Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Program Description

Harding is proud to have established the first Physician Assistant program in the state of Arkansas in 2005. With its emphasis on practice in rural settings and missions, the impact the graduates have on the community, the state and worldwide is remarkable.

The Physician Assistant Program is part of the College of Allied Health and offers a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Physician Assistant Studies. The curriculum is an intensive 28-month medical education program including 112 semester hours of coursework and an average of 2200 hours of supervised clinical experiences, with a focus on primary care. For more information view our website www.harding.edu/paprogram, email paprogram@harding.edu, or call 501-279-5642.

Upon the successful completion of this program, students will be eligible to sit for the national certifying examination (PANCE) given by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

The PA Student General Handbook contains a comprehensive description of all policies and procedures that apply to our students.

Mission

Developing caring physician assistants who practice competent, patient-centered primary care in diverse environments.

Goals

The Physician Assistant Program is an integral part of Harding University, and embraces the goals outlined in the University’s statement of mission and goals. The goals of the Physician Assistant Program are to:

• Instruct physician assistants who will provide primary care reflective of their Christian faith and service to their community and to the world.
• Develop practice-oriented critical thinking which recognizes dependence on God, is committed to lifelong intellectual excellence, and is built upon a foundation of general cultural knowledge.
• Promote supportive personal and professional relationships.
• Nurture lifelong personal habits that lead to a healthier quality of life physically, spiritually, psychologically and socially.
• Emphasize a servant-leadership lifestyle which prepares graduates to have a respect for other cultures and an understanding of world missions.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted accreditation-continued status to the program. Accreditation-continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA standards.

Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2024. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

General Admission Information 

All applications are handled through CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) at www.caspa.liaisoncas.com. Each new class matriculates in the fall term. The CASPA application cycle begins in the spring and ends on November 1 of the year preceding the matriculation date. Applicant interview and candidate selection occur between Fall and Spring of each academic year. 

For more detailed information concerning the application cycle and process, program requirements, and deadlines, see the program website: www.harding.edu/paprogram and the CASPA site for Harding PA Program. Questions may be directed to pa-admissions@harding.edu or 501-279-5642.

Submission of a completed application does not guarantee an interview, selection, or admission into the Physician Assistant Program. All program decisions are final.

Admission Requirements

In order for an applicant to progress through the initial admission’s process and review, the following are required: 

• Possess a bachelor’s degree which has been completed at an institution within the United States accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation prior to matriculation into the Program.
• Meet all general requirements for admission to, and agree to abide by all policies and procedures for, graduate programs at Harding University. Graduate students at Harding are expected to maintain the highest standards of morality, integrity, orderliness and personal honor. Harding University reserves the right to refuse admittance or dismiss any student whose lifestyle is not consistent with the Christian principles that this University represents.
• The minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA should be 3.0 on a 4-point scale. See website for additional details. Applicants with a GPA less than 3.00 may be given consideration based on sufficient evidence of current academic success.
• Complete prerequisite coursework as detailed in the prerequisite coursework section, including a prerequisite GPA of a 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale as computed by the program is required.
• Complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test within 5 years prior to matriculation.
• Complete two hundred hours of health care experience and ten hours of PA shadowing prior to submission of the CASPA application. 
• Complete CASPA application as outlined on the website by the specified time.

Prerequisite Coursework

Detailed information regarding prerequisite coursework can be found on the program’s website.

Prerequisite courses must be completed at an institution within the United States accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation with an average GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale, with no course grade below C.

Under each requirement the credit hours and approved courses, where applicable, are listed.

General Chemistry I & II with labs

• 8 credits

Additional Chemistry

• 3 credits (no lab required)
• Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry

Microbiology with lab

• 4 credits

Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs

• 8 credits
• A&P I + Lab is acceptable if paired with A&P II + Lab. Standalone Anatomy + Lab must be paired with standalone Physiology + Lab. Mixing sequences will not satisfy the requirement
• Human Anatomy and Physiology are preferred. Where unavailable, Comparative Anatomy and Physiology may be substituted as long as the courses include the study of the human body. Animal anatomy and physiology will not be accepted.

Mathematics

• 3 credits
• College Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus, or Statistics 
• Statistics courses must be taken in the Math department

General Psychology

• 3 credits
• Developmental Psychology covering the lifespan can be substituted

Psychology elective

• 3 credits
• Electives should be similar to the following list: Developmental Psychology (does not have to be life span), Physiology Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Cognitive Neuroscience.
• If Developmental Psychology fulfills the first psychology course requirement, it cannot also count as the psychology elective.
• Psychology electives must be completed in the Psychology department.

Medical Terminology

• 1-3 credits
• P/F is acceptable for this course only.
• This course can also be taken in the spring semester or winter quarter prior to the program start date the following fall in addition to 1 other prerequisite course. 

Upper Level Biology

• 3 credits
• Must be from the following list: Cell Biology, Cell Physiology, Cell Structure and Function, Developmental Biology, Genetics, Embryology, Endocrinology, Immunology, Mammalian Biology, Microbial Genetics, Molecular Biology, Molecular Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics, Neurobiology, Neuroscience, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Virology.
• Biochemistry, Biology II, Epidemiology, Evolution, and Special Topics courses will not be accepted.
• In areas where distinctions are made within courses, the course must apply to humans.
• The upper-level biology course must be taken in the biology department, in a university setting, at the 300/3000 level (or the level designated as upper-level per the offering institution), and should be at the level required for science majors.

General Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

• Introductory or Survey courses are not accepted. 
• All prerequisite course grades must be a C (2.0) or higher (NOT C-); pass/fail grades are not accepted.
  • Medical Terminology is the only exception to the P/F rule
• All coursework must meet or exceed the semester credit hour requirement.
  • Applicants with quarter hour credits must ensure their quarter credits meet the semester credit requirement. To calculate semester credits, divide the number of quarter credits by 1.5.
    Example:
    4 quarter credits = 2.67 semester credits
    5 quarter credits = 3.33 semester credits
    6 quarter credits = 4 semester credits

Coursework Rigor

• Science prerequisites must be at a level acceptable for science majors. Allied Health coursework must meet the academic rigor expected of science majors and may be subject to review by the Admissions Team.
• Online courses that meet the general coursework requirements are typically accepted; however, in-person courses, especially labs, are given strong preference by the program.
  • Taking several in-person upper-level sciences courses is strongly recommended for applicants with many online courses on their transcript. This demonstrates the ability to handle the level of rigor of an in-classroom setting.
• The successful completion of additional biology or science courses beyond the required minimum will serve to strengthen any applications

Coursework Timelines

• It is strongly recommended that coursework in Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Upper-level Biology be completed within the 7 years prior to your anticipated matriculation into the program. 
• Only 1 prerequisite course may be left for completion during the Spring semester or Winter quarter prior to the anticipated fall matriculation.
  • This may be a course which includes a lab component.
  • Medical Terminology does not count and can be taken alongside 1 other course in the final Spring or Winter. 
  • If the prerequisite GPA of 3.0 cannot be maintained by passing the in progress course, your application will no longer be considered for that admissions cycle.
  • Planned or in-progress prerequisite coursework must be included in your CASPA application in order to successfully meet our admissions requirements.
    • This includes all coursework to be completed to meet prerequisite requirements, to finish your degree, and/or to demonstrate academic capability. 
    • Planned coursework does not have to be on the transcript to be entered into CASPA.

Coursework Substitutions 

• Advanced Placement (AP) credit is accepted to satisfy prerequisite coursework if the AP credit is accepted by the applicant’s institution and is posted on the applicant’s official academic transcript, assigning the credit to a specific course.
• CLEP examination credit will not be accepted.
• Course substitutions that do not cover the scope of information covered in the prerequisite classes are not accepted. Program decisions are final.
• Upon request, the admissions team will review alternative courses to determine whether they will satisfy our prerequisite requirements. All decisions made by the Program and Admissions Team are final. Fill out this program-required form to submit a request for course review. 

Transcripts documenting the completion of all coursework (including prerequisites) must be provided to CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) as directed. If an applicant is accepted into the program with a conditional acceptance status (some prerequisite coursework is pending and/or graduation has not occurred), the completed transcript must be provided to the program before matriculation.

Admissions Process and Fees

Scoring of competitive applicants during the selection and interview process will be based on an objective tool that awards points in many different areas as outlined on the website. See the website for complete details regarding application evaluation and candidate selection.

Following the initial application review, selected applicants will receive a supplemental application (SA). In addition to completing the SA, there is a required non-refundable $50.00 SA fee that must be paid for an applicant to be considered further. 

A fee waiver is available to those who:

• Have received a current CASPA fee waiver and provide official documentation
• Are current McNair scholars and provide official documentation.

Qualified candidates selected by the admissions committee for an initial interview will be notified electronically and given further instructions to complete the interview. At the time specified by the program following the interview, the candidate will be notified electronically of their status with the PA Program. The candidate may be selected for a call-back interview prior to the program making a final decision on acceptance. After the interview(s), the applicant may be offered acceptance into the program, placed on hold status, or informed of non-acceptance. Acceptances are offered on a rolling admissions basis. At the close of the interview season, any candidates on hold status will be informed of non-acceptance, acceptance, or a position on the alternate list. 

All acceptances will be contingent on the acceptable completion of the Criminal Background Check, as well as the successful completion of any outstanding coursework and/or graduation requirements and required paperwork. The candidate is responsible for a fee to cover the criminal background check. An advanced non-refundable tuition deposit of $500.00 will be required in order to accept the program’s offer. Students will have approximately two weeks after notification of acceptance to submit all of these materials.

Upon acceptance into the program, official transcripts showing conferment of undergraduate and graduate degree(s), if applicable, must be provided to the program before matriculation.

All program decisions are final.

Favorable Consideration

Harding University graduates and Arkansas residents will be given preference. We do not reserve a certain number of seats for these students, nor are we required to have a certain number of these students in each cycle.

Early Assurance of Interview Program

The Harding PA Program offers an Early Assurance of Interview (EAI) program for Harding undergraduate students. Undergraduate students at Harding University enrolled in the EAI program who have satisfactorily met all of the requirements will be guaranteed a callback interview with the Physician Assistant program after a review of their CASPA application. A Supplemental Application will also be sent, but the associated fee will be waived.

International Students

All students must have completed a bachelor’s degree at an institution within the United States that is accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation prior to matriculation into the program.

Program Requirements

• Technical Standards: All applicants must meet the minimum technical standards for admission to the Harding University Physician Assistant Program. These technical standards establish the expectation for proficiency in essential abilities necessary for students admitted to this program. This curriculum requires demonstrated aptitude in diverse skills and abilities related to observation, intellect, physical manipulation, communication and interpersonal skills. These abilities and characteristics must be possessed, with or without reasonable accommodation, by all students admitted into the program and maintained throughout the program. Click here for these standards.
• Ethical Standards: A candidate must demonstrate the highest level of professional demeanor and behavior, and must perform in an ethical manner in all dealings with peers, faculty, staff and patients.
• Health Requirements: Applicants selected for admission to the program must provide evidence of good health, of no communicable diseases, and of required immunizations and screenings prior to matriculation on forms provided. Students are required to maintain personal health insurance. Complete information is provided in the health packet provided after admission. Immunizations and screening test requirements are in accordance with CDC recommendations for healthcare workers.
• Computer Requirements: Proficiency in basic computer skills (word-processing, databases, internet searches and email) is expected of all entering students, as the curriculum will incorporate the use of computer technology. Additionally, all students in the program will be expected to have access to the internet. Students are required to have their own laptop computer and smartphone upon entry into the program. The minimum requirements will be listed late spring prior to matriculation into program.
• Equipment Requirements: All students will be expected to purchase or have the required medical equipment needed to meet program requirements. This will include acquiring an approved lab coat. The equipment list will be provided late spring prior to matriculation into the program.
• Liability Requirements: Each student must carry physician assistant liability insurance coverage, which is included in tuition costs.
• Travel Requirements: Since portions of the program will require travel to various locations; all students are required to have access to a motor vehicle, a valid driver’s license, and auto liability insurance.
• Clinical experiences entail travel to clinical sites. PA students are responsible for all costs associated with travel to clinical experiences. Transportation and food are the most common out-of-pocket expenses. Some sites will require additional living arrangements to be made, which will be the responsibility of the student. Further information will be reviewed in detail at orientation.
• Background Check Requirements: Matriculation and continued enrollment in the Physician Assistant program is contingent upon a completed Criminal Background Check with acceptable results. Failure to consent to a criminal background check; refusal to provide necessary information to conduct a background check; failure to provide additional information wherein an investigation is warranted; and failure to comply with the investigatory procedures when a cause for further action is warranted due to (1) the discovery of previously undisclosed information; (2) the discovery of more egregious information than was previously disclosed; or, (3) the discovery of conflicting information between or amongst the CASPA Application and/or the Supplemental Application and /or the Criminal Background Check Report and/or any and all documents considered part of an applicant’s CASPA application, will result in disciplinary action up to, and including, withdrawal of a conditional offer of acceptance, refusal of admission, or dismissal from the Physician Assistant program. Some students may also be expected to submit to random drug testing required by clinical practice sites and/or the program. These additional costs will be the responsibility of the student. Criminal background checks and drug screen tests are common pre-employment procedures.
• Program Costs: The Physician Assistant Program has a cohort tuition for each entering class. The tuition costs will remain the same throughout the duration in the program. As a private institution, there is no difference in tuition costs for in-state/out-of-state students. The program will cover lab supplies, malpractice insurance, clinical phase BLS & ACLS costs, state and national PA organizations, and professional dues (ARAPA & AAPA). The student will be responsible for the University technology fee each term, course fees as applicable, books/course materials, laptop computer, required software/electronic platforms, medical equipment, graduation fee during the seventh term, post-graduation expenses (e.g. national certifying examination (PANCE) and state licensure), and other costs mentioned in previous sections. For additional information please refer to www.harding.edu/paprogram.
• Other: Accepted students are required to attend all orientation sessions scheduled by the program.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Financial aid information can be obtained at www.harding.edu/finaid or by calling 501-279-4081. Students who are accepted into the program will be assigned a financial aid counselor after acceptance.

Accepted students who are non-US citizens will be required to submit documentation of financial ability to pay all expenses for the first year of study to the Physician Assistant Program and demonstrate adequate coverage for health insurance in the United States. A copy of the student’s status with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must accompany this. Status is demonstrated through presentation of the I-20, I-94, and Visa.

Faculty

Department Chair/Program Director: Mary Madill, MS, PA-C

Associate Professors:

Amanda Diles, MS, PA-C
​     Academic Director
Mario Hofheinz, MS, PA-C
     Director of Admissions
Mary Madill, MS, PA-C
     Department Chair and Program Director
Greg Mock, M.D.
     Medical Director
Nicole Mount, MS, PA-C
     Clinical Director

Assistant Professors:

Brady Clark, Pharm.D., BCPS
Morgan Elam, MS, PA-C
Cassie Ganus, MS, PA-C

Programs

• Physician Assistant Studies (PA), MS