The Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services (DPASS), which is part of the Carver College of Medicine, seeks candidates who best will serve society’s needs and strives to graduate skilled and effective healthcare providers.

To achieve this goal, the following principles and technical standards will be applied to candidates for admission and continuing students.

Purpose:

Applicants for admission to the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services and continuing students must possess the capability to complete the entire medical curriculum (basic and clinical sciences, as well as professional skills) and achieve the degree. To this end, all courses in the curriculum must be completed successfully. In order to acquire the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care, candidates for the MPAS degree must have abilities and skills in the following six Technical Standards categories: Observation; Communication; Motor Skills; Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities; Behavioral and Social Attributes; and Cultural Competency.

Reasonable accommodations may be required by qualified individual candidates with disabilities to meet the technical standards specified below. The Disabilities and Reasonable Accommodations website contains information about how to request reasonable accommodations and the interactive process. Reasonable accommodations must not cause a fundamental alteration of the medical education program or an undue hardship on the University of Iowa.

Technical Standards:

1. Observation: Students must have the functional ability to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences and must have sufficient use of the senses necessary to perform history taking and a physical examination. Students or candidates must be able to acquire and evaluate relevant information in multiple formats; spoken, written, electronic and imaging data. If a candidate is not able to observe or acquire information through the senses, candidate must demonstrate abilities to acquire the necessary information through satisfactory alternate means.
2. Communication: Students must be able to establish sensitive and, professional relationships with patients, colleagues and staff. They are expected to communicate the results of the history and physical examination to the patient and to their colleagues with accuracy, clarity and efficiency. In any instances where students' ability to communicate is compromised, students must demonstrate comparable alternative means or abilities to communicate.
3. Motor Skills: Students are expected to participate in basic diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures. In any instances where students' ability to acquire information and perform physical examination is compromised, students must demonstrate satisfactory alternative means or abilities to acquire information and perform physical examination.
4. ​Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: Students must be able to learn to analyze and, synthesize available information, solve problems, and reach reasonable diagnostic and therapeutic determinations. Students are expected to be able to display sound judgment in the assessment and treatment of patients. Students must be able to respond appropriately to changes in patient condition and available data and information. Students must be able to learn to respond with prompt and appropriate action in emergency situations.
5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: Students are expected to be able to accept constructive criticism and respond with appropriate modification of their behavior. Students are also expected to possess the perseverance, diligence, and consistency necessary to complete the medical school curriculum and enter the independent practice of medicine within a reasonable timeframe. They must demonstrate professional demeanor and ethical behavior in all dealings with peers, faculty, staff and patients.
6. Cultural Competency: Students must be able to communicate with and care for persons whose race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age or sexual preference are different from their own. They must be able to perform a complete history and physical exam on any patient regardless of the student's and patient's race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age or sexual preference. Similarly, students must be able to interact professionally with colleagues and other healthcare professionals without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age or sexual preference.

Applicants who may not meet these standards are encouraged to e-mail the Director of Administrative and Student Services at thomas-oshea@uiowa.edu.

Notice: Individuals admitted to the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program will be required to sign a statement that verifies that they have read, fully understand and meet each of the above Technical Standards. Admitted applicants will also be subject to criminal background checks that we will run on them at their own expense.