PAs (physician assistants/physician associates) are nationally certified health care professionals who are state-licensed to practice medicine and prescribe medication in every medical and surgical specialty and setting. PAs practice and prescribe in 50 states, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories and are licensed to practice in Puerto Rico. PAs are educated at the graduate level, receiving a Master's degree or higher. In order to maintain national certification, PAs are required to recertify as medical generalists every 10 years and complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years.
PA education and the PA Medicine Program is modeled on physician education and PA students are taught to perform a comprehensive range of medical duties, from basic primary care to specialty procedures. PA students are also taught how to act as first or second assistants in major surgery and provide pre- and postoperative care.
PA Medicine students are taught to be generalists so that in locations where physicians are in short supply, they may serve as the primary providers of health care, collaborating with physicians and other medical professionals as needed and as required by law.
Contact Information
Learning Outcomes
Program student learning outcomes (program competencies)
The PA Medicine program’s student learning outcomes (program competencies) are designed to prepare graduates for entry into practice with the competencies expected of a "practice-ready" PA. The student learning outcomes are derived from the following professional competencies described by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA), Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) and PA Education Association (PAEA). These competencies are:
- Medical Knowledge
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Patient Care
- Professionalism
- Practice-based Learning and Improvement
- Systems -based Practice
Upon completion of the PA Medicine program at The College of St. Scholastica, graduates will be expected to demonstrate competency in the following student learning outcomes:
Medical knowledge
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and the ability to integrate and apply this knowledge to patient care.
- Demonstrate the medical, surgical, behavioral and social science knowledge necessary to effectively evaluate, diagnose, and manage patients across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively evaluate, diagnose and manage patients with a range of problems seen in a variety of practice settings with emergent, acute and chronic presentations.
- Identify the appropriate interventions for prevention of disease conditions and promotion of healthy living behaviors.
Interpersonal and communication skills
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills to effectively exchange information with patients, families and other members of the healthcare team.
- Communicate in a respectful, patient-centered and culturally responsive manner to accurately obtain, interpret and utilize information and implement a patient-centered management plan.
- Demonstrate accurate and adequate documentation of care for medical, legal, quality and financial purposes.
Patient care
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:
- Make informed, evidence-based and culturally sensitive decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information and preferences, current scientific evidence and clinical judgment.
- Demonstrate the ability to counsel and educate patients and their families.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively work within an interdisciplinary and patient-centered healthcare team to develop and implement patient management plans.
Professionalism
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate professionalism in interactions with others including patients, families and other members of the healthcare team.
- Demonstrate knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements specific to the PA profession.
- Demonstrate the ability to recognize their own professional and personal limitations in providing care and make appropriate patient referrals when necessary.
Practice-based learning and improvement
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate research literature and apply that knowledge to educational and/or practice-based improvement projects promoting improved patient experiences and outcomes.
Systems-based practice
Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:
- Apply the concepts of population health to patient care.
Requirements
Students must achieve the following program requirements for all courses listed under Program Requirements and Program Required Courses for the PA Medicine, M.S.
Program Requirements
Major Credits: 111
Major Residency Credits: 111
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Minimum Grade: B/P
Program Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The first 12 months of the program: | ||
| PAS 6000 | Clinical Skills I | 2 |
| PAS 6010 | Clinical Skills II | 2 |
| PAS 6020 | Clinical Skills III | 2 |
| PAS 6100 | History and Physical Exam I | 3 |
| PAS 6110 | History and Physical Exam II | 3 |
| PAS 6120 | History and Physical Exam III | 3 |
| PAS 6200 | PA Professional Issues I | 0.5 |
| PAS 6210 | PA Professional Issues II | 0.5 |
| PAS 6220 | PA Professional Issues III | 0.5 |
| PAS 6300 | Fundamentals of Medicine I | 4 |
| PAS 6310 | Fundamentals of Medicine II | 4 |
| PAS 6320 | Fundamentals of Medicine III | 4 |
| PAS 6400 | Pharmacology I | 4 |
| PAS 6410 | Pharmacology II | 4 |
| PAS 6420 | Pharmacology III | 4 |
| PAS 6500 | Clinical Medicine I | 0.5 |
| PAS 6510 | Clinical Medicine II | 0.5 |
| PAS 6520 | Clinical Medicine III | 0.5 |
| PAS 6600 | Problem Solving in Medicine I | 1 |
| PAS 6610 | Problem Solving in Medicine II | 1 |
| PAS 6700 | Functional Anatomy I | 4 |
| PAS 6710 | Functional Anatomy II | 4 |
| PAS 6800 | Research Design and Evidence-Based Medicine | 2 |
| PAS 6850 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | 1 |
| PAS 6900 | Public Health and Health Care Issues | 2 |
| Fourteen months of clinical rotations are required during the second phase of the program. These experiences include: | ||
| Pre-Clinical Seminar | ||
| PAS 6950 | Emergency Medicine Rotation | 6 |
| PAS 6952 | Pediatric Medicine Rotation | 6 |
| PAS 6954 | Women's Health Rotation | 6 |
| PAS 6956 | Behavioral Medicine Rotation | 3 |
| PAS 6958 | General Surgery Rotation | 6 |
| PAS 6960 | Inpatient Medicine Rotation | 6 |
| PAS 6970 | Primary Care Rotation I | 6 |
| PAS 6972 | Primary Care Rotation II | 6 |
| PAS 6980 | Elective Rotation | 1 |
| PAS 6986 | Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care | 3 |
| PAS 6990 | Capstone I | 1 |
| PAS 6992 | Capstone II | 1 |
| PAS 6994 | Capstone III | 1 |
| PAS 6996 | Capstone IV | 2 |
| Total Credits | 111 | |
Licensure
To become a certified PA following completion of a Master's program, you must pass the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE), a computer-based, multiple-choice test comprising questions that assess basic medical and surgical knowledge.
Degree Requirements
To graduate from The College of St. Scholastica, graduate students must meet the following minimum degree requirements.
Minimum GPA: 3.0