The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that begins with a didactic phase designed to provide a solid foundation in basic medical science. The didactic phase includes instruction in human gross anatomy, physiology, pathology, medical genetics, current and historical professional issues, health policy and management, pharmacology, clinical assessment, emergency medicine, behavioral medicine, clinical pediatrics, geriatrics, and women’s health. This didactic phase includes a variety of learning strategies combining formal lectures, problem based learning, practical hands-on clinical laboratory classes,clinical simulation assessment and procedure laboratory classes, and objective structured clinical examinations with a continuous focus on competency-based clinical skills. Students also develop strong patient communication skills and advanced clinical critical thinking problem solving skills.

The clinical learning phase of the Masters of Health Science program in Physician Assistant Studies continues for twelve months following the didactic phase. Eight clinical learning rotations (seven core and one elective) are divided into six week blocks ending with a Comprehensive Summative course prior to graduation. Seven core clinical learning rotations are required including: Primary Care/Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Behavioral Medicine. The Clinical Learning phase involves clinical practice experience in a variety of in-patient and out-patient settings and specialties.

This phase offers the student the opportunity to further develop, refine, reinforce, and integrate competency based clinical skills learned during the didactic portion of the curriculum, including cognitive, psychomotor, and interpersonal communication skills. This graduate Physician Assistant program includes very intensive instruction provided by physicians, physician assistants, and otherhealth care professionin order to assure that patient care functions provided by our graduates are of the highest quality. The Physician Assistant program prepares the student for comprehensive generalist practice within a variety of clinical settings following completion of the final year of the program. The goals and objectives of the PA program are guided by the accreditation process, as established by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). We received provisional accreditation status in September 2007. Our graduates will be eligible to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination required by the State Board of Medicine of Tennessee for licensure.