Curriculum
All PAS courses require admission to the PA Program as a prerequisite.
Link to class schedules.
Entry Level Curriculum
DIDACTIC PHASE (Year 1)
Fall Semester
BIO 5430* Advanced Human Anatomy 4cr
HLH 5900* Advanced Pathophysiology 3cr
PAS 5240 Clinical Medicine I 3cr
PAS 5100 Patient Evaluation Practicum I 3cr
PAS 5360 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures I 1cr
Total Credits 14Winter Semester
HLH 5300* Pharmacology I 2cr
HLH 5500* Research Methods for Health Care Professionals 3cr
HLH 5700* Health Care Delivery and Policy Issues 3cr
PAS 5250 Clinical Medicine II 3cr
PAS 5200 Patient Evaluation Practicum II 3cr
PAS 5370 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures II 1cr
Total Credits 15Summer Semester
HLH 5320* Health Promotion, Risk Reduction 3cr
HLH 5310* Pharmacology II 2cr
PAS 5260 Clinical Medicine III 3cr
PAS 5300 Patient Evaluation Practicum III 3cr
PAS 5380 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures III 1cr
Total Credits 12
*Taken the first year of the three year track
CLINICAL PHASE (Year 2)
Fall Semester
PAS 5800 Clinical Rotations I 8cr
PAS 5870 PA Seminar I 1cr
Total Credits 9Winter Semester
PAS 5810 Clinical Rotations II 8cr
PAS 5880 PA Seminar II 1cr
Total Credits 9Summer Semester
PAS 5820 Clinical Rotations III 8cr
PAS 5890 PA Seminar III 1cr
Total Credits 9
Grand Total 68 Credit Hours
Physician Assistant Course Descriptions and Requirements
All PAS courses require admission to the PA Program as a prerequisite.
BIO 5430 Advanced Human Anatomy
A lecture and laboratory course covering all of the body systems. The laboratory portion involves dissection of human cadavers.
HLH 5900 Advanced Pathophysiology
This course focuses on the advanced physiology of the altered health and body function and disease processes with the emphasis on clinical application to practice. Students will learn the "how and why" of signs, symptoms and laboratory changes of various physiological conditions and human responses. This knowledge will be applied to the process of developing diagnosis and treatment skills.
HLH 5300 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics I
This course provides the foundation for advanced principles of clinical pharmacokinetics with application to dosage determination. The pharmacokinetics of automatic transmission, adrenergic agonists and blocking agents, cholinergic agonists, muscarinic blocking agents and cardiovascular agents are examined.
HLH 5310 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics II
(Prerequisite BCS 5300)
This course continues the examination of various pharmacotherapeutic agents including anti-infectives, eicosanoids, adrenal steroids, nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory, opioids, antihistamines, and diuretics. Psychotropic agents including antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnosedatives, and anticonvulsants are also addressed.
HLH 5320 Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
Examines theoretical and empirical basis for health promotion and risk reduction. It will prepare the health care professional to provide population-centered, interdisciplinary, prevention-oriented health care. Healthy People 2000/2010 will be used as the framework as well as theories and research from multiple disciplines for application to practice.
HLH 5500 Research Methods in Health Care
Introduces students to the research process relevant to the health care professional. The research process is analyzed with emphasis on techniques to: apply research findings to clinical practice, determine client population needs, evaluate outcomes, and participate in research teams.
HLH 5700 Health Care Delivery and Policy Issues
Examines the theoretical and empirical bases for health care delivery and policy issues in the United States. Health policy decisions are examined in relation to cost, quality, access, ethics, and managed care.
PAS 5100 Patient Evaluation Practicum I
A three-semester course designed to teach the skills required to perform a complete medical evaluation of a patient. Effective communication skills and the art of interviewing. Techniques of the physical examination utilizing a systems anatomic approach. An introduction to traditional medical record keeping, and the construction and writing of organized medical histories and physical examination.
PAS 5200 Patient Evaluation Practicum II
(Prerequisite PAS 5100)
Skill development in obtaining and recording historical and physical exam data from patients. Integration of the knowledge gained in other courses with the medical evaluation of patients.
PAS 5240 Clinical Medicine I
Intensive study of human disease from the perspectives of epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations and course, diagnostic tests, treatment and prognosis. The series of clinical medicine (5240, 5250, 5260) incorporates the health promotion/disease prevention model. All the major areas of medicine are studied over the course of one year. This study emphasizes the differential diagnoses and diagnostic problem solving.
PAS 5250 Clinical Medicine II
(Prerequisite PAS 5240)
Continued study of selected topics in medicine.
PAS 5260 Clinical Medicine III
(Prerequisite PAS 5250)
Continued study of selected topics in medicine.
PAS 5300 Patient Evaluation Practicum III
(Prerequisite PAS 5200)
A continuation of PAS 520 and PAS 520. Continued refinement of skills in history-taking and physical examination. Patient management through formulation of problem lists, differential diagnoses and management plans. Oral presentations of patient cases which focus on the pathophysicologic mechanisms involved.
PAS 5360 Diagnostic and Therapeutic
Procedures I
Skills and understanding necessary to perform selected diagnostic (both laboratory and invasive) and therapeutic procedures. Clinical implications of findings.
PAS 5370 Diagnostic and Therapeutic
Procedures II (Prerequisite PAS 5360)
Continuation of PAS 5360.
PAS 5380 Diagnostic and Therapeutic
Procedures III (Prerequisite PAS 5370)
Continuation of PAS 5360 and 5370.
PAS 5800 Clinical Rotation I*
This series of externships provides the student with comprehensive clinical training in the major areas of primary medical care. It allows integration of learning in didactic and research components with direct patient care.
PAS 5810 Clinical Rotation II*
(Prerequisite PAS 5800)
Continuation of PAS 5800.
PAS 5820 Clinical Rotation III*
(Prerequisite PAS 5810) Continuation of PAS 5800 and 5810.
The clinical year will end with an eight-week preceptorship which has a primary care focus i.e. outpatient family practice or internal medicine or pediatrics or hospital-based internal medicine.
*During this 12-month period the student will rotate through 8 major clinical rotations including:
Hospital based Internal Medicine (6 weeks)
General Surgery (6 weeks)
Pediatrics - may be outpatient and/or hospital based (4 weeks)
Prenatal Care/Gynecology - may be outpatient and/or hospital based (4 weeks)
Psychiatry/Chemical Dependency (4 weeks)
Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
Outpatient based Family Practice (6 weeks)
Longterm Care (2 weeks)
Elective rotation: total of 3 weeks in an area the student would like to have a concentrated exposure
PAS 5870 PA Seminar I
An opportunity to further define, expand and acquire skills necessary for the practice of medicine as a primary care physician assistant. Students completing this capstone course will define their multi-dimensional role in health care and take part in professional role development.
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