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Year One: Didactic Courses

PAS 601: Essentials of Medical Science (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course builds a strong foundation of the medical sciences including concepts in immunology, genetics, nutrition, microbiology, and molecular mechanisms of health and disease. This course is designed to provide students with an introductory understanding of scientific concepts that will be applied to the study of clinical medicine.

PAS 602: Physiology (2 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course examines the homeostatic mechanisms of human physiology. Each organ system will be analyzed and assessed in terms of structure and function in relation to providing appropriate medical care. Students will learn the regulatory function of the human body at the cellular, tissue, and organ system levels. This course provides foundational knowledge which students will apply to the study of diseases and disorders. 

PAS 603: Biostatistics (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course will explore statistical concepts and methods in order to understand how to interpret the medical literature. Emphasizing the role of statistical methods in evidence-based medicine, students will critically evaluate, analyze, and apply these principles to clinical decision-making. 

PAS 604: Ethics in Medicine (1 credit hour)

• Course Description: This course introduces students to ethical considerations, principles, and dilemmas in the practice of medicine. The course also explores ethical frameworks for navigating issues related to patient care and ethical decision-making.

PAS 605: Medical Communication (2 Credit hours)

• Course Description: This course is designed to provide students with the skills to effectively communicate with patients and healthcare providers. Students will explore various aspects of medical communication, including verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, empathy, and delivering difficult news. Students will develop tools to conduct patient interviews, elicit a medical history, and provide medical documentation of patient encounters. 

PAS 606: PA Professional Practice I (1 credit hour)

• Course Description: This course is the first of a two-part series that prepares students to succeed professionally as practicing physician assistants. Students will explore topics related to the history of the profession, develop skills in advocacy and leadership, engage in service learning activities, and cover concepts of public health as they relate to the role of the practicing PA. 

PAS 607: PA Professional Practice II (1 credit hour)

• Course Description: This course is the second of a two-part series that prepares students to succeed professionally as practicing physician assistants. Students will explore topics related to the business of healthcare, health care delivery systems, health policy, and improving patient safety.

PAS 610: Anatomy with Lab (4 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course offers a comprehensive study of gross and functional anatomy of the human body at the cellular, tissue, organ, and system level. Through a combination of lectures, laboratory work, and interactive activities, students will explore organ systems and tissues, fostering a deeper understanding of the anatomical basis of health and disease.

PAS 612 Physical Assessment & History with Laboratory (4 credit hours)

• Course Description: In this course, students learn and practice the fundamental techniques of performing an age-appropriate physical examination. Students will learn to systematically assess, interpret, and document findings during comprehensive and problem-focused physical examinations. Students will learn to distinguish between normal and abnormal physical exam findings in order to formulate differential diagnoses and develop patient assessment plans.     

PAS 615 Laboratory Interpretation I (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course is the first in a series that provides students with the knowledge and skills to think critically when ordering and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic studies. Students will also gain skills in diagnostic and therapeutic procedural techniques. The course will align with the topics covered in Clinical Medicine I including infectious disease, EENT, pulmonology, and cardiology.

PAS 616 Laboratory Interpretation II (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course is the second in a series that provides students with the knowledge and skills to think critically when ordering and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic studies. Students will also gain skills in diagnostic and therapeutic procedural techniques. BLS instruction, testing and certification will also be included in this course. The course will align with the topics covered in Clinical Medicine II including gastroenterology, endocrinology, hematology, and musculoskeletal medicine and rheumatology.  

PAS 617 Laboratory Interpretation III (2 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course is the third in a series that provides students with the knowledge and skills to think critically when ordering and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic studies. Students will also gain skills in diagnostic and therapeutic procedural techniques. The course will align with the topics covered in Clinical Medicine III including genitourinary, renal, reproductive health, pediatrics, geriatrics, and neurology. 

PAS 620: Clinical Medicine I (4 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive study of acute and chronic disease and disorders by organ system across the lifespan including infant, children, adolescent, adult and elderly patients. Organ systems included will be infectious disease, EENT, pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. Students will learn clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, pharmacotherapeutic and medical management.  

PAS 621 Clinical Medicine II (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive study of acute and chronic disease and disorders by organ system across the lifespan including infant, children, adolescent, adult and elderly patients. Organ systems included will be gastroenterology, endocrinology, hematology, dermatology and musculoskeletal/rheumatology. Students will learn clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, pharmacotherapeutic and medical management.  

PAS 622 Clinical Medicine III (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive study of acute and chronic disease and disorders by organ system across the lifespan including infant, children, adolescent, adult and elderly patients. Organ systems included will be genitourinary, renal, neurology, reproductive health, pediatrics and geriatrics. Students will learn clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, pharmacotherapeutic and medical management.  

PAS 625 Essentials of Behavioral Medicine (2 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course focuses on essential concepts from the social and behavioral sciences. Instruction will focus on the prevention, screening, diagnosis, management and referral of acute and chronic psychiatric and behavioral conditions. Through lecture and case discussion, students will formulate care plans that are patient-centered, culturally sensitive and focused on helping patients develop coping mechanisms and adopt more healthful behaviors.  

PAS 627 Essentials of Emergency Medicine (2 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course focuses on the fundamental concepts necessary for PA practice in emergency medicine settings across the lifespan. Students will learn clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, pharmacotherapeutic and medical management of common emergencies in all organ systems. ACLS instruction, testing, and certification will also be included in this course.  

PAS 628 Essentials of Surgical Medicine (2 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course focuses on the fundamental concepts necessary for PA practice in surgical medicine including the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of surgical conditions. Instruction will focus on perioperative approach to the patient including preoperative, intraoperative, and post-operative care. Students will learn the indications, contraindications, and intervention of common surgical procedures and techniques.  

PAS 630: Pharmacotherapeutics I (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacologic management of human diseases and disorders.  This course is organized in sequence with the Clinical Medicine I course. Through a blend of lectures, case studies, and interactive activities, students will build foundational knowledge about pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, mechanisms of drug action, drug interactions, adverse reactions, and safe prescribing practices.

PAS 631 Pharmacotherapeutics II (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacologic management of human diseases and disorders.  This course is organized in sequence with the Clinical Medicine II course. Through a blend of lecture, case studies, and interactive activities, students will continue to explore pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, mechanisms of drug action, drug interactions, adverse reactions, and safe prescribing practices.

PAS 632 Pharmacotherapeutics III (3 credit hours)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacologic management of human diseases and disorders.  This course is organized in sequence with the Clinical Medicine III course. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge, case studies, and interactive activities, students will continue to explore pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, mechanisms of drug action, drug interactions, adverse reactions, and safe prescribing practices.

PAS 635 Evidence-Based Medicine I (1 Credit hour)

• Course Description: This is the first of a three-part course series designed to provide students with the essential skills needed to critically evaluate and integrate the best available evidence into clinical decision-making. The first course will build on the foundational skills established in the Biostatistics course through the use of interactive learning activities and cases to develop a systematic and practical approach to search, interpret, and evaluate the medical literature. Students will engage in lectures, journal club, and case-based discussions. Students will begin preliminary efforts for their scholarly work which will conclude in the Senior Seminar course. 

PAS 636 Evidence-Based Medicine II (1 Credit hour)

• Course Description: This is the second course in a series designed to provide students with the essential clinical reasoning skills needed to critically evaluate, integrate, and summarize the best available evidence to inform clinical decision-making in patient care. Students will engage in facilitated case-based discussions to learn how to formulate prioritized differential diagnoses using clinical decision-making frameworks and create patient-centered management plans.

PAS 637 Evidence-Based Medicine III (1 Credit hour)

• Course Description: This course series is designed to provide students with the essential skills to critically evaluate, integrate, and summarize the best available evidence to inform clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice. Students will engage in journal club activities and case-based discussions to apply evidence-based medicine skills. Students will continue efforts towards the production of scholarly work including drafting a publishable quality clinical review article and conference-ready poster on a clinical topic of their choosing. Students’ scholarship will be completed and showcased in the Senior Seminar course.

Year Two: Clinical Year Courses

PAS 650 Family Medicine in Community Health (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in community health and family medicine. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills with an emphasis on preventive, acute, and chronic care encounters in outpatient community health centers. The anticipated patient population may include adolescents, adults, and elderly.

PAS 651 Women’s Health (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in women’s health. Learning experiences emphasize prenatal and gynecologic care in the outpatient setting, with potential additional exposure in hospital and operating room environments. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills by participating in preventive, acute, and chronic encounters. The anticipated patient population may include adolescents, adults, and elderly.

PAS 652 Pediatric Medicine (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in pediatric medicine. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills in outpatient pediatric clinics, with emphasis on caring for infants, children, and adolescents across preventive, acute, and chronic care encounters.

PAS 653 Emergency Medicine (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in emergency medicine. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills with an emphasis on emergent care encounters in the emergency department. The anticipated patient population may include adolescents, adults, and elderly.

PAS 654 Inpatient Internal Medicine (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week clinical practice experience provides students the opportunity to gain direct patient care experience in inpatient internal medicine/hospital medicine settings. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills with an emphasis on acute, and chronic care internal medicine encounters in the hospital setting. The anticipated patient population may include adults, and elderly.

PAS 655 Surgical Medicine (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in surgical medicine in the operating room. Students will apply and expand the knowledge and skills learned during the didactic curriculum to surgery. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills with an emphasis on acute, and chronic care encounters which may require surgical intervention. Students will participate in the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care of patients. The anticipated patient population may consist of adults or the elderly. This clinical rotation will include experiences in inpatient, outpatient, and operating room settings.

Under the supervision of board-certified or otherwise qualified preceptors, students will participate in patient evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and education while developing the ability to function effectively as part of an interprofessional healthcare team. This SCPE offers students the opportunity to develop culturally sensitive, patient-centered care while strengthening clinical reasoning, communication, and professional skills.

PAS 656 Behavioral Medicine (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with direct patient care exposure in behavioral and mental health care. Students will apply and expand the knowledge and skills learned during the didactic curriculum. Building on the didactic curriculum, students will apply and expand their knowledge and skills with an emphasis on acute and chronic care encounters. The anticipated patient population may consist of children, adolescents, adults or the elderly. 

PAS 657 Elective Clinical Practice Experience (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This 5-week elective supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with the opportunity to expand their clinical knowledge, refine essential skills, and apply core competencies within a medical or surgical specialty assigned by program faculty. Under the direct supervision of licensed preceptors, students will evaluate, examine, educate, and manage patients across the lifespan in settings that may include inpatient, outpatient, emergency, or operative care, while further defining their role as physician assistants. In addition to developing specialty-specific skills, students continue to strengthen core competencies in patient evaluation, communication, professionalism, and interprofessional collaboration. This experience builds on the didactic curriculum, supports achievement of program learning outcomes, and facilitates the transition to entry level clinical PA practice.

PAS 660 Senior Seminar (5 credit hours)

• Course Description: This multi-component course verifies that each student meets the program competencies required to enter clinical practice. Students will take part in the end of curriculum and technical skills summative examination within the final 4 months of the program. The summative exam and continued didactic education that will test and expand their clinical and technical skills, clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities, interpersonal skills, medical knowledge, and professional behaviors. Additionally, this course will also allow students to complete their Senior Seminar scholarly paper and conference poster presentation.