Mstr of Physician Assoc Studies (MPAS)

This intense, eight-week advanced course in the study of the human body involving cadaver dissection. A regional-based approach emphasizing the relationships of anatomical structures will be used. Students will apply knowledge of anatomy to clinical practice. Some discussion of embryonic development and how it relates to adult anatomy will occur. Also, students will be introduced to cross-sectional anatomy and radiology as it pertains to medical imaging. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: Admission to Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program or permission of instructor.

This course will cover, at an advanced level, the fundamental principles of physiology. The course will cover cell physiology, neurophysiology, musculoskeletal system physiology, renal physiology, respiratory physiology, gastrointestinal physiology, endocrinology, and reproductive physiology.

This course will examine the underlying biochemical, cellular, and physiological changes which occur in human disease. Emphasis will be placed on the most common conditions. This course integrates general pathology and laboratory medicine to prepare the student for the clinical medicine course.

This course will provide the student with an overview of commonly ordered laboratory tests, accurate application of the tests, and interpretation of the data. Proper laboratory technique for selected tests will also be covered along with quality control measures. Additionally, evaluation and correlation of laboratory data used in the diagnosis and treatment of common infectious disease states will be covered.

This course will introduce the students to the physician assistant profession. Students will gain an understanding of professionalism and the role of the physician assistant. In addition, students will also learn the history of the profession, the profession's organizations, the credentialing and certification process, as well as an introduction to the health care system.

This course is designed to provide students the skills necessary to become proficient in communication - including verbal communication, non-verbal communication, and medical writing skills. Communication is a core component in the practice of medicine. Good communication between patient and provider improves patient outcomes. To effectively build communication skills, the course will address the basic fundamentals and integrate these skills into the clinical curriculum.

This course is designed to allow students to build upon the knowledge and skills obtained in Communication in Medicine I and develop the skills to higher levels. Students will continue to improve their competency in the areas of verbal communication, non-verbal communication, and medical writing skills. The skills learned in this course will be integrated into the clinical curriculum, thereby allowing students to become more familiar with medical communication.

The course will provide the physician assistant student an overview of the major types of healthcare systems along with clinical management practices. Coding and reimbursement will be reviewed as well as quality assurance and risk management. Access to care, socioeconomics, and legal issues will be covered.

The Medicine I course is designed to introduce students to the process of clinical decision making by utilizing critical reasoning skills to diagnose and treat illness and disease. This course will focus on the most commonly diagnosed medical problems. Lectures by PA faculty will comprise the majority of the course. However, there will be Problem Based Learning sessions in small group format for two hours each week. Strategies for disease prevention and promotion throughout the lifespan will also be emphasized. This course will lay the foundation for Medicine II which is offered in the Summer Semester.

This course is designed to build upon material presented in the Medicine I course and prepare students for the clinical phase of their education. The course will lay the foundation for life-long process of self-education in medicine. The course focuses on etiology, pathology, clinical course and manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, patient education, epidemiology, and preventive aspects of diseases and disorders encountered in the practice of medicine. The course will follow a systems-based approach. In addition, a section will cover EKG interpretation.

This course will provide students basic and applied pharmacotherapeutic knowledge to prepare for appropriate medication use in practice. Introductory topics will be followed with a series of organ system or disease focused topics. Application of basic principles through appropriate medication selection and use will be covered for the latter. The judicious use of drugs in physician assistant practice will be emphasized. This course will be continued in Pharmacotherapy II.

Builds upon material presented in Pharmacotherapy I course and continues the focus on Pharmacotherapeutic practice. This course will provide students basic and applied pharmacotherapeutic knowledge to prepare for appropriate medication use in practice. This will be a continuation of organ system and disease focused topics. Application of basic principles through appropriate medication selection and use will be covered. The judicious use of drugs in physician assistant practice will be emphasized. Commonly prescribed drugs will be examined with the focus on appropriate drug selection based on individual patients, common adverse reactions, and drug interactions. The cost and efficacy of drugs will be studied. Prescribing for special patient populations will be addressed with each topic to include pregnancy, lactation, pediatrics, and geriatrics.

Instruction in the fundamental clinical skills necessary for patient care. Primary focus is on learning to perform a complete physical examination. In addition, the student will learn critical reasoning skills necessary to integrate pertinent physical exam findings with differential diagnoses.

This course is a continuation of Clinical Skills I and the student is introduced to more complex technical skills to include suturing, casting, splinting, IVs/injections, gowning, gloving, and a general orientation to the operating room. Students will learn proper sterile technique. Students are given an introduction to common minor procedures. In addition, Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support, and Pediatric Life Support classes will be part of this course so as to certify the student prior to clinical rotations.

This course covers topics relevant to evidence-based practice and to the research process. Information is presented to further enhance the student's understanding of the scientific method, evidence-based practice principles, and peer-reviewed research. This course will focus on research design and the appropriate use and interpretation of statistical analysis related to clinical research. Students will apply this knowledge to examples from medicinal literature in order to become good consumers of research, fostering critical evaluation of theories and techniques used in clinical practice.

Students will complete a scholarly project under the supervision of PA faculty. Utilizing databases, students will review medical literature, interpret, and critically evaluate the literature and its application to patient care in order to promote evidence-based clinical practice.

Focus on neurobiological, emotional, social, and cultural influences and their effect on health and illness in the practice of primary care medicine. Human development across the lifespan will be presented as well as end-of-life issues. Normative and maladaptive responses to developmental tasks and life stressors in relation to physical and emotional health will be emphasized. Health disparities will be emphasized. In addition, preventative health care and patient counseling will be presented.

This course is designed to introduce PA students to the main concepts and practices in medical ethics. Three areas of medical ethics are examined: professional ethics, clinical ethics, and ethics in relation to selected areas of medical law. Additionally, students will be introduced to a structured approach for identifying, analyzing, and resolving ethical issues in clinical medicine. The interaction of medical law and medical ethics will be examined particularly in relation to patient rights and protections in clinical practice, medical practice acts, professional liability, and medical malpractice.

This course will incorporate information learned in the didactic portion of the curriculum with skills training during an intensive clinical preparatory period prior to the start of clinical rotations. This will include BLS, ACLS and PALS training. The course will focus on the skills needed to be proficient in a clinical setting. Students will participate in a number of activities including multiple mock clinical encounters. The student will be required to review and critique these encounters with feedback from faculty.

First four week sequence in the clinical rotation for the term. Course will be repeated four times.

Second four week sequence in the clinical rotation for the term. Course will be repeated four times.

Third four week sequence in the clinical rotation for the term. Course will be repeated four times.

Fourth four week sequence in the clinical rotation for the term. Course will be repeated four times.

Fifth four week sequence in the clinical rotation for the term. Course will be repeated four times.

Clinical clerkships involve the student being introduced to clinical medicine under the supervision of a board certified physician. Experiences will include outpatient management, inpatient management, emergency management, surgical procedures, obstetrics, and psychiatry. Clerkships will utilize a variety of settings to expose the student to differences in practice styles and healthcare delivery. Sites will include outpatient clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, rural clinics, and emergency rooms. Experience gained through the clerkships, as well as continued self-study will prepare the student for their comprehensive examination and the national certifying examination. Prerequisites: Successful completion of the didactic phase of the PA program.

Clinical clerkships involve the student being introduced to clinical medicine under the supervision of a board certified physician. Experiences will include outpatient management, inpatient management, emergency management, surgical procedures, obstetrics, and psychiatry. Clerkships will utilize a variety of settings to expose the student to differences in practice styles and healthcare delivery. Sites will include outpatient clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, rural clinics, and emergency rooms. Experience gained through the clerkships, as well as continued self-study will prepare the student for their comprehensive examination and the national certifying examination. Prerequisites: Successful completion of the didactic phase of the PA program.

Explore in greater depth an interesting aspect of health care. Course offered individually or in small groups. Topics determined by faculty mentors and students.

The end of rotation (EOR) blocks are comprised of three, one week blocks, that occur during the clinical phase of the program. Over the course of the three blocks, the student will master writing patient progress notes (SOAP note, History & Physical note, and pre-operative note) and demonstrate proficiency in technical skills, simulated patient exams and medical knowledge.

The summative evaluation course contains the MPAS program's competency assessments and PANCE preparation for soon to be graduates. All program competencies must be completed and passed in order to progress to graduation.

Family Medicine I is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides hands-on patient care for patients across the lifespan that emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Family Medicine 2 is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides hands-on patient care for patients across the lifespan that emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Internal Medicine is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides hands-on patient care for adult and elderly patients that emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Pediatrics is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides hands-on patient care for infant, child, and adolescent patients that emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Surgery is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides supervised, patient care across the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative continuum. Students perform focused and comprehensive surgical histories and physical examinations, diagnostic workup, assessment and treatment plans for patients. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Women's Health is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course emphasizes gynecological and prenatal history taking, physical examination, screening techniques, diagnostic procedures, assessments, and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Behavioral Medicine is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course emphasizes history taking, physical examination, diagnostic workup, and management of patients seeking behavioral and mental health care. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Emergency Medicine is a clinical practice experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical preceptor. This required course provides hands-on patient care for acute, urgent and emergent conditions in the emergency department that emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.

Elective is one of four supervised clinical practice experiences across a variety of disciplines under the supervision of qualified clinical preceptors. This elective course emphasizes appropriate history taking, physical examination, diagnostic work-up, assessment of diagnostics, develop differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans. This course provides a variety of learning opportunities to enhance the student's clinical skills, technical skills, professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, interpersonal skills, and medical knowledge.