Academic Expectations, Advancement and Promotions Policy

To define academic and clinical progress expectations in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program through a competency-based education (CBE) framework. This policy outlines how learners are assessed and promoted based on demonstrated competence, using formative progress tracking and summative evaluations, aligned with the CanMEDS-PA Roles and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs).

Competency-Based Education: Advancement is determined by demonstration of competence, not cumulative grades or meritocracy.

Formative Feedback for Growth: Progress tracking guides learner development over time and fosters a proactive, student-friendly approach to assessment.

Summative Evaluation for Readiness: Terminal assessments confirm competence for progression and graduation.

Professionalism and Accountability: Performance in clinical and academic domains must uphold the ethical and professional framework outlined by the Physician Assistant profession and external regulatory bodies.

Transparency and Support: Expectations are clearly communicated, and remediation opportunities are structured and supportive to learners.

This policy reflects alignment with the nationally endorsed CanMEDS-PA 2015 and EPA-PA 2021 frameworks:

• Learners are expected to develop competence across seven professional roles over the course of the program,
• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) represent tasks learners must be able to perform competently upon graduation, and
• Both formative and summative assessments are mapped to these frameworks to ensure learners are prepared for safe, collaborative, ethical, and patient-centered practice.

 

Progress Trackers: Program-defined formative assessments where learner development is tracked over time. Feedback is provided and learner reflection is highly encouraged, especially in situations where learners require additional supports to achieve satisfactory progress.

Summative Assessments: Evaluations of competence at course or program milestones (e.g., OSCEs, written exams, end-of-rotation assessments).

Learner Progression Committee: A committee responsible for reviewing Year 1 learner progression and performance to determine readiness for learners to proceed to the next academic term and into Year 2.  This committee is chaired by the Director of Assessment and Program Evaluation.

Competency Committee: A committee responsible for reviewing Year 2 learner progression and performance to determine readiness for graduation based on clinical assessments, EPA achievement and summative assessments.  This committee is chaired by the Director of Faculty and Clinical Placements.

Each course incorporates formative progress tracking aligned with CanMEDS-PA roles. Learners will receive regular feedback on their development based on these trackers throughout the program. 

Courses may include summative assessments.  A minimum standard of 60% (after standard setting) is required to pass each summative assessment.

Student performance is assessed as Pass/Fail based on:

• Completion of all mandatory course components (may be achieved by successfully completing a remediation plan),
• Achievement of the minimum threshold on summative assessments (may be achieved by successfully completing a remediation plan), and
• Demonstration of progression in competency development through progress trackers.

At the end of each term in Year 1, the Learner Progression Committee evaluates:

• Course-level summative assessment outcomes,
• Evidence of learner growth across progress trackers, and
• Assessments of professional behaviours.

Promotion to Year 2 requires

(i) satisfactorily completing all courses and

(ii) a committee determination that the learner is ready to progress to Year 2. 

Failure of one or more Year 1 courses may require the learner to repeat the entire first year.

 

Clinical performance is assessed using:

• EPA achievement
• Preceptor in-training evaluations and direct observation of performance
• Summative assessments

Learners must meet defined benchmarks for entrustment across all core EPAs through a developmental lens, based on realistic expectations based on their level of training. Successful completion of the Capstone Project is a core requirement of the Year 2 Research Course and is required to be eligible for graduation.

The Competency Committee will review the learner’s clinical and academic performance, achievement of expected entrustment levels, summative assessments of performance, and evidence related to professionalism indicators to determine whether they demonstrate the competencies of an entry-level physician assistant.

• End of Term 1 (December, Year 1) – Promote to Term 2
• End of Term 2 (April, Year 1) – Promote to Term 3
• End of Term 3 (August, Year 1) – Promote to Year 2
• End of Year 2 (Clinical Placements/Capstone Project)(August, Year 2) – Graduation Decision

At each promotion milestone, promotion is determined by committee review and based on available assessment data.  Promotion recommendations are submitted to the Academic Affairs Committee for final approval.

A comprehensive academic monitoring and support process is in place to ensure learners are identified early and academic support is provided proactively. Additionally, learners are encouraged to self-refer to access academic resources and support. Learners identified as having academic progress concerns will be contacted and will be expected to meet with academic advisors and other support staff (as necessary) to receive individualized feedback, academic or professional coaching, and creation of informal and/or structured remediation plans. Refer to the Assessment Policy for details.

Unsatisfactory academic performance is defined as failure to:

• Successfully complete a course or clinical placement,
• Demonstrate sufficient progress in CanMEDS-PA domains, and/or
• Meet EPA expectations.

Unsatisfactory academic performance will result in supplemental assessment through a structured remediation plan.  Unsatisfactory completion of the remediation plan could lead to course completion delay, failure to progress in the program/course repetition or removal from the program.  See Assessment Policy for details regarding student remediation details.

Maintaining the professional standards expected of a physician assistant (see PA Code of Ethics) is expected of students enrolled in the MPAS program at all times.  Professional or patient safety concerns will be handled through the USask Standard of Student Conduct in Non-Academic Matters and Procedures for Resolution of Complaints and Appeals, in coordination with the MPAS Professional Behaviours and Expectations Policy.

The MPAS Academic Affairs Committee will review the recommendations of the Year 2 Competency Committee to ensure that all students recommended to graduate have:

• Achieved expected competence across all EPAs,
• Successfully completed all required summative assessments, including the Capstone project, and
• Consistently upheld appropriate professionalism standards.

The Academic Affairs committee will forward their recommendation of candidates for graduation to the USask College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS) for final approval.

As a graduate program, the MPAS program follows the appeals processes of the University of Saskatchewan and CGPS. Refer to these relevant documents for more information:

University of Saskatchewan Appeals in Academic Matters

CGPS Policy and Procedures – Section 16. Appeals in Academic Matters