The abilities and skills students must possess in order to complete the education and training of the program are referred to as “Technical Standards.” These abilities and skills are essential for entry into most professional practice settings.
Observation Skills
Demonstrate sufficient attention and accuracy in observation skills (visual, auditory, and tactile) in the lecture hall, laboratory, and/or online settings. Indicators include but are not limited to accurate visualization and discrimination of text, numbers, patterns, graphic illustrations, and other imaging texts.
Communication Skills
Demonstrate effective communication skills with with other students, faculty, health care professionals, and with people of varying cultures, ethnicities and personalities. Indicators include but are not limited to these examples:
- Clear, efficient, and intelligible articulation of spoken English language.
- Legible, efficient, and intelligible written English language.
- Accurate and efficient English language reading skills.
- Accurate and efficient expressive and receptive communication skills.
- Ability to accurately follow directions (oral and written).
Critical Reasoning Skills
Demonstrate critical reasoning skills, including, but not limited to, intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities. Indicators include but are not limited to these examples:
- Demonstrate ability to measure, calculate reason, analyze, integrate, and synthesize information.
- Demonstrate ability to acquire, retain, and apply new and learned information.
Motor and Sensory Function
Demonstrate sufficient motor and sensory function to perform typical functions of a graduate student. Indicators include but are not limited to the following examples:
- Perform demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences.
- Execute fine and gross motor movements with sufficient coordination, postural control, equilibrium and hand-eye coordination to safely participate in laboratory sessions, use standard medical/surgical instruments, assess cadavers, provide appropriate summary and findings.
- Execute motor movements that demonstrate safety and efficiency in the various learning settings (i.e., classroom, laboratories,).
- Physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study, which may include prolonged periods of sitting, and/or standing.
Behavioral and Social Attributes
Demonstrate the behavioral and social attributes vital to participation in a professional program Indicators include but are not limited to the following examples:
• Possess personal qualities that facilitate effective peer interactions (e.g., compassion, empathy, integrity, honesty, benevolence, confidentiality).
• Possess the emotional health required for full utilization of mental faculties (including judgment, orientation, affect and cognition).
• Ability to establish rapport and develop mature and effective professional relationships with faculty, professional peers, staff and the public.
• Demonstrate impartial motives, attitudes and values in roles, functions, and relationships. Communicate and interact with, in a non-judgmental way, persons who differ from oneself and one’s beliefs in a variety of ways, including but not limited to gender, age, race, ethnicity, socio- economic status, culture, creed, military status, sexual orientation and identity, and religious or spiritual beliefs.
• Ability to monitor and react appropriately to one’s own emotional needs and responses.
• Display appropriate flexibility, adaptability, composure, and emotional stability during periods of high stress or uncertainty associated with didactic encounters and environments.
• Ability to accurately follow oral and written directions with prompt completion of all responsibilities in the classroom and laboratory setting.
• Compliance with standards, policies and practices set forth in the program Handbook.
These standards will serve as pre-requisites for entrance, continuation, promotion, and graduation from the MAS Program and students must be prepared to indicate their ability to meet these standards as a condition of acceptance and during registration for each semester. Inquiry by the program faculty and staff regarding disability is strictly prohibited.
The MAS Program, in accordance with EVMS policy and as delineated by federal and Virginia law, does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs or employment against any individual on the basis of that individual’s disability, and will make good faith efforts at providing reasonable accommodation as required. However, the program reserves the right not to admit or register students who cannot meet the technical standards or who would constitute a direct threat to the health and safety or others.
The MAS Program applicants or students who may have questions regarding these technical standards or who believe they may need to request reasonable accommodation in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact the EVMS Director of Disability Services, Emily Magee, MS | 757.446.7443 | MageeEF@evms.edu
