Mission, Vision, and Goals

Mission
The mission of the University of South Alabama Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program
is to educate compassionate and competent individuals from diverse backgrounds to
become highly qualified physician assistants in accordance with the highest professional
standards to provide a broad spectrum of preventative and curative healthcare to patients
in various communities and clinical settings with physician supervision including
underserved populations in Alabama both rural and urban. The emphasis of the program
is one of primary care, including a broad foundation in the medical and surgical specialties.
Vision
The Physician Assistant Studies program curriculum is closely related to the goals
of the University of South Alabama as well as to the degree. The program fosters an
environment that promotes the acquisition and application of culturally sensitive,
patient-oriented clinical knowledge and skills to produce a diverse workforce of primary
care physician assistants who practice medicine with competence, professionalism,
and compassion driven by academic excellence and a spirit of service to the community.
Goals
The goals of the PA program are to:
Measure/ Benchmark:
- Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Student Community Service Involvement) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Student Community Service Involvement) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Graduate Exit Survey (Student Community Service Involvement) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
Success
Measure | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Student Community Service Involvement) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Student Community Service Involvement) | No data | No data | No data | 4.875/5 |
Graduate Exit Survey (Student Community Service Involvement) | 3.906/5 | 4.444/5 | 4.096/5 | 4.115/5 |
Criteria # 1 – Evidence-based medicine
Measure/ Benchmark:
- Preceptor Eval of Student (evidence-based medicine) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Preparation in EBM) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in EBM) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in EBM) />3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
Success
Measure | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Preceptor Eval of Student (Practice EBM) | 4.743/5 | 4.776/5 | 4.715/5 | 4.713/5 |
Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Preparation in EBM) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in EBM) | No data | No data | No data | 4.115/5 |
Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in EBM) | 4.531/5 | 4.519/5 | 4.442/5 | 4.596/5 |
Criteria #1 – Highly Qualified Applicants
Measures/Benchmarks:
- Undergraduate cumulative GPAs/ >3.5 out of 4.0 average for cohort
- Undergraduate science GPAs/ >3.5 out of 4.0 average for cohort
Success of Goal
Criteria | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Average undergraduate cumulative GPA | 3.706 | 3.67575 | 3.63133 | 3.65716 |
Average undergraduate science GPA | 3.654 | 3.6185 | 3.53483 | 3.615 |
Measures/Benchmarks:
- Underrepresented minority students in healthcare professions/ >20% of cohort
- Environmentally or economically disadvantaged students/ >20% of cohort
Success of Goal
Criteria | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Underrepresented minority students in healthcare professions | 5% | 10% | 20% | 10% |
Environmentally or economically disadvantaged students | 50% | 55% | 46% | 50% |
Criteria # 1 – Practice patient-centered medicine
Measure/ Benchmark:
- Preceptor Eval of Student (patient-centered medicine)/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in Patient -centered care) / >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in Patient -centered care) / >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Graduate Exit Survey (Patient-centered care)/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
Success
Measure | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Preceptor Eval of Student (patient-centered medicine) | 4.864/5 | 4.87/5 | 4.788/5 | 4.784/5 |
Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Preparation in Patient -centered care) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in Patient -centered care) | No data | No data | No data | 4.115/5 |
Graduate Exit Survey Preparation in (Patient -centered care) | 4.032/5 | 4.519/5 | 4.345/5 | 4.365/5 |
Criteria # 2 – Interprofessional education
Measure/ Benchmark:
- Preceptor Eval of Student (Interprofessional teamwork/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Preparation in interprofessional education/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in interprofessional education/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
- Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in interprofessional education/ >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
Success
Measure | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Preceptor Eval of Student (Inter-professional teamwork) | 4.868/5 | 4.874/5 | 4.826/5 | 4.745/5 |
Student End of Didactic Phase Survey (Preparation in Interprofessional Education) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in Interprofessional Education) | No data | No data | No data | 4.625/5 |
Graduate Exit Survey Preparation in (Preparation in Interprofessional education) | 3.774/5 | 4.556/5 | 4.385/5 | 4.327/5 |
Criteria #1 – Professionalism of students
Measures/Benchmarks:
- End of Didactic Phase Survey, (Preparation in Professionalism) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Student Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in Professionalism) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in Professionalism) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Preceptor Eval of Student (Preparation in Professionalism) >3.5 out of 5.0 per cohort
Success of Goal
Criteria | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student End of Didactic Phase (Preparation in Professionalism) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Student Graduate Exit Survey (Student Preparation in Professionalism) | 3.875/5 | 4.407/5 | 4.115/5 | 4.212/5 |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Student Preparation in Professionalism) | No data | No data | No data | 4.875/5 |
Preceptor Eval of Student (Student Preparation in Professionalism) | 4.933/5 | 4.849/5 | 4.858/5 | 4.789/5 |
Criteria #1 – Medical knowledge of students
Measures/Benchmarks:
- End of Didactic Phase Survey, (Preparation in medical knowledge)/ >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Student Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in medical knowledge) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in medical knowledge) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Didactic GPA
Success of Goal:
Measure | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student End of Didactic Phase (Preparation in medical knowledge) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Student Graduate Exit Survey (Student Preparation in medical knowledge) | 4.065/5 | 4.481/5 | 4.192/5 | 4.385/5 |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Student Preparation in medical knowledge) | No data | No data | No data | 4.875/5 |
Criteria #2 – Clinical skills of students (Physical Exam)
Measures/Benchmarks:
- End of Didactic Phase Survey, (Preparation in clinical skills)/ >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Student Graduate Exit Survey (Preparation in clinical skills) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Preparation in clinical skills) >3.5/5.0 cohort average
- End of Didactic Complete Physical Exam GPA
Success of Goal:
Criteria | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student End of Didactic Phase (Preparation in clinical skills) | No data | No data | No data | No data |
Student Graduate Exit Survey (Student Preparation in clinical skills) | 4.063/5 | 4.407/5 | 4.308/5 | 4.577/5 |
Faculty Eval of Curriculum (Student Preparation in clinical skills) | No data | No data | No data | 4.75/5 |
Criteria #1 – Professional Involvement
Measures/Benchmarks:
- Student members of the AAPA / 100% cohort participation
Success of Goal:
Criteria | Cohort 2020 | Cohort 2021 | Cohort 2022 | Cohort 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student AAPA participation |