A candidate for the Physician Assistant Program must have abilities and skills in five categories: observation, communication, motor, intellectual and behavioral/social. Reasonable accommodation for persons with documented disabilities will be considered on an individual basis, but a candidate must be able to perform in an independent manner. Coordination of services is handled through the College's Academic Skills Center. The following skills are required with or without accommodation.

Observation: Candidates must have sufficient capacity to observe in the lecture hall, the laboratory, the outpatient setting, and the patient's bedside. Sensory skills adequate to perform a physical examination are required. Functional vision, hearing and tactile sensation must be adequate to observe a patient's condition and to elicit information through procedures regularly required in a physical examination, such as inspection, auscultation and palpation.

Communications: Candidates must be able to communicate effectively in both academic and health care settings. Candidates must show evidence of effective written and verbal communication skills. Candidates must be able to communicate effectively with patients and their families in order to elicit information, and to describe changes in mood, activity, and posture, and to perceive nonverbal communications.  Candidates must be able to process and communicate information on the patient’s status with accuracy in a timely manner to physician supervisors and to other members of the health care team.

Motor: The ability to participate in basic diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures (e.g., palpation, auscultation) is required. Candidates must have sufficient motor function to execute movements required to provide care to patients. Candidates must be able to negotiate patient care environments and must be able to move between settings, such as clinic, classroom building, and hospital.

Physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study is required. Long periods of sitting, standing, or moving are required in classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

Intellectual: Candidates must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize. Problem-solving, one of the critical skills demanded of Physician Assistants, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, candidates should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures. Candidates must be able to read and understand medical literature. In order to complete the Physician Assistant degree, candidates must be able to demonstrate mastery of these skills and the ability to use them together in a timely fashion in medical problem-solving and patient care.

Behavioral and social attributes: Candidates must possess the emotional health and stability required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities. They must possess the ability to exercise good judgment, as well as the ability to promptly complete all academic and patient care responsibilities. The development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and other members of the health care team is essential. Flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation, interpersonal skills, and concern for others are all required along with the ability to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent to clinical practice. Candidates must be able to function effectively under stress and have the ability to accept constructive criticism and handle difficult interpersonal relationships during training.

Learning Disabilities:

Students with disabilities should contact the Academic skills Center at King’s College to help with accommodations that they may need.  Disability Services are available to members to of the King’s College Community who require assistance in areas including but not limited to learning disabilities, or those with mobility, orthopedic, hearing, vision, or speech impairments.  Individuals with temporary disabilities are also eligible for services.  Reasonable accommodations will be offered to those individuals with documentation of their disability from the appropriate certifying professional.  Requirements for documentation need to be presented in the following areas: (1) qualifications of the evaluator; (2) recency of documentation; (3) appropriate clinical documentation to substantiate the disability; and (4) evidence to establish a rationale supporting the need for accommodations.  The goal of Disability Services is to maximize a student’s educational potential while aiding the student to develop and maintain independence.  Students do need to meet the technical standards of the King’s College PA Program in order to remain in the program.