Academic Calendar

In general, the program follows the University’s academic calendar. Precise start and end dates, as well as holidays and semester breaks, vary by year and are reported on the University’s academic calendar

• Orientation: First and/or second week of January
• Start of Spring Semester Classes: Second week in January
• End of Spring Semester: End of April/beginning of May
• Spring Final Exams: First or second week of May
• Start of Summer Semester Classes: Second or third week of May
• End of Summer Semester: Third or fourth week in July
• Summer Final Exams: End of July/beginning of August
• Summer Break: First through second week of August
• Start of Fall Semester Classes: Second or third week of August
• End of Fall Semester: Last week of November/first week of December
• Fall Final Exams: First/second week of December
• Pre-Clinical Summative Assessment: First/second week of December

Pre-Clinical Year Summative Evaluations

At the end of the preclinical year, students must complete the Preclinical Summative Assessment (PCSA), which evaluates core competencies such as medical knowledge, patient care, communication, professionalism, cultural humility, systems-based practice, and self-directed learning. The PCSA includes a multiple-choice exam (encompassing basic sciences and clinical medicine) and a comprehensive OSCE (simulated patient encounter). Both sections must be passed in order to successfully complete the Summative Evaluation.

To advance to the clinical year, the student must pass all courses in the preclinical year in addition to passing all components of the PCSA.

In general, the clinical phase of the program follows the traditional calendar for graduation purposes only. Clinical rotations require students to actively participate as assigned by their preceptor which may require weekends, varying shifts, on-call hours, etc. to mirror those of the preceptor and/or to meet the requirements of the assigned rotation. Additional information regarding the clinical phase calendar may be found on the clinical phase curriculum page.

• Clinical Phase Orientation: This begins in the fall semester of the preclinical phase of the curriculum and concludes in the first and second week of January of the clinical phase
• Start of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs): Second or third week of January; to follow completion of clinical phase orientation
• Last Day of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs): First week in November
• PANCE board review workshop: November, following completion of SCPE 10
• Capstone Project Presentations: Third or fourth week in November
• Program Summative Examination OSCEs: Third or fourth week in November
• End of Curriculum Examination: Third or fourth week in November
• PACKRAT Formative Assessment: Third or fourth week in November
• Exit interviews & program completion activities: First and/or second week in December
• Graduation: First or second week in December
• Clinical Year Summative Evaluations

Clinical Year Summative Evaluations

At the end of the clinical year, students must complete and pass the Comprehensive Summative Assessment (CSA), which evaluates mastery of program-defined competencies. The CSA is comprised of a standardized multiple-choice examination, the Physician Assistant Education Association End of Curriculum Examination, and a comprehensive OSCE with simulated patient encounters. This summative evaluation must be completed by every student and evaluates that each student meets the program-defined competencies.

To graduate, the student must pass the written exam and each of the OSCE/patient scenarios, as each scenario is designed to showcase the ability to demonstrate adequate medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, patient care skills, professionalism, ability to work in teams, and troubleshoot systems problems in the clinical environment.