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and »¨½·Ö±²¥ today announced an articulation agreement for acceptance into JWU’s Physician Assistant Studies program.

The agreement, recently signed by officials from both schools, will provide preferred admission for up to 6 qualified PC graduates for each admission cycle in the master’s degree program at Johnson & Wales.

“Providence College students have had a long-standing interest in clinical careers in the health field, and their interest in physician assistantship has grown of late,” said Providence College Provost Hugh F. Lena. “Now, rather than leave Rhode Island to become a PA, our students can remain in the state and receive training in a state-of-the-art facility in this collaboration with »¨½·Ö±²¥. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, a win-win for our respective institutions, and a benefit to the City of Providence and to the State of Rhode Island.”

“It has long been the practice at Johnson & Wales to anticipate where there will be market demand for college graduates,” said »¨½·Ö±²¥ Provost Tom L. Dwyer. “A few years ago, much of our research pointed in the direction of physician assistant. Adding this graduate course of study provided the university the opportunity to expand its academic offerings to include the health sciences.

“This fall, we will be introducing a major in Biology and we expect some of those students, after they graduate, to continue on in our Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. With this articulation agreement, we are opening the door for Providence College students to continue their education at Johnson & Wales.”

According to the agreement, the requirements include:

• A list of required courses in the sciences
• Completion of the GRE’s
• Completion of 250 direct patient hours
• GPA of at least 3.30 (overall and in sciences with no grade below “C”)
• Recommendation from PC science faculty
• PA shadowing hours