Have time to know your patients, not just their diagnosis

TECHNICAL STANDARDS DEFINITION
Completion of the degree at Kettering College of Medical Arts signifies the graduate is prepared for practice in his or her prospective field by meeting the technical standard requirements. Technical standards, as distinguished from academic standards, refer to the physical, cognitive, and behavioral abilities required for satisfactory completion of the curriculum. The essential required abilities include motor, sensory, communicative, intellectual, behavioral, and social aspects.

KETTERING COLLEGE TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Several standards are common to all programs. These are listed below, followed by specific requirements of each program. The student must have the ability to:

1. Think critically, with sound judgment, emotional stability, maturity, empathy, and physical and mental stamina.
2. Learn and function in a wide variety of didactic and clinical settings.
3. Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, using appropriate grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.
4. Immediately comprehend and respond to auditory instructions or requests.
5. Think clearly and act calmly in stressful situations.
6. Perform up to a 12-hour clinical experience in a single 24-hour period.
7. Work cooperatively, preserving relationships with other members of the health care team.
8. Perform fine and gross motor skills with both hands.
9. Apply adequate pressure to stop bleeding.
10. Perform CPR.

KETTERING COLLEGE PA PROGRAM TECHNICAL STANDARDS
In addition to the above criteria, the following technical standards are specific to physician assistant students. Must have the ability to:

1. Take a medical history and perform a physical examination with the necessary level of sensory, auditory, and visual acuity.
2. Discern skin, subcutaneous masses, muscles, joints, lymph nodes, and intra-abdominal organs.
3. Process and communicate information on the patient’s status with accuracy in a timely manner for appropriate interaction with physician, supervisors, and other members of the health care team.
4. Understand and apply ethical standards for health care.
5. Demonstrate cognitive abilities necessary to master relevant content in basic science and clinical courses at a level deemed appropriate by the faculty.
6. Demonstrate emotional stability at a level necessary to deliver sound patient care in all settings and to interact with the interdisciplinary health care teams.