Academic Calendar
We invite admitted students to review our academic calendar outlining the general sequence of program deadlines, transitions, and milestones for each class and year in our program. If you would like more specific information regarding program timeline and deadlines, please consult our Student Handbook. Additional information pertaining to course sequencing and content is also available on our curriculum page. Information regarding registration deadlines are available at the .
Academic Calendar
Pre-Clinical Phase
In general, the program follows the . Precise start and end dates as well as holidays and semester breaks vary by year and are reported on the University 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 Summative Assessment: First/second week of December
Clinical Phase
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
Summative Evaluations
Pre-Clinical Phase
At the end of the pre-clinical year, a global summative assessment will be performed focusing on the core competencies of medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and cultural sensitivity and humility, systems-based practice and self-assessment and ongoing professional development. Each student must take the Preclinical Summative Assessment (PCSA). This is comprised of two parts: a multiple choice examination encompassing basic sciences and clinical medicine learned through the preclinical phase and a comprehensive OSCE with simulated patient encounters. All components of the PCSA must be passed for the student to progress to the clinical phase of the curriculum.
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.
Clinical Phase
At the end of the clinical phase, each student must take and pass a global summative assessment which focuses on the program’s competencies. The Comprehensive Summative Assessment (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 meeds 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.