Physician Assistant Studies

This intense course covers advanced study of the structure and development of the human body. Structural features are studied by gross dissection using whole body donors, demonstration, anatomical models, and cross section. Emphasis is placed on structure and the relationship of anatomic configuration to diagnosis clinical problems. Student evaluation is accomplished through written practical examinations.

This course provides instruction in the pathological processes that affect the body’s organ systems and establishes the foundational knowledge necessary for subsequent coursework in the Clinical Medicine series. Students will examine the mechanical, biochemical, cellular, and physiological mechanisms underlying human disease, with emphasis on clinical relevance. Topics include epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology/pathogenesis, and the resulting clinical presentations of disease states. Instruction integrates course content, videos, lectures, discussions, and formative assignments to reinforce learning. The course begins with foundational concepts in cell injury, cell death, and tissue repair and progresses through a systems-based approach to disease. Content in this course serves as the essential framework for Clinical Medicine II and Clinical Medicine III.

CCRS I introduces foundational concepts in clinical communication, patient interviewing, history gathering, documentation, patient education, professionalism, interprofessional communication, patient safety, and introductory clinical reasoning. Students learn the organizational frameworks and communication principles necessary to obtain patient histories, communicate effectively with patients and healthcare teams, and begin developing clinical reasoning skills. The course includes integration of patient-centered communication, cultural humility, health literacy, oral case presentation, shared decision-making, and telehealth communication, with knowledge applied and reinforced throughout the CCRS curriculum, the accompanying Lab, and clinical education experiences.

CCRS I Lab provides structured practice and application of the clinical communication and reasoning skills introduced in CCRS I. Students engage in role-play, simulated patient encounters, oral case presentations, documentation exercises, patient education activities, and formative experiences to develop foundational skills in patient interviewing, history gathering, professional communication, and introductory clinical reasoning. Emphasis is placed on deliberate practice, feedback, reflection, and progressive skill development in preparation for CCRS II, CCRS III, OSCEs, and supervised clinical practice.

This course provides physician assistant students with a structured framework for understanding and applying ethical principles in healthcare and medical practice. Emphasis is placed on ethical reasoning, professional responsibility, informed consent, and the resolution of ethical dilemmas encountered in clinical medicine, research, and healthcare systems. Students examine foundational ethical theories, analyze diverse moral perspectives, and apply ethical decision-making models to patient-centered and interprofessional scenarios. The course prepares students to meet professional, legal, and ethical obligations consistent with the PA role and supports readiness for ethical decision-making in both didactic and clinical settings.

This course builds upon the foundational content introduced in Clinical Medicine I and further develops the problem-solving skills essential to medical decision-making. Students will engage in an in-depth study of diseases and disorders using a body systems approach. Medical knowledge includes epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and patient education for conditions encountered in primary care. Instruction includes the provision of care across preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, adolescent, and adult populations as these apply to disease processes. The course supports program defined competencies by fostering patient-centered knowledge for practice and integrating clinical reasoning and evidence-based decision-making to promote safe, effective, and compassionate care across diverse patient populations. The knowledge and skills gained in this course support performance in Clinical Medicine III and supervised clinical experiences.

CRS II builds upon the communication, history gathering, and documentation skills introduced in CCRS I by incorporating physical examination, diagnostic interpretation, differential diagnosis development, assessment formation, and patient management principles. Students learn to integrate this information to begin developing clinical decision-making skills and increasingly organized clinical assessments and management plans as they transition from information gathering to complete patient evaluation. Knowledge is applied and reinforced throughout the accompanying lab, CCRS curriculum, and clinical education experiences.

CCRS II Lab provides structured application and deliberate practice of complete patient encounters introduced in CCRS II. Through simulation activities, guided clinical reasoning workshops, mini clinical team encounters, oral presentations, SOAP note development, patient education activities, and OSCE-style assessments, students integrate history gathering, physical examination, diagnostic interpretation, differential diagnosis development, assessment formation, and management planning. The course includes progressive clinical reasoning, organization of patient information, patient-centered communication, teamwork, patient safety, and clinical decision-making in preparation for CCRS III, OSCE performance, and supervised clinical practice

This course provides physician assistant students with focused instruction in the appropriate selection and interpretation of clinical diagnostic testing, with emphasis on evidence-based decision-making in the primary care setting. Course delivery includes assigned readings, online materials, instructional videos, and weekly lectures. Formative in-class activities reinforce critical thinking skills and support the integration of learned material into clinical decision-making. Instruction begins with an introduction to evidence-based medicine and clinical diagnostic concepts before progressing to an in-depth system-based format. Content complements and reinforces learning in the Clinical Medicine and Clinical Skills courses, establishing a strong foundation for advanced coursework, supervised clinical experiences, and evidence-based patient care. The course supports the acquisition of program-defined competencies through the development of medical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving skills essential for safe, effective, and patient-centered practice.

This course provides an overview of U.S. healthcare delivery systems, with emphasis on the Physician Assistant’s role in care coordination, clinical management, reimbursement, quality assurance, risk management, access to care, and legal and socioeconomic issues. Students will examine how healthcare structures, financing, and policy affect quality, equity, public health, and patient outcomes while developing a systems-based understanding of collaborative, patient-centered care.

The Clinical Skills & Physical Diagnosis Lab I course provides students with hands-on training in essential physical examination techniques and core clinical procedures routinely performed by physician assistants. Emphasizing a systems-based approach, students will develop competence in conducting comprehensive and focused medical exams, including inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. In addition, students will learn and practice a variety of procedural skills. This course fosters the integration of clinical reasoning, patient communication, and professionalism while ensuring students meet the technical proficiency expected in clinical rotations and future practice. Through a combination of demonstration, simulation, peer practice, and faculty-guided instruction, students will gain confidence and accuracy in clinical performance. Skills covered include, but are not limited to, sterile technique, suturing, injections, venipuncture, splinting and casting and other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to integrate these skills into clinical rotations and future practice.

This course builds upon the foundational content introduced in Clinical Medicine I and the clinical reasoning developed in Clinical Medicine II to synthesize and deepen students’ clinical knowledge in epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management within a continued systems-based approach. Instruction is advanced through clinical rotation lectures intended to bridge clinical medicine concepts across multiple body systems and promote a more comprehensive understanding of patient care. The course supports program-defined competencies by fostering clinical reasoning and integrating current clinical guidelines and evidence-based medicine to promote safe, effective, and compassionate care across diverse patient populations. Emphasis is placed on recognizing clinical presentations, navigating interdisciplinary care, and developing a holistic approach to patient care, ensuring students are prepared for supervised clinical experiences.

CCRS III lab advances the communication, history gathering, documentation, physical examination, diagnostic interpretation, differential diagnosis, assessment formation, patient management, and clinical decision-making skills developed in CCRS I and CCRS II. Students learn to further integrate information from patient encounters, diagnostic studies, and clinical findings to develop more sophisticated assessments and management plans. The course includes application of clinical reasoning, evidence-based decision-making, patient education, and interprofessional communication. These skills are reinforced through problem-based learning activities, patient simulations, and OSCEs in preparation for supervised clinical practice experiences.

The Clinical Skills & Physical Diagnosis Lab II course continues to provide students with hands-on training in essential physical examination techniques and core clinical procedures routinely performed by physician assistants. Emphasizing a systems-based approach, students will develop competence in conducting comprehensive and focused medical exams, including inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. In addition, students will learn and practice a variety of procedural skills. This course fosters the integration of clinical reasoning, patient communication, and professionalism while ensuring students meet the technical proficiency expected in clinical rotations and future practice. Through a combination of demonstration, simulation, peer practice, and faculty-guided instruction, students will gain confidence and accuracy in clinical performance. Skills covered include, but are not limited to, sterile technique, suturing, injections, venipuncture, splinting and casting and other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to integrate these skills into clinical rotations and future practice.