Curriculum and Academics

This course provides a comprehensive study of human gross anatomy. A regional approach is used to study organ systems, extremities, and trunk. The clinical significance of topographical and radiological anatomical features is emphasized. Lectures are complemented by laboratory study of anatomic models, simulated and dissection, surface anatomy, and critical thinking issues. Laboratory sessions will utilize dissection software to reinforce topics presented in lecture, with limited gross dissection.

This course will provide the students with a detailed overview of medical physiology. Students will attain knowledge of the normal functions of the human body that is essential for clinical medicine. Emphasis is placed on homeostasis and the integration among organ systems. Pathophysiology alterations in body function that occur with disease states are also discussed. Specific topics covered in the course include cellular structure, homeostasis, signal transduction mechanisms, neurophysiology and the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and circulation and the respiratory systems.

This course is designed to provide physician assistant students with the fundamental grounding and cognitive knowledge to prepare them for their professional clinical role. This course will provide students with skills for interviewing, patient communication skills, and general physical examination procedures necessary to conduct age-appropriate and thorough medical interviews and comprehensive physical examinations on culturally diverse populations.

This course is designed to introduce students to the professional issues of the physician assistant profession. Modules of content in this course include the historical development of the profession and its organizations, the PA role and scope of practice, the PA relationship with physicians and other health care providers, and the patient-centered care team approach will be covered. A module on the business of healthcare to include documentation, coding, billing and patient safety, quality improvement and risk management is included. Additionally, professionalism, integrity and provider well-being will be covered.

This course is designed to provide Physician Assistant students with fundamental principles and cognitive knowledge in Medical Pathology and Genetics in preparation for their professional careers as clinicians. The course provides an understanding of the essential nature of a broad representation of human diseases, with a focus on the structural and functional changes in cells, tissues, and organs caused by each disease, as well as the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying these diseases.

This is the first course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach the essentials of medicine. PA students learn an organ-system and problem-oriented approach to understanding the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, manifestations, laboratory and diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases encountered in general practice. They will continue to develop and refine culturally appropriate patient communication, medical history taking, and physical exam skills. Health care providers will discuss specific focused physical examinations of each organ system. For each disease or problem, related health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education topics will be presented. Competency with various medical instruments and procedures will be taught. The specific specialty areas and organ system covered in the sequence include ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, dermatology, pulmonology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, rheumatology, endocrinology, nephrology, hematology, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry and urology.

This course introduces the students to clinical laboratory diagnostic tests. The basic theory, selection, and interpretation of procedures most commonly used in a primary care setting are studied. Students study techniques used to obtain, preserve, and handle laboratory specimens as well as use clinical laboratory results to screen, diagnose, evaluate, and monitor patients. Students are familiarized with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and their implications for laboratory medicine.

This course is designed to present instruction on the use and interpretation of basic radiologic studies and electrocardiograms in patient assessment. Indications, contraindications, patient preparation and interpretation of results will be included. Plain film studies of the musculoskeletal system, chest and abdomen will be presented. Rhythm strips and 12 lead EKG’s will also be covered. 

This course is designed to provide instruction in the social and behavioral components of patient care. Topics will include development across the lifespan, sexuality, loss, dying and death, cultural diversity, response to illness, injury and stress and identification and prevention of violence.

This is the first course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics for common medical problems seen in clinical practice. Instruction in counseling patients toward compliance, drug interactions, appropriate patient monitoring during therapy and prescription writing will also be covered. Pharmacologic management of dermatological, HEENT, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, psychiatric, endocrine, renal, genitourinary, male reproductive, female reproductive, infectious diseases, palliative care and opioid agents will be covered.

This course is designed to cover health maintenance, preventive medicine, and patient education. The focus is on maintenance of health rather than treatment of disease. Topics will include nutrition, exercise and weight management, smoking cessation, appropriate screening and immunization schedules, injury prevention, behavior modification and treatment adherence.

This course provides students with an overview of the basic concepts of public health and preventative medicine. Public health concepts include distribution, prevalence, causation, mode of transmission, dissemination, control, and preventative countermeasures of infectious and non-communicable diseases, as well as environmental, occupational, behavioral, and chronic conditions. PA students will be introduced to research methodologies related to the study of disease and investigate epidemiological trends across a variety of cultures. Attention will be paid to professional responsibility, confidentiality, informed patient consent, and issues of patient welfare.

This course provides an introduction to women’s health issues, including the diagnosis, management, and treatment of common acute and chronic medical problems commonly encountered in reproductive health care and gynecology.

This is the second course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach the essentials of medicine. PA students learn an organ-system and problem-oriented approach to understanding the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, manifestations, laboratory and diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases encountered in general practice. They will continue to develop and refine culturally appropriate patient communication, medical history taking, and physical exam skills. Health care providers will discuss specific focused physical examinations of each organ system. For each disease or problem, related health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education topics will be presented. Competency with various medical instruments and procedures will be taught. The specific specialty areas and organ system covered in the sequence include ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, dermatology, pulmonology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, rheumatology, endocrinology, nephrology, hematology, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry and urology.

This is the second course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics for common medical problems seen in clinical practice. Instruction in counseling patients toward compliance, drug interactions, appropriate patient monitoring during therapy and prescription writing will also be covered. Pharmacologic management of dermatological, HEENT, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, cardiovascular,
gastrointestinal, psychiatric, endocrine, renal, genitourinary, male reproductive, female reproductive, infectious diseases, palliative care and opioid agents will be covered.

This course provides an organ-system and problem-oriented approach to understanding the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, manifestations, laboratory and diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and treatment of specific cardiology diseases encountered in general practice. Students continue to develop and refine culturally appropriate patient communication, medical history taking, and physical exam skills in cardiology. For each cardiac-related problem, related health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education topics are presented.

This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of pediatric medicine, covering the age span from neonate through adolescence. Topics covered include normal growth and development, preventive care and anticipatory guidance, common pediatric illnesses and disorders and their diagnosis and management, and less common but important disorders that are peculiar to the pediatric population.

This course focuses on the specialty of emergency medicine including an understanding of pre-hospital care/emergency medicine system (EMS), and the interplay between 911 responders, the hospital emergency department, inpatient hospital services, and community medical providers in the primary care setting, as well as appropriate interaction with other medical providers in a variety of disciplines, including administrative. Emphasis is placed on the special skills and attitudes necessary and required to perform well in the emergency medical setting. Students take the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course as well as the Pediatric Life Support (PALS) course.

This is the third course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics for common medical problems seen in clinical practice. Instruction in counseling patients toward compliance, drug interactions, appropriate patient monitoring during therapy and prescription writing will also be covered. Pharmacologic management of dermatological, HEENT, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, psychiatric, endocrine, renal, genitourinary, male reproductive, female reproductive, infectious diseases, palliative care and opioid agents will be covered.

This is the third course in a sequence of three courses designed to teach the essentials of medicine. PA students learn an organ-system and problem-oriented approach to understanding the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, manifestations, laboratory and diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases encountered in general practice. They will continue to develop and refine culturally appropriate patient communication, medical history taking, and physical exam skills. Health care providers will discuss specific focused physical examinations of each organ system. For each disease or problem, related health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education topics will be presented. Competency with various medical instruments and procedures will be taught. The specific specialty areas and organ system covered in the sequence include ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, dermatology, pulmonology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, rheumatology, endocrinology, nephrology, hematology, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry and urology.

This course consists of an in-depth study of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neurological development along with a review of the neurological examination. In addition, a comprehensive study of diseases of the neurological system with emphasis on etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, laboratory and diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and treatment of common diseases is included. Small-group patient cases in various formats will be woven into lecture to reinforce medical knowledge and patient assessment skills. Instruction in rehabilitative medicine will also be covered.

This course will prepare the students to search, interpret, and evaluate the medical literature in order to maintain a critical, current, and operational knowledge of new medical findings and provide a basis for future evidence-based clinical work. Topics will include research methodologies, inquiry, reliability, validity, and statistics. The PA students will study scientific writing, hypotheses, proposals, informed consent, and human volunteer and animal rights oversight committees. 

This course is designed to provide the physician assistant students with an understanding of the medical problems of the elderly including the biological and psychological changes commonly associated with aging. The overall goal of this geriatric course is to provide all students with a foundation for competent, compassionate care of the older adult. This foundation includes attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed by those giving care to older people. In addition, this course focuses on developing an understanding of age-related disease, an increased incidence of undesirable drug interactions, multi-system organ failure, and limitations in mobility, communication, and other impairments. End of life issues and palliative care will be addressed.

This course is designed to provide the students with an introduction and an overview to the discipline of surgery. The management of acute surgical problems, critical illness, solid organ malignancies, and elective surgical procedures will be discussed, as well as the pre- and post-operative care of surgical patients. Laboratory sessions will teach technical skills such as sterile technique, basic suturing, universal precautions, and minor surgical procedures.

This course provides the future Physician Assistant a foundation to use as a reference to federal and state laws that impact PA practice. This course will review prescriptive authority, medical ethics, quality assurance and risk management in medical practice, as well as other legal issues of health care.

This course provides a foundation in medical research and design for health care providers. The students will review how to search, interpret, and evaluate the medical literature, then focus on a step-by-step approach to the development and implementation of medical research. Students will gain an understanding of the principles of research as they apply it to the practical, educational, and societal aspects of the Physician Assistant profession.

This course provides a summative evaluation of the didactic year. It will focus on evaluating history taking and physical examination performance skills, as well as communication and clinical reasoning ability, the ability to summarize and document clinical encounter findings, and demonstration of psychomotor clinical and cognitive critical thinking skills. The summative evaluation will include a variety of assessment tools including multiple choice question examinations, the PACKRAT examination, comprehensive oral case presentations, standardized patient encounters, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and clinical procedure performance skill laboratories. Students will be individually evaluated by core and adjunct faculty members.

This rotation will allow the PA student to demonstrate knowledge and core competencies in the discipline of internal medicine. The student will demonstrate knowledge and core competencies related to internal medicine pertaining to the diagnoses, pathophysiology, risk factors, laboratory interpretation, procedures, and therapeutic strategies used in patient evaluation and treatment. During this rotation the student is expected to recognize the signs and symptoms of a variety of medical illness and become familiar with treatment plans appropriate to internal medicine. This rotation will offer clinical experience in an inpatient and/or outpatient setting providing medical care for mainly the adult and geriatric population. Testing, and evaluation for this rotation will be based on the knowledge, skills and abilities related to internal medicine.

This rotation will provide the PA student with the opportunity to learn surgical principles, surgical pathology, and relevant laboratory studies as seen in surgical settings, as well as indications, limitations, and methodology of surgical procedures and therapeutic strategies used in surgery today. During this rotation the student will recognize the signs and symptoms of a variety of surgical conditions and become familiar with treatment plans appropriate to surgery. This rotation will teach the student to respect and appreciate the contributions of other health care professionals in the overall delivery of health care and the importance of a team approach. This rotation will provide the student with access to patients in the inpatient setting and may also include evaluating patients in the outpatient setting. Testing and evaluation for this rotation will be based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to surgery.

This rotation will allow the PA student to demonstrate knowledge and core competencies in the discipline of family medicine. The student will demonstrate knowledge and core competencies related to comprehensive and continuing health care to a culturally diverse patient population and regardless of the nature or presentation of the problems encountered. The student is expected to apply their clinical knowledge and skills to a wide and diverse range of patient problems and presentations. These will incorporate medical, psychosocial and preventive aspects. The student should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment modalities of those illnesses most commonly seen in a family practice setting. This rotation will offer clinical experience in ambulatory practice and or inpatient and long term facilities focusing of the knowledge, skills and abilities related to providing medical care for the life span of patients. Testing, and evaluation for this rotation will be based on the knowledge, skills and abilities related to family medicine.

This clinical rotation will provide the PA student with exposure to the diagnosis and treatment of patients of all ages presenting to the emergency or urgent care center with a wide variety of emergent health care problems. Emphasis is placed on developing skills in recognizing signs and symptoms of common emergencies, taking appropriate action to sustain life, collecting relevant data, and providing accurate assessment and management of a variety of acute and life threatening medical, surgical and psychiatric illnesses and injuries. The PA student will learn the indications, limitations, and the evidence-based methodology of emergency medicine procedures and therapeutic strategies. Students will demonstrate knowledge and competencies appropriate to clinical problems encountered and procedures common to the emergency room setting.

This rotation will provide the PA student with the opportunity to learn the basic and practical information in gynecology and women’s health. Students will make use of the evidence-based paradigm tailoring it to the indications, limitations, and methodology as related to gynecology, and procedures and therapeutic strategies utilized in women’s healthcare settings. During this rotation the student is expected to recognize the signs and symptoms of a variety of medical conditions and become familiar with treatment plans appropriate to women’s health, including gynecology and reproductive care. This rotation will offer clinical experience in inpatient and/or outpatient facilities providing medical care for female patients.

This clinical rotation will provide the PA student with exposure to the care of the pediatric patient from neonates to late adolescents. The student is expected to demonstrate knowledge of the indications, limitations, and methodology of pediatric procedure and therapeutic strategies. An emphasis is given to developing a comprehensive database and a systematic evidence-based approach to common pediatric problems and those of adolescents. The student is expected to recognize signs and symptoms of a variety of pediatric disorders. In addition, the student will demonstrate the appropriate evaluation of normal child development, well-child care, current immunization updates and ongoing patient education and health promotion.

The rotation will provide the student with an understanding of the variety of emotional and psychiatric states along with basic psychopathology and pharmacotherapeutics. In this rotation the students will augment and strengthen their deductive reasoning and clinical decision making skills by developing a systematic, evidence-based approach to common behavioral medicine problems. These problems are those most likely to be seen in primary and inpatient settings. This clinical learning rotation will enable the student to develop skills to make a mental health assessment. Emphasis will be placed on developing clinical and communication skills, further strengthening students ability to gain insight into the psychosocial aspects of comprehensive patient care.

The elective clinical rotation can be conducted in any of the core clinical learning rotations or available specialty rotations currently utilized within the Physician Assistant Program. Other elective rotations may be developed by the clinical coordinator or upon request as approved by the Director of Clinical Education. In the elective, the student will demonstrate knowledge and core competencies related to that specialty pertaining to the diagnoses, pathophysiology, risk factors, laboratory interpretation, procedures, and therapeutic strategies used. Testing and evaluation for the elective rotation will be based on the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the specialty.

This course is intended to assure that students have met defined program objectives for the knowledge, skills, and attitudes suitable for clinical practice. It will include a multi-system approach to assess physical examination and history taking skills, communication skills and the ability to summarize and document findings, make a differential diagnosis and treatment plan. This course will include standardized patient encounters with problem based Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and/or Objective Structured Long Examination Records (OSLERs), a comprehensive oral case presentation to a faculty member, completion of a comprehensive multi-choice examination along with other evaluation tools.

The Capstone Research Project requires the PA student to apply knowledge and skills acquired in the structured competency-based PA curriculum to a specific research or practical clinical experience oriented project. The specific skills developed through this process include the ability to critically evaluation the relevant medical literature, comprehend the research process, and enhance the awareness of potential research questions related to general clinical practice. Each PA student is required to present his/her approved Capstone Research Project to a panel that includes at least two health science faculty members and an outside professional with expertise related to the project. PA students are expected to develop their Capstone Research Project in a format suitable for publication.