Policies on Communication, Confidentiality, and Employment, Independent Clinical Training

Email Communication

Email is the primary means of communication for the Gardner-Webb Department of PA Studies outside class time. Therefore, all students are assigned a GWU email account at the time of admission to the program.

The GWU e-mail is the official University email and the only account the Department of PA Studies uses to communicate with students. Likewise, students should only use their GWU e-mail account for email correspondence with the program, preventing identification problems related to outside email.

Students must check their GWU e-mail accounts daily (including weekends) to maintain constant communication between the program and students.

Other forms of written communication with students, which do not replace GWU email, include Microsoft Teams for each cohort of students and announcements in Blackboard courses.

  • Faculty and staff will not respond to students who utilize outside email addresses.
  • Department faculty and staff use students’ GWU e-mail as the primary means for distributing information.
  • The program is not responsible if a student has inaccurate or missing information due to failure to routinely check, read, and clear their GWU e-mail account.

Confidentiality

Students must respect the confidentiality of fellow students and patients. Therefore, PA students are restricted from discussing fellow students or patients by name outside the academic or clinical environment.

Students should never discuss other students with preceptors.

All patient-identifying data for academic presentations and assignments must be excluded, including name, initials, date of birth, and the facility where the patient was treated.

PA Student Employment

ARC-PA 6th ed Standards A3.03, A3.14i

The Gardner-Webb University Department of PA Studies policy on employment is listed below:

  • PA students are strictly prohibited from working for the Department of PA Studies.
  • PA students are strictly prohibited from substituting as student workers for instructional or administrative support staff.
  • PA students are strongly discouraged from being employed while enrolled. Employment cannot excuse absence from scheduled learning activities or excuse poor performance/progression in the program.

Independent Clinical Training

From enrollment to graduation, our students are regarded as GWU DPAS PA students 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Therefore, students may not set up independent clinical training situations (direct patient contact or shadowing) without the written prior approval of the Director of Didactic Education or the Director of Clinical Education. In addition, students may only see patients in approved clinical settings and with prior permission. Students are cautioned against rendering medical services, except in an emergency, under any circumstances not covered by the above.