The purpose of the Program is to create and maintain an educational environment that promotes critical thinking as well as clinical knowledge and skills necessary to exercise sound medical decision-making and to provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services to patients across the lifespan, in diverse settings. The program also strives to develop compassionate, professional and ethically-minded clinicians.
While PA practice is primarily centered on patient care, PAs will also be prepared to take on educational, research and administrative roles as well. As such, PA students must have an understanding of biostatistics, research methodology and other research principals.
A Physician Assistant (PA) is a nationally certified and state licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the uniformed services.
The United States is currently facing a shortage of health care professionals, and PAs are needed to fill the void. From 2014 to 2024, it is projected that the PA field will grow at a rate of 30 percent, which translates into 28,700 new jobs PAs. Currently this PA profession is ranked as the #3 in the best 100 jobs in the nation per US News and World Report.
Guided by the tradition of compassionate health care exemplified by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, the Physician Assistant Program will develop graduates who will provide evidence based, patient centered medical care in diverse settings, and who are committed to serving all God’s people.
Applicants to the PA program must complete an application specific to the program through CASPA. Applications must be in verification status by August 1 for a January start. Enrollment is limited to 30 students and admission is via a competitive selection process.
The program is a 28-month continuous program. The program consists of 108 credit hours (68 of those hours are in the didactic phase and 40 of those hours are in the clinical phase). Due to the intensity of the program, it is recommended that students do not work while enrolled in this program.
Applications for the PA program must be submitted through Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Applications must be received and in verified status by CASPA by the published August 1 deadline. To submit an application please visit www.caspaonline.org.
All credits for the Master of Medical Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies must be earned at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. The PA program will not accept credit hours earned from other PA programs, graduate programs or medical schools.
*Total Costs for the Physician Assistant Program
Semester | Credit Hours | Tuition/Fees | Course Fees | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 16 | $13,168.48 | $60.00 | $13,228.48 |
2 | 17 | $13,963.51 | $140.00 | $14,103.51 |
3 | 16 | $13,168.48 | $260.00 | $13,418.48 |
4 | 14 | $10,903.30 | $10,903.30 | |
5 | 12 | $9,988.36 | 247.50 | $10,235.86 |
6 | 16 | $13,168.48 | $13,168.48 | |
7 | 17 | $13,963.51 | $144.00 | $14,107.51 |
Totals | 108 | $88,324.12 | $841.50 | $89,165.62 |
*Tuition costs do not include textbooks or any additional costs associated with this program.
Document Title | Type | File Size | |
---|---|---|---|
Document Title: PA Program Student Supply List | Type: pdf | File Size: 290.596 KB | Download |
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University has financial aid counselors available to assist students with the financial aid process. All students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Once enrolled, students are eligible for a number of scholarship awards offered by professional PA organizations.
With support from the Louisiana State Board of Regents and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, FranU is proud to announce the 20189FMOL Sisters Graduate Scholarship recipients from the PA program.
Please click the blue links below to see how the program is meeting its goals.
The PA Program strives to educate future PAs to be competent, compassionate, professional lifelong learners of medicine. The program has identified seven learning outcomes based on core Physician Assistant competencies developed by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. As such, upon completion of the program, the PA graduate should:
Physician assistants must have the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to render a wide spectrum of patient care services in a broad variety of clinical situations. Consequently, it is essential that in its admission process, the Physician Assistant Program assesses an applicant’s physical and emotional capabilities as well as his/her scholastic accomplishments and academic potential in order to assure that the applicant can meet the full demands of the Program’s curriculum and graduate as a skilled and effective healthcare provider. In making this assessment, the Program must consider the applicant’s current physical and emotional status, any cumulative or progressive disability, and any drug-induced impairment that may pose obstacles to the safe application of his/her knowledge and skills to the provision of quality care or prevent effective interaction with patients.
In order to be considered for admissions, all applicants to the PA program must:
The PA program strives to transform enrolled students into competent entry level PAs as well as mission-centered servant leaders. As such, other factors such as diversity, maturity, professionalism, compassion and service to community are also important criteria for acceptance.
Therefore, in addition to excellence in academics, the admissions committee weighs other individual factors when considering each applicant, including:
The following table should give the applicant guidance as to how competitive he/she is in comparison to prior PA classes. The competitive candidate has a “B” or better in all defined pre-requisite course work. Repeated attempts at pre-requisite coursework will be noted and weaken candidate’s overall application packet.
Class | Average GPA (cumulative) | Average GPA (pre-requisite) | Average GRE (V) | Average GRE (Q) | Average GRE (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | 3.25 | 3.47 | 152 (483) | 151 (638) | 3.77 |
2017 | 3.45 | 3.60 | 154 (504) | 152 (660) | 3.78 |
2018 | 3.37 | 3.39 | 150 (450) | 150 (632) | 3.67 |
2019 | 3.48 | 3.54 | 152 | 151 | 3.87 |
2020 | 3.5 | 3.46 | 152 | 152 | 3.9 |
V = verbal Q = Quantative
(Scoring based on scale prior to 8/1/2011 in parenthesis)
The PA program may accept up to 30 students per year.
Note, beginning in 2019, the PA Program will begin interviewing as soon applications are verified by CASPA. Acceptance offers may be made to highly competitive applicants following interview days. Therefore, there are advantages to applying early in the admissions cycle.
There are a number of ways in which an applicant may be accepted:
All accepted students are required to submit a non-refundable deposit (credited toward first semester’s tuition) via money order or cashier’s check.
Failure to respond to acceptance invitation by published RSVP date will result in forfeiture of seat in class.
Our faculty members are highly-skilled professionals with diverse backgrounds and a comprehensive blend of clinical practice, content expertise, and educational experience.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2023. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
Clinical Rotation Courses
PHAS 5771 Primary Care I
PHAS 5772 Primary Care II
PHAS 5773 Hospital Medicine
PHAS 5774 Medical Elective I
PHAS 5775 Medical Elective II
PHAS 5776 General Surgery
PHAS 5777 Musculoskeletal Medicine
PHAS 5778 Pediatrics
PHAS 5779 Emergency Medicine
PHAS 5780 Focused Topics: Behavioral Health/ Women's