Refuge- Health Profession Student Support Center (A1.04, A3.10)
The Refuge is a one-stop shop for addressing anything that might be affecting PBA PA Medical students’ academic performance or emotional well-being. The Refuge seeks to create a warm, welcoming environment where students can walk in and know they are cared for, finding the help they need to achieve their academic and personal goals.
The PA Program created data-driven action plans to support at-risk students by creating Refuge – a structured student success program (SSP) – to improve student performance with the promediation and remediation processes. The PA Program Executive Committee implements the SSP using the student risk analysis score stratification. Students with risk categories of ‘fail,’ ‘alarm,’ and ‘critical risk’ are placed on academic improvement plans for the didactic and/or clinical phases under the direction and coaching of their faculty advisor and the Refuge learning specialist. The Data Analytics Committee will continue to collect data from the cohorts’ end-of-rotation exam scores, OSCES, PACKRAT I and II, the Formative exams, and the Summative exam throughout the clinical year to update the predictive EPA and PANCE scores. Academic improvement plans will be refined for individual students based on the outcomes of the analysis.
Student performance in academic predictor courses will be closely monitored as a PACKRAT performance predictor. Students whose overall course performance is at or below a B- (80%) halfway through the semester will be tracked into the didactic phase of the following administration of PACKRAT I and EPA formative OSCE in students with performance predictive risk categories of ‘fail,’ ‘alarm,’ and ‘critical risk’ will be tracked into the clinical phase of the SSP.
Throughout the clinical phase, student performance on the PAEA End of Rotation exams (EOR) will be monitored and scores will be included in updated individual student risk modeling. Students whose risk score drops or students who do not pass an EOR will be tracked into the clinical phase of the SSP.
The final student assessments, PACKRAT II, Summative OSCE, and summative exams taken during the Summative evaluation will be the final data points for the predictive model. Students with risk categories of ‘fail,’ ‘alarm,’ and ‘critical risk’ will engage in intensive coaching as the final step in the SSP.
The Refuge is not only focused on academic improvement but also on the emotional well-being of students. As students are expected to meet with their faculty advisor, if the advisor feels the students need further personal support, they, in conjunction with the Refuge staff, will help direct the student to appropriate services within the Refuge or university for added individualized support.
ARC Standard A1.04
The sponsoring institution must provide academic support and student services to PA students that are equivalent to those services provided to other comparable students of the institution.
ARC Standard A3.10
The program must define, publish, make readily available and consistently apply written procedures that provide for timely access and/or referral of students to services addressing personal issues which may impact their progress in the PA program.
Master Of Medical Science In PA Studies Program Handbook And Policy Manual
The PBA PA School of Health Profession PA Student Manual is a guide to current policies, standards, procedures, and resources that govern students in the MMS-PA Studies program at PBA. In addition, students participating in Master of Medical Science in PA Studies program are subject to policies and standards established by both Palm Beach Atlantic University and the School of Health Professions.
Every effort is made to ensure the information contained in the manual is accurate and current. Palm Beach Atlantic University and the School of Health Professions reserve the right to make changes and revisions in the applicable regulations, procedures, policies, requirements, and other information contained on the website at any time without notice.
Palm Beach Atlantic University Policies
A great many of the policies established for all PBA students are published by the Office of the Registrar in the Navigator. Visit the Navigator to review the current version.