Technical Standards

Any applicant who plans to enter the healthcare professional programs at Methodist University must possess certain abilities that will enable them to master the educational and clinical content of the program within a reasonable time frame and to function as a healthcare professional after graduation.

Methodist University welcomes specific inquiries from potential students with disabilities regarding required technical skills and how mastery of those skills might apply to their unique situation. A determination will be made by the program as to whether the individual is qualified for admission to the program and if reasonable accommodations can be made. Federal law prohibits programs from making inquiries about specific disabilities prior to admission; however, applicants who are selected for admission must be prepared to meet the educational and technical performance standards in order to complete the program. Students who are unable to master these skills will not be allowed to matriculate into the program.

Observation

Students must be able to apply their senses (olfactory, auditory, and tactile) to the observation of patient status and collection of data important to patient care, including the ability to see, both near and far, to hear and/or interpret speech without an intermediary, and to use tactile sensation to gather information in physical examination.  Students must be able to observe demonstrations provided during lectures and in the laboratory or clinical setting.

Communication

Students must be able to read, write and speak clearly in order to gather and exchange information with patients, family members, and other members of the broader health care team.  They must have the ability to understand medical literature and to communicate complex scientific and medical information in oral and written format succinctly, accurately, and in a timely manner.

Mobility & Coordination

Students must be able to move within the clinical setting, including in confined spaces, in order to respond to urgent and emergent situations quickly, to help move and position patients as needed, and to manipulate instruments and devices in order to perform procedures (e.g., venipuncture, lumbar puncture, intubation, thoracentesis, etc.).  This includes the ability to stand for prolonged periods during surgical procedures and to occasionally lift and move heavy objects.  It also includes the ability to coordinate fine and gross-motor skills, equilibrium and endurance with concomitant use of vision and touch in order to integrate sensory information with motor performance.

Cognitive Ability, Reasoning Ability & Quantitative Skills

Students must be able to master large amounts of information within the required time frame, to successfully complete assignments and assessments in a reasonable time frame, to apply basic principles of the scientific method in reading and interpreting professional literature, to apply critical reasoning ability to complex clinical problems, to integrate visual, auditory, sensory, tactile, and spatial information to develop appropriate differential diagnoses and to continue to apply these skills to ongoing learning after completing the program.  Students must also be able to perceive three dimensional spatial relationships among structures.

Behavioral & Emotional Maturity

Students must be able to function appropriately in interpersonal relationships by exhibiting use of good judgment, empathy, reliability, professionalism, and emotional stability. They must have the ability to practice appropriately in highly stressful situations and adapt to environments that change rapidly or in unpredictable ways and work with others in interprofessional teams.  They must be able to respect and work within the framework of individual, cultural, religious and socioeconomic differences.  They must be able to grasp principles of ethical behavior in the healthcare setting, remain open to constructive criticism, and make appropriate behavior changes. They must accept responsibility for learning and to learn in a self-directed manner.