Information for new physician assistant students

Hello, Class of 2014 :-)

Welcome to NYIT! This is an unofficial site I created for the benefit of incoming physician assistant students. These pages are filled with important information to prepare you for joining the program in September 2011. Please read it carefully and check it regularly for updates. If you have any great ideas for content or have any questions, don't hesitate to email me at pa@nyit.edu. I'll definitely enjoy hearing from you. Suzana ~*
 

TIP:  Please hit the Refresh button on your browser to ensure that the latest updates are displayed. 

Acceptance Packet

You will be mailed an acceptance packet from the Office of Admissions. It's very important to follow the instructions outlined in the packet *very carefully* to avoid any obstacles in starting the program. Some important issues:

• Immunization: A very important document in the packet is the NYIT immunization form for MMR (Mumps, Measles and Rubella). Registration will be blocked if this is not on file with the Office of Wellness. IMPORTANT: When visiting your doctor to complete this form, don't forget to also bring the program's own health clearance forms (see below) so you won't end up making two trips.  However, do not mail the program's forms along with the Office of Wellness' immunization form.  The program's forms must be submitted to me during Orientation Day.
• Tuition deposit: In the acceptance packet, you will be asked for a non-refundable tuition deposit of $1000.  This deposit will be due two weeks from the date of your acceptance letter.  (Please disregard the request for a $500 deposit amount, which is only meant for non-PA students).
• If you are "conditionally accepted", remember to send me proof of completion of all requirements so I can change your status to "Full Acceptance" before September!
• Cost Breakdown:  The "Tuition and Fees" document included in your packet is generic for any student entering NYIT and does not reflect the actual cost of the PA program!  When calculating your loan with the Financial Aid department, please use the Cost Breakdown information I posted further down on this page as guide for the tuition cost.  Housing and cost of living are not included in my calculations, as these costs vary greatly from student to student based on their housing situation.
   

Cost Breakdown (Projected) 

This Cost Breakdown was updated from the one created for the class of 2013 (which was approved by my contact at the Bursar).  Please note that the actual scheduling of classes is subject to change for your class.  It's very important to use this breakdown when consulting with Financial Aid, otherwise they will award you with a much lower amount based on what is typical for most non-PA students.   

Financial Aid

Don’t forget to complete your FAFSA application to qualify for Financial Aid!  Here is more information about that: http://www.nyit.edu/financial_aid/types/apply/

After you have completed the FAFSA application and sent in your tuition deposit and Enrollment Reply form, the Financial Aid office will send you a Financial Aid packet.  If you are late in receiving that packet, please contact the Financial Aid office directly.

Financial Aid is a specialized field, subject to regular procedural and regulatory changes that only specialists can keep up with. So, the program advises all students to contact the Financial Aid office directly for any advice regarding financial aid options.
Phone: 516-686-7680
Fax: 516-686-7997
Email: owfinaid@nyit.edu
Website: http://www.nyit.edu/financial_aid/

IMPORTANT: Please ensure that the Financial Aid counselor is aware of the actual number of credits you will be taking for every semester. The information is available on the curriculum grid published on the program website, which is also included in this Cost Breakdown sheet.  If your financial aid officer is not made aware of this, you may not receive enough money!
 

Scholarships

• Scholarships (NYIT and external)
• Navy Program
• Air Force Scholarship

Photo

Please email me a passport-style photo of yourself. It must be a full-frontal headshot taken in good light (party photos are, unfortunately, not a good option). If you don’t already have a headshot, try asking someone to take a photo of you on a camera phone and send the photo directly from the phone to pa@nyit.edu. The photos will be posted in your class gallery and the professors use them to familiarize themselves with the new faces.

Health and Immunization Forms

All students are required to submit the following directly to me on Orientation Day. (IMPORTANT: These are different from the immunization form you will receive from the Office of Admission. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL THESE FORMS TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS!)

• Annual Health Assessment Form. Click here for the form.
• Immunization Documentation. Click here for the form.
• Refusal of Hepatitis Vaccine (if applicable) Click here for the form.
• A copy of your medical insurance card (unexpired). NOTE: For those who are intending to sign up for health insurance provided through NYIT (Aetna), just include a note mentioning this information. You will then be required to submit a copy of your new insurance card by the end of September, 2010.
• A copy of your Basic Life Support card (Please see below)

Basic Cardiac Life Support Training

All incoming students are required to undergo Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS or BLS) Training. Please submit a copy of your BCLS / BLS cards during Orientation Day.  BLS training may be obtained in your own state from the American Heart Association, your local fire/EMT stations, the DeMatteis Center, etc.  A quick search on the internet should bring up several possibilities.  The CPR/AED certification provided the American Red Cross is an acceptable substitute.

Medical Terminology

There will be a Medical Terminology exam on Orientation Day.   Dr Barese is recommending that, if you have never taken a medical terminology course,  to study a Medical Terminology text in preparation for the exam, with particular focus on terminology for Anatomy & Physiology and Pharmacology.  You may study using one of the following texts, but you are welcome to substitute other texts.  The grade from the exam will not be included in your transcript - but it is still an important exam.

Medical Terminology, An Illustrated Guide (6th Edition), by Barbara Jansen Cohen (The latest edition may provide additional technology-based study support, such as online assessment assistance, but the older editions are available at very affordable prices at Amazon.com)

Medical Terminology, Simplified (4th Edition), by Barbara Gylys and Regina Masters (Dr Barese has not viewed earlier editions, therefore his recommendation is based on the 4th edition)

Health Insurance

All students in the PA program must carry health insurance, either on their own, or through NYIT. For health insurance information, please click here. 

Orientation Day

You will be required to attend an Orientation Day one week prior to the start of class. The details are as follows:

Event:   Orientation Day for Incoming PA Students
Date:    August 30, 2011
Time:    8:30am to 4:30pm (Please arrive promptly as the day will begin with a one-hour Medical Terminology Exam)
Venue:  NYCOM I Auditorium (located on the first floor of Rockefeller Building)
Dress code: Please observe the official program dress code, minus the white jacket (click here for more info)

Things to bring:

1. Note book 
2. pen, pencils and eraser for Medical Terminology exam
3. Annual Health Assessment Form   
4. Immunization Documentation 
5. Refusal of Hepatitis Vaccine (if applicable)  
6. A copy of your medical insurance card (unexpired). NOTE: For those who are intending to sign up for health insurance provided through NYIT (Aetna), just include a note mentioning this information. You will then be required to submit a copy of your new insurance card by the end of September, 2011
7. A copy of your Basic Life Support card

 *Riland Center is marked as "F1" on the campus map.   Also, here are directions to NYIT's Old Westbury campus.

Housing

Dormitories are available on a nearby campus of SUNY Old Westbury. Shuttles are provided to and from the dorms. To find out more about on-campus housing, please visit the Office of Housing and Residential Life website.  The office may be contacted at 516.686.1402 and reslife@nyit.edu.

However, being in a professional (and intensive!) program, our students have preferred to move into off-campus housing, frequently sharing apartments with classmates and friends in the program. The Office of Housing maintains a list of apartment vacancies, which is updated intermittently (whenever they receive inquiries from landlords).  Look for the contact person on the website linked above.  

NEW:  Here's a list of rentals I obtained from our Office of Residential Life, although I can't vouch for how many of the listings are still available.  And the same goes for this listing from an adjacent campus.

Most Long Islanders find great success is finding housing through the Long Island page on Craigslist: http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/   The best locations are Glen Cove, Roslyn, Greenvale and Hicksville.  Hicksville is best if you intend to use public transportation as a bus from the Hicksville train station comes directly on campus.  The Hicksville train station also has regular trains to New York City.  When looking at Hicksville locations, inquire regarding accessibility to a bus stop.

A WORD OF CAUTION:  Try not to visit apartments alone, both for safety reasons and for a second opinion.  If a local Long Islander can accompany you, even better (see on this page about contacting your classmates through Facebook).  If a town doesn't sound familiar, ask me or your future classmates.  Choose well-maintained neighborhoods.  If you sense the slightest uneasy 'vibe' about a landlord, trust your instincts and don't rent that apartment! 
 

Dress Code

To view the program's dress code, please click here.

White Coat

A white consultation jacket (also called a lab coat) is an essential part of your wardrobe while you are a student in the program. You may purchase your own preferred design (without any embroidery) at any medical uniform store or online. The campus bookstore also carries a limited number of jackets. It's best to buy two to ensure you're always wearing a neat and clean jacket.

The only specifications are that they must be collared, white, and short (meaning they come down only to your hips, not mid-thigh). On Orientation Day, you will be given two arm patches to attach to your jackets (some opt to attach them using sewn-on velcro, in case they needed to bleach the jacket ). 

The photos below are for indicating the design and length - note that for classes, scrubs are not to be worn unless specifically requested by the professors (for example for the cadaver lab).













 

First Day of Class

The first day of class will be September 7th, 2011 (a Wednesday) 
 
 

Class Schedule

Here is the Fall 2011 class schedule.  IMPORTANT:  Please follow this schedule and not the one on NYITConnect!  
 

Registration

In June 2011, I will contact all fully accepted students about registering. Registration can be done online, all on condition that you have submitted the tuition deposits, transcripts, and the college immunization form.  I will also insist on receiving your photograph before releasing you for registration as, in the past, there was some difficulty in getting students to submit their photos.

Here are the steps to take to get ready to register:

• Submit all documents listed in the acceptance packet you received from the Office of Admissions.  This includes the college immunization (MMR) form.
• Conditionally accepted students must submit proof that all pending requirements are completed before they can register. Submit all such documents to my address.  IF you had submitted them to the Office of Admissions, please follow up with me as I am not notified by the Office of Admissions regarding documents received.
• Once your tuition deposit check is cashed, set up your NYITConnect account and NYIT email address (instructions on how to do this is on this webpage)
• Send me an email from your NYIT email address 
  • On the subject line, write your name (last name, comma, followed by your first name, like this: Smith, Joan).  
  • Attach to that email a clear passport-style headshot
  • In the body of the email, indicate that you wish to register

After confirming that you have fulfilled all obligations, I will send each student a unique list of Course ID Numbers (as they are unique, please don't share them with anyone else in your class).  Instructions will be included on how to register online.

 

Laptop

You are required to have a laptop.  If you do not already own one, please purchase one that meets (or exceeds) the basic specifications listed below. 
Intel® Dual Core™ Processor
2GB RAM
160GB Hard drive
Optical Drive for reading and writing on CD/DVD
Wi-fi capable
USB ports
An extended life battery is highly recommended if you are thinking of using your laptop during class

If you are a Mac user, please install Microsoft Office  (a Mac-compatible edition is available).  You will need it to read and submit classwork. 

Books

Here's the current booklist, as submitted to me by your professors.  TBA means the professor has not responded to my request for information and will probably provide the information on the first day of class.
Please note that the second page is for the 2nd year class!

Email and NYITConnect Username/Password

Once you have sent in your admission paperwork, wait a few days for them to process your reply.  Once your tuition deposit has been cashed, try to set up your NYIT email and your NYITConnect username and password. Just go to the following website: https://register.nyit.edu/reset/ and follow the directions (be careful when typing in the security code – it is case sensitive)

Once set up, you can go to MyNyit portal to view your email and use all the resources available.  Immediately, send me an email from your NYIT email address, with your name listed on the subject line (e.g.   "Smith, Joan" ).  From then on, I will only contact you through your NYIT email address.  Therefore, please make sure to check your inbox regularly.  I will only send registration instructions to your NYIT email address.

After classes have started, you will also be able to access Blackboard to get your lecture notes and grades.  NOTE:  If you're not able to sign up, it may be that they are still processing your paperwork.  Just try again after a few days.  The Helpdesk can be reached at 516.686.1400.

Facebook & Discussion Forum

Every year, a member of the incoming class would create a Facebook page and everyone in the class is invited to join.   It's a great way to connect with your classmates so you will not be strangers on the first day of class.  In the past, local students have also used Facebook to provide useful tips to out-of-state students.  I believe some upperclassmen had also joined to lend assistance and advice. 

This year, thanks to one of your classmates, Noelle Durfee, you have a Facebook page AND a discussion forum.  Neither I nor the faculty will be a friend on this page therefore please don't worry about us seeing the conversation.  The link for the Facebook page is :  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_156466191070251

The link for the PA discussion forum is: http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forums/forum.php .  Once on the site, follow these links to reach your class' page: Pre-PA --> Physician Assistant Schools --> New York: New York Institute of Technology --> Acceptance - Class of 2014 .  You must set up an account to access the page, but it's free to set up.