2006-07 Catalog Archive (Archived July 31, 2006)

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Health Sciences Special Admission Requirements

Selective Admission Documentation

NOTE: The provisions within the selective admission process are not considered an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. The College reserves the right to change the requirements and regulations at any time within the student’s term of enrollment.

Health Sciences Requirements

Students are required to remediate all developmental coursework prior to their eligibility for admission into a Health Sciences major.

  1. Admissions to any Health Sciences major is competitive. Completion of minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the majors.

    The College reserves the right to accept the most qualified applicants. In some instances, early or conditional acceptances might be made; in these circumstances, applicants will not enter the major if stated conditions are not successfully met.

    The School of Health Sciences, in conjunction with Admissions, has developed a selective admissions system that is used to help determine acceptances into majors. Numerical value is attached to categories and influencing factors as included, but not necessarily limited to, items stated below.
    • High school and/or college grade-point average
    • SAT or ACT scores for students applying within two years of high school graduation. (Students earning SAT of 1050 or higher or ACT composite of at least 23 might be eligible for special major admissions)
    • High school rank
    • Grades on selected coursework
    • Completed Developmental coursework
    • College coursework for the Physician Assistant major, the Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing major, and the Dental Hygiene completer major
    • Interview process for Physician Assistant major
    Consult the documentation at the top and bottom of this page or contact Admissions or the office housing the major regarding specific questions about the selection process or criteria.
  2. Part-time options are available for some majors. Contact the Director of the specific major for details.
  3. Due to class-size limitations, the College does not guarantee continuous enrollment between related courses and Health Sciences courses: i.e., a student may complete the required related courses and have to wait a period of time until there is space available in a Health Science major. Completion of related courses does not guarantee acceptance into Health Sciences majors.
  4. Prior to beginning the clinical/pre-clinical/laboratory portions of the major, School of Health Sciences students must have completed medical, dental and eye examinations by the physician and dentist of the individual student’s choice. Periodic re-evaluations are required in some majors. Specific Directors of majors should be contacted for information relative to this requirement. Costs associated with the medical, dental and eye examinations are the responsibility of the individual student. The student’s examinations must indicate care and treatment in progress, if needed, with an anticipated completion date. Students are required to have the recommended series of hepatitis B vaccines, and other vaccines required by programs and clinical sites, and are encouraged to begin the series early.

    Drug testing is required as part of the health history. Students should be aware that positive results can be reason to deny access to clinical/rotation sites by contract with the sites.

    Findings of the medical and dental examinations must indicate that the student’s health condition will allow for the performance of all required clinical/pre-clinical/laboratory skills, and the student can meet course and objectives of the major. The College reserves the right to require health clearances and drug testing at any time within the parameters of the individual being able to meet objectives. Individual circumstances will be considered with allowances for reasonable accommodations; however, accommodations will not negate the need for course objectives, objectives of the major, and outcomes to be met by the student.
  5. Additional costs may include, but are not necessarily limited to: uniforms, instruments, malpractice/liability insurance, CPR certification, inoculations, state and national examination fees, ACT 34 clearance investigations, health insurance, drug testing and travel. Students in some majors might find it necessary to relocate living quarters on a periodic basis when doing field work/clinical rotations/projects in locales away from campus. Expenses incurred will be the responsibility of the student. Students should contact program directors for more specific information.
  6. When instruction takes place off campus, the student is responsible for his or her own transportation to and from the facility and the campus. When instruction takes places off campus for an extended period of time, the student is responsible for his or her own lodging and meals.
  7. All Health Sciences students in the major area of study must have health insurance. With the exception of Physical Fitness Specialist (FS) students, all Health Sciences students in their majors will have to have malpractice/liability insurance and must produce proof of such, as requested and before classes begin. FS students will need malpractice/liability insurance under special circumstances. The FS Department Head will need to be contacted about these circumstances.
  8. With the exception of Physical Fitness Specialist (FS), Surgical Technology (SG) and Paramedic Technology (PP) all students accepted into any Health Sciences major prior to the start of classes, must become certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the professional rescuer or health care provider level. The certification can be from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. FS, SG and PP students will become certified during the program.
  9. Some Health Sciences majors require students to review policies and procedures/clinical manuals prior to the start of classes. Contact the Director of specific majors for details.
  10. Health Sciences majors students are required to maintain a grade of at least “C” in major specific courses.
  11. Child-abuse clearance, drug screening and criminal background checks are required. Students desiring entrance into Health Science majors should be aware that clinical institutions and intern sites can bar them from their sites as a student if a criminal record exists or if a positive drug test is noted. (By virtue of contract for Penn College students to be at clinical sites, agencies have the right to ask for drug testing and background checks.)

    Inability to gain clinical or fieldwork or intern education experiences results in inability to meet program objectives and outcomes. Inability to meet objectives and outcomes will result in failure from the program.
  12. Students desiring entrance into a health-care profession or occupation should be aware that presence of a criminal record can result in licensing/certification/ registration agencies refusing to issue the credential that will allow the graduate/practitioner to practice.

For more information on the specific majors and acceptance criteria, consult the Selective Admission Documentations below:

NOTE: The provisions within the selective admission process are not considered an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. The College reserves the right to change the requirements and regulations at any time within the student’s term of enrollment.