Physician Assistant Entry Level Masters Program: Course Descriptions

PA Curriculum Course Descriptions: Academic Quarters (Inaugerated fall 2008)

PA 541:  Advanced Anatomy
This lecture and laboratory course provides a regional approach to human anatomy for clinical applications through the linking of anatomical structure to physiology and pathophysiology.  The anatomy of seven body regions is reviewed and anatomical variations are discussed.  Laboratories utilizing prosected cadavers, clinical specimens, radiographs and interactive websites complement lecture material.
Credits: 4.00

PA 542:  Patient Communication
This lecture and seminar course provides instruction in communication skills for the effective exchange of information with patients.  Addressed in the course are patient-provider collaboration, health literacy, and communication techniques for patients across cultural and generational groups, and counseling techniques for patient education, treatment adherence, and health promotion.
Credits: 2.00

PA 543: Ethical Issues in Physician Assistant Practice
This is a lecture and seminar course addressing ethical and professional issues in Physician Assistant practice.  Topics include medical ethics, ethical decision-making, professional responsibility, and commitment to patients’ welfare.  The link between health as a human right and medical ethics is explored.
Credits: 2.00

PA 544:  Clinical Assessment
This course provides the PA student with the knowledge, demeanor, and motor skills required to professionally and proficiently elicit thorough medical histories and perform precise physical examination techniques for each body system.  Accurate, organized recordings of clinical findings from patient encounters in the hospital setting are required.
Credits: 5.00

PA 545:  Physician Assistant Practice
This course introduces the history, education, and professional organizations in the Physician Assistant profession and discusses professional practice issues in the context of leadership and stewardship theories while utilizing PAs as role models.  Completion of a service learning project is required for course completion.
Credits: 2.00

PA 546:  Health Policy for Physician Assistant Practice
This course explores the US health care system and health policy issues related to the costs of health care, inequities in quality and access to care, and current US policies.  The role of Physician Assistants in the health care system is examined along with issues related to malpractice, reimbursement, and quality assurance.
Credits: 2.00

PA 547:  Epidemiology for Practice and Prevention
This lecture and inquiry learning course introduces students to epidemiologic principles, methodologies, and applications for primary care clinical practice.   Course content includes an overview of epidemiologic and research concepts and levels of scientific evidence for development of evidence-based practice skills.
Credits: 3.00

PA 548:  Principles of Medical Science I
This course is the first of three courses which provide the physiologic foundation for clinical courses.  Emphasizing the complex nature of bodily functions, the course reviews normal physiology and provides a bridge to the concepts of pathophysiology that underlie dysfunction and disease.  Clinical applications enhance understanding and introduce the skill of clinical reasoning.
Credits: 2.00

PA 549:  Principles of Medical Science II
This course is the second of three courses which provide the physiologic foundation for clinical courses.  Emphasizing the complex nature of bodily functions, the course reviews normal physiology and provides a bridge to the concepts of pathophysiology that underlie dysfunction and disease.  Clinical applications enhance understanding and introduce the skill of clinical reasoning.
Credits: 2.00

PA 550:  Principles of Medical Science III
This is the last of three courses which provide the physiologic foundation for clinical courses.  Emphasizing the complex nature of bodily functions, the course reviews normal physiology and provides a bridge to the concepts of pathophysiology that underlie dysfunction and disease in geriatrics, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and surgery while refining clinical reasoning skills.
Credits: 2.00

PA 551:  Pharmacology and Therapeutics I
This is the first in a series of three courses to provide PA students with basic knowledge in pharmacology and therapeutics.  Principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical therapeutics are discussed for applications to primary care practice.
Credits: 3.00

PA 552:  Pharmacology and Therapeutics II
The second in a series of three courses, this course provides PA students with basic knowledge in pharmacology and therapeutics.  Principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical therapeutics are discussed for applications to primary care practice.
Credits: 2.00

PA 553:  Pharmacology and Therapeutics III
The third in a series of three courses, this course provides PA students with basic knowledge in pharmacology and therapeutics for specific patient populations.  Principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical therapeutics across the lifespan are discussed for applications to primary care practice.
Credits: 2.00

PA 554:  Biopsychosocial Issues in Patient Care
This course introduces the PA student to the biopsychosocial model of patient care.  Covering topics ranging from normal psychological development and human sexuality across the lifespan to responses to stress, injury, illness, and death, the course also introduces psychiatric disorders common to primary care practice.
Credits: 5.00

PA 556:  Clinical Medicine I
This is the first of two courses designed to prepare the PA student with a body-system, problem-oriented approach to diseases encountered in primary care.  Discussion of the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic studies for common disorders allows the PA student to problem solve through clinical reasoning.
Credits: 5.00

PA 557:  Clinical Medicine II
This is the second of two courses designed to prepare the PA student with a body-system problem-oriented approach to diseases encountered in primary care.  Discussion of the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic studies for common disorders allows the PA student to problem solve through clinical reasoning.
Credits: 5.00

PA 558:  Special Topics in Clinical Medicine
The course prepares the PA student for clinical rotations through lecture and a problem-oriented approach to disorders in geriatrics, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and surgery.
Credits: 5.00

PA 559:  Clinical Skills I
This is the first of three courses designed to prepare the PA student with a problem-oriented, clinical approach to the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of common primary care disorders. 
The course uses clinical reasoning and clinical skills application laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.
Credits: 2.00

PA 560:  Clinical Skills II
This is the second in a series of three courses designed to prepare the PA student with a problem oriented, clinical approach to the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of common primary care disorders.  The course uses clinical reasoning and clinical skills laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.
Credits: 2.00

PA 561:  Clinical Skills III
This is the third in a series of three courses designed to prepare the PA student with a problem oriented, clinical approach to the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of common primary care disorders.  The course uses clinical reasoning and clinical skills laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.
Credits: 4.00

PA 629:  Medicine Rotation
The Medicine Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with adult patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 630:  Pediatrics Rotation
The Pediatrics Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with pediatric patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 631:  Obstetrics and Gynecology Rotation
The Ob-Gyn Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with prenatal and gynecologic patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 632:  Psychiatry/Behavioral Health Rotation
The Psychiatry/Behavioral Health Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with psychiatric/behavioral health patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 633:  Surgery Rotation
The Surgery Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with surgical patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 634:  Emergency Medicine Rotation
The Emergency Medicine Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with patient care experience in an emergency department setting under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic year to patient evaluation, and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.
Credits: 5.00

PA 635:  Primary Care Practicum I
The Primary Care Practicum I is a clinical course that provides the PA student with patient care experience in an ambulatory medicine setting under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner.  Students refine clinical skills learned in preparation for practice and increase knowledge of disease mechanisms and patient management for common primary care disorders.
Credits: 10.00

PA 636:  Graduate Project I
Graduate Project I is a variable credit course, 3-6 quarter credits, intended to prepare the PA student for the development of a project related to the candidate’s research interests.  The Graduate Project I course provides the PA student an opportunity to creatively address a proven deficiency in the realms of clinical medicine such as patient or medical provider educational material.
Credits: 3.00

PA 637:  Primary Care Practicum II
The Primary Care Practicum II is a clinical course in which PA students continue to progress to higher levels of clinical responsibility for patient evaluation and management as clinical skills, medical knowledge, and professional confidence coalesce under the  supervision of licensed medical practitioners.  This course is the final clinical experience in the PA professional training program.
Credits: 10.00

PA 638:  Graduate Project II
Graduate Project II is a supervised independent study course of variable credit, 3-6 quarter credits, in which the PA student further develops, implements, and evaluates the project proposed in the Graduate Project I course.  Continued review and critique of the literature related to the project are required.  The PA student works with an assigned faculty advisor for guidance and feedback.
Credits: 3.00

PA 640:  Clinical Practicum
OPTIONAL:  This elective, five to ten (5-10) quarter credit clinical course provides a forum for a trained PA to acquire knowledge and patient care experience in a clinical specialty.  Through supervised clinical practice and review of current relevant literature, the PA on the clinical practicum will develop foundational clinical skills and knowledge in the subspecialty studied.
Credits: 5.00 to 10.00