PAEA CASPA Policy Regarding Investigations and Violations
PAEA is committed to ensuring the integrity and validity of the information submitted in the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and the processes leading up to and including enrollment in a PA program. PAEA is committed to holding individuals using CASPA to the highest standards of ethical conduct in relation to these processes. The PAEA CASPA Policy Regarding Investigations and Violations applies to the investigation of potential violations of the terms, conditions, and policies that apply to the use of CASPA occurring at any time during the processes leading up to enrollment in a PA program and the fee waiver application process.
PAEA requires applicants to present accurate and current information at the time application materials are submitted in CASPA and during all phases of the admission process for entry into a PA program. It is the policy of PAEA to investigate discrepancies in information submitted in CASPA, attempts to subvert the admission process, potential fraud, and any other irregular matters which occur in connection with the use of CASPA and the processes leading up to and including enrollment in a PA program and the fee waiver application process.
Reports of Potential Violations and Initiation of Investigations
PAEA may, in its sole discretion, initiate an investigation when it becomes aware of discrepancies in information submitted in CASPA or receives any information indicating that an individual may have potentially committed fraud in the process of seeking admission to a CASPA-participating PA program or potentially violated any of the terms, conditions, or policies that apply to the use of CASPA. CASPA utilizes systems that detect potential discrepancies in information submitted by applicants and receives notification of potential violations from CASPA stakeholders, including but not limited to representatives of CASPA-participating PA programs.
If a PA program has reason to believe that an applicant may have potentially committed fraud in the process of seeking admission to any CASPA-participating PA program or potentially violated any of the terms, conditions, or policies that apply to the use of CASPA, a designated representative of the program should promptly send a written report that includes all of the details of the potential violation to PAEA via email at CASPAInvestigations@PAEAonline.org. When submitting the report of any potential violation, PA programs must include all relevant facts, dates, events, information, and documentation that relate to the potential violation. PA programs must report any potential violation to PAEA in writing as required in this policy as soon as it becomes aware of it.
PAEA reserves the right in its sole discretion not to initiate an investigation for a potential violation for any reason, including but not limited to, timeliness of the report or uncertainty around the motive of the allegation.
Investigation of Potential Violations
Once an investigation is initiated, PAEA reviews the potential violation and determines in its sole discretion whether it is more likely than not that a violation has occurred, based on information submitted by the subject of the investigation in their application; PAEA current and historical records; information provided by external parties; the terms, conditions, and policies that govern the use of CASPA; and any other available relevant information.
Communication with the Subject of an Investigation
Once PAEA determines that it is more likely than not that a violation has occurred, PAEA will contact the subject of an investigation (“Notice of Investigation”) via the email included on their CASPA application in order to:
- Notify the subject that an investigation has been initiated
- Provide the subject with a summary of the matter being investigated
- Inform the subject of the terms, conditions, policies, and procedures related to the investigation
- Provide the subject with an opportunity to respond to the allegation
The subject of the investigation will have 10 days from transmission of the notice to respond. If they do not respond, the notice will be sent via email and express shipping service to the address on their CASPA application.
Based upon the subject’s response, or failure to respond, PAEA will either develop a Draft Report of Investigation, as denoted below, or terminate the investigation in the event that the subject is able to provide evidence that no violation has occurred or that the evidence is inconclusive. If PAEA proceeds with the development of a draft report, this report will be sent to the subject in order to provide the subject with an opportunity to advise PAEA of any purported inaccuracies contained in the draft report within 10 days of transmission of the emailed report. If the subject identifies purported inaccuracies in the draft report, PAEA will make corrections in its discretion as it believes are indicated by the evidence and facts.
PAEA may also decide to simply include the subject’s objections to the report in the final version of the report if PAEA and the subject are unable to resolve their differences regarding the content of the report. If the subject does not advise PAEA of any inaccuracies in the draft report within the prescribed time period, PAEA will modify the report to indicate that the subject did not raise any objections to the report after being given an opportunity to do so.
PAEA will then finalize the report (“Final Report of Investigation”) in order to provide it to Legitimately Interested Parties. PAEA has the ultimate sole discretion to determine the findings of fact and content included in a report in its form.
FINAL REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
PAEA prepares and issues a report documenting the factual findings of the investigation and may include information provided by the subject of the investigation in accordance with the procedures outlined above. With the issuance of a report, PAEA does not assess the suitability of an individual to study or practice as a PA. Rather, PAEA strives to communicate complete and accurate information to Legitimately Interested Parties to inform their decision-making on the disposition of the application. Evaluation of the accuracy of the information in the report is the responsibility of the recipient of the report.
An applicant to whom PAEA issues a final report must disclose this investigation report to PA programs to which they apply in subsequent application cycles. Specifically, applicants must respond in the affirmative to the following question in CASPA:
“Have you previously been issued a final Report of CASPA Investigation by PAEA for a violation of the CASPA Application User Agreement and Release?”
Applicants must also confirm the application year for which the report was issued. In addition to the issuance of a report, PAEA reserves the right to take all other lawful action warranted under the circumstances in relation to the subject of an investigation, in PAEA’s sole discretion, if PAEA determines that the subject violated the terms, conditions, and policies that govern the use of CASPA, or any applicable law or regulation.
While several software applications claim to detect the use of generative AI, we urge our members to exercise caution when relying on such tools. The most current research indicates that these applications have a high false-positive rate, meaning that they may incorrectly flag genuine human-written text as having been created by AI. Consequently, relying on these tools as the sole basis for identifying AI-generated content could lead to unfair and inaccurate judgments about applicants’ submissions. Given the significant risk presented by current AI detection software as of the date this policy is being issued, PAEA will not initiate a CASPA investigation where the sole basis for the investigation request is that an AI detection tool tagged a personal statement or evaluation submitted in CASPA.
LEGITIMATELY INTERESTED PARTIES
Legitimately Interested Parties include all PA programs to which an individual has applied or matriculated during the current cycle and PA programs to which the individual applies or matriculates in the future, as well as duly constituted licensure and regulatory agencies and health professions educational institutions that make an official request to PAEA for a report.
If, at the time of the investigation, the individual is enrolled in a CASPA-participating PA program, the report in final form will be forwarded to the current institution of attendance and will be distributed in response to any future application or matriculation activity. The report in final form will also be issued in response to an application or matriculation at such Legitimately Interested Parties of which PAEA has knowledge.
Reports may contain information relevant to academic or disciplinary proceedings, criminal investigations, and decisions relevant to entry into PA programs and professional licensure.