College of Health Professions Grads Earn Exemplary Pass Rates on Licensure Exams
Faculty, staff and students are gratified to see exam results surpass national average
Sacred Heart University’s College of Health Professions (CHP) class of 2021 delivered outstanding results on the national licensure exams for their chosen careers. The exams are standardized tests designed for graduates of each program, and candidates must pass to proceed in their professions
Maura Iversen, the CHP’s dean, was pleased to learn of the students’ success. “I am so proud of the graduates and faculty from all of our programs that prepare students for clinical licensure in various health professions. This year, we met or exceeded national average pass rates for every program. In the exams for athletic training licensure, our students’ first-time pass rate was 100% when the national average for first-time passes was 77%. That is a testament to the high quality of our new master’s in athletic training program.”
The licensure exam pass rates were 100% for physical therapy (PT), 100% for athletic training, 99% for occupational therapy, 97% for speech-language pathology and 90% for physician assistant (PA).
“Our curriculum is designed to create competent, entry-level clinicians who are not only very successful on the national licensure exam, but are also recognized by their patients, peers and employers for their strong knowledge base, skill sets and professionalism,” noted Christopher Petrosino, PT department chair. “The PT faculty and staff are always excited to see the results coming in from the national licensure exam. Our students’ very high pass rate is only one indication of how well our students succeed. We love hearing about our graduates’ accomplishments in the clinics and in the profession.”
Reynold Jaglal, PA program director and clinical assistant professor, said, “The PA program is proud of the accomplishments of the class of 2021. They persevered and excelled during their clinical rotations despite COVID and achieved national board certification. They can now become licensed in the state in which they work and contribute to the health care system.”