Physician Assistant - Next Steps for Admitted Students

All new PA students must pay an initial $500 tuition deposit followed by a $1,000 tuition deposit to secure their enrollment in this selective degree program. Payments are nonrefundable and will be applied directly to your first-semester tuition in the PA program.
View additional details and instructions regarding payment >

Orientation

Thursday, May 6, 2021. Attendance is mandatory; students will be contacted with more details as they are confirmed.

Program dates will be updated shortly.

A complete course schedule will be distributed during orientation.

All PA students are required to complete a comprehensive background check, including finger printing, as part of the initial enrollment process.

The BW PA program has partnered with CastleBranch, a background check and compliance management company. Look for an email from CastleBranch in February 2021 when it is time to begin this process.

The one-time cost for CastleBranch services is approximately $150 (for initial Next Steps) and must be covered by the student; it is not included in the comprehensive cost of the PA program. Payment can be made as a single amount or split over a three-month period.

The following background searches will be conducted: Fingerprint State BCI and Fingerprint FBI. Additional searches will be conducted if any concerns are raised during the standard search process. Students whose background checks reveal a criminal history or arrest record of any sort that cannot be successfully adjudicated will not be allowed to begin the PA program.

Results of your background checks will be mailed directly to the PA program and uploaded to your CastleBranch account for access/review.

All PA students will be subject to substance abuse testing as part of the pre-enrollment health requirements. Students will order a 10-panel drug screen through CastleBranch; the cost is included in the one-time fee for initial Next Steps services (see Background Check section for details). When ordering the drug screen, submit your current local address so that the most convenient test site can be located.

The PA program at Baldwin Wallace University recognizes its responsibility to maintain a drug-free educational environment and to ensure that students provide safe, high quality healthcare services while engaged in official school educational activities. In keeping with this goal, the PA program supports the policies set forth by the University relative to the use of drugs and alcohol and requires that students pass a drug test prior to enrolling in the PA program. If drug or alcohol usage is detected in the classroom, clinical or other campus settings, students will be referred for appropriate follow-up according to the BW policies outlined in the BW student handbook.

Results of the drug screen will be uploaded to your CastleBranch account for access/review by the PA program.

As a guest of various health care facilities in the community, students will be subject to the policies of the health care facility, which may include random urine testing. If drug or alcohol usage is detected in the clinical settings, students will be tested at the facility, in accordance with the facility policies. Detection of drug or alcohol usage while in the clinical setting will result in dismissal from the PA program. All students returning to the PA program after an extended absence will be subjected to substance abuse testing.

Download: PA Program Immunization and Health Form

All PA students must provide personal health documentation, well in advance of the start date for the program in May (use Form link provided above), with proof of the following:

• MMR (rubeola aka: measles, mumps and rubella)
• Adult diphtheria tetanus
• Hepatitis B series
• Varicella (aka: chicken pox)
• Completion of a physical examination within one year prior to admission to the program, confirming a health status that qualifies the person to work directly with patients (refer to technical standards)

Tuberculin Skin Testing

Students must also provide verification of Tuberculin skin testing (2-step Mantoux). See instructions, including date recommendations, provided in the PA Program Immunization and Health Form.

You must upload the above documentation to your CastleBranch account (see Background Check section for details). The PA program will have access to all documentation submitted.

Clinical Experience

As a guest of the health care facilities that provide clinical experiences, students are subject to the policies of the facility, which include meeting the above standards for immunizations, a current negative TB test and the ability to work directly with patients (refer to technical standards). Since clinical experience is an essential element of the PA program, the inability to work directly in patient care may result in the student not continuing in the program.

If you paid your tuition deposit online, you have already set up your BW network access (BW email, username and password). If you did not make an online payment, you will need to set this up. The BW network access gives you access to BW email, Blackboard and many online resources that you’ll use as a member of the BW community.
View instructions to set up your account and to make payments >

Program Costs and Financial Assistance

View PA program costs and and financing options >

This sheet details how your PA costs will be distributed throughout the program, and outlines financing options/graduate loan eligibility.

FAFSA

To apply for a federal direct student loan and graduate PLUS loan, complete the FAFSA annually. BW's Federal ID code is 003014. If you have not done so already, it is time to complete and submit your 2021-22 FAFSA.

Graduate PLUS loans are available to help PA students finance any remaining educational costs not covered by federal direct student loans, including program costs and estimated living expenses as determined by the financial aid process. Learn more about financing options for graduate students.

Enrollment Worksheet for Independent Students

When completing the enrollment worksheet for independent students, enter your credits per term as follows:

Credits Per Semester

Year 1
Summer: 21 credits
Fall: 22 credits
Spring: 23 credits

Year 2
Summer: 11 credits
Fall: 13 credits
Spring: 13 credits

Students must provide their own personal health insurance while a student at Baldwin Wallace University. Proof of insurance will be required prior to participating in any clinical experience. Neither the University nor clinical affiliates cover student health-related incidents.

Baldwin Wallace provides professional liability insurance for physician assistant students while they are at a clinical site at no cost to the student. This policy provides coverage while on site at the clinical setting only. This coverage does not extend beyond the active clinical experience under the auspice of this physician assistant program.

Books are covered in the cost of the program and will be distributed at orientation. A lab coat and a stethoscope will be provided during the didactic year.

All PA students, commuter and on-campus residents, are required to have their vehicles registered with Campus Access Services. During the first summer semester, a permit is not required. Beginning in fall semester, an academic year parking permit is available with online registration. All students are required to follow University parking regulations. Students are responsible for any citation fines, payable at the BW cashier's office in Bonds Hall. Unpaid fines are attached to the student bill after ten days.

BW is located just 20 minutes from Cleveland, and PA students find many affordable housing options within the surrounding communities. PA students who wish to live in campus-owned housing may consider a BW graduate student apartment.

Baldwin Wallace is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. The BW Office of Accessible Education (OAE) is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. Students who have or think they may have a disability (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, vision, hearing, physical or systemic) are invited to contact the OAE to arrange a confidential discussion at (440) 826-2147 or disability@bw.edu. Find additional information about how to get connected with the OAE.