Clinical Curriculum
The experiential learning phase of the curriculum provides further instruction in pathophysiology and clinical medicine, focusing on the areas traditionally defined by family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, surgery, and psychiatry and behavioral medicine. Training experiences in the ambulatory, emergency room, hospital ward and long-term care settings prepare Physician Assistant students to deliver health care services to diverse patient populations of all ages with a range of acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions. In these various settings students interview and examine patients, identify health care risks and problems, transmit patient information in verbal and written form to physicians, obtain specimens for diagnostic testing, participate in surgeries, monitor programs of evaluation and therapy, and discuss preventive health care behaviors with patients and families. Students generally complete the core clerkships in the first 11 months of the clinical phase. These clerkships include inpatient and outpatient internal medicine, inpatient and outpatient pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, psychiatry, emergency medicine and surgery.
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4 weeks
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4 weeks
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4 weeks
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4 Weels
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4 weeks
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Weeks
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Clinical Core |
Internal Medicine Inpatient |
Internal Medicine Outpatient
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Obstetrics
Gynecology |
Pediatrics Outpatient
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36 |
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Pediatrics Inpatient
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Psychiatry
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Surgery
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Emergency Medicine
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Advanced Clinical Core
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Geriatrics
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Selective
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8
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Research Core
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Research
I |
Research
II |
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8
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Integration Core
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Community Medicine
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8
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60
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The final six months of the clinical curriculum includes a four-week selective rotation, a research practicum (research 1) and a master's paper preparation period (research 2) , and the Family and Community Medicine eight-week practicum. In order to enhance the curriculum's emphasis on community-oriented primary care, the Program offers clinical experiences in community-based practices, particularly with under served populations in rural community settings across Texas. In this regard, the Family and Community Medicine practicum offered in rural settings throughout Texas emphasizes the health and disease of individuals in the psychosocial and economic context of the family.
Clinical Course Description
The below course descriptions reflect the current clinical curriculum. Please note that the clinical curriculum is continuously being reviewed to ensure the quality and applicability of the clinical experiences. Curriculum changes can and do occur as a part of this continuous quality improvement process.
71521 PACC Cultural Competency
This course builds on the students’ cultural awareness and sensitivity in dealing with patients from different cultures through the exploration of personal bias, communication styles, belief systems, health care practices, family roles, and their impact on the clinical encounter using the skill of crucial reflection.
Credits 3
74681 PAERM Emergency Medicine
The core Emergency Medicine rotation provides an in-depth exposure to the illnesses and injuries sustained by children and adults that necessitate emergency care. The educational experiences emphasize the focusing of interview and examination skills and performing of techniques and procedures essential to the proper management of surgical illness and injury.
Credits: 8
678731 PACFM Family and Community Medicine
This applied integration core rotation provides an exposure to the principles and practices of community-oriented primary care with an emphasis on disease prevention and health maintenance in adults as well as the opportunity to further techniques in history taking, physical examination, and health behavior counseling. Students also gain insight to the socio-environmental factors effecting the provision of health care services.
Credits: 16
74721 PAGER Geriatrics
This advanced clinical core rotation provides an opportunity to apply knowledge of the physiological, behavioral, psychological and sociological changes associated with aging to the multidimensional assessment of elderly individuals. The student acts as a member of an interdisciplinary team of health professionals managing disorders common to older individuals with particular attention to the maintenance of autonomy across alternative care settings.
Credits: 8
78621 PAIMI Internal Medicine - Inpatient
During this core rotation the student will learn to apply basic medical knowledge to the evaluation of problems encountered on a general medicine service. The formulation of an understanding of the various medical disorders in specific patients is accomplished during the accurate collection of data, the identification of problems, and the development of a plan for each problem. The student likewise learns to view the patient in a broader context because of the emphasis given to the emotional and social needs of the individual.
Credits: 16
74631 PAIMO Internal Medicine - Outpatient
During this core rotation the student will learn to apply basic medical knowledge to the evaluation of problems encountered in an ambulatory clinic. The formulation of an understanding of the various medical disorders in specific patients is accomplished during the accurate collection of data, the identification of problems, and the development of a plan for each problem. The student likewise learns to view the patient in a broader context because of the emphasis given to the emotional and social needs of the individual.
Credits: 8
74641 PAGYN Obstetrics and Gynecology
The core OB/GYN rotation exposes students to the spectrum of problems and issues associated with women's health care primarily in an ambulatory setting. The learning experiences emphasize family planning and birth control, sexually transmitted disease recognition and treatment, cancer detection, prenatal care, the evaluation of common gynecologic problems, and offer exposures to delivery and the surgical management of GYN disorders.
Credits: 8
78751 PAPDI Pediatrics - Inpatient
During this core rotation the student learns to apply basic medical knowledge and skills to the evaluation of problems encountered on a general pediatric service. The emphasis in this setting is on the provision of secondary and tertiary care to a child from birth through adolescence.
Credits: 8
74761 PAPDO Pediatrics – Outpatient
During this core rotation the student learns to apply basic medical knowledge and skills to the evaluation of problems encountered in an ambulatory pediatric practice. The emphasis in this setting is on the provision of primary and secondary care to a child from birth through adolescence.
Credits: 4
71511 PAPRI Professional Role Issues
This course introduces students to jurisprudence and professional practice issues. Through lectures, seminars, and individual assignments the student will learn about the healthcare marketplace, Texas medical jurisprudence, risk management, and professional practice issues to include employment and credentialing, insurance reimbursement, and medical coding. The course also addresses the alternative roles played by PAs in the community and the therapeutic uses for common drugs.
Credits: 3
74671 PPSY Psychiatry
This core rotation is designed to provide an understanding of the behavioral components of health, disease and disability. Exposure to patients with a variety of emotional illnesses and disabilities are used to develop informed history taking and mental status examination skills abilities to recognize and categorize psychiatric disturbances and techniques of early intervention and psychiatric referral.
Credits: 4
74691 PASUR Surgery
This core rotation provides an orientation to patients of various ages with surgically manageable disease. The emphasis of the learning experiences are on the preoperative evaluation and preparation of patients for surgery; assistance during the intra-operative period to develop an understanding of team member roles and operative procedures; and the care of surgical wounds and post-operative complications.
Credits: 8
74531 PARS1 Research 1
The first research seminar expands upon design issues addressed in the research methods course with particular attention paid to the identification of literature search strategies for each student’s Masters Paper Project, selection of works to be included in various sections of the Master’s Paper, clarification of questions surrounding data collection and strategies of analysis, and generation of the first draft of the paper and final poster through the methods section. All students are required to make a formal presentation of their research to the seminar group for review and comment.
Credits: 4
74541 PARS2 Research 2
The second research seminar involves continuing review of the drafted paper narrative with particular attention to the results of the data analysis and a discussion of the implications of the findings. Students are required to present the results of their research to the group for review and comment and complete the outline for their subsequent poster presentation during the annual research day.
Credits: 4
74741 PASEL Selective
One 4-week selective rotations is available for clinical students to pursue additional clinical experience in areas of their choosing. Selective rotation opportunities can be selected from the Medical School Elective Rotation book, or arranged directly with the PA Program clinical coordinators in areas of the student’s choosing. Appropriate rotation sites include primary care practice, core rotation sites, specialty practices, alternative medicine sites, and other community sites.
Credits: 4 each