The Technical Standards

Technical Standards are adopted by medical schools and physician assistant programs to assure that candidates for admission and students accepted to these programs are able to successfully complete the training process. The following Technical Standards have been formally adopted by the Red Rocks PA Program, and apply to all candidates for admission and to all students at all times during training.

A. In order to be admitted as students in the Physician Assistant Program, candidates must meet the following Technical Standards:

1. The candidate must be able to observe lectures, demonstrations, experiments, computer-assisted instruction and waveform readings, and must be able to use vision, hearing and somatic senses to accurately observe patients, both near and at a distance.

2. The candidate must communicate effectively with patients, preceptors, faculty members and other members of the health care team. Therefore, the candidate must be able to communicate accurately and clearly in spoken and written formats, and must be able to use speech, hearing, reading and writing to effectively elicit patient histories, record data and interpret data related patient care.

3. The candidate must have sufficient motor and tactile skills to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers. The candidate must be physically able to perform standard patient care activities, including but not limited to the suturing of skin and other tissues, the performance of lumbar puncture, and performance of retraction and instrument usage necessary to assist the primary surgeon during surgical operations.

4. The candidate must have sufficient intellectual, conceptual, reasoning and problem-solving abilities to assimilate and integrate historical information, physical findings, diagnostic test results and other patient-related data to form a diagnostic impression and a therapeutic plan for patients.

5. The candidate must have the capacity and willingness to develop sound clinical and personal judgment, mature professional relationships and the ability to tolerate physically and emotionally stressful situations and circumstances. Candidates must have and maintain a sufficient degree of physical and mental health to provide effective, compassionate and safe health care, and must be able to respond appropriately and effectively in emergency situations.

6. The candidate must have the capacity and willingness to recognize limitations of their skill, legal authority and authorization, and must be willing to seek appropriate supervision and direction.

7. The candidate must be able to develop and demonstrate ethical behaviors with respect to co-workers, preceptors, faculty members, patients, the families of patients and other stakeholders in health-care training and delivery.

B. Reasonable accommodation for the Technical Standards may be requested.

1. Otherwise qualified candidates may formally request assistance in compliance with the technical standards.

a) Reasonable accommodation in the Technical Standards is not the same as reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, as reviewed in the College's Student Manual 2002.

b) Whether a requested accommodation is reasonable must be determined by the Director on an individual basis, in consultation with the involved student, appropriate College officials and other persons with direct standing in the request.

c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Admissions Policies and Procedures Manual, no candidate who by clear and convincing evidence is unable or unwilling to comply with the published Technical Standards, and for whom reasonable accommodation cannot be provided, shall be admitted as a student to the Program.

C. A candidate who is denied reasonable accommodation for apparent inability to comply with Technical Standards or a candidate who believes that a Program determination that he or she does not comply with such Standards is incorrect may appeal in accordance with the provisions of the Admissions Policies and Procedures Manual.

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