PAS 500 PA Profession: Evolving Issues in Medicine and Ethics (2)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the PA Program
Corequisite(s): BIO 515/515A, BIO 520, BIO 525, PAS 505/505A, and PAS 510
This course introduces the student to the history of the PA profession and the role of the Physician Assistant in health care delivery. Additional topics include legal and health policy factors which affect clinical practice, professionalism issues, and ethical standards as well as professional and inter-professional relationships.
PAS 505 Medical Interview and Physical Examination with Lab (3)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the PA Program
Corequisite(s): BIO 515/515A, BIO 520, BIO 525, PAS 500 and PAS 510
This is a foundational PA course which will provide students with the essential skills to perform a comprehensive medical interview and physical examination. The course introduces the students how to properly perform a physical exam, to document the patient encounter, reinforcing utilization of correct medical terminology. This will be done using an organ system approach. Upon completion of this course, the student will perform and accurately document a comprehensive history & physical assessment.
PAS 505A Medical Interview and Physical Examination (LAB) (0)
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 505
This course is the lab component of PAS 505
PAS 510 Evidence Based Medicine and Population Health (2)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the PA Program
Corequisite(s): BIO 515/515A, BIO 520, BIO 525, PAS 500 and PAS 505/505A
This course will serve as a foundational review of epidemiology and of evidence based medical research. Students will review trends in population medicine and analyze published medical studies before selecting patient education and prevention tools. By addressing additional topics, such as research bias, barriers to health literacy, statistical significance in a research study, students will begin to develop cultural competency in their approach to patient communications.
PAS 530 Pharmacology I (3)
Corequisite(s): PAS 535, PAS 540/540A, PAS 545/PAS 545A, and PAS 550
This is a foundational course which utilizes a clinical approach to pharmacology, emphasizing the fundamentals of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. The course focuses on the relationship between drugs and receptors, adverse drug reactions, toxicity, indications and contraindications of drugs. Pharmaco-therapeutics with application to clinical patient scenarios is also incorporated in this course and aligned with the topics found in PAS 535 Principles of Medicine I.
PAS 535 Principles of Medicine I (4)
Corequisite(s): PAS 530, PAS 540/540A, PAS 545/545A and PAS 550
This course is an intensive study of the principles essential to the practice of primary care medicine. Utilizing a systems based approach, lectures will review the etiology, pathophysiology as well as introduce the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation and management of the outlined diseases in the following body systems: dermatology, EENT, hematology, immunology, endocrinology, cardiology and pulmonary, Through assigned readings, case based exercises and unit examinations, the PA student will develop a solid foundation of the clinical concepts essential for optimal patient care.
PAS 540 Patient Assessment I with LAB (3)
Corequisite(s): PAS 530, PAS 535, PAS 545/545A, and PAS 550
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 540A
This course builds upon the student’s previous physical assessment skills with the goal of developing competencies with specialty and focused physical exam assessment skills. Weekly specialty exams will be reviewed with complimentary written and presentation practice skills assigned. This will be done using an organ system approach. The learning experiences will focus development of a detailed and thorough problem focused history and physical examination over the spectrum of ages and clinical situations. This semester students will continue to develop the appropriate differential diagnosis and plan for further evaluation of an identified problem with accurate presentation of information in both written and oral forms. Standardized focused patient encounters will re-enforce clinical interviewing and physical exam skills to prepare each student for success in the clinical year.
PAS 540A Patient Assessment I (LAB) (0)
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 540
This course is the lab component of PAS 540.
PAS 545 Clinical Skills in Medicine I with LAB (2)
Corequisite(s): PAS 530, PAS 535, PAS 540/540A, and PAS 550
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 545A
This course introduces the Physician Assistant student to diagnostic testing, various clinical skills procedures and routine radiology tests utilized in clinical medicine. The content is sequenced to compliment topics in other MSJU PA course work. Students will gain insight about when to use, how to interpret as well as effectively utilize the clinical lab and radiology results. A practicum lab setting will allow students to perform various procedures as they correlate to routine care, and to identify or to treat a particular diagnosis.
PAS 545A Clinical Skills in Medicine I (LAB) (0)
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 545
This course is the lab component of PAS 545
PAS 550 Clinical Approach to Behavioral Health (2)
Prerequisite(s): PAS 530, PAS 535, PAS 540/540A, PAS 545/545A
This course is an overview of behavioral health with an emphasis on a compassionate and comprehensive clinical approach. The goal is to equip students with a solid understanding of the presentation for behavioral health conditions as well as recognize the red flags for serious mental health diseases.
PAS 555 Pharmacology II (3)
Corequisite(s): PAS 560, PAS 565, PAS 570/570A, PAS 575/575A, and PAS 580
This course continues the PA student's study of clinical pharmacology. The course is aligned with the topics presented in Principles of Medicine II to emphasize and correlate the fundamentals of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. The course focuses on the relationship between drugs and receptors, adverse drug reactions, toxicity, indications and contraindications of drugs. Pharmaco-therapeutics with application to clinical patient scenarios is also incorporated in this course.
PAS 560 Principles of Medicine II (6)
Corequisite(s): PAS 555, PAS 565, PAS 570/570A, PAS 575/575A and PAS 580
This course is an intensive study of the principles essential to the practice of primary care medicine. Utilizing a system based approach; lectures will review the etiology, pathophysiology as well as introduce the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation and management of the outlined diseases in the following body systems: gastrointestinal, hepato-renal disease, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, rheumatology, neurology, psychology, woman's health, ICU medicine and emergency medicine. Assigned readings, case based exercises and unit examinations will provide a solid foundation of the clinical concepts essential for optimal patient care.
PAS 565 Clinical Decision Making (2)
Corequisite(s): PAS 555, PAS 560, PAS 570/570A, PAS 575/575A and PAS 580
This pivotal course will provide the student with the essential tools to develop confidence in their clinical assessment ability. The goal is to apply and to integrate their medical knowledge into an appropriate differential diagnosis and subsequently determine the most likely diagnosis. Comprehensive care plans will be reviewed and revised to better equip each student with tools to address health literacy and other confounding issues.
PAS 570 Patient Assessment II with LAB (3)
Corequisite(s): PAS 555, PAS 560, PAS 565, PAS 575/575A, and PAS 580
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 570A
This course builds upon the student’s previous physical assessment skills with the goal of developing competencies with specialty and focused physical exam. Specialty exams will be reviewed with complimentary written and presentation practice skills assigned. Assessment for a sports physical, occupational medicine, and fall risk evaluation will be introduced. Assessment of patients in various stages of life will be reviewed such as an evaluation of an older adult, pregnant patients & pediatric population. Documentation skills within varied clinical settings will be reinforced. Health literacy, cultural competency, patient counseling will be interwoven in this final semester. Standardized focused patient encounters will re-enforce clinical interviewing and physical exam skills to prepare each student for success in the upcoming clinical year.
PAS 570A Patient Assessment II (LAB) (0)
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 570
This course is the lab component of PAS 570
PAS 575 Clinical Skills in Medicine II with LAB (2)
Corequisite(s): PAS 555, PAS 560, PAS 565, PAS 570/570A, and PAS 580
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 575A
This course continues the development of each Physician Assistant student's clinical skills and radiographic interpretation ability. The content is sequenced to compliment topics in other MSJU PA course work. Students will gain insight about when to use, how to interpret as well as effectively utilize the clinical labs and radiology result. The topic focus will be surgical, orthopedic, neurologic care and critical care concepts. A practicum lab setting will allow students to perform various procedures as they correlate to routine care or to the diagnosis and treatment of a particular diagnosis.
PAS 575A Clinical Skills in Medicine II (LAB) (0)
Concurrent requisite(s): PAS 575
This course is the lab component for PAS 575
PAS 580 Nutrition and Preventive Medicine Across the Life Span (2)
Corequisite(s): PAS 555, PAS 560, PAS 565, PAS 570/570A and PAS 575/575A
This course will highlight prevention and nutrition guidelines spanning from pre-natal recommendations to end of life care. By focusing on a patient's age, the student will develop and apply patient education and prevention strategies. This course will integrate previous PA course work with a goal to improve prevention, patient safety and healthy life-style compliance. Health literacy, ethical care and cultural awareness will highlight the need to revise clinical recommendations based upon the individual patient.
PAS 600 Family Medicine I (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Family Medicine patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Family Medicine setting. The course will take place in the urgent care setting, outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting and/or nursing home. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients of all ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. The student will have the opportunity to obtain a medical history, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic studies, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Family Medicine.
PAS 605 Family Medicine II (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Family Medicine patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Family Medicine setting. The course will take place in the urgent care setting, outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting and/or nursing home. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients of all ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. The student will have the opportunity to obtain a medical history, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic studies, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Family Medicine.
PAS 610 Internal Medicine (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Internal Medicine patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Internal Medicine setting. The course will take place in the outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting, long term care facility and/or intensive care unit. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for adult and geriatric patients from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow up. The student will have the opportunity to obtain a medical history, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, propose a treatment plan, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Internal Medicine.
PAS 620 Emergency Medicine (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Emergency Medicine patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Emergency Medicine setting. The course will take place in the urgent care or emergency department. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients of all ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization. The student will have the opportunity to obtain medical histories, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, perform common procedures, propose a treatment plan, and provide patient education on diagnosis and treatment of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Emergency Medicine.
PAS 630 General Surgery (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the General Surgery patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the General Surgery setting. The course may take place in the outpatient clinic, freestanding surgical center, operating room and/or inpatient hospital setting. The rotation will provide the opportunity for the student to be responsible for patients of all ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up (including pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care). The student will have the opportunity to obtain medical histories, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to General Surgery.
PAS 640 Pediatrics (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Pediatric patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Pediatric Medicine setting. The course will take place in the outpatient clinic and/or inpatient hospital setting. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients aged 0-18, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. The student will have the opportunity to obtain medical and family histories, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures and provide patient/family education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Pediatric Medicine.
PAS 650 Behavioral Health (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the Behavioral Medicine patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders encountered in the Behavioral Medicine setting. The rotation may take place in the outpatient clinic, group home, schools, prison and/or inpatient hospital setting. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients of various ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. Students will participate in activities of this rotation such as lectures, case management meetings, and group therapy sessions as directed by the preceptor. The student will have the opportunity to observe/perform intake exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, propose a treatment plan, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention, and health maintenance of disease processes.
PAS 660 Women's Health (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the Women's Health setting. The course will take place in the outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting and/or operating room. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for adult and geriatric patients, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. This rotation will focus on general gynecologic health as well as routine pre-natal care. The student will have opportunity to obtain histories, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to Women's Health.
PAS 670 Orthopedics (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for the orthopedic patient. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in the orthopedic setting. The course will take place in the outpatient clinic, urgent care setting, inpatient hospital setting and/or nursing home. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to be responsible for patients of all ages, from the initial visit through possible hospitalization and follow-up. The student will have the opportunity to obtain a medical history, perform physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, order/interpret appropriate diagnostic studies, propose a treatment plan, perform common procedures, and provide patient education on diagnosis, prevention and health maintenance of orthopedic injuries and disease processes. This rotation will provide exposure to common clinical skills and procedures that are specific to orthopedics.
PAS 700 Elective Clinical Experience I (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for patients in a clinical setting tailored to the student's particular interest. Approved supervised clinical experiences may be completed in any medical or surgical specialty. The student has discretion in selecting his/her elective and may design their own elective experience or choose from multiple disciplines after consulting with their faculty advisor and Clinical Director. All elective rotations must subsequently be approved by the Clinical or Program Director. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in that particular discipline. The experience may take place in the outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting, and/or other approved settings. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to learn about a specific disease process in great detail and to complete a written paper describing that disease, its diagnosis, treatment and prognosis utilizing evidence based medicine.
PAS 705 Elective Clinical Experience II (5)
Under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, this course will allow the student to provide care for patients in a clinical setting tailored to the student's particular interest. Approved supervised clinical experiences may be completed in any medical or surgical specialty. The student has discretion in selecting his/her elective and may design their own elective experience or choose from multiple disciplines after consulting with their faculty advisor and Clinical Director. All elective rotations must subsequently be approved by the Clinical or Program Director. This course will ensure that students are exposed to common disorders and procedures that are encountered in that particular discipline. The experience may take place in the outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting, and/or other approved settings. The rotation will provide opportunities for the student to learn about a specific disease process in great detail and to complete a written paper describing that disease, its diagnosis, treatment and prognosis utilizing evidence based medicine.
PAS 710 Summative Evaluation (4)
This course represents the final phase of the PA program and is offered annually following the completion of the program required clinical practice experiences prior to graduation. The purpose of this course is to assure that each student meets the competencies of the Physician Assistant profession. The faculty will assess each individual's medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, patient care and professionalism to assure it is satisfactory for entry into the profession. The course consists of lectures, written examinations, clinical skill demonstrations, and evaluations utilizing standardized patients in clinical simulation settings.