Youll find our students learning, researching, and serving local communities near our three campuses and at clinical sites around the regionas well as enjoying life in Northern California. Under their guidance, you can equip yourself to flourish professionally and do more for patients. Tuition Calculator <div class="horizon one-col no-script-error-container"> <div class="admin-header-error"> <div class="admin-header-inner-error"> <div class="admin-header-org-error . 2) A balance of experiences, attributes, and traditional academic metrics is applied equally to all candidates in order to create a diverse interview and class pool The physician assistant program at Samuel Merritt University prepares graduates for the practice of medicine in an ever changing clinical environment. The PA program SMU offers scholarships and an assortment of resources for funding opportunities outside of the program. Virtual shadowing may be conducted through Telehealth or other online platforms. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better. All completed prerequisites must have a passing grade. Samuel Merritt University was founded in 1909 through the legacy of Dr. Samuel Merritt. Program Social. Throughout the interview day, we're looking for how they communicate and interact with each other in their group. Samuel Merritt University is an accredited nonprofit school where most students attend classes full-time. We help them get the contracts, and if they can identify potential preceptors, then we'll do all the paperwork to get the contracts and malpractice and all that stuff going, but we don't actively search for rotations in specific areas. This year we did two interview sessions in January and one in February. Benchmarks and measures of success for current class(es) and three previous cohorts(Reviewed and updated annually in August), Goal 1: To admit applicants who will enhance the diversity of our student body and the profession, Year Admitted Black/Hispanic SMU, Black/Hispanic PAEA, 2020 --- 25%, 11.5% [5] (510) 869-6608. Personal attributes and demographic factors are considered in addition to traditional metrics in this stage but do not contribute to the detailed application review or scoring of the application (see below for further detail). We're also looking for people that have some PA shadowing experience. Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Whether that's someone's church or hospital volunteering or whatever is interesting to them, were looking for a regular commitment to the activity. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Samuel Merritt University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Samuel Merritt University. Create authentic, effective responses for your PA school interview with a proven step-by-step framework. Our students participate in simulations and other hands-on learning opportunities in state-of-the-art facilities. 800.607.6377 One of the things that we also look at is a commitment to service, so not just having five hours here and five hours there, but really showing a commitment to a particular service organization. Sequential Course Curriculum Course Descriptions. Interested students should contact the School of Nursing through Samuel Merritt University for total tuition and fee information as costs may change from year to year. Those are some of the most common applicants that we see, but we do look for a variety of clinical experience. As one of the longest-standing programs in California, the Samuel Merritt PA Program was established in 1999. Take a look at costs by program, including tuition, andtestingand lab fees. Then when we interview candidates, we're looking for people who excel in teamwork and have good communication skills, which are things that are harder to find in the application. We have an open door policy and are available via phone or email. Our students are passionate individuals inspired to make the world a better place andto improve the lives of underserved communities. I've been a practicing PA for many years, and I help future PAs, like you, get ready for PA school & practice as a new PA. Other fees as determined by program/college, Demonstrate mastery of principles of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology necessary for entry-level clinical practice as a physician assistant, Demonstrate competency in obtaining an adequate medical history necessary to evaluate, diagnose and formulate a patient-centered treatment plan for patients with commonly encountered medical, surgical and behavioral conditions, Demonstrate competency in physical examination skills necessary to evaluate, diagnose and formulate a patient-centered treatment plan for patients with commonly encountered medical, surgical and behavioral conditions, Understand pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic principles ofpatient health management and wellness, Demonstrate the application of medical knowledge and critical thinking necessary to develop an accurate differential diagnosis in patients presenting with common medical, surgical, and behavioral conditions, Apply current health care screening and maintenance recommendations for patients across the lifespan, Develop and demonstrate effective, professional and ethical interpersonal and communication skills, Demonstrate maturity, flexibility, and emotional stability appropriate for working in the health care setting, Demonstrate competency in oral and written communication that meet the medical and legal standards established for health care professionals, Demonstrate their ability to work effectively with other healthcare professionals, Understand the influence of culture, biases, and attitudes on health and health care practices, Demonstrate empathy, respect, and appropriate sensitivity to perspectives, values, and cultural norms that are other than one's own, Access and utilize evidence-based recommendations and guidelines for patient-centered clinical practice, Effectively demonstrate skills in obtaining patient history that addresses the unique preferences, values, needs, and cultural/spiritual norms of each patient and his/her family, and develop patient management plans that are in concordance with those elements, Work effectively with other members of the health care team, including the patient and family, to provide care that is responsive to the patient's needs, Utilize patient education and counseling techniques, including information technology, that are appropriate and responsive to a patient's age, preferences, values, culture, and norms, Conduct themselves in a professional manner in all academic and clinical settings, Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, reliability, responsibility, empathy, respect, and integrity, Demonstrate professional relationships with other health care providers, Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional development and ethical practice, Demonstrate culturally appropriate care in a diverse patient population, Locate, appraise, and integrate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients' health, Critically evaluate medical literature using their knowledge of study design and statistical methods to inform their clinical practice, Identify and evaluate current medical literature to enhance their medical knowledge, Identify and evaluate current medical literature used in clinical decision making related to best practice standards. At SMU, weprovide a high-quality health sciences education. From grants and loans to work-study and payment plans, you may be eligible for several types of need- and merit-based financial assistance. Due to the rigorous nature of the MPA Program, being employed outside the University while enrolled is strongly discouraged. I think that curriculum- or academic-wise, their favorite thing is probably simulation. We like to see experience both as paid healthcare experience, as an MA or an EMT or a therapist or something like that, as well as community service experience. See all For 108 years, Samuel Merritt University has been a leader in educating health science practitioners who are committed to making a positive difference. Class of 2020: average cum GPA 3.51 Tana Summers, the current assistant program director, first joined the program as an instructor in 2006 and later served as an academic coordinator before becoming the assistant program director in 2015. At that point, some students are just at the end of one semester of school, some of them are at the end of their didactic phase, and then our 3rd cohort is just about to graduate. As one of the longest-standing programs in California, the Samuel Merritt PA Program was established in 1999. SMU's Physician Assistant Department prepares graduates for the practice of medicine in diverse communities and with interprofessional teams. It's still a small group, and some of that is definitely about our ability to support students and a lot of it is about our ability to support them in the clinical year. Applicants will be evaluated for admission based upon the following criteriain the context of the SMU PA programs core values (as listed above). Note: Unless addressed above, all other PA admission requirements apply. Becoming a PA can be a financially rewarding career path. Reviewed and updated: annually during the spring semester by the department chair, Greater percentage of black/Hispanic PA students at SMU than national program data (PAEA), Proportion of black/Hispanic students equal to or greater than university total (SMU), Measures of success include program accreditation status, didactic phase GPA, and PANCE pass rates, Reviewed and updated annually in spring and as needed per changes by Department Chair, Benchmark: maintain the status of accreditation-continuing, Measures of success: ARC accreditation actions, Reviewed and updated annually in spring by Curriculum Committee, Reviewed and updatedeveryApriland Augustby the department chair, Benchmark: 95% or greater annual pass rate, Participation in interprofessional learning at SMU, Reviewed and updated annually in summer by Academic Coordinator, Benchmark: 100% participation in IPE Patient Safety and Communication Course, spring semester, Reviewed and updated annually in spring by the Clinical Coordinator. There is a tuition calculator that provides a detailed summary of annual tuition, all fees for the program, and a cost estimator for the entire program. Our average age for matriculants is about 27. Email. We hear this time and again from current students on our exit surveys and from alumni.