Didactic Curriculum

This course provides students with the skills to perform a complete physical examination essential to patient evaluation and management. Students will learn critical thinking skills, physical examination techniques, and interpretation and documentation of medical findings through participation in laboratory sessions, patient simulations, and small group discussions.

This course provides students with exposure to ethical principles and practice in health care.  Students will learn and apply ethical theories through case presentations and group discussions.

This course provides students with an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact the health of populations and communities. Students will learn about social determinants of health, implicit bias and how to engage patients as upstanders for patient and community health.

This course exposes students to the social, regulatory, ethical, and professional aspects of becoming a physician assistant. Students will learn the history of the physician assistant profession and address specific topics including professional mobility, governmental funding, health care system structure, employment, credentialing, finance, intra-professional communication, leadership, and resources for lifelong learning. Students will learn principles of medical billing and coding, licensing, credentialing, health care resources, telemedicine, medical care in low resource areas, and roles of other members of the health care team.

This course provides students with a foundation in professional development topics related to employment and practice, such as achieving certification, seeking employment, developing and fostering effective PA-physician team-based practice, and successful long-term functioning within the larger healthcare system. Students will learn principles of professional interviewing, contract negotiation, health literacy, medical malpractice, impairment, and cultural diversity impacting the provision of health care.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of dermatologic disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of dermatologic and co-morbid disorders.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations.  Students will obtain experience in point of care ultrasound and punch and shave biopsies through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of hematologic and oncologic disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic hematologic and oncologic disorders.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of cardiovascular disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic cardiovascular and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations.  Students will obtain experience in electrocardiography, heart sounds, point of care ultrasound, and IV/venipuncture through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of eye, ear, nose, throat, and lung disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of an acute and chronic eye, ear, nose, throat, lung, and co-morbid disorders.  Students will also learn the basic science of nutrition as it relates to the biochemical and physiologic aspects in patients with eye, ear, nose, throat, and lung diseases and disorders.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations simulation, live lectures, online videos, podcasts, and readings.  Students will obtain experience in interpreting chest X-rays, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gasses, laboratory tests, and chest computed tomography. They will obtain hands-on experience with intramuscular, intradermal, and subcutaneous injections as well as pulmonary and ocular point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of endocrinology disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic endocrine and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. Students will obtain experience in relevant point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of gastrointestinal, hepatic, and nutritional disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic gastrointestinal and co-morbid disorders.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations, live lectures, online videos, and readings. Students will obtain experience in nasogastric tube placement and point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of renal and genitourinary disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic renal, genitourinary, and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations.  Students will obtain experience in performing the male genitourinary physical exam, rectal exam, urethral catheterization, urinalysis, and point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of rheumatologic and orthopedic disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic rheumatologic, orthopedic, and co-morbid disorders.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations, live lectures, online videos, and readings. Students will obtain experience in casting and splinting, special orthopedic techniques, arthrocentesis, and point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of neurological disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic neurologic and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. Students will obtain experience in lumbar puncture and point of care ultrasound through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of pregnancy, obstetric, and gynecologic disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition and genetic considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic obstetric, gynecologic and co-morbid disorders. The students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations, simulation, live lectures, online videos, and readings. Students will obtain experience in performing the breast and pelvic physical examination through laboratory instruction.

This module is an introduction to psychiatry.  It provides exposure to principles of psychiatric disorders.  Students will learn the unique approach to psychiatric patients along with the pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic work up, assessment, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic psychiatric and co-morbid disorders.  The effect of neurotransmitters and neurology anatomy is presented to create a deeper understanding of psychiatric disorders.  The pharmacology of various psychiatric medications is presented to allow the student to practice making medical decisions for treatment of psychiatric illnesses.  Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. 

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of geriatric disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic geriatric disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of surgical and emergency disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of surgical and emergent and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations, scenario simulation, live lectures, online videos, and readings. Students will obtain experience in suturing, aseptic technique, gowning and gloving, surgical knot tying, point of care ultrasound, basic life support, and advanced cardiac life support through laboratory instruction.

This course provides students with exposure to the principles and practice of pediatric disorders.  Students will learn pathophysiology, epidemiology, presentation, physical examination findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, assessment, associated nutrition considerations, and treatment (including pharmacotherapeutic management) of acute and chronic pediatric and co-morbid disorders. Students will develop clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. Students will obtain experience in performing the pediatric physical examination through laboratory instruction.

This course provides a weekly small group learning environment to process and apply medical topics through case-based learning. Each Learning Society has PA leaders who advise, support and guide students on their PA school journey.

This course provides a weekly small group learning environment to process and apply medical topics through case-based learning. Each Learning Society has PA leaders who advise, support and guide students on their PA school journey.