Policies and Procedures

The Salus at Drexel PA 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.

The Salus at Drexel University PA 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 Matriculating students who have withdrawn or been dismissed from the Program may be awarded advanced placement depending upon the designed remediation plan related to their readmission.

Students must introduce themselves to every patient using their name and the term “physician assistant student.” Students must never present themselves to patients as a physician, resident, medical student, or graduate physician assistant. While in the Program, students may not use previously earned professional titles for identification purposes.  

The Drexel University Identification (ID) card is issued during first-year orientation. The ID should be worn at all times on campus.

These photo ID cards identifying each student as a PA Student must be worn during any and all experiential learning sessions/clinical rotations, along with a short white lab coat and the Salus at Drexel University PA Program emblem. Any clinical site requirement for display of a site-specific identification badge does not replace the requirement for display of a Drexel University student ID.

The Physician Assistant Program recognizes that as students begin to interact with patients as part of their clinical training, they will encounter the risk of exposure to infectious diseases. Recognizing that there is no way to totally eliminate this risk and continue to provide a meaningful and quality medical education, the Program and the University accept their responsibility to provide all students with appropriate training in universal precautions and other risk reduction behaviors before entering the patient care environment. 

Training Methods for Prevention:

The PA program will provide students with training on universal precautions regarding the appropriate handling of blood and body fluids per OSHA guidelines. Additionally, this training is reinforced during orientation to the clinical year. Documentation of training will be maintained by the program and provided to clinical sites upon request.

Procedure for Care and Treatment after Exposure:

First and foremost, your safety is important. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that if a student experiences a needle stick/sharps injury or is exposed to blood or other body fluid during their work, the following steps are taken IMMEDIATELY:

• Wash the needle stick and cut(s) with soap and
• Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with
• Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile
• Report the incident to your supervisor (preceptor).
• If possible, note the name and medical record number of the patient
• Seek medical treatment

You should follow the exposure protocol that is in place at your clinical site. If there is no protocol in place, you should report to the nearest emergency room for evaluation. Every incident must be reported to the Physician Assistant Program Clinical Coordinator, Medical Director, and/or Program Director.

Answers to questions about appropriate medical treatment for occupational exposures to blood are available 24 hours from the Clinicians' Post Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) (1-888-448-4911).

Financial Responsibility:

All Drexel University students are required to carry primary health insurance during their matriculation. Payment for diagnostic tests and treatment for accidental exposure is the responsibility of the student. If the primary insurance does not cover these costs, the University has secured a secondary policy that is specifically intended to cover accidental exposure-related expenses. The cost for such coverage is included in student fees.

Student health care cannot be provided by the PA program director, medical director, or principal faculty (except in emergency situations), nor can program faculty or staff have access to students’ health care records except for vaccination and immunization screening results, which are maintained and released with the written permission of the student.

Should a student present with a personal concern that may impact their academic success, it is the responsibility of the PA program to facilitate timely access and/or referral to confidential student services. Such services are provided on-site at the Drexel University, Elkins Park campus. Students may be granted an excused absence from class to attend sessions if necessary. Should a student not be able to schedule a timely appointment, they should inform their faculty advisor or the Program Director.

How to Make an Appointment

Crisis Intervention Services

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 Salus at Drexel 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.

Students are expected to have reliable transportation and are responsible for the cost of travel to and from clinical rotation sites. The program considers up to sixty (60) miles from campus one way, a commutable distance. 

Students who are required by the program to travel to a core clinical rotation site greater than sixty (60) miles from campus will be provided an option for housing that includes reasonable associated utility fees. Excessive utility costs will be the student’s responsibility. Students are not required to use program-provided housing; however, students choosing to use other accommodations than those provided by the program will be responsible for all associated costs. 

Students are responsible for costs associated with housing for suggested clinical rotation sites that are developed at the student’s request, or in a location requested by the student but not required by the program (i.e., elective rotation). 

Travel (including, but not limited to, gas, tolls, train or bus fares, and plane tickets), meals, parking, and other costs associated with clinical training are considered part of the students’ educational expenses and are their responsibility. Students cannot decline or request reassignment to a different site based solely on travel distance or convenience. Exceptions may be granted for documented medical accommodations or significant personal hardships. 

All Physician Assistant students are required to have health insurance while enrolled in the program. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire and have in place appropriate and adequate health insurance before the first day of the didactic year. Please refer to the University’s Policy.

If you do not have medical coverage, the Office of Counseling and Health is available to answer any questions you may have and assist you. Information regarding available coverage may be found here.

Prior to entering the program and as a condition of acceptance, students are required to have:

• Documentation of their current health status by way of a health exam before entering the program.
• Proof of up-to-date immunizations and/or titers per CDC recommendations for health professionals, state regulations, and University requirements. See this link for more information.

Note: The hepatitis B immunization series takes a minimum of 6 months to complete and sometimes longer for some individuals to achieve appropriate titers. Students are considered compliant if they are currently in the process of the series administration and/or the recommended timeline for assessing immunity screening in response to vaccination.

Students who opt to participate in international clinical experiences are required to adhere to CDC recommendations for international travel. Information will be provided to students as part of the orientation to the international clinical experience. For more information, click here.

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.

If a student encounters a negative event or mistreatment during a clinical experience, they should contact the Director of Clinical Education and/or any member of the Clinical team via phone or email immediately. A negative event or mistreatment might include a situation in which the student feels unsafe, threatened, harassed, or discriminated against. Depending upon the nature of the event, the student may be removed from the clinical site and placed with an alternate preceptor/clinical site. The PA Program will investigate the event, allowing for as much anonymity as possible for the student. The student should not fear the risk of retaliation from the PA Program or the clinical site/preceptor. The student will be referred to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance. Students can review the related University policies, the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and the Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy. 

Preceptors are expected to adhere to professional standards and maintain appropriate relationships while interacting with students on rotation. If a preceptor were to engage in any of the following activities, which include but are not limited to those listed below, the student should contact the University as described above:

• Public humiliation
• Being threatened with or experiencing actual physical harm
• Subjected to unwanted sexual advances
• Subjected to offensive remarks based on gender or gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or religious affiliation
• Receiving lower grades based on individual characteristics or qualities such as gender or gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or religious affiliation

The following must be successfully completed. Success is defined by achieving a grade of “pass” in all pass/fail evaluations, a final grade of “C” or better in all graded courses, and a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better on a 4.00 scale.

• Successful completion of each didactic and clinical course is defined by a final grade of “C” or better.
• Successful completion of the didactic phase of the Program with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater on a 4.00 scale to progress into the Clinical Phase of the Program. If the student does not meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement at the completion of the didactic phase, the student will be dismissed from the Program and referred to the Academic Affairs Committee.
• Successful completion of the written and practical Core Competency examinations at the end of the didactic phase of the Program (70% or better is required to pass). Should a student fail either of the core competency examinations, they will complete a defined, comprehensive remediation under the direction of their faculty advisor. Remediation plans will be devised by the Program Director, Medical Director, and Director of Educational Competency and Strategic Innovation. This may result in a delay to the start of the clinical year and/or a delay in graduation. If the student fails the second attempt after the prescribed remediation, the student will be dismissed from the Program and referred to the Academic Affairs Committee.
• Successful demonstration of all technical skills listed in the Clinical Passport to the minimum competency level defined for each.
• Successful completion of the Summative Written and Practical Examinations (70% or better is required for each) and the Summative Professional and Interprofessional Evaluation (minimally “meets expectations”) administered within the final four months of the Program. Should a student fail any one of the summative assessments, they will complete a defined, comprehensive period/plan of remediation for that content. Remediation will be under the direction of their faculty advisor as determined by the Program Director, Medical Director, and Director of Educational Competency and Strategic Innovation. This may result in a delay of graduation. If the student fails the second attempt after remediation, the student will be dismissed from the Program and referred to the Academic Affairs Committee.  
• Demonstration of acceptable professional behavior throughout the didactic and clinical phase, both in and out of the classroom and in the clinical setting, and on the summative examination. Professionalism grading rubric performance, and preceptor evaluations of the student will be used to assess whether the student is meeting this requirement.
• Upon completion of the program, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater on a 4.00 scale. If the student does not meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement at the end of the clinical phase, the student will be dismissed from the Program and referred to the Academic Affairs Committee.
• Compliance with all health and background screening requirements is necessary to progress through the program.

A student must complete the entire program within 4 years (not including approved Leaves of Absence) and must present evidence of continued satisfactory academic progress at all times.  The Academic Affairs Committee must approve any exceptions to the total length of the program.

The Program makes the distinction between academic support and remediation.

Academic support is a proactive process that reinforces student learning and does not require formal reassessment. Academic support may include individual or cohort content reinforcement, open discussion, examination review, peer tutoring, or referral for counseling services. It may be initiated by faculty recommendation or by student request.

Remediation is a formal, mandated process initiated when a deficiency has been identified, and may or may not require reassessment. A defined plan to address the deficiency is developed by a faculty facilitator and implemented over a specific time period. When reassessment is required, it is used to determine the effectiveness of the remedial effort (intervention). Reassessment after remediation may involve a single or ongoing evaluation tool, as determined by the identified deficient competency.

Beginning at the point of student matriculation, the student’s academic performance is monitored after every assessment by each course director. The program strongly advises that students who achieve a minimally passing grade on an assessment meet with the respective course director to identify and review deficiencies. The program requires that students who do not achieve a passing grade on an exam must meet with the course director to review and remediate deficient content. All exam reviews, be they requested or required, must take place within one week of the completed assessment. Student global performance in all courses is monitored by the Director of Educational Competency and the Program Director.

Students at risk are identified based on three categories:

1. Single grade below the expected benchmark/cohort performance
2. A pattern of consistently low grades below the benchmark/cohort performance
3. A significant deviation from individual baseline performance

Additional conditions in the Clinical Year are used to identify students at risk:

4. Three or more low pass grades on the End of Rotation examinations
5. One (1) or more categories marked as “poor” or six (6) or more marked as “fair” on a single preceptor evaluation for any clinical rotation course

Program required remediation may also occur when a deficiency is identified through low/poor performance, but without failure of an assessment. In this situation, a student engages in remediation with ongoing formative assessment. These deficiencies are most often identified in other competency domains such as professionalism, critical thinking, or interpersonal and communication skills.

Didactic Course Remediation Policy

If a student achieves a course grade of C- or D, they must complete a defined period of faculty-facilitated remediation of the deficient course content and a reassessment. The student must achieve a grade of 70 or more on the reassessment. The final letter grade for the course will be a maximum of C, and replaces the existing C- or D grade. A student is only allowed one (1) course remediation and reassessment attempt, which must be completed no later than the end of the first week of the immediate following semester. If the next semester coincides with the start of the clinical year, the student must successfully complete the reassessment before beginning clinical rotations. If the student does not achieve a 70 on the reassessment exam, the original final course grade will remain unchanged. Given that a student must achieve a C or better in all courses, they will not be able to progress in the program and will be dismissed. The student may appeal the dismissal, which is reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make a final appeal to the Dean of the GSBSPS. If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made.

Clinical Rotation Course Remediation Policy

If a student achieves a course grade less than C in a clinical rotation course, remediation of that course mandates a repeat of the course at the end of the clinical year and before graduation. A student is only allowed one (1) remediation and repeat of a course attempt in the clinical year. A second course grade of less than C will result in dismissal. The student may appeal the dismissal, which is reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make a final appeal to the Dean of the GSBSPS. If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made.

A student may decelerate into another cohort for two reasons. The first is a student who is granted a leave of absence from the program (see the policy related to Leave of Absence). The second is a student who is dismissed from the Program, reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee, and offered readmission with another cohort. When a returning student enters with a new cohort, the specifics related to the courses in which they enroll are dictated by each student’s situation. Depending upon the parameters of a student’s deceleration into another cohort, the PA program will recommend the coursework to be repeated. Most commonly, students are asked to repeat all previously completed coursework.

A student repeating credits is required to register for those credits through the Office of the Registrar.

Unplanned circumstances may arise during a student’s training program. If circumstance requires a student to be absent from the Program for two or more weeks, a Leave of Absence (LOA) may be necessary. The following policy addresses the process for requesting an LOA and the considerations for return to the program.

Students are to submit a written request for a LOA to the PA Program Director using the Graduate Leave of Absence form. If a request is approved, students are granted a maximum leave period of 12 months. The student may return from a LOA after providing health care provider documentation to the Associate Dean of Educational and Academic Affairs, indicating their readiness to return.

If an LOA occurs during the didactic phase of the program, re-entry to the program will occur with the next matriculating class. The student will repeat courses depending upon prior performance and to ensure the integrity of foundational learning as determined by the Program Director, Medical Director, and Director of Educational Competency.

If an LOA occurs in the clinical phase, the length of time separated from the program affects re-entry requirements. If a clinical phase student has separated from the program for a period of less than or equal to 3 months, the student will restart clinical rotations without required competency assessments. If the clinical phase student has separated from the program for a period of greater than 3 months, they are required to demonstrate a minimum level of competence on both knowledge-based and performance-based assessments to ensure readiness to re-enter clinical rotations. If the student is initially unsuccessful in demonstrating a minimum level of competence in either assessment, they will undergo a period of faculty-facilitated remediation in the deficient area(s) and will complete reassessment. The student will continue with this process until minimum competence is demonstrated and they can re-enter clinical rotations.

A student may withdraw voluntarily from the Program at any time. A student who wishes to withdraw must communicate directly with the Program Director. The student must notify in writing of the withdrawal and the reason(s) for the withdrawal. See the Tuition Refund Policy regarding the amount of refunded tuition a student may be eligible for upon withdrawal.

Academic Dismissal

Academic dismissal occurs when a student obtains a term or cumulative GPA of less than 3.00, and they are unable to raise the cumulative GPA to 3.00 or greater in the subsequent term. A student who obtains two consecutive term GPAs of less than 3.00 is subject to dismissal.

Dismissal for Other Reasons

In addition to the academic reasons for dismissal listed above, the Program reserves the right to terminate the enrollment of any student at any time, for what the University Faculty and Administration may believe to be compelling reasons. These reasons may include, but are not limited to, the student’s demeanor, foundational medical knowledge, character, as well as any form of cheating, plagiarism, unprofessional conduct, or failure to pass a required criminal background check. Students receive instruction on the Drexel University Student Code of Conduct and the PA Program’s expectations regarding professionalism during initial orientation and are provided online access to the University and Program policies, for which they are required to sign an acknowledgement/receipt as evidence of understanding. Additionally, professionalism is taught and assessed within the PA Program.

Violation of the University’s Code of Conduct is viewed by the PA Program as evidence that the student is not suited to a professional career. In such cases, the student may be referred to the Executive Committee for the Division of Interdisciplinary and Career-Oriented Programs and may be dismissed regardless of academic performance. Professional conduct is the keystone of the PA profession. As such, unprofessional conduct is not in keeping with the tenets of the profession or the University. Any student receiving two (2) Professionalism citations may be dismissed from the program (see Student Professional Conduct Policy).

Failure to comply with directives from the Program Director may result in dismissal of the student from the academic program. The matter may then be referred to the Executive Committee for the Division of Interdisciplinary and Career-Oriented Programs for review and further action.

Students in the Physician Assistant Program are participants in a professional, graduate-level training program who will assume significant levels of responsibility as health care providers. Therefore, students are evaluated not only on academic progress and clinical skill competency but also in the area of professionalism (interpersonal and team skills, reliability, professional demeanor, and attitude). Problems in any of these areas will be brought to the student’s attention and may result in disciplinary action. Drexel University and the Salus at Drexel University Physician Assistant Program expect each student to exhibit integrity, honesty, good moral character, and professionalism in accordance with the Drexel University Code of Conduct.

Academic integrity is a core value that should guide one’s conduct as a member of the Drexel University community. Students are required to demonstrate professionalism and academic integrity in all courses at all times. The University recognizes honesty and integrity as essential to the academic functions of each program. Certain academic standards are established to protect the integrity of grades and degrees, and to assist students in developing standards, behaviors, and attitudes appropriate to academic life and professional practice. Explicit rules of conduct relative to scholastic activities are delineated in the Academic Integrity Policy.

Students are obligated to perform their own work and neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on graded material, nor leave unreported any knowledge of such aid given or received by another student. While the university recognizes the increasing use and value of artificial intelligence tools in the academic setting, all work submitted by the student must be written by the student. Additionally, the program expects that students will not share information about practical exams or standardized patient cases with others. Instances of academic dishonesty, a breach of academic integrity, or unprofessional behavior are serious offenses and are anticipated to result in disciplinary action.

Violations of conduct are subject to review and, depending upon the nature of the violation, may result in counseling, PA Program-issued professionalism warnings, or citations.

• If the professionalism violation is not egregious, a student will be counseled regarding expected professional behaviors.
• Following initial counseling, if unprofessional behavior continues, a professionalism warning may be issued.
• If a student has an additional incident of unprofessional conduct, they will be issued a professional citation.
• Particularly egregious unprofessional behavior may result in a professionalism citation as an initial course of action.
• If a clinical-year student fails a clinical rotation secondary to a preceptor’s evaluation of poor professional behavior, the student will also be issued a professionalism citation.
• Two (2) professionalism citations may result in dismissal from the Program.

The PA Program recommendation for dismissal for unprofessional conduct is reviewed by the Executive Committee for the Division of Interdisciplinary and Career-Oriented Programs (ICO), which is comprised of ICO faculty, administrators, and a graduate student representative. If the Executive Committee supports the program’s decision for dismissal, the student can appeal to the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make one final appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies (GSBSPS). If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made.

Per the Student Professional Conduct Policy, should the PA Program recommend a student for dismissal for unprofessional conduct, the dismissal is reviewed by the Executive Committee for the Division of Interdisciplinary and Career-Oriented Programs (ICO), which is comprised of ICO faculty, administrators, and a graduate student representative. If the Executive Committee supports the program’s decision for dismissal, the student can appeal to the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make one final appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies (GSBSPS). If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made

Per the Didactic Course Remediation Policy, if a didactic course remediation with reassessment is unsuccessful, a student will not be able to progress in the program and will be dismissed. The student may appeal the dismissal, which is reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make a final appeal to the Dean of the GSBSPS. If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made.

Per the Clinical Rotation Course Remediation Policy, a student is only allowed one (1) remediation and repeat of a course attempt in the clinical year. A second course grade of less than C will result in dismissal. The student may appeal the dismissal, which is reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make a final appeal to the Dean of the GSBSPS. If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made

Per the Repeat of Course Policy, students must repeat for credit any course for which they receive a grade of F. Given the lock-step nature of course delivery in the PA program, students cannot repeat a course during the didactic phase and remain in their cohort. Therefore, if a student receives a grade of F in a didactic course, they will be dismissed from the Program. The student may appeal the dismissal, which is reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee. If the Academic Affairs Committee upholds the dismissal, the student may make a final appeal to the Dean of the GSBSPS. If the Dean upholds the dismissal, no further appeals can be made

Appeals related to grades, other academic evaluations, and program or university personnel complaints are addressed in the Graduate Student Grievance Policy.