Physician Assistant
Contact Information
Physician Assistant Program
Lynn Eckrote, EdD, MSPAS, PA-C
Director, MS PA Program
Phone: (973) 290-4157
leckrote@steu.edu
Physician Assistant Program Mission and Goals
In keeping with the mission, vision and values of Saint Elizabeth University, the MS PA Program focuses on supporting and preparing PA graduates who are competent and committed to respectfully serving the patients for whom they provide care. Prepared to be responsible leaders and advocates, graduates of the program will be able to provide leadership within their sphere of influence to promote social justice and quality medical care for all patients.
Mission
The mission of the MS PA Program at Saint Elizabeth University is to provide a collaborative, respectful, and spiritually enriched learning environment that educates PAs who are competent and ethical medical providers committed to high-quality patient care as responsible members of the healthcare team. Our graduates will promote the dignity and diversity of all patients, in the spirit of service, social justice, and leadership to the community and the PA profession.
Vision
The MS PA Program at Saint Elizabeth University will be recognized as a leader in graduating PAs committed to excellence, servant leadership, and social justice in the provision of medical care to all patients.
Values
The MS PA Program affirms the values of Saint Elizabeth University: Integrity, Leadership, Social Responsibility and Excellence and the translation of these values into the provision of medical care for all individuals.
Program Goals
The program goals flow from the mission of the SEU PA Program and support a learning
environment that emphasizes student achievement and service. The rigorous curriculum
provides the student with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for competent
clinical practice with a strong focus on leadership and patient advocacy skills in
the spirit of community service and social justice.
The PA Program at Saint Elizabeth University strives to achieve the following:
- Prepare competent PAs who exhibit the knowledge, skills and attitudes consistent with entry level clinical practice.
- Provide a learning environment that promotes academic excellence.
- Foster the development of critical thinking skills.
- Create a spiritually enriched atmosphere.
- Support the academic, professional, and personal growth and development of the student.
- Model the collaborative, respectful, and successful healthcare team approach to achieving goals.
- Promote respect for patient diversity.
- Endorse social justice for all individuals within the context of healthcare.
- Encourage leadership at the local, regional and national levels.
- Enhance Diversity amongst students, faculty, and staff
The SEU PA Program will publish evidence of the effectiveness in meeting each of the program goals after its first student cohort completes the program.
- PANCE Pass Rates
- The first-time taker pass rate will be at or above the national average each year
- Outcomes
- Class of 2023: 86% first time pass rate (92% national average)
- Class of 2024: 72% first time pass rate (92% national average)
- Outcomes
- The first-time taker pass rate will be at or above the national average each year
- Summative Evaluation Achievement
- 90% of students will achieve the minimum passing outcome on the first attempt
- Outcomes:
- Class of 2023: 100% of students passed the Summative Evaluation with no overall remediation attempts required
- Class of 2024: 100% of students passed the Summative Evaluation with no overall remediation attempts
- Faculty Evaluation of Program Survey Results
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above on the effectiveness of the program in preparing graduates for clinical practice domain
- Outcomes:
- Class of 2023 >90% of faculty and staff selected the benchmark of 3.0 or above on the effectiveness of the program in preparing graduates for clinical practice domain
- Class of 2024 >90% of faculty and staff selected the benchmark of 3.0 or above on the effectiveness of the program in preparing graduates for clinical practice domain
- PANCE Content Area Scores
- Performance on all organ system and task areas will be at or above the national average each year
- Outcomes:
- Class of 2023: One of 14 systems areas and two of eight task areas at or above average
- Class of 2024: Zero system areas and zero task areas at or above average
- Cumulative GPA
- 90% of students in each cohort will achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or above
- Outcomes:
- Class of 2023: 100% of the CO 2021 graduates earned an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Class of 2024: 100% of the CO 2022 graduates earned an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Faculty Evaluation of Program Survey Results
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the learning environment of excellence domain
Outcome Data:- 2023: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or higher
- 2024: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the learning environment of excellence domain
- Preceptor Evaluations of Student Preparedness to Practice
- 90% of students will receive a score at or above the benchmark of 3.0 on the preceptor
evaluation of their level of critical thinking
Outcome Data:- Class of 2023: 100% of students received a score of Agree (3.0) or above
- Class of 2024: 100% of students received a score of Agree (3.0) or above
- 90% of students will receive a score at or above the benchmark of 3.0 on the preceptor
evaluation of their level of critical thinking
- Faculty Evaluation of Program Survey Results
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the critical thinking domain
Outcome Data:- 2023: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or higher
- 2024: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the critical thinking domain
- Faculty Evaluation of Program Survey Results
- o The mean of the response score will be at or above the benchmark of 3.0 in each
of the spiritually enriched atmosphere domains
Outcome Data:- 2023: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- 2024: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- o The mean of the response score will be at or above the benchmark of 3.0 in each
of the spiritually enriched atmosphere domains
- Attrition and Retention Rates
- As evidenced by annual attrition rates at or below 10%
Outcomes:- Class of 2023:
- Attrition Rate: 16%
- Class of 2024:
- Attrition Rate: 14%
- Class of 2023:
- As evidenced by annual attrition rates at or below 10%
- Graduation Rates
- As evidenced by annual graduation rates at or above 90%
Outcomes:- Class of 2023:
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Class of 2024:
- Graduation Rate: 86%
- Class of 2023:
- As evidenced by annual graduation rates at or above 90%
- Student Course Evaluations
- 90% of didactic courses taught in each cohort will have an average response score
on the team approach domain that meets or exceeds the benchmark of 3.0 or higher
Outcomes:- Class of 2023:>90% of the didactic courses taught were rated above the benchmark of 3.0 or higher
- Class of 2024: >90% of the didactic courses taught were rated above the benchmark of 3.0 or higher
- 90% of didactic courses taught in each cohort will have an average response score
on the team approach domain that meets or exceeds the benchmark of 3.0 or higher
- Faculty Evaluation of Program Survey Results
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the collaborative team domain
Outcomes:- 2023: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- 2024: 100% of the respondents selected 3.0 or above
- 90% of the responding faculty and staff will select the benchmark of 3.0 or above
in the collaborative team domain
ARC-PA Student Attrition Table
Please find the most current ARC-PA Student Attrition Table.
PANCE
Please find the most current NCCPA Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) Exam Performance Summary Report: Last 5 Years as provided by the NCCPA.
Accreditation Statement
At its March 2025 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the
Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Saint Elizabeth University Physician
Assistant Program sponsored by Saint Elizabeth University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in April 2027.
Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less
than two
years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additionaltwo
years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting
all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance.
Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when
a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation - Provisional or Accreditation
-
Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the
capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its
students is threatened.
Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements
in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site
visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.
Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the
Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at
https://www.arc-pa.org/