Policies and Procedures

The Salus University Physician Assistant Program does not grant advanced placement based upon transfer of credits for academic work completed at other institutions of higher learning or prior experiential learning. All courses within the curriculum are required. Matriculating students who have withdrawn or been dismissed from the Program may be awarded advanced placement depending upon the designed remediation plan related to their readmission.

Passing a criminal background check and drug screen is a requirement of matriculation into the PA Program since infractions may affect a student’s ability to be placed in clinical sites and/or a graduate’s ability to practice after graduation. The health systems in which PA students complete pre-clinical experiences (in the Didactic phase) and clinical rotations (in the Clinical phase) require a negative drug screen. A positive drug screen would preclude a student from being allowed to engage in patient experiences in the affiliated health systems. Please note that marijuana use for any reason, including for medical purposes, will cause a positive result and jeopardize a student’s ability to participate in clinical experiences. Didactic and clinical patient experiences are required components in the PA curriculum and are directly related to a student’s ability to meet expected learning outcomes and graduate from the Program.

Once accepted into the PA Program, students are required to pay for and submit results of these requirements through the university’s third-party provider. If a student’s background check or drug screening reveals a positive result, the matter will be brought before the PA Program Admissions Committee for review. Depending upon a background check infraction or a positive drug screen, the student’s acceptance may be rescinded and the student not permitted to matriculate.

Following matriculation, additional background checks and/or drug screenings may be required by the university or its clinical sites. Students are responsible for any costs associated with these required clearances.

The university will not be held liable for the withdrawal of an acceptance, non-matriculation, dismissal, inability to complete clinical requirements, delayed graduation, failure to graduate and/or ability to obtain a state license or to practice due to infractions revealed on background checks or drug screening requirements. Please also refer to the University’s Student Background Check Policy (PDF).

The Physician Assistant curriculum is designed to be a full-time professional graduate program. It consists of a very demanding course load with a great deal of time spent in class, clinical experiences and study. Given the rigorous nature of the program, most students find it difficult, if not impossible, to work.

We encourage the student to seek outside sources of support (scholarships, loans, etc.) and devote as much time as possible to their professional education. While enrolled in the program, it is imperative that the student’s primary focus is the educational process. Employment, therefore, is strongly discouraged.

Should a student’s financial responsibilities require per diem work, he or she may not work within the physician assistant program or serve as or substitute for instructional faculty for any component of the curriculum. Additionally, students are prohibited from substituting for clerical and/or clinical personnel during pre-clinical experiences and clinical rotations.

Students are not permitted to provide or solicit their own clinical sites or preceptors. The program must coordinate clinical sites and preceptors for program required rotations. Coordination of clinical practice experiences involves identifying, contacting and orienting preceptors to the defined learning objectives and competencies for each rotation, and evaluating sites and preceptors for suitability. However, the program recognizes students may wish to recommend clinical rotations in areas in which they have permanent residence where subsequent employment may be secured or for other reasons. Students may make suggestions to principal faculty for sites and preceptors but are not required to do so. To facilitate this, the Clinical Team will consider all student requests for rotations not offered by the PA Program. Students are to use the form provided by the PA Program to collect necessary information required for the program to proceed with site evaluation and development. All suggested sites and preceptors will be reviewed, evaluated and approved for educational suitability by the Clinical Team.