PAMS- Physician Assistant

This course is an overview of the major healthcare systems and medical industry in the United States to include the physician assistant (PA) profession and the role of PAs in the health care field. This course includes instruction in the PA profession, historical development, and current trends.  Students will receive instruction in PA professional issues, physician-PA team relationships, political issues that affect PA practice, and PA professional organization.  This course includes many aspects of being a successful student as well as practitioner.  Students will be taught a variety of study skills along with receiving instruction on intellectual honesty and appropriate academic and professional conduct.  Students will be taught how to use common medical databases to access medical literature.  Students will receive instruction in quality health care with special consideration of the impact of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities on health care delivery.  Students will receive instruction in the different health beliefs, values and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance, and health outcomes. The concepts of public health as they relate to the role of the practicing PA including an appreciation of the public health system and the role of health care providers participating in disease surveillance, reporting, and intervention are delivered in this course.  In addition to the PA practice, students will receive instruction in the roles and responsibilities of various health care professionals, emphasizing the team approach to patient centered care beyond the traditional physician-PA team approach.  Medical ethics, PA licensure, credentialing, laws and regulations regarding professional practice, patient safety, quality improvement, prevention of medical errors, and risk management are introduced topics in this course.

This course will provide an overview of commonly utilized diagnostic tools, including laboratory studies, minor procedures, and radiologic procedures based on current professional practices. Students will learn the appropriate application and interpretation of diagnostic tests related to infectious diseases, dermatology, hematology, cardiology, pulmonology, and genitourinary conditions. Electrocardiograph utilization, application, and interpretation will be taught in this section. Students will apply problem solving and medical decision-making skills when selecting laboratory and diagnostic studies

This course is a continuation of Laboratory Medicine and Diagnostic Studies I. This course continues to provide an overview of commonly utilized diagnostic tools, including laboratory studies, minor procedures, and radiologic procedures based on current professional practices. Students will learn the appropriate application and interpretation of diagnostic tests related to gastroenterology, nutrition, nephrology, rheumatology, musculoskeletal, and ophthalmology. Students will apply problem solving and medical decision-making skills when selecting laboratory and diagnostic studies

This course is a continuation of Laboratory Medicine and Diagnostic Studies II. This course continues to provide an overview of commonly utilized diagnostic tools, including laboratory studies, minor procedures, and radiologic procedures based on current professional practices. Students will learn the appropriate application and interpretation of diagnostic tests related to otolaryngology, neurology, endocrinology, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery and geriatric/palliative conditions. Students will apply problem solving and medical decision-making skills when selecting laboratory and diagnostic studies

This is a one-week preparatory session prior to students beginning clinical rotations.  Students will review preceptor expectations, professionalism, intellectual honesty, and appropriate academic and professional conduct. This course will provide instruction regarding reimbursement, coding and billing, and documentation of care with a focus on electronic medical records. Basic clinical and surgical skills will be covered in this course.   Patient safety, quality improvement, prevention of medical errors, risk management, and quality assurance will be also be addressed.

HEAL I is an extended course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course reinforces the knowledge of important medical practitioner attributes including humanities, ethics, altruism, and leadership.  Students will learn about the principles and practice of intellectual honesty, academic and professional conduct, medical ethics, medical law, cultural competency, diversity, spirituality, patient centered care, medical team practice, and preparing students to work collaboratively in interprofessional patient centered teams. Interprofessional patient centered team instruction will emphasize the importance of the team approach to patient centered care beyond the traditional physician-PA team approach.  It assists students in learning the principles of interprofessional practice and include opportunities for students to apply these principles in interprofessional teams.  This course provides additional instruction on the constantly changing health care system and the impact of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities on health care delivery.  Instruction related to medical care and diversity aims to prepare students to evaluate their own values and avoid stereotyping.  It assists them in becoming aware of differing health beliefs, values and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance and health outcomes.  This course also provides instruction and assessment in the development of problem solving, medical decision-making skills, patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management related to individualized patient care (across the lifespan to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of life care).  It includes content relevant to prenatal, infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations.  Students will receive instruction and training in their progression from active student to practicing physician assistant. 

This is a continuation of the HEAL I course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course continues to reinforce the knowledge of important medical practitioner attributes including humanities, ethics, altruism, and leadership.  Students will learn about the principles and practice of intellectual honesty, academic and professional conduct, medical ethics, medical law, cultural competency, diversity, spirituality, patient centered care, medical team practice, and preparing students to work collaboratively in interprofessional patient centered teams. Interprofessional patient centered team instruction will emphasize the importance of the team approach to patient centered care beyond the traditional physician-PA team approach.  It assists students in learning the principles of interprofessional practice and include opportunities for students to apply these principles in interprofessional teams.  This course provides additional instruction on the constantly changing health care system and the impact of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities on health care delivery.  Instruction related to medical care and diversity aims to prepare students to evaluate their own values and avoid stereotyping.  It assists them in becoming aware of differing health beliefs, values and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance and health outcomes.  This course also provides instruction and assessment in the development of problem solving, medical decision-making skills, patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management related to individualized patient care (across the lifespan to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of life care).  It includes content relevant to prenatal, infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations.  Students will receive instruction and training in their progression from active student to practicing physician assistant. 

This is a continuation of the HEAL II course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course continues to reinforce the knowledge of important medical practitioner attributes including humanities, ethics, altruism, and leadership.  Students will learn about the principles and practice of intellectual honesty, academic and professional conduct, medical ethics, medical law, cultural competency, diversity, spirituality, patient centered care, medical team practice, and preparing students to work collaboratively in interprofessional patient centered teams. Interprofessional patient centered team instruction will emphasize the importance of the team approach to patient centered care beyond the traditional physician-PA team approach.  It assists students in learning the principles of interprofessional practice and include opportunities for students to apply these principles in interprofessional teams.  This course provides additional instruction on the constantly changing health care system and the impact of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities on health care delivery.  Instruction related to medical care and diversity aims to prepare students to evaluate their own values and avoid stereotyping.  It assists them in becoming aware of differing health beliefs, values and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance and health outcomes.  This course also provides instruction and assessment in the development of problem solving, medical decision-making skills, patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management related to individualized patient care (across the lifespan to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of life care).  It includes content relevant to prenatal, infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. Students will receive instruction and training in their progression from active student to practicing physician assistant.

This is a continuation of the HEAL III course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course continues to reinforce the knowledge of important medical practitioner attributes including humanities, ethics, altruism, and leadership.  Students will learn about the principles and practice of intellectual honesty, academic and professional conduct, medical ethics, medical law, cultural competency, diversity, spirituality, patient centered care, medical team practice, and preparing students to work collaboratively in interprofessional patient centered teams. Interprofessional patient centered team instruction will emphasize the importance of the team approach to patient centered care beyond the traditional physician-PA team approach.  It assists students in learning the principles of interprofessional practice and include opportunities for students to apply these principles in interprofessional teams.  This course provides additional instruction on the constantly changing health care system and the impact of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities on health care delivery.  Instruction related to medical care and diversity aims to prepare students to evaluate their own values and avoid stereotyping.  It assists them in becoming aware of differing health beliefs, values and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance and health outcomes.  This course also provides instruction and assessment in the development of problem solving, medical decision-making skills, patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management related to individualized patient care. (across the lifespan to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of life care) .  It includes content relevant to prenatal, infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations.  Students will receive instruction and training in their progression from active student to practicing physician assistant.

Evidence Based Medicine and Research I course is an extended course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course will provide instruction to prepare students to search, interpret and evaluate the medical literature with the application to individualized patient care.  Specifically, this course will assist students in maintaining a critical, current and operational knowledge of new medical findings required for the prevention and treatment of disease.  Instruction for the following topics are included in this course: fundamentals of research, sampling methods, interpretation of basic biostatistical methods, and the role of the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). The use of common medical databases to access medical literature is also included in this course. 

Evidence Based Medicine and Research II is a continuation of the EBMR I course that is an extended course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course continues to provide instruction to prepare students to search, interpret and evaluate the medical literature with the application to individualized patient care.  Specifically, this course will assist students in maintaining a critical, current and operational knowledge of new medical findings required for the prevention and treatment of disease.  Instruction for the following topics are included in this course: analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating literature as well as discussing the limitations of medical research.

Applied Research I is an extended course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course provides students the opportunity to conduct research.  Students will search, interpret, and evaluate medical literature to develop a research project individualized to patient care.  Instruction for this course will guide students to develop a research question, determine a research study design, and collect data.  Students will utilize statistical methods to appraise the data obtained and determine best application of their results for the improvement of patient care. 

Applied Research II is a continuation of the Applied Research I course.  It is an extended course comprised of on-campus seminars that occur throughout the clinical components of the program’s curriculum.  This course continues to provide students the opportunity to conduct research.  Students will search, interpret, and evaluate medical literature to develop a research project individualized to patient care.  Instruction for this course will guide students to develop a research question, determine a research study design, and collect data.  Students will utilize statistical methods to appraise the data obtained and determine best application of their results for the improvement of patient care. 

This is a preparatory course prior to graduation.  During this course, students are exposed to multiple resources for preparation of graduation and post-graduation employment. This course will review instruction about physician assistant licensure, credentialing, and laws/regulations regarding professional practice.  This course will also consist of a summative evaluation requirement for each student prior to graduation.  The summative evaluation correlates with the didactic and clinical components of the program’s curriculum and will measure each student’s knowledge, interpersonal skills, patient care skills, and professionalism required to enter clinical practice. 

The Basic Fundamentals of Medical Science course is designed to provide the first-year physician assistant student with a baseline level of established and evolving biomedical science knowledge in which to build upon during the study of health and human diseases. This course includes instruction in the following areas of applied medical sciences and their application in clinical practice:  biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, infectious diseases, genetics, and molecular mechanisms of health and disease. 

 

This course is a study of the applied medical sciences of pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics and their application in clinical practice. Students will be taught the appropriate selection and rational use of drugs for the prevention and treatment of diseases. This course will include instruction in the acute and longitudinal management of infectious, dermatologic, hematologic, cardiac, pulmonary, and genitourinary diseases to include the preventive, acute, and chronic patient care situations. Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing patient centered pharmacologic management plans for adult populations, with consideration for socioeconomic differences. Students will be instructed on the delivery of patient education and the counseling of patients about medication adherence.

This course is a continuation of Pharmacotherapeutics I as the curriculum progresses through the body/organ systems. This course is a study of the applied medical sciences of pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics and their application in clinical practice. Students will be taught the appropriate selection and rational use of drugs for the prevention and treatment of diseases. This course will include instruction in the acute and longitudinal management of gastroenterology, nephrology, rheumatology, musculoskeletal, and ophthalmology diseases to include the preventive, acute, and chronic patient care situations. Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing patient centered pharmacologic management plans for adult populations, while considering socioeconomic differences. Students will be instructed on the delivery of patient education and the counseling of patients about medication adherence.

This course is a continuation of Pharmacotherapeutics II as the curriculum progresses through the body/organ systems. This course is a study of the applied medical sciences of pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics and their application in clinical practice. Students will be taught the appropriate selection and rational use of drugs for the prevention and treatment of diseases. This course will include instruction in the acute and longitudinal management of otolaryngology, neurology, endocrinology, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery, geriatrics, and palliative care conditions to include the preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, palliative, and end-of-life patient care situations. Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing patient centered pharmacologic management plans for pediatric (infant, children, adolescent), adult, and elderly populations, while considering socioeconomic differences. Students will be instructed on the delivery of patient education and the counseling of patients about medication adherence, drug abuse, misuse, and treatments.

This course comprises the basic concepts and principles that are essential in comprehending the fundamental mechanisms of human physiology at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels. This course will focus on basic human physiology concepts to include: cellular, histology, cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, reproductive, and nutrition physiologies.

This course is a continuation of Human Physiology I and comprises the basic concepts and principles that are essential in comprehending the fundamental mechanisms of human physiology at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels. This course will focus on basic human physiology concepts to include: renal, musculoskeletal, neurologic, and endocrine physiologies.

This course is designed to provide the students with an overview of normal and abnormal characteristics of human psychological development and behavior.  This social and behavioral science course includes detection and treatment of substance abuse; human sexuality; issues of death, dying and loss; response to illness, injury, and stress; principles of violence identification and prevention; and psychiatric/behavioral conditions.  The course will provide skills needed for clinical evaluation and assessment of children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations with psychiatric/behavioral conditions and disorders. Instruction in this course will prepare students to provide preventative, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of-life care for patients with psychiatric disorders. 

This course is designed to introduce the physician assistant student to common clinical skills and procedures following current professional practices.  Students will utilize problem solving and medical decision-making skills as well as technical skills  to perform in-office or bedside procedures.  Certification for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) will occur during this course.  The course will include instruction in interpersonal and communication skills as well as basic counseling over clinical procedures and informed consent. Students will be instructed over constructing and documenting a post-procedure care plan.

This course is designed to develop an understanding of normal human anatomy with an in-depth examination of anatomical structures and functions. Emphasis is placed on the relationship of normal structures and normal variants with clinical correlation to pathology and disease processes. Human structural features are taught through demonstration, dissection, cross section, radiographs, MRI and CT scans, and ultrasonography. Lectures are complemented by laboratory study of real dissection, prosected cadavers, anatomical models, and 3D anatomic software. A regional approach will be used to study the integument, cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, liver and biliary systems, gastrointestinal system, and genitourinary and reproductive systems.

This course is a continuation of Human Anatomy I and is designed to develop an understanding of normal human anatomy with an in-depth examination of anatomical structures and functions. Emphasis is placed on the relationship of normal structures and normal variants with clinical correlation to pathology and disease processes. Human structural features are taught through demonstration, dissection, cross section, radiographs, MRI and CT scans, and ultrasonography. Lectures are complemented by laboratory study of real dissection, prosected cadavers, anatomical models, and 3D anatomic software. A regional approach will be used to study the osteological and musculoskeletal systems, neck and head, spinal system, brain and cranial nerves, vision, and hearing.

This course teaches the fundamentals of medical history-taking, physical examination, and patient counseling across the lifespan including adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. Physical examination of the patient is approached using a systematic model. Primary skills include performing complete and focused physical examinations, recognizing normal and abnormal findings, developing a diagnostic and treatment plan, counseling patients, medical documentation, and professional conduct. This course content builds a foundation for the development of the clinical reasoning skills and problem solving necessary to formulate differential diagnoses. Students will use common medical databases to access medical literature in support of medical treatment plans. Instruction in counseling in patient education skills is patient centered, culturally sensitive, and focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress, adhere to prescribed treatment plans, and modify their behaviors to more healthful patterns. This course also teaches awareness of differing health beliefs, values, and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance, and health outcomes. This section of the course will focus on patient communication, counseling, determining patient vital signs, and physical examination of the integument, cardiac, pulmonary, and genitourinary systems. Patient presentations, simulations, standardized patients, case studies, role-play, and electronic medical record completion are additional components of this course.

This course is a continuation of Patient Assessment and Counseling I. This course continues to teach the fundamentals of medical history-taking, physical examination, and patient counseling across the lifespan including adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. Physical examination of the patient is approached using a systematic model. Primary skills include performing complete and focused physical examinations, recognizing normal and abnormal findings, developing a diagnostic and treatment plan, counseling patients, medical documentation, and professional conduct. This course content builds a foundation for the development of the clinical reasoning skills and problem solving necessary to formulate differential diagnoses. Students will use common medical databases to access medical literature in support of medical treatment plans. Instruction in counseling in patient education skills is patient centered, culturally sensitive, and focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress, adhere to prescribed treatment plans, and modify their behaviors to more healthful patterns. This course also teaches the awareness of differing health beliefs, values, and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance, and health outcomes. This section of the course will focus on medical history-taking, physical examination, and patient counseling to include the following systems: gastroenterology, rheumatology, musculoskeletal, and ophthalmology. Patient presentations, simulations, standardized patients, case studies, role-play, and electronic medical record completion are additional components of this course.

This course is a continuation of Patient Assessment and Counseling II. This course continues to teach the fundamentals of medical history-taking, physical examination, and patient counseling across the lifespan including infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. Physical examination of the patient is approached using a systematic model. Primary skills include performing complete and focused physical examinations, recognizing normal and abnormal findings, developing a diagnostic and treatment plan, counseling patients, medical documentation, and professional conduct. This course content builds a foundation for the development of the clinical reasoning skills and problem solving necessary to formulate differential diagnoses. Students will use common medical databases to access medical literature in support of medical treatment plans. Instruction in counseling in patient education skills is patient centered, culturally sensitive, and focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress, adhere to prescribed treatment plans, and modify their behaviors to more healthful patterns. This course also teaches awareness of differing health beliefs, values, and expectations of patients and other health care professionals that can affect communication, decision-making, compliance, and health outcomes. This section of the course will focus on medical history-taking, physical examination, and patient counseling to include: oral health, otolaryngology, neurology, women’s health, endocrinology, and pediatrics. Patient presentations, simulations, standardized patients, case studies, role-play, and electronic medical record completion are additional components of this course.

This course is a continuation of the Clinical Disease and Prevention I course. This course continues to follow an organ system-based delivery of instruction in patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management of clinical diseases and disorders covering all organ systems. Emphasis will be placed on instruction in the pathophysiology of diseases common to the organ system. Students will be taught to recognize the patient history, physical signs, and symptoms of diseases in order to generate a differential diagnosis, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, and diagnosis. Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing acute and longitudinal management plans for the adult population. Management plans will be taught to be inclusive addressing medical issues, patient education, and referrals when needed. Students will receive instruction in delivering patient centered, culturally sensitive patient information focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress. Additional instruction will be given on behavior modification, lifestyle medicine, and prevention. This course will provide opportunities for students to apply the principles of interprofessional teams in the medical management of shared patients. This semester will focus on gastroenterology, nutrition, nephrology, rheumatology, musculoskeletal, and ophthalmology diseases and disorders to include preventive, acute, chronic, and rehabilitative patient care.

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of inpatient internal medicine. This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess adult and elderly patients seeking medical care for acute and chronic conditions in the inpatient setting. Students will assist in the evaluation and treatment of hospital patients, participate in inpatient hospital rounds and presentations, and learn how to function as part of the internal medicine and interprofessional medical teams. This supervised clinical practice experience will enable students to achieve the program required learning outcomes necessary to provide care as an entry-level physician assistant in inpatient internal medicine.

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of outpatient internal medicine. This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess adult and elderly patients seeking medical care for acute and chronic conditions. Students will develop the skills necessary to evaluate, monitor, and manage health problems encountered in outpatient internal medicine. Students will also develop the knowledge and skills required to implement preventive health strategies in adult and elderly patients. This supervised clinical practice experience will enable students to achieve the program required learning outcomes necessary to provide care as an entry-level physician assistant in the outpatient internal medicine setting.

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of women’s health, obstetrics, and gynecology.  This core rotation provides students with experience in managing common women’s health prevention and diseases in both the inpatient and outpatient medical settings.  This clinical rotation enables students to assess adolescent, adult, and elderly female patients seeking medical care with an emphasis on menarche, family planning, childbearing, peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.  Prevention, recognition, and treatment of prenatal, gynecologic care, sexually transmitted diseases, cancers, will be addressed.  Students will gain exposure to labor and deliver, surgical aspects of gynecology, as well as function as a part of the interprofessional healthcare team.  This clinical experience will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes needed to attain the competencies in the management of acute, emergent, chronic conditions, and implement preventive care strategies.  This clinical rotation will enable the student to provide care as an entry level physician assistant upon graduation. 

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of pediatric medicine. Students will gain experience in the evaluation and management of infants, children, and adolescents seeking pediatric medical care. This rotation will provide the exposure needed for students to develop the skills necessary to evaluate, monitor, and manage acute and chronic pediatric health problems. Students will also develop the knowledge and skills required to implement preventive health strategies in pediatric patients. This supervised clinical practice experience will enable students to achieve the program required learning outcomes necessary to provide care as an entry-level physician assistant in pediatric medicine.

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of emergency medicine.  This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess patients seeking medical care (in the emergency department) across the life span with an emphasis on caring for the acutely and chronically ill adolescent, adult, and elderly patient.  Students will gain exposure to the triage, evaluation, and management of patients in the emergent medical setting.  Emphasis is on students assessing patient acuity, disease state, and appropriate management within the confines of the emergency medicine department.  Students are expected to participate as a member of an interprofessional team in the assessment and care of major and minor medical emergencies. This clinical rotation will also enable students to achieve the learning outcomes needed to attain the competencies in the management of acute and emergent conditions. This clinical experience will enable the student to provide care as an entry level physician assistant upon graduation.    

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of surgery.  This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess patients seeking medical care across the life span with an emphasis on caring for adults and elderly patients with surgically manageable diseases in the operating room and outpatient setting.  Emphasis of learning is on the pre-operative evaluation and preparation of the patients for surgery; assisting during the intra-operative period; and the post-operative care of surgical wounds, recovery, and possible complications.  Students will learn how to participate as a member of an interprofessional surgical team. This clinical rotation experience will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes needed to attain the competencies in the management of acute, emergent, chronic conditions and implement preventive care strategies.  This clinical experience will enable the student to provide care as an entry level physician assistant upon graduation. 

This core clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of behavioral and mental health.  This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess patients seeking medical care across the life span with an emphasis on caring for the child, adolescent, adult and elderly patient with a psychiatric illness, behavioral or mental health disorder. Emphasis will be placed on the development of communication and behavior modification skills.  Students will also develop an increased understanding of the social, economic and psychological factors related to the patient and family members of a patient with a mental illness. Students will learn how to participate as a member of an interprofessional mental healthcare team.  This clinical rotation experience will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes needed to attain the competencies in the management of acute, emergent, chronic conditions and implement preventive care strategies.  This clinical experience will also enable the student to provide care as an entry level physician assistant upon graduation. 

This advanced clinical rotation provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of family medicine. This supervised clinical practice experience enables students to assess adolescent, adult and elderly patients seeking medical care for acute and chronic conditions. Students will develop the skills necessary to evaluate, monitor, and manage health problems encountered in family medicine. Students will also develop the knowledge and skills required to implement preventive health strategies in adolescent, adult and elderly patients. This supervised clinical practice experience will enable students to achieve the program required learning outcomes necessary to provide care as an entry-level physician assistant in family medicine.

This advanced core rotation provides students with opportunities to gain additional experience in one of the core disciplines or to supplement the foundational core rotations with specialty medical or surgical experiences.

This course follows an organ system-based delivery of instruction in patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management of clinical diseases and disorders covering all organ systems.  Emphasis will be placed on instruction in the pathophysiology of diseases common to the organ system.  Students will be taught to recognize the patient history, physical signs, and symptoms of diseases in order to generate a differential diagnosis, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, and diagnosis.  Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing acute and longitudinal management plans for the adult population. Management plans will be taught to be inclusive addressing medical issues, patient education, and referrals when needed.  Students will receive instruction in delivering patient centered, culturally sensitive patient information focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress.  Additional instruction will be given on behavior modification, lifestyle medicine, and prevention.  This semester will focus on infectious, hematologic, dermatologic, cardiac, and pulmonary diseases to include preventive, acute, chronic, and rehabilitative patient care.

This course is a continuation of the Clinical Disease and Prevention II course. This course continues to follow an organ system-based delivery of instruction in patient evaluation, diagnosis, and management of clinical diseases and disorders covering all organ systems. Emphasis will be placed on instruction in the pathophysiology of diseases common to the organ system. Students will be taught to recognize the patient history, physical signs, and symptoms of diseases in order to generate a differential diagnosis, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, and diagnosis. Students will be instructed in problem solving and medical decision-making skills while developing acute and longitudinal management plans for prenatal, infant, children, adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. Management plans will be taught to be inclusive addressing medical issues, patient education, and referrals when needed. Students will receive instruction in delivering patient centered, culturally sensitive patient information focused on helping patients cope with illness, injury, and stress. Additional instruction will be given on behavior modification, lifestyle medicine, and prevention. This course provides additional opportunities for students to apply the principles of interprofessional teams in the medical management of shared patients. This semester will focus on otolaryngology, oral health, neurology, endocrinology, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, surgical disease, and geriatrics associated diseases and disorders to include preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, rehabilitative, palliative, and end-of-life patient care.