MPAS - Physician Assistant

Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession surveys the origins, scope, and regulatory foundations of PA practice within the U.S. health-care system. Emphasis is placed on collaborative, culturally responsive care and the development of a resilient professional identity for future PAs.

Business of Medicine explores how structural, financial, and policy-driven forces shape healthcare delivery in the United States. Emphasizing systems thinking, the course prepares future physician assistants to navigate the complex interplay between healthcare institutions, public health, and quality improvement, equipping them to make informed, patient-centered decisions in clinical practice.

Introduction to Medical Diagnostics and Interventions introduces fundamental principles of point-of-care ultrasound.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Medicine examines how health-care laws, professional standards, and clinical ethics intersect in everyday practice. Using contemporary case studies, students learn to analyze and resolve dilemmas involving patient autonomy, informed consent, end-of-life care, professionalism, and conflicts of interest, while clarifying their legal and ethical responsibilities as future clinicians.

This comprehensive clinical anatomy course establishes the foundational knowledge for application towards health professions. Application of anatomical concepts and relationships will be gained through didactic lectures and the active engagement of dissection and pro-sections within small groups. Attributes of professionalism and humanism are intentionally and deliberately integrated throughout the course to adequately prepare students for the complexities and diversity of society encountered in healthcare.

Physiology & Pathophysiology offers an advanced exploration of human organ-system function and the abnormal processes that produce disease across the lifespan . Emphasizing integration of molecular, cellular, and systemic concepts, the course builds a foundational understanding of disease mechanisms to support evidence-based clinical reasoning and decision making.

Foundations of Interprofessional Practice introduces physician assistant students to the principles, skills, and mind-sets that underpin collaborative, team-based health care. Through case-based modules, learners build competencies in shared ethics and values, clearly defined professional roles, culturally responsive communication, and high-functioning teamwork—competencies that together support safe, effective, and patient-centered outcomes.

Medical Diagnostics & Interventions 1 introduces foundational principles of diagnostic imaging and laboratory medicine. The course emphasizes clinical reasoning through the interpretation and integration of diagnostic findings to support accurate, patient-centered decision-making.

Patient Counseling and Education prepares future physician assistants to engage patients as informed partners in care through evidence-based, culturally responsive communication. The course emphasizes patient-centered dialogue and behavioral change strategies essential for effective education and shared decision-making across diverse clinical contexts.

Clinical Assessment & Reasoning I introduces foundational techniques of physical examination and clinical reasoning. Students develop skills in patient interviewing, documentation, and systematic examination of healthy individuals across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on establishing clinical rapport, integrating biomedical knowledge, and applying structured reasoning to generate differential diagnoses in primary care settings.

Clinical Pharmacology I explores core principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and their relevance to safe, effective prescribing. Students explore therapeutic classes commonly used in primary care. Emphasis is placed on integrating pharmacologic knowledge into evidence-based treatment planning.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine I is the first in a three-part series designed to establish a foundational understanding of patient care essential for clinical practice by the Physician Assistant. Organized systematically by medical specialty, this course provides focused instruction on key topics designed to develop a strong knowledge base concerning the diagnosis and management of acute, chronic, and emergent medical conditions across the lifespan.

Practicum for Interprofessional Practice immerses PA students in community-focused projects where interprofessional teams apply core competencies—shared ethics and values, clarified roles, collaborative communication, and joint decision-making—to address health needs shaped by social determinants. The practicum sharpens teamwork and reflective skills that translate into safer, equitable, patient-centered outcomes.

In Medical Diagnostics & Interventions II, students refine key diagnostic interpretation and clinical decision-making skills while integrating bedside assessments into patient care through lectures and hands-on lab activities.

Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine equips future PAs to interpret population data and integrate high-quality research into patient care. Students analyze disease patterns, risk measures, and study designs while honing critical-appraisal skills that drive evidence synthesis and sound clinical decisions.

Clinical Assessment and Reasoning II advances students from performing comprehensive exams to conducting focused, problem-oriented assessments. The course emphasizes integration of history, targeted physical findings, and diagnostic data to support the development of prioritized differential diagnoses and evidence-based management plans.

Clinical Pharmacology II builds on foundational pharmacologic principles, expanding students’ understanding of agents used across multiple body systems. Students apply clinical judgment to optimize therapeutic choices and monitor treatment efficacy in the context of patient-specific variables.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine II is the second in a three-part series designed to establish a foundational understanding of patient care essential for clinical practice by the Physician Assistant. Organized systematically by medical specialty, this course provides focused instruction on key topics designed to develop a strong knowledge base concerning the diagnosis and management of acute, chronic, and emergent medical conditions across the lifespan.

Medical Diagnostics & Interventions III builds student competence in selecting, performing, and interpreting a broad array of diagnostic modalities and bedside procedures. Grounded in patient-safety and quality-improvement principles, the course equips future PAs to integrate evidence-based diagnostics and interventions into everyday clinical decision-making.

Psychosocial Elements of Wellness examines the complex interplay between psychological, social, and developmental factors in shaping health and illness. Emphasizing integrated behavioral medicine, the course prepares future physician assistants to address mental and physical health in a holistic, patient-centered framework across diverse care settings.

Clinical Assessment & Reasoning III advances students’ diagnostic acumen and clinical decision-making in complex or multisystem presentations. Through simulated and case-based encounters, students synthesize clinical information to construct comprehensive assessments and individualized management plans. The course reinforces the development of clinical confidence, precision, and patient-centered reasoning.

Clinical Pharmacology III concludes the pharmacology sequence by equipping students to prescribe safely and effectively for diverse and vulnerable patient populations. The course emphasizes the clinical and regulatory complexities of pharmacologic care, focusing on patient-specific considerations, medication safety, and collaborative practice in advanced clinical settings.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine III is the third in a three-part series designed to establish a foundational understanding of patient care essential for clinical practice by the Physician Assistant. Organized systematically by medical specialty, this course provides focused instruction on key topics designed to develop a strong knowledge base concerning the diagnosis and management of acute, chronic, and emergent medical conditions across the lifespan.

Directed medical studies.

This is a one-week course that will provide the student with expectations and professional standards necessary for clinical practice. This course reinforces the foundational medical knowledge developed throughout the didactic phase of the program.

Interprofessional Practice immerses physician-assistant students in collaborative clinical teams, where they observe and apply interprofessional principles to advance patient care. The course cultivates mutual respect, shared values, and clear role understanding among health-care professionals. Students further develop responsive communication and high-functioning teamwork skills that support safe, efficient, and value-driven outcomes for patients and populations.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in family medicine designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of general medical conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the outpatient setting. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of adult patients in a variety of encounters (preventive, acute, and chronic) under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in pediatric medicine that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of pediatric conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the outpatient setting. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of pediatric patients (infants, children, and adolescents) in a variety of encounters (preventive, acute, and chronic) under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in internal medicine designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of general medical conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the outpatient setting. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of adult patients in a variety of encounters (preventive, acute, and chronic) under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in emergency medicine that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of emergent and acute conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned through the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the emergency department setting. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of patients in a variety of encounters (emergent and acute) under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in surgery that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of surgical conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in surgical settings. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of adult patients presenting to the surgical practice in a variety of encounters (pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative) under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in women’s health that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of prenatal and gynecologic conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the outpatient setting. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care for patients in a variety of encounters under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in psychiatry designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of behavioral and mental health conditions. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning in the outpatient setting. This course allows students to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of adult patients in various encounters under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in elective medicine that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of conditions related to the assigned field of medicine. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning various settings (outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, or operating room) dependent upon the selected rotation. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of patients across the lifespan in a variety of encounters under the supervision of a preceptor.

This course is a 5-week supervised clinical practice experience in elective medicine that is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn proper management of conditions related to the assigned field of medicine. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic portion of the program through hands-on learning various settings (outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, or operating room) dependent upon the selected rotation. This course allows students the opportunity to refine clinical and technical skills through the care of patients across the lifespan in a variety of encounters under the supervision of a preceptor.

Senior Seminar prepares students with diagnostic, procedural, and professional skills through advanced lectures, workshops, and simulations. This course expands system-based knowledge and assesses the student's readiness for clinical practice.