MS in Physician Assistant Studies - East Falls & New Jersey

College

  • East Falls Campus
  • New Jersey
  • College of Health Professions

Degree Earned

  • Master of Science

Program Length

25 months

Program Type

  • On Campus

Program Format

Full-time

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Program Contact

Name: Physician Assistant Program
Department: Jefferson - New Jersey Campus

443 Laurel Oak Road, 2nd Floor
Voorhees, NJ 08043

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Leadership

Name: Amanda L. Seymour, MS, PA-C
Position: Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies East Falls & New Jersey Programs
Organization: Jefferson - East Falls & Voorhees

Kay & Harold Ronson Health & Applied Science Building
4201 Henry Avenue Suite 326
Philadelphia, PA 19144

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For Verification of Education forms or Credentialing Documents please email the paperwork to the below website [email protected], and allow at least 10 business days for processing.

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Program Outcomes - Jefferson - East Falls & New Jersey

Program Goals

  1. Recruit and matriculate applicants who meet or exceed admission requirements.

    • The average GPA of the matriculating applicants for the most recently admitted class was a 3.8 overall, with a science GPA of 3.7.  All matriculating student patient care experience hours exceeded the required number.
  2. Offer an integrated, evidence-based, dynamic didactic phase that provides the knowledge, skills, and humanistic principles required for the clinical year.

    • The program is currently in the process of a formal curriculum redesign.  It continues to integrate and incorporate evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning into curriculum delivery.  This approach combines various delivery methods, including synchronous and asynchronous content delivery and a variety of educational technology to make classes more active and interactive and to support continued development of students as lifelong learners.  There is also an emphasis on facilitating knowledge and skills in preparation for clinical rotations and practice.  Through its humanistic approach, the didactic phase strives to develop clinical thinking and problem-solving, hone communication skills that foster open, respectful, and trustworthy patient care interactions, and teach techniques for self-care and stress management for providers and patients.
  3. Provide varied experiential clinical education with diverse populations that fosters the development of humanistic, medical, and clinical practice skills needed for entry into the workplace.

    • All students complete nine clinical rotations spanning seven medical disciplines and the opportunity to request two clinical placements in medical areas of interest.  Our students have exposure to various clinical settings, including hospitals, clinics, prison systems, behavioral health and recovery centers, and telemedicine and home medicine experiences.  Students also spend at least one rotation in sites working with underserved populations.

      Unsolicited, many of our preceptors let us know that the students exceeded their expectations in medical knowledge, engagement, interest in learning, and professionalism.
  4. Graduate physician assistants who demonstrate medical, clinical, and professional competency.

    • The 5-year First Time Taker composite pass rate for the PANCE for all Jefferson EF/NJ PA students is 92%.  This rate compares to the 5-year national First Time Taker composite pass rate of 94% during the same period.
    • For the Class of 2023, the First Time Taker pass rate was 97%.
  5. Support and encourage ongoing faculty development to ensure the quality and longevity of the PA profession through those who choose to educate the next generation of PA providers.

    • The program is fortunate to have experienced PA faculty and leadership who value and embrace the importance of ongoing faculty development as it relates to the quality and longevity of our profession.  The program leadership is committed to ongoing mentorship through periodic in-house faculty development sessions, retreats, and group and individual workshops that occur throughout the year.  Recent faculty development sessions have included: rubric development, assessment alignment with learning outcomes and instructional objectives, test question writing, and setting tone, mindset, and expectations in the classroom.

      Faculty are also encouraged and supported to attend faculty development programs both within and outside the university and to pursue advanced degrees in education.  Many faculty attend the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) annual conference and continue to work clinically.

      In addition, our faculty pursue their continued development as educators through various educational research and projects.  These activities include coordination and participation with students in annual interprofessional symposiums on Substance Use Disorders (SUDS), patient safety through TeamSAFE, and death and dying at the Emotions and Empathy at the End of Life.

      Our faculty have completed educational research leading to a national presentation with current work on a publication, and have presented at state-level PA organizations.  They also teach in neighboring PA programs and in other health profession programs within the University.

Thomas Jefferson University PA Program - East Falls & New Jersey Campuses Pass Rate Performance Summary (PDF)
Five-Year First Time Taker Summary Report (PDF)

View the EF/NJ PA Program's Attrition Rates (PDF)

Upon graduation from the Jefferson EF/NJ PA program, each student will be able to:

  1. Accurately elicit a medical history and perform an appropriate physical examination based on patient presentation.
  2. Formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis based on history and physical exam findings.
  3. Appropriately recommend and interpret common diagnostic studies based on history and physical exam findings.
  4. Diagnose and manage acute and chronic medical and psychological disorders based on clinical presentation and diagnostic testing results for patients across the lifespan.
  5. Develop and implement appropriate treatment plans for common disorders including medications, surgery, counseling, therapeutic procedures, rehabilitative therapies, or other therapeutic modalities.
  6. Perform common laboratory studies and clinical procedures.
  7. Screen for diseases, assess for risk factors of common disease, and initiate and recommend health promotion and disease prevention measures.
  8. Provide patient education and counseling for common medical and psychological illnesses, common medical procedures, therapeutic regimens, adherence, and health maintenance. 
  9. Recognize when a problem is beyond the scope of the PA provider and refer the patient to the supervising physician, appropriate specialists, and/or community resources.
  10. Effectively document medical information in a variety of formats.
  11. Demonstrate competence in written, oral, and electronic forms of communication with patients, families, and other members of the health care team.
  12. Apply evidence-based medicine principles to clinical practice.
  13. Integrate a humanistic approach to the care of all patients and the diverse communities they serve.
  14. Conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner with the highest ethical and legal standards expected of a health care professional and consistent with the role and responsibilities of a physician assistant.
  15. Work collaboratively as part of the health care team.
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