Technical Standards for Admission and Graduation

Observation

Students must have appropriate visual and auditory capacity to observe and participate in lectures and demonstrations in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting. Students must be able to observe the patient accurately at a distance and close at hand while observing verbal and nonverbal signs. Sensory skills to perform a physical examination are required which include functional vision, hearing, smell, and tactile sensation. These skills are required to properly observe the patient's condition and to perform adequate and appropriate evaluation. These evaluations include but are not limited to inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation, performance of special physical examination techniques and use of diagnostic tests and instruments.

Communication

Students must be able to effectively relate to patients, conveying a sense of compassion and empathy. They must be able to clearly communicate in academic and health care settings with patients, family members and other healthcare professionals to obtain and convey information regarding the patient's status. Students must be able to read and write English effectively in order to fulfill academic requirements and maintain accurate and legal clinical records on patient care. Students must be able to read efficiently, accurately, and legibly in legal documents, such as patient records. Students must be able to elicit an appropriate history and physical exam from patients and concisely and clearly communicate with the medical team.

Sensory and Motor Coordination and Function

Students are required to possess sensory and motor skills sufficient to independently elicit information from patients using palpation, auscultation, percussion and other manually based diagnostic maneuvers. Students should be able to conduct laboratory tests and carry out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Students should possess and execute appropriate motor movements to provide basic medical care in a general medicine environment and coordinate fine and gross muscular movements to treat patients in emergency situations. Students must be able to move freely about patient care environments and must be able to move between settings such as clinics, classroom buildings and hospitals. Physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study is required. This includes, but is not limited to, long periods of sitting, standing or moving which are required in a variety of classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences.

Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrated and Quantitative Abilities

Students should possess the following abilities: independent self-driven and self-directed learning, an aptitude for rapid problem solving, the capability to assess and interpret medical information independently, evaluate physical examinations, and formulate a logical diagnosis and effective medical treatment plan. Students must possess good judgment in patient assessment, the ability to incorporate new information, understand comprehensive three-dimensional relationships and curricular threads, and retain and recall pertinent information in a timely fashion. When appropriate, students must be able to identify and communicate the limits of their knowledge to others. Students must be able to read and understand the medical literature.

Behavioral and Social Attributes

Students must possess the physical and emotional health required for the application of his/her intellectual ability and the employment of sound judgment in an appropriate and prompt manner. Students must be able to function effectively under physically taxing workload and in times of physical and mental stress. Students must display and foster an environment of compassion, sensitivity, honesty and concern while maintaining professional integrity at all times. Students are required to adapt to changing environments, have good interpersonal skills, flexibility and be self-motivated. Students must have the ability to accept constructive criticism and handle challenging interpersonal relationships during education. Students must be able to develop mature and effective relationships with colleagues, patients and other members of the healthcare profession.

A student must demonstrate the above competencies with or without reasonable accommodation.  whether or not a requested accommodation is reasonable will be determined on an individual basis in conjunction with the Accessibility Services Office. The office will determine and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students with a disability to enable them to meet these technical standards.  For more information regarding Bay Path University policies for accommodations, please visit the accessibility services office.