Technical Standards

The Physician Assistant Program of Le Moyne College provides education and training to prepare the student to practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. There is a minimum level of knowledge and skill required to meet the standards of physician assistant practice, entailing both academic and non-academic performance. The student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional capacities essential to attaining the competencies required to function as a physician assistant. Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with a disability, but a student should be able to perform these functions in a reasonably independent manner.

Mental capacities: Ability to learn and apply basic and clinical scientific knowledge in order to provide competent and safe patient care.

• The student must demonstrate acquistion of knowledge through coursework and examinations.
• The student must demonstrate application of knowledge through problem solving during courses and in the clinical setting.

Physical capacities: Ability to fulfill requirements of clinical rotations, including taking a medical history, performing a physical examination, and performing standard medical procedures.

• Student must recognize limitations and develop appropriate adaptations in order to provide safe and competent patient care.

Emotional capacities: Ability to cope with the stress of classroom and clinical rotations

• Student demonstrates mature and professional behavior when confronted with unexpected events in the classroom, outside the classroom, and in the clinical setting
• Student understands that a safe learning environment extends beyond the classroom and into the public areas; in order to provide a safe learning environment, all students are expected to demonstrate respectful verbal communication and non-threatening body language at all times.
• Student understands that providing safe patient care requires the ability to maintain a positive professional demeanor; student demonstrates mature and respectful communications at all times in the clinical setting.
• Disruption of the classroom, clinic, or other program-sanctioned activities is not to be tolerated.

In order to successfully fulfill the program's goals and graduate from the PA program, each student must be able to perform the following:

1. Elicit a detailed and accurate medical history, perform a complete physical examination, and record all pertinent data.
   
   In order to accurately and effectively evaluate a patient’s medical condition, the student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional qualities to:
   
   

   Fully utilize intellectual ability, exercise good judgment, promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and develop effective relationships with patients (regardless of cultural, ethnic, social, or economic background) in order to be able to gather pertinent patient information. The student must establish rapport with the patient and/or patient’s family. The student must demonstrate respect, compassion, and competence in communications

   Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. The student must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills in the English language.

   Use and interpret information from diagnostic maneuvers (e.g. palpation, auscultation, percussion, etc.). The student must have the physical abilities to perform diagnostic maneuvers. The student must possess the clinical thinking skills to interpret information and data from diagnostic maneuvers.

   Use and interpret information from diagnostic instruments (e.g. stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, etc.) The student must have the physical abilities to utilize diagnostic instruments. The student must possess the clinical thinking skills to interpret information and data from using diagnostic instruments.

2. Perform therapeutic and emergency procedures, and order, perform and/or interpret routine diagnostic studies.




Examples of therapeutic procedures include injections, immunizations, wound care, suturing, suture removal, incision and drainage of superficial infections, dressing changes, insertion of nasogastric and bladder catheters, cast application and follow-up of simple fractures. Examples of emergency procedures include CPR, IV insertion, arterial and venous blood draws, and airway management. Examples of diagnostic procedures include specimen procurement and performance of basic laboratory tests and procedures, such as electrocardiograph tracings, common radiological studies, PAP smears). The student should be able to interpret x-ray and other graphic images and digital or analog representations of physiologic phenomena (e.g. EKGs, EEGs, etc.). The student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional qualities to determine the appropriate use and timing of therapeutic, emergency, and diagnostic procedures, and to carry them out safely and effectively. The student must Work with and cooperate with faculty, students, staff, the public, and employees at all levels. The student must demonstrate respect, compassion, and competence in communications. Perceive the nature of sound. Hearing is important for those activities that require ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sound. Express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word. The ability to talk is important for those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly. Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize information, including the comprehension and understanding of three-dimensional relationships. Problem-solving requires all of these skills, and the PA must be able to perform them in a timely manner. Perform an adequate range of body motion and mobility, with or without accommodation, to enable the individual to perform essential functions. This may include bending and stooping. Exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push or pull, or otherwise move objects, including books, equipment, and the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods. Distinguish objects visually at 20 inches or less. This factor is important when special and minute accuracy is demanded, and defective near acuity would adversely affect performance and/or safety of self and/or others

3. Counsel patients regarding physical and mental health, including diet, disease prevention, normal growth and development, and family planning.
   
   

   In order to accurately and effectively counsel a patient, the student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional qualities to communicate effectively and efficiently with patients, their families, and all members of the health care team about a patient’s condition. The student must be able to establish rapport with patients, families, other members of the health care team in any inpatient, outpatient, or long-term care setting. The student must demonstrate respect, competence, and compassion in all communications. The student must demonstrate appropriate verbal and written communication skills. The student must demonstrate the integration and application of basic, medical, and behavioral science to evaluate the counseling and educational needs of the patient, and to develop an appropriate plan for counseling.

   
   
4. Assist the physician in all clinical settings, and perform under the supervision of licensed physicians in such settings as hospitals, nursing homes, health maintenance organizations, private primary care facilities, industrial clinics, and community health centers.
   
   

   In order to assist the physician in all clinical settings, the student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional abilities to perform rounds and office visits, gather and record data relevant to the patient’s progress, and develop and implement diagnostic and therapeutic plans. The student must be able to acquire and interpret information from written documents and computer information systems, including literature searches, data retrieval, and laboratory reports, and images from slides, paper, films, videos. The student must be able to communicate clearly and accurately both verbally and in writing. The student must demonstrate respect, competence, and compassion in all patient and professional encounters. The student must be able to respond promptly to urgencies within the hospital or clinic setting and assist co-workers in providing prompt and competent medical care. The student must be able to adapt to changing environments and hours, display flexibility, and function effectively under stress and in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients

5. Facilitate the appropriate referral of patients and maintain awareness of existing health delivery systems and social welfare resources.
   
   

   The student must be able to communicate verbally and in writing to facilitate appropriate referrals. The student must demonstrate respect, competence, and compassion when referring a patient. The student must acquire and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of appropriate referral resources.

   
   
6. Develop and integrate a strong knowledge base of basic and medical sciences necessary to clinical thinking and to patient care.
   
   

   The student must possess the mental, physical, and emotional abilities to Acquire knowledge and skills through demonstrations and experiences in the basic and medical sciences, including but not limited to case presentations, seminars, lectures, laboratory dissection, physiologic and pharmacologic demonstrations, microbiologic cultures, microscopic images of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. Apply the knowledge through critical evaluation of information relative to the given patient problem and clinical problem-solving.

   
   
7. Possess sufficient emotional stability to withstand stress, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that characterize the dependent practice of medicine
   
   

   Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that are evaluated during the admissions and education processes Student demonstrates a professional demeanor and respectful communications at all times. Student recognizes limitations and seeks help for situations that may hinder the student's learning or clinical performance, or for situations that may adversely affect others.

8. Consider cultural background during all aspects of taking a history, performing a physical examination, ordering diagnostic tests, recommending treatment, providing patient counseling and education, and documentation. Students are expected to reach Cultural awareness at a minimum.

Cultural Proficiency: shows all characteristics of cultural competence, and reaches further to add knowledge and innovative approaches to managment and service delivery based on cultural needs. Cultural competence: characterized by a set of attitudes, practices, and/or policies that respects and accepts difference. Recognize that individuals within each cultural group have unique characteristics. Cultural pre-competence: Tolerant of ambiguity, recognizes and explores differences, recognizes own weakness in serving different cultures, seeks information from other cultures. Need to avoid false sense of accomplishment or failure and avoid tokenism. Cultural awareness: has begun the process of acquiring competency; explore culture as an integral component in caring for patient. Cultural blindness: considers what is effective with dominant culture should be universally effective and applicable for every other culture. Blames victims for their problems, believe differences are superficial and that "all people are really the same." Ignores cultural strengths, encourages assimilation to the dominant culture, "rescues" people of color, lacks information and avenues to gain information about different cultures. Cultural incapacity: a set of attitudes, practices, and policies that assumes a culturally destructive, endorsement of "seperate but equal" breed discrimination. Cultural Destructiveness: Attitudes, practices, and/or policies that are destructive to cultures and individuals within the culture. Promotes interests and superiority of the dominant culture while continuing to disenfranchise, control, and/or exploit other ethnic groups. Ignores differences, attributes subhuman qualities to others, disregards civil rights, uses power to control, exploit, or destroy.

Students with Disabilities

Students with any disability that would make it difficult to meet the technical standards or one that could affect successful completion of course in the Physician Assistant Program are encouraged to discuss possible accommodations with the Program Director as early as possible.

The Office of Disability Support Services in the Academic Support Center also arranges academic accommodations for eligible students with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the director of the ASC as soon as possible to ensure that academic accommodations are made in a timely manner. Written documentation attesting to the existence of the disabling condition, signed by a licensed professional, is required before academic accommodations are implemented.

Non-academic services for students with disabilities are coordinated by the assistant vice president for campus activities (315-445-4526) and the director of residence life and coordinator of judicial affairs (315-445-4525).