Goals & Competencies

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The Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE)

Once you graduate from WUPA, you can take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination® (PANCE) for certification. The multiple-choice exam assesses basic medical and surgical knowledge. You will need to submit an application and payment in advance and can choose from over 200 testing sites.

After passing PANCE, PAs are issued NCCPA certification and can use the PA-C designation until the certification expiration date.

We strive to maintain a PANCE first-time test taker pass rate at or above the national average. We have achieved this since our Class of 2012.

The Wingate University program is an accredited program. Our faculty strives to meet and surpass these goals:

Goal #1

Provide a comprehensive education that ensures graduates possess core knowledge in established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and can apply this knowledge to decision-making in clinical practice.

Measure and Benchmark

PAEA End of Curriculum Exam: 75% of students meet or exceed the national average.
NCCPA PANCE: Cohort to meet or exceed the national average first-time taker pass rate.
Graduate Survey: ≥90% of graduates agree that the program meets Goal #1.

PAEA End of Curriculum Exam

	2019	2020	2021	2022
Wingate Class	N/A	1541	1542	1526
National Average	N/A	1495	1495	1519
% Cohort above National Average	N/A	89%	83%	54%

NCCPA PANCE

	2019	2020	2021	2022
Wingate Class – First Time	96%	100%	100%
National Average – First Time	93%	95%	93%

Graduate Survey

	2020	2021	2022
% Agree that the program meets Goal #1	100%	100%	100% (46)

Analysis and Discussion

PAEA End of Curriculum Exam: This goal was met in 2 of the last three cohorts. While the majority of the 2022 class exceeded the national average, predictive data (Didactic and Clinical Performance, PACKRAT, EOR) for the class of 2022 anticipated a decrease in % from previous years. Available class of 2023 data suggests a return to >80% above the national average in 2023.
NCCPA PANCE: This goal was met. The program accomplished a 100% First-time pass rate for the second year in a row and now has a 5-year average first-time taker pass rate average of 99%
Graduate Survey: This goal was met. 100% of graduates agreed that the program provided comprehensive education that ensures graduates possess core knowledge in established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and can apply this knowledge to decision-making in clinical practice.

Goal #2

Provide a range of didactic and clinical experiences to best prepare graduates to care for a diverse patient population.

Measure and Benchmark

At least 50% of didactic courses will include instruction on diverse populations. (Documented as course Learning Outcome or Instructional Objective)
100% student participation in at least 2 health equity events.
≥90% of graduates agree that the program curriculum includes instruction that prepares students to provide medical care to patients from diverse populations.

Results

	% of didactic courses (25) with Outcome and/or Objective related to a diverse population	% of cohort that participated in ≥2 health equity events in the didactic year	≥90% of graduates agree that the program curriculum includes instruction that prepares students to provide medical care to patients from diverse populations.
Class of 2024	52%	Available in January 2024	Available in January 2025
Class of 2023	52%	100%	Available in January 2024
Class of 2022	52%	100%	95.7% (46)
Class of 2021	N/A	N/A	94%
Class of 2020	N/A	N/A	87%

Analysis and Discussion

Didactic: This goal was met. 52% of didactic courses provided instruction on caring for diverse patient populations evidenced by course outcomes and instructional objectives.
Health Equity: This goal was met. 100% of students participated in at least two health equity events while in the program.
Curriculum: This goal was met. 95.7 of the Class of 2022 agrees that the program curriculum includes instruction that prepares students to provide medical care to patients from diverse populations.

Goal #3

Provide graduates with a strong foundation in health information technology, evidence-based medicine, and quality improvement practices that allow them to successfully demonstrate being an “Agent of Change” entering the healthcare workforce.

Measure and Benchmark

PA 580: Research, Epidemiology, and Statistics Graded Assignments
- ≥80% of the class will achieve a final course score of ≥90%
  - Group project and written exams
PA 620: Capstone I Graded Assignments
- ≥80% of the class will achieve a final course score of ≥90%
  - IHI Modules, Capstone Outline, Capstone Survey Submission
PA 720: Capstone II Graded Assignments
- Students will average ≥80% on all graded assignments
Graduate Survey: ≥90% of graduates agree that the program meets Goal #3.

	Class of 2021	Class of 2022	Class of 2023
PA 580 Project and Exam Average ≥85%	99% / 89%	84%	90%
PA 620 Class IHI, Outline, and Survey Submission	93%	98%	93%
PA 720 % of students ≥80%	100%	100%	98%
Graduate Survey: ≥90% agree	97%	98% (46)	Available in January 2024

Analysis and Discussion

PA 580: This goal was met for the past three cohorts.
PA 620: This goal was met for the past three cohorts
PA 720: This goal was met for the past three cohorts
Graduate Survey: This goal was met for the past two cohorts and class of 2023 data will be available in early 2024.

Goal #4

Provide instruction and experiences that allow students to demonstrate collaboration as part of an Interprofessional, patient-centered team.

Measure and Benchmark

100% of the cohort participates in ≥3 Interprofessional events throughout the didactic year (1^st 3 semesters).
≥90% or greater cohort average on IPE reflective assignments (IPE 701 and 702).
≥90% of graduates agree that the PA Program curriculum includes instruction that prepares students to work collaboratively in Interprofessional patient-centered teams.

	Class of 2021	Class of 2022	Class of 2023
% participation in 3/3 IPE events	N/A	N/A	98%
% of cohort scoring ≥90% on IPE reflection assignments (3)	N/A	N/A	98%
Graduate Survey	100%	100% (46)	Available in 2024

Analysis and Discussion

IPE events: This goal has been met since the addition of IPE events and Health Science IPE courses involving all Health Science Programs.
IPE Assignments: This goal has been met since the addition of IPE events and Health Science IPE courses involving all Health Science Programs.
Graduate Survey: This goal has been met for the last two graduating cohorts and class of 2023 data will be available in early 2024.

Wingate University PA Program supports a culture of learning and sharing information gained through practice among clinical year students:

Two elective rotations in the clinical year provide students with unique opportunities for student learning and practical experience in a medical field of interest which build upon the knowledge and skills gained in the didactic year and in completed required clinical rotations. At the end of the Elective I experience, clinical students present interesting cases, in Grand Rounds format, to program faculty and peers that highlight evolving areas and new trends in medicine.
A culminating Capstone Project, requires students to apply knowledge and skills obtained throughout their graduate studies to identify and critically analyze quality improvement initiatives in healthcare aimed at improving the effectiveness and reliability of health processes and outcomes. Students present an oral summation of their Capstone Project to both peers and Wingate PA faculty in their final semester.

first-time PANCE pass rates

Student Attrition Information

Program Competencies

The Wingate PA Program competencies represent the medical knowledge, skills, clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities, and professional behaviors each student must satisfactorily demonstrate in order to graduate from the Wingate PA Program. The framework of these competencies was informed by the updated Competencies for the PA Profession, the PAEA Core Competencies for New PA Graduates and guided by the mission and values of the Wingate PA Program. The PA Program tracks student progress in acquiring sixteen program competencies that ensure that students are developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes important to PA practice. The Wingate PA Program Competencies are organized into 8 core domains outlined below.

Knowledge for Practice

Apply knowledge from basic, clinical, and social sciences when recognizing, assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients with a variety of common conditions seen in the emergent, acute, and chronic clinical practice of medicine. (Knowledge)
Perform an appropriate physical exam, order and interpret appropriate diagnostics, and properly record the pertinent information in the medical record. (Clinical and technical skills)
Demonstrate clinical reasoning and problem-solving, adherence to the standard of care, and other evidence-based practice skills when delivering cost-effective individual and population-based care. (Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving)

Person-Centered Care

Elicit and understand the stories of individual patients and apply the context of their lives (including environmental influences, cultural norms, socioeconomic factors, and beliefs) when determining healthy versus ill patients. (Knowledge, Interpersonal Skills, Clinical and Technical Skills, Professional Behaviors)
Counsel, educate, and empower patients and their families to participate in their care and enable shared decision-making. (Knowledge, Interpersonal skills, Professional Behaviors)
Develop, implement, and monitor effectiveness of individualized patient management plans that incorporate sensitivity to differences in culture, beliefs, language, health literacy and other communication needs. (Knowledge, Clinical and Technical Skills, Clinical Reasoning and Problem-solving)

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Society & Population Health

Understand and apply the fundamentals of epidemiology when characterizing disease prevalence, identifying risk factors, and identifying opportunities for disease prevention and health promotion for both individuals and populations. (Knowledge, Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving)
Recognize the influence of psychosocial, socioeconomic, environmental, and other population-level determinants of health and consider their impact on health disparities, disease prevention, and patient outcomes. (Knowledge, Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving)

Interprofessional Collaboration

Professionalism & Ethics

Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the ethical principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence. (Clinical and technical skills, Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving, Interpersonal skills, Professional behaviors).
Demonstrate professionalism by utilizing the principles of integrity, compassion, respect, adaptability, and self-awareness in the interactions with diverse populations of patients, families and health care teams. (Interpersonal Skills, Professional Behaviors)
Demonstrate professionalism in all areas of instruction and evaluation within the PA program to include all interactions with faculty, staff, fellow students, and standardized patients. (Professional Behaviors, Practice-Based Learning and Quality Improvement)

Practice-Based Learning & Quality Improvement

Demonstrate a strong foundation in health information technology, evidence-based medicine, and quality improvement practices aimed at improving the effectiveness and reliability of health processes and outcomes. (Knowledge, Professional Behaviors, Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving)
Utilize self-awareness to identify and improve gaps in knowledge, skills, or attitudes. (Knowledge, Professional Behaviors, Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving)

Health Care Finance and Systems

Contact Us

Wingate Campus
(704) 233-8051
pa@wingate.edu

Hendersonville Campus
(828) 309-0609
pahendersonville@wingate.edu