Faculty:

• Nicole Ludwig, D.P.A.S., PA-C, Program Director
• James France, M.D., Medical Director
• Samantha Hixenbaugh, M.P.A.S., PA-C
• Richard Hutchinson, M.P.A.S., PA-C
• Bobbie Leeper, Ph. D.
• Emily McCullough, M.S.P.A., PA-C, M.P.H.
• Theodore Stem, M.D., Medical Director Emeritus
• Jason Thomas, D.P.A.S., M.P.A.S., PA-C
• Allison Turgeon, M.P.A.S., PA-C
• Bethany Vargo, M.P.A.S., PA-C

The Master of Science Program in Physician Assistant educates students to practice medicine. Graduates function as effective team members in the delivery of care in a variety of health care settings.

The Seton Hill program is accredited by the Academic Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). At its March 2024 meeting, the ARC-PA placed the Seton Hill University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Seton Hill University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in March 2026. Probation is a temporary status of accreditation conferred when a program does not meet the Standards and when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.  Once placed on probation, programs that still fail to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and/or risk having their accreditation withdrawn.

The Seton Hill University Physician Assistant Program is scheduled for a focused site visit in advance of the March 2025 commission meeting. This visit will evaluate the PA Program and institutional progress in addressing specific citations identified during the most recent commission review of the PA Program. Failure of the PA Program and institution to demonstrate significant progress in addressing these citations is likely to result in the withdrawal of accreditation. Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).

Applicants apply to the Seton Hill program through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).

The Master of Science curriculum consists of 15 months of intensive course work followed by 12 months of full-time supervised clinical experiences (rotations).

Program Mission:

In the spirit of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, which is to live in service to others, particularly the poor and vulnerable, Seton Hill University’s Physician Assistant Program prepares its graduates to provide quality, patient-centered health care that seeks to transform lives, families, and communities. Through rigorous academic training and service experiences, motivated students are developed into compassionate physician assistants who care for diverse populations with humility, respect, empathy, and dignity for the human person.

Program Goals:

The PA Program at Seton Hill University aspires to:

• Prepare students with the requisite medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, professional behaviors, clinical and technical skills, clinical reasoning abilities, and problem-solving abilities to successfully enter the healthcare workforce. 
• Provide students with the training to practice evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care. 
• Provide rigorous academic experience that promotes academic excellence. 
• Foster a culture of professionalism, preparing students to work effectively with other health professionals and to provide collaborative care.
• Cultivate opportunities for students to become ethical and empathetic providers with respect for patient diversity through participation in service and learning experiences.

Learning Objectives (Student Competencies):

Medical Knowledge

1. Apply principles of basic and clinical science, including anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and genetics to identify, diagnose, and provide patient centered care to healthy and ill patients.
2. Recognize the etiology, risk factors, and epidemiology of various medical conditions.
3. Select, interpret, and apply diagnostic studies to inform clinical decision-making related to patient care.
4. Differentiate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment strategies, including patient education and counseling, in caring for healthy and/or ill patients who present with various medical conditions.

Interpersonal Skills

1. Use effective communication skills to elicit and provide information to patients, families, and health team members.
2. Establish rapport with patients and families to build meaningful, therapeutic relationships.
3. Demonstrate sensitivity, honesty, and compassion to provide care that is responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, health literacy, and other needs.
4. Establish respectful working relationships and interact effectively with all members of the health care team.

Clinical and Technical Skills

1. Conduct effective, patient-centered history-taking and physical examination for comprehensive and problem-focused patient visits.
2. Convey aspects of a patient encounter to all health care team members through accurate and timely written and verbal communication.
3. Perform procedural and clinical skills considered essential for entry into PA practice.
4. Counsel and educate patients and families from diverse backgrounds to empower them to participate in their care and enable shared decision-making.

Professional Behaviors

1. Collaborate with physicians, other health professionals, and health care teams to optimize team member roles and coordinate care.
2. Demonstrate respect for the dignity and privacy of patients, including maintaining confidentiality, patient autonomy, and informed consent in the delivery of team-based care.
3. Exhibit an understanding of the regulatory environment, and laws and regulations regarding professional practice.
4. Approach the provision of quality care with consideration to financial impact, safety, and cost-effective resource allocation.
5. Recognize the impact of societal, psychosocial, and cultural influences on health care and health outcomes, to care for patients and communities.

Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving

1. Synthesize information acquired through all aspects of patient encounters and the medical literature to develop appropriate differential diagnoses and management plans for acute, chronic, and emergent health conditions.
2. Interpret data collected from diagnostic, laboratory, and imaging studies and procedures to accurately diagnose acute, chronic, and emergent health conditions.
3. Formulate health management strategies, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies, and patient education, in the prevention and treatment of acute, chronic, and emergent conditions.
4. Integrate understanding of cultural, socioeconomic, environmental, and other population level impacts on health into medical decision-making and the development of individualized care plans.

Students who earn a Master of Science degree will be eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE) to become certified.

Admission Requirements for the Master of Science Program in Physician Assistant:

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2
• Minimum grade point average for prerequisite courses of 3.2
• Completion of prerequisite courses at an accredited institution within the past 7 years
• Completion of at least 300 hours of health care experience involving direct patient contact
• Completion of at least three shadowing experiences of physician assistants in different specializations

Prerequisites (through the 2026 - 2027 Catalogs):

• Organic chemistry, minimum 1 semester
• Biochemistry, minimum 1 semester
• Chemistry laboratory, minimum 1 semester
• Medical terminology, minimum 1 semester
• Human anatomy and physiology I and II with laboratories, minimum 2 semesters (or Human Anatomy with laboratory, minimum 1 semester and Human Physiology, minimum 1 semester)
• Microbiology with laboratory, minimum 1 semester
• Lifespan development or abnormal psychology (or equivalent courses in psychology), minimum 1 semester
• Statistics, minimum 1 semester

Prerequisites (beginning with the 2028 -  2029 catalog):

• General Biology, minimum 1 semester
• Organic chemistry, minimum 1 semester
• Biochemistry, minimum 1 semester
• Chemistry laboratory, minimum 1 semester
• Medical terminology, minimum 1 semester
• Human anatomy and physiology I and II with laboratories, minimum 2 semesters (or Human Anatomy with laboratory, minimum 1 semester and Human Physiology, minimum 1 semester)
• Microbiology with laboratory, minimum 1 semester
• Lifespan development or abnormal psychology (or equivalent courses in psychology), minimum 1 semester
• Statistics, minimum 1 semester

Graduation Requirements

For retention in the program and graduation with the Master of Science in Physician Assistant, students must:

• maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• maintain a minimum semester grade point average of 3.0 for each term
• not earn below a 73% in any course
• adhere to program professionalism standards, as outlined in the student handbook
• adhere to program technical standards, as outlined in the student handbook
• complete the specified number of hours of community service*

*Community/professional/experiential learning opportunities include, but are not limited to, the following: community service/volunteering, professional service to the program/school/university, and service-learning opportunities (ex: mission trips, UST activities, health fairs, IPE experiences beyond just attending an event).