DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES

Chair: George L. White, Jr. (434-3641)
Medical Director: Richard H. Esham, M.D.
Professor: White
Associate Professor: Henderson
Assistant Professors: Nenstiel, Vetrosky, Dixon

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM
MASTER OF HEALTH SCIENCE DEGREE
The Physician Assistant program serves as an entry into the profession and is designed for the student who holds a baccalaureate degree in a field other than Physician Assistant. Although the studentÆs undergraduate major is not specified, certain prerequisites are required. These prerequisites are delineated under the section Prerequisite Requirements and Criteria for Admission.

The program is designed to prepare the student for Physician Assistant practice in a variety of clinical practice settings following graduation. The major aim of the program is to prepare primary care practitioners who will provide health care to rural and urban medically under-served areas.

Physician Assistants are highly skilled practitioners who work under the general supervision of a physician. Physicians play a major role in the teaching program in order to assure that the patient-care provided by Physician Assistants is equivalent in quality to those of the Physician. Physician Assistants provide many medical services traditionally performed only by physicians. The services provided by Physician Assistants are both diagnostic and therapeutic. Diagnostic procedures can include taking medical histories, performing physical examinations, ordering and analyzing diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms and imaging studies. Therapeutic procedures such as suturing, removal of minor lesions and casting are also part of the services provided by Physician Assistants. Once diagnostic procedures are completed, the Physician Assistant reports pertinent findings to the supervising physician and develops a diagnosis. A treatment plan is implemented and appropriate referrals are made, if necessary to other health professionals. Physician Assistants are also able to prescribe medication.

Patient education and counseling are important aspects of a Physician AssistantÆs daily activities. Physician Assistants educate and advise patients concerning disease prevention, health promotion, and help direct patients toward appropriate psychological and social resources.

The complete program consists of seven consecutive semesters (27 continuous months) of study and is divided into two components: The Preclinical Component and the Clinical Component. The Preclinical Component consists of 4 semesters (15 consecutive months) of study of basic and clinical medical sciences. The Clinical Component is 3 semesters (12 continuous months) in length and consists of clinical preceptorships in each of the major areas of medicine and surgery. During the clinical component, the student increases medical knowledge and refines clinical skills which are needed for professional practice as a Physician Assistant. The entire curriculum is outlined below.

PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS AND
CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION
Listed below are minimum criteria including course prerequisites necessary to be considered for admission to the Physician Assistant Program. The Department of Physician Assistant Studies and the Office of Academic Advising can address questions concerning these prerequisites. The selection of students for entry into the program is competitive, and thus successful applicants will generally exceed the minimum criteria listed below for admission.

The following are minimum criteria for admission:

1. Completion of a Baccalaureate degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited institution prior to the starting date of the program.

2. Course work in science and mathematics including the following: biology I and II with laboratories, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology; two courses in general chemistry; 1 course in mathematics (college level algebra minimum); and 1 course in statistics. Extra points will be given to applicants who have completed any of the following courses: organic chemistry, medical microbiology, immunology, anatomy, medical physiology, genetics, biochemistry, physics, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology.

3. Course work in behavioral sciences to include at least 2 courses in psychology and 2 courses in other social sciences, and 1 course in computer science or documented computer proficiency.

4. Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

5. First preference will be given to residents of the State of Alabama. State residency is defined as those students who qualify for in-state tuition.

6. Preference will be given to applicants with health care experience.

7. Two letters of reference (one from an M.D.) mailed directly to the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

8. Interview: Following the initial review of applications, a limited number of applicants will be invited to campus for a personal interview after February 1. The interview score is an important component in deciding admission to the program.

LENGTH OF STUDY
Twenty-seven consecutive months.

PROGRAM ENTRANCE DATE
Early June of each year.

PROGRAM APPLICATION DATE
Program Application Date: January 15. The Completed Application, and all supporting documents (transcripts, reference letters, GRE scores) and a $75.00 application fee must be received by January 15. The application form and application instructions and detailed program information are available upon request by contacting: University of South Alabama, Department of Physician Assistant Studies, 1504 Springhill Ave., Suite 4410, Mobile, Alabama 36604-3273, Tel. 334/434-3641.

ACCREDITATION
The program has been granted provisional accreditation by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Examination. Certification is required by most State Boards of Medical Examiners to practice as a PA.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE
The Physician Assistant program leading to the Master of Health Sciences degree requires 121 semester credit hours with a minimum of 7 semesters of study. Three of the seven semesters (12 consecutive months) are spent in full-time preceptorships in clinical settings.

Program requirements and course sequence are listed below.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND COURSE SEQUENCE
Pre-Clinical Component
Summer

Fall

Spring

Summer

Clinical Component
Fall, Spring and Summer

*Choose Elective Clinical Preceptorships I and II from the following:
Expected employment practice, Orthopedics, Geriatrics, Endocrinology, Behavioral Medicine, ENT, Genito-urinary, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Neonatology, Surgery subspecialities, Pain management

At least 16 weeks of the clinical rotations must service rural/urban underserved populations.

EXPENSES
Lab Fee for Human Gross Anatomy: $195.00 (one time charge).
In addition to expenses associated with textbooks, food, and lodging, students will be required to purchase their own laboratory coats, stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, soft reflex hammer, and tuning fork. Also, students should anticipate extra expenses, particularly related to housing and transportation, during the clinical preceptorship year.
The University reserves the right to change tuition and fees, as deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees, without prior notice.

Description of all Physician Assistant Studies (PA) courses

College of Allied Health Professions

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