composure and emotional stability during periods of high stress

6 6 the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients from different social and cultural backgrounds, and develop effective professional rapport with patients and co workers; the ability to record examination and diagnostic results clearly, accurately and efficiently; adequate sensory function and motor coordination to fulfill minimum competency objectives for inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation necessary to perform a physical examination; possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye tohand coordination in order to utilize standard medical/surgical instruments and possess sufficient control of the upper extremities to meet the physical requirements for training and performing a safe physical examination; possess sufficient strength and motor coordination to stand and walk for up to 90% of work time, to lift up to 45 pounds and to carry up to 25 pounds; be able to learn and perform common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (e.g. blood drawing, suturing, etc.) and interpret the results; have a high degree of coordination of motor skills necessary to respond to emergency situations quickly and appropriately. Candidates are urged to ask questions about the program s technical standards for clarification and to determine whether they can meet the requirements with or without reasonable accommodations. Questions may be directed to the Director of Admissions. Community Satellites The Primary Care Associate Program has established community based recruitment, admissions and preceptorships in Kern, Monterey San Benito, and San Diego Imperial Counties with the ultimate goal of deploying graduates in these and surrounding communities. Applicants who have a history of living in these areas and working with medically underserved populations are advised to inquire about the community based admissions process. Applicants who are admitted through community based admissions must complete preceptorships in the counties corresponding to their admission site. Revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary before any accommodations may be made in the learning environment or in the program s procedures. Information about disabilities is handled in a confidential manner. Reasonable accommodations will be made to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These require program and institutional approval. Requests for accommodations must be submitted in writing, allowing sufficient time prior to matriculation for action on these requests. Candidates who feel that they may not meet the technical standards are encouraged to contact the Director of Admissions to discuss and identify what accommodations, if any, can be made by the Primary Care Associate Program so that the candidate might be able to meet the standards. Housing Housing is not available on the Stanford campus. Students are responsible for securing their own housing. Technology Requirements Students are required to have electronic mail accounts and to check their daily. Students must have a computer with ability to download and print course materials. Students must have a minimum of Windows Windows XP is preferred. A handheld device (PDA) is required.

7 P ANCE Performance 7 5 year Results on the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE) for Stanford Primary Care Associate Program PANCE yr Results 1st taker pass rate 93.3% 87.2% 87.5% 80.4% 94.3% 87.9% Aggregate pass rate* 97.8% 97.4% 97.9% 95.7% 94.3% 96.7% * PCA graduating class pass rate after retaking the PANCE Accreditation Status The program was first accredited in 1976, and has since been continually accredited. The most recent decision of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC PA) was in March 2007, and the program received five(5) years of continuing accreditation. Primary Care Associate Program 1215 Welch Road Mod G, Stanford, CA Phone [ ] Fax [ ] [pcap information@lists.stanford.edu] Find us on the Web: Foothill College El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA Counseling Dept: Financial Aid:

8 Thank you for your interest in the Stanford University School of Medicine Primary Care Associate Program PCAP, Stanford University School of Medicine 1215 Welch Road, Mod G Stanford, CA [Recipient Name] [Street address] [Address 2] [City, ST ZIP Code]