Physician Assistant Studies

Advanced Placement, Transfer of Credit, and Credit for Experiential Learning

There is no advanced placement in the PAS curriculum for academic work completed prior to matriculation or for any type of work or health care experience.  No pre-requisite coursework may be used for credit or substitution for a PAS curriculum course.  Only students who have been accepted to the Physician Assistant Program can apply for transfer of credit, credit for experiential learning, or credit by examination. 

 

Definitions: 

 

Advanced Placement:  Credit for a course in the curriculum.

 

Transfer of Credit:  Transfer of a course from an accredited physician assistant program to be used for substitution of a course in the curriculum.

 

Credit for Experiential Learning:  Course credit based on prior experience.

 

Credit by Examination:  Course credit based on the results of an examination covering course objectives and content. The Program Director, in consultation with the faculty and Department Chair, will make the final decision to grant Credit for Experiential Learning or to accept Transfer of Credit.

 

Transfer of Credit:  Prerequisites for the program cannot be used as transfer courses for courses in the curriculum.  A course may be accepted in transfer if it was completed with a “C” grade or better at the graduate level at an accredited college or university.  The syllabus must be sent directly from the originating school or teacher.  The learning objectives, grading requirements, and required skills must be very similar to the course to be credited.  The credit hours of the transfer course must equal or exceed the UTHSCSA course.  The Program Director is responsible for approving transfer of credit.

 

Individuals allowed to transfer from another physician assistant program must meet the same prerequisites as students in the UTHSCSA program, must have been enrolled in graduate PA program and meet all requirements for entry to the UTHSCSA program.  The student must be in good standing at the original institution and recommended by the Program Director.

 

Credit for Experiential Learning:  Credit for experiential learning for a course in the curriculum requires exacting and well documented experiences that demonstrate mastery of the learning objectives and skills in the course to be credited.  Documentation will be required from individuals who have knowledge of the student and who can attest to mastery.  Student documentation, alone, will not be adequate for credit to be awarded.  Testing and demonstration of skills may be required in the considerations of requests.  A grade of “B” or 80% must be earned on any required tests.  Skill demonstration must equal that expected of students in the course to be credited.

 

Credit for Experiential Learning will not be awarded for any Supervised Clinical Practice rotation.

 

Credit by Examination:  No PHAS course may be credited by examination.  Other courses are at the discretion of the Course Director and/or the Chair of the Department that offers the course.  The student may be assessed a fee for any examination taken for credit.

 

 

Effective: August 2000
Revised:  April 2010