Physician Assistant

Courses

PA 540 Clinical Anatomy 5.0 Credits

This five (5) credit lecture and laboratory course is tailored to the specific needs of physician assistant students. It reviews the fundamentals of gross anatomy, and discusses the relationships between structure and function in a regional anatomy approach and major clinical applications of anatomic relationships. Material is coordinated with the PA 544 Clinical Assessment course.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 542 [Min Grade: B] (Can be taken Concurrently)
Corequisite: PA 544

PA 542 Patient Communication 2.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 543 Ethical Issues in Physician Assistant Practice 2.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 544 Clinical Assessment 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Corequisite: PA 540

PA 545 Physician Assistant Practice 1.0 Credit

Physician Assistant Practice is a one (1) credit lecture course that introduces the concept, history, and future directions of the PA profession, and discusses professional practice issues and theories of leadership applicable to PA practice. Stewardship and strategies for effecting change as a leader are discussed in the context of cases applicable to PA professional settings.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 546 Health Policy for Physician Assistant Practice 2.0 Credits

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 are examined along with issues related to malpractice, reimbursement, and quality assurance.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 547 Evidence Based Medicine for Physician Assistants 3.0 Credits

This is a three (3) quarter credit course designed to introduce PA students to evidence-based medicine, epidemiologic principles and research methodologies for application to primary care clinical practice. The course content includes an overview of epidemiologic and research concepts, ethics and the roles of politics and culture in research, quantitative and qualitative research methods and designs; and levels of scientific evidence for clinical practice. Through evaluation of published research and national practice guidelines, the skills of evidence-based practice are introduced. The course is lecture-based and utilizes cooperative learning strategies to engage students in individual and group inquiry learning outside the classroom.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 548 Principles of Medical Science I 2.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 540 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 551, PA 556, PA 559

PA 549 Principles of Medical Science II 2.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 548 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 552, PA 557, PA 560

PA 550 Principles of Medical Science III 2.0 Credits

This course 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 548 [Min Grade: B] and PA 549 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 553, PA 558, PA 561

PA 551 Pharmacology and Therapeutics I 3.0 Credits

This is the first in a series of three courses to provide Physician Assistant students with basic knowledge in pharmacology and therapeutics. Principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical therapeutics are discussed for applications to primary care practice.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Corequisites: PA 548, PA 556, PA 559

PA 552 Pharmacology and Therapeutics II 2.0 Credits

This is the second in a series of three courses to provide Physician Assistant students with basic knowledge in pharmacology and therapeutics. Principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical therapeutics are discussed for applications to primary care practice.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 551 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 549, PA 557, PA 560

PA 553 Pharmacology and Therapeutics III 2.0 Credits

The third in a series of three courses, this course provides Physician Assistant 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 551 [Min Grade: B] and PA 552 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 550, PA 558, PA 561

PA 554 Biopsychosocial Issues in Patient Care 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 556 Clinical Medicine I 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Corequisites: PA 548, PA 551, PA 559

PA 557 Clinical Medicine II 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 556 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 549, PA 552, PA 560

PA 558 Topics in Clinical Practice 5.0 Credits

The course prepares the PA student for clinical rotations though lecture and a problem-oriented approach to disorders in geriatrics, women's health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and surgery.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 556 [Min Grade: B] and PA 557 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 550, PA 553, PA 561

PA 559 Clinical Skills I 2.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 544 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 548, PA 551, PA 556

PA 560 Clinical Skills II 2.0 Credits

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 application laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 559 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 549, PA 552, PA 557

PA 561 Clinical Skills III 4.0 Credits

This is the third in 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 559 [Min Grade: B] and PA 560 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisites: PA 550, PA 553, PA 558

PA 562 Clinical Skills Lab I 1.0 Credit

This is the first of two 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 3 credits
Prerequisites: PA 544 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisite: PA 563

PA 563 Clinical Reasoning Lab I 1.0 Credit

This is the first of two 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 based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 3 credits
Prerequisites: PA 544 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisite: PA 562

PA 564 Clinical Skills Lab II 1.0 Credit

This is the second in a series of two 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 skills application laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 3 credits
Prerequisites: PA 562 [Min Grade: B] and PA 563 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisite: PA 565

PA 565 Clinical Reasoning Lab II 1.0 Credit

This is the second in a series of two 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 application laboratories based on clinical scenarios to facilitate skill development.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 3 credits
Prerequisites: PA 562 [Min Grade: B] and PA 563 [Min Grade: B]
Corequisite: PA 564

PA 570 Clinical Assessment Competency 1.0 Credit

Clinical Assessment Competency is a required course for any PA student who experiences an interruption in the usual sequence of didactic and clinical training. The course provides the forum for the student to demonstrate competencies in knowledge and skills germane to clinical assessment requisite to patient evaluation and clinical practice.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 544 [Min Grade: B]

PA 571 Competency for Clinical Training 1.0 Credit

Competency for Clinical Training is a one-credit pass/fail course required for any physician assistant student who experiences an interruption in the usual sequence of didactic or clinical training in the program after the second quarter. The course provides the forum for the student to demonstrate competencies requisite for continued didactic and/or clinical training. The PA student undertakes supervised, independent study guided by identified areas of individual need to meet the course competencies.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 1 times for 2 credits
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.

PA 629 Internal Medicine Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Internal 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B]

PA 630 Pediatrics Rotation 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B]

PA 631 Women's Health Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Women’s Health rotation is a clinical course that provides the student with prenatal and gynecological patient care experience under the supervision of a licensed medical provider. Students apply knowledge and skills leaned in the didactic year to patient evaluation and begin to apply patient management strategies to patients in an assigned clinical setting.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B]

PA 632 Behavioral Medicine Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Behavioral Medicine 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and (PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B])

PA 633 Surgery Rotation 5.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and (PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B])

PA 634 Emergency Medicine Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Emergency Medicine Rotation for the clinical phase PA student provides experiential learning opportunities to a wide variety of emergency health care problems in an emergency department setting and to understand the principles of emergency medicine. Students are introduced to medical and surgical problems commonly encountered in the emergency department setting. The emphasis is on gaining outpatient procedural skills, triage patients, and learning to recognize and begin treatment of emergent medical and surgical problems.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B]

PA 635 Primary Care Practicum I 10.0 Credits

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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 629 [Min Grade: B] and PA 630 [Min Grade: B] and PA 631 [Min Grade: B] and PA 632 [Min Grade: B] and PA 633 [Min Grade: B] and PA 634 [Min Grade: B]

PA 636 Graduate Project I 3.0 Credits

Graduate Project I is a three (3) credit course intended to prepare the graduate candidate for the development of a project that is related to the candidate’s research interests. The Graduate Project provides students with the opportunity to creatively address a proven deficiency in the realms of clinical medicine, educational medicine (patient or medical provider material), or any other area that will further the student’s and the profession’s knowledge and/or resource base.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 547 [Min Grade: B] (Can be taken Concurrently)

PA 637 Primary Care Practicum II 10.0 Credits

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 providers. This course is the final clinical experience in the PA professional training program.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 635 [Min Grade: B]

PA 638 Graduate Project II 3.0 Credits

Graduate Project II is a three (3) credit course sequenced after the Graduate Project I course in which the graduate student further develops and implements the project proposed in the Graduate Project I course. Continued review and critique of the literature related to the topic area are required to expound the project. The student works with a faculty advisor who will provide guidance and feedback.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 636 [Min Grade: B]

PA 639 Family Medicine Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Family medicine course is a clinical course that provides the PA student with patient care experience in an ambulatory family 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PA 545 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B] and PA 547 [Min Grade: B] and PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 554 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B]

PA 644 Flex Core Clinical Rotation 5.0 Credits

The Flex Core Clinical Rotation is a clinical course that provides the PA student with one of the seven core rotations (behavioral medicine, women's health, pediatric medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, surgery or urgent care setting) health patient care experiences 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.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PA 545 [Min Grade: B] and PA 546 [Min Grade: B] and PA 547 [Min Grade: B] and PA 550 [Min Grade: B] and PA 553 [Min Grade: B] and PA 554 [Min Grade: B] and PA 558 [Min Grade: B] and PA 561 [Min Grade: B]

PA 680 Summative Remediation 1.0 Credit

Summative Remediation is one credit course which provides an intensive review of major topics covered in the didactic and clinical phases of the PA program for any PA student who has not achieved minimum passing grades on two administrations of the Summative Examination /OSCE.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PA.
Prerequisites: PA 637 [Min Grade: C]

PA I599 Independent Study in Physician Assistant 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed course within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PA I699 Independent Study in Physician Assistant 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed course within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PA T580 Special Topics in Physician Assistant 0.0-12.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PA T680 Special Topics in Physician Assistant 0.0-12.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Nursing & Health Professions
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit