PHAS 5100. Primary Medicine I. (3 Credits)

Primary Medicine I will focus on the physiology and pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis of disease, and management of the most common disease states in the organ systems of dermatology, ophthalmology, ear, nose throat, hematology/oncology and HIV. The student will apply knowledge and understanding from organ system diseases in this course to other courses in the term to integrate the multiple perspectives on diagnosis and on the prevention of disease.

PHAS 5105. Labs & Diagnostics I. (2 Credits)

In this course, students will learn to appropriately select and interpret lab diagnostic testing utilizing laboratory method concepts and incorporate that data into medical decision making. Understand concepts of sensitivity and specificity; variants of normal; pitfalls in interpreting lab results, and identify specific labs diagnostics used in narrowing the differential diagnosis of patients with dermatologic, EENT, and hematologic/oncologic/coagulopathy disease presentations. Basics of radiology will be introduced in this course.

PHAS 5110. Patient Care I. (2 Credits)

This course will introduce the student to patient interviewing techniques, physical exam techniques, and documentation of medical notes. The student will focus on identification of normal physical exam findings, proper exam techniques, and the ability to compare and contrast normal findings to abnormal findings anticipated in a particular disease state. Content will include examination of each organ system covered in Primary Medicine I and skills in eliciting the history and documenting all history and physical Patiexam findings in a SOAP format.

PHAS 5115. Pharmacotherapy I. (2 Credits)

This course will cover the basic principles of pharmacology including: mechanism of action and resistance, therapeutic toxicity, adverse drug reactions of the most common medications used in management of the content topics taught in Primary Medicine I. Students will apply prior knowledge from other coursework to the selection of the most appropriate therapeutic options for a particular patient, whether acute, chronic or preventive and in any clinical setting.

PHAS 5120. Skills for Primary Practice I. (1 Credit)

This course teaches students the basic skills needed for family medicine practice in obtaining informed consent, performing and documenting procedures, and providing appropriate discharge information to the patient. Skills taught will mirror the course content of Primary Medicine I. Students will learn and practice obtaining informed consent, basic sterile technique, local anesthesia administration, dermatologic procedures, minor procedural skills in EENT, and principles of wound management and suturing.

PHAS 5125. PA Professional Practice I. (1 Credit)

This course will focus on intellectual, academic and professional honesty and ethical conduct; the history of the PA profession, the healthcare delivery system in the U.S., and the changing role of the PA in the US medical system, as well as intro to evidence-based medicine. Students will be introduced to information about the national and state organizations for PA’s, PA laws, licensure and advocacy for the profession. This content will be repeated in more depth during the End of Rotation (EOR) experiences in the clinical year closer to the time when students will be entering clinical practice. Students will be introduced to statistical analysis of medical literature, how to differentiate between types of studies, and discern study quality. Evidence-based medicine content will continue throughout the professional practice series of courses.

PHAS 5130. Medical Decision Making I. (1 Credit)

This course will integrate content from all coursework throughout this term, and educate the student in the process of making medical decisions from history and physical exam findings, interpreting lab and diagnostic test results, and incorporating epidemiologic information. This course builds on the process of learning to make medical decisions by developing a broad differential based on the chief complaint, then narrowing that differential and creating pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment plans. Students will learn to effectively and consistently use both verbal communication and written documentation to facilitate collaboration and to enhance patient care. Students will draw relevant conclusions from this activity using an evidence-based approach while demonstrating professionalism and a commitment to advancing the practice of medicine through communications and interactions.

PHAS 5135. Molecular Basis of Disease. (2 Credits)

Molecular Basis of Disease provides PA students the foundational material for biochemistry, microbiology, cell biology, immunology and molecular genetics necessary for the assimilation of future content in the rest of the PA program curriculum. Goals are to review foundational concepts in the medical sciences in order to prepare the student for education in clinical medicine. The student will use this information as the foundation for pathophysiologic principles related to the molecular basis of disease.

PHAS 5200. Primary Medicine II. (3 Credits)

Primary Medicine II will focus on the physiology and pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis of disease, and management of the most common disease states in the organ systems of urology, nephrology, endocrinology and neurology. The student will apply knowledge and understanding from organ system diseases in this course to other courses in the term to integrate the multiple perspectives on diagnosis and treatment of disease. Health promotion and disease prevention related to disease states such as obesity, diabetes, and patients with renal disease will be taught in this course.

PHAS 5205. Labs & Diagnostics II. (2 Credits)

This course will follow the content of Primary Medicine II and provide the student with specific focus on patient evaluation using lab diagnostic testing of patients with clinical presentations involving urology, nephrology, neurology, and endocrinology. The student will collect clinical data based on knowledge of various organ systems obtained from other courses, laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, and procedures to provide an accurate and comprehensive disease diagnosis. Students will be introduced to ECG interpretation in this course.

PHAS 5210. Patient Care II. (1 Credit)

This course is the second in a series of four courses encompassing all aspects of patient care. Students will learn the components of taking a complete medical history and perform and document a physical examination of a patient presenting with an endocrine, nephrologic, urologic and neurologic complaint. The second focus is on the integration of the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 with an understanding on the disease process from Primary Medicine II. Students will learn to identify normal physical exam findings and compare and contrast these to abnormal exam findings. Students will also learn to elicit historical information for all aspects of a complete history for a preventive visit and for a complete history of a patient with a chronic disorder.

PHAS 5215. Pharmacotherapy II. (2 Credits)

This course will build on the basic principles of pharmacology such as mechanism of action and resistance, therapeutic toxicity, adverse drug reactions, and focus on therapeutics for specific medical topics in Primary Medicine II. Students will apply this understanding to the commonly used medications in those topics which are covered in Primary Medicine II, linking prior knowledge in other coursework with selection of most appropriate therapeutic options, and follow up of efficacy and management of adverse drug reactions.

PHAS 5220. Skills for Primary Practice II. (1 Credit)

This course provides students with the foundational skills needed for family medicine practice. Building on the concepts from Primary Medicine II, students will learn important procedures including, but not limited to, Foley catheter placement, lumbar puncture, and ultrasound. The course emphasizes the performance and documentation of these procedures, linking them to the clinical topics covered in Primary Medicine II. This structured, step-by-step approach is designed to enhance learning and retention, ensuring that students are well-prepared for real-world family medicine practice.

PHAS 5225. PA Professional Practice II. (1 Credit)

This course will encompass issues related to stereotyping, bias, conflicting health beliefs and values, PA and patient expectations. Diversity and culture will be discussed, and ways to include this information in PA clinical practice will be explored. Cases will be used, and this will be primarily a discussion and reflection focused course.

PHAS 5230. Medical Decision Making II. (2 Credits)

This course will integrate content from all coursework throughout this term, and educate the student in the process of making medical decisions from history and physical exam findings, interpreting lab and diagnostic test results, and incorporating epidemiologic information. This course builds on the process of learning to make medical decisions by developing a broad differential based on the chief complaint, then narrowing that differential and creating pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment plans. Students will learn to effectively and consistently use both verbal communication and written documentation to facilitate collaboration and to enhance patient care. Students will draw relevant conclusions from this activity using an evidence-based approach while demonstrating professionalism and a commitment to advancing the practice of medicine through communications and interactions.

PHAS 5235. Anatomy. (5 Credits)

This course is will provide a solid foundation in functional human anatomy. The course will include lecture followed by a combination of supervised cadaver dissection, study of prosected specimens, and teaching models. This course will prepare students to apply anatomy to specific and advanced concepts in the courses that follow and translate that to the clinical setting. Students will gain an understanding of how to correlate anatomical structures to the knowledge of normal and abnormal physical exam findings necessary to clinical practice.

PHAS 5240. Behavioral Medicine. (2 Credits)

This course introduces the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and behavioral medicine disorders. The course will prepare students for managing common presentations of mental health disorders in primary medicine as well as the general management of patients who present with acute or emergent behavioral medicine concerns. While this course will cover the management of patients of all ages, generally will focus on management of adult patients, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment.

PHAS 5300. Primary Medicine III. (4 Credits)

Primary Medicine III will focus on the physiology and pathophysiology, epidemiology, differential diagnosis of disease, and management of the most common disease states in the organ systems of gastroenterology, orthopedics, rheumatology, infectious disease, pulmonology, and cardiology. The student will apply knowledge and understanding from organ system diseases in this course to other courses in the term to integrate the multiple perspectives on diagnosis, and on the promotion of health and prevention of disease related to cardiovascular risk reduction, smoking cessation strategies for pulmonology, and best practices in patients with chronic GI illnesses.

PHAS 5305. Labs & Diagnostics III. (3 Credits)

This course will remain focused on the appropriate selection and interpretation of lab radiologic diagnostic testing in patient care. This course will follow the content of Primary Medicine III with specific focus on patient evaluation with lab diagnostic testing of patients with pulmonic, cardiologic, gastrointestinal and orthopedic/rheumatologic acute and chronic disorders related to these organ systems.

PHAS 5310. Patient Care III. (2 Credits)

Patient Care III is the third course in this series which will focus on examining the organ systems covered in Primary Medicine III by linking anatomy with the physical exam findings of normal and the recognition of abnormal exam findings. In addition to the physical examination of the cardiac, pulmonary, GI, and orthopedic systems, students will continue to hone skills in eliciting the history from adult patients with continued practice in history-taking and documentation of SOAP notes and HP's in acute, chronic, and preventive disease states.

PHAS 5315. Pharmacotherapy III. (3 Credits)

This course focuses on identifying, correlating, and applying pharmacologic principles to select appropriate therapeutic treatments for specific disease states covered in Primary Medicine III. Students will use this knowledge to understand commonly prescribed medications for the conditions discussed in Primary Medicine III, integrating prior coursework to determine the most effective therapeutic options for each disease state.

PHAS 5320. Skills for Primary Practice III. (2 Credits)

This course will focus on procedural skills linked to Primary Medicine III including orthopedic, pulmonary, cardiac, and GI procedures. Instruction will include, but is not limited to, performing an EKG, spirometry and peak flow measurements, placing feeding and G-tubes, and splinting and casting. Besides performing the skill, students will learn how to document the procedure (and in the case of ECG, Radiology, Spirometry and PF’s, learn to interpret results) and provide discharge information to the patient, including post-procedure education (if warranted).

PHAS 5325. PA Professional Practice III. (1 Credit)

PA Professional Practice III will focus on public health initiatives from the perspective of societal health. The curriculum will cover global health and emerging diseases, emergency preparedness; environmental hazards, safe food and drug programs. For individual patient care and prevention, the student will focus on nutrition, substance use disorders, and exercise and lifestyle management. This instruction will build upon topics taught in Primary Medicine III to provide patient education on health promotion and disease prevention guidelines. The course will also cover healthcare systems and evidence-based medicine to prepare students to evaluate the medical literature for patient care needs and evolving medicine.

PHAS 5330. Medical Decision Making III. (2 Credits)

This course will integrate content from all coursework throughout this term, and educate the student in the process of making medical decisions from history and physical exam findings, interpreting lab and diagnostic test results, and incorporating epidemiologic information. This course builds on the process of learning to make medical decisions by developing a broad differential based on the chief complaint, then narrowing that differential and creating pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment plans. Students will learn to effectively and consistently use both verbal communication and written documentation to facilitate collaboration and to enhance patient care. Students will draw relevant conclusions from this activity using an evidence-based approach while demonstrating professionalism and a commitment to advancing the practice of medicine through communications and interactions.

PHAS 5400. Primary Medicine IV. (3 Credits)

Primary Medicine IV will focus on the physiology and pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis of disease, and management of the most common disease states specific to women’s health, geriatrics, and pediatrics. Students will receive instruction in health promotion and disease prevention, including STI prevention, prenatal care, immunizations, anticipatory guidance in pediatrics, and fall prevention in geriatrics. Students will also learn how to identify and prevent abuse and neglect across the lifespan.

PHAS 5405. Labs & Diagnostics IV. (2 Credits)

This course will continue to focus on the appropriate selection and interpretation of laboratory and radiologic diagnostic testing, specifically for evaluating women’s health. This course will focus specifically on patient evaluation with lab and diagnostic testing of gynecologic and obstetric patients and other women’s health issues. Focus will be on identifying the differences in both selection of appropriate lab radiologic testing and variants of normal in the interpretation of testing in these particular patient populations.

PHAS 5410. Patient Care IV. (2 Credits)

Patient Care IV is the final course in this series which will encompass patient care, including eliciting the history and completing a physical exam on pregnant and non-pregnant women, pediatric patients from birth to 18 yr., and geriatric patients (>65 yr.). Students will continue to practice medical documentation of acute, chronic, and preventive health visits, focusing on these specific patient populations. Students will acquire experience in obtaining information from family/caregivers/interpreters and previous patient records in patients unable to provide their own historical information. The physical exam component of the course will have students contrast normal and abnormal findings, and document those findings in these specific patient populations. In linking with the surgery and emergency medicine courses in this term, the student will conclude the series with instruction on documentation of admission orders, in-patient progress notes, discharge summaries, and other documents utilized in ER, OR and in-patient hospital care of patients.

PHAS 5415. Pharmacotherapy IV. (2 Credits)

This course will continue with concepts in mechanism of action and resistance, therapeutic toxicity, adverse drug reactions, will a specific focus on treating pregnant women, geriatric patients, and pediatric patients. Students will apply this knowledge to the commonly used medications, as well as medications to avoid, in the topics covered in Primary Medicine IV: Women’s Health, Geriatrics, and Pediatrics. Students will apply prior course content in interpretation of lab results for these populations, to provide appropriate dosing alteration as necessary. Unique prescribing will be considered in relation to these patient populations.

PHAS 5420. Skills for Primary Practice IV. (1 Credit)

Procedural skills in this course will link to content in the Emergency Medicine and Surgical Medicine courses. Advanced suturing techniques, procedures commonly provided in an ER setting, and those related to an OB-GYN and pediatric practice will be the focus. This course will include performing pelvic exams and male genitalia exams, pediatric exams, and geriatric exams. Students will continue more complicated suturing instruction. Students will continue to document procedures and practice providing discharge information to the patient, including post-procedure education.

PHAS 5425. PA Professional Practice IV. (1 Credit)

This course will focus on a variety of topics, including barriers to healthcare provision in correctional facilities and their impact on public health; violence and maltreatment as it relates to self, children, intimate partners, and elderly; management of work-related injuries and their impact on public health; and fall prevention in the elderly population as a public health initiative. Illnesses and conditions requiring rehabilitation and/or long-term care services, end of life planning, advance directives, a refusal for life-sustaining treatments, physiological changes associated with death and dying as well as providing physical and spiritual support to patients at end of life will also be covered.

PHAS 5435. Emergency Medicine for Primary Care. (3 Credits)

This course will enable the student to apply knowledge in the clinical topics learned thus far in Primary Medicine, specifically focusing on the most common emergent presentations of medical conditions. Emergency Medicine specific topics include the identification of criteria that suggests a life-threatening illness or event; acute intervention and management of emergent conditions; determining the need for hospital or ICU admission; and emergent medical or surgical referral will be included.

PHAS 5440. Surgical Medicine. (3 Credits)

This course will cover common surgical presentations to include pre-operative evaluation and preparation for surgery, basics of surgical intervention, and post-operative complication recognition and management. The focus will be primarily on adult surgical management, but pediatrics, pregnancy and management of the elderly surgical patient will be covered. The goal of the course is the pre-operative evaluation of the patient and risk assessment prior to the surgery; basic peri-operative management; and post-operative care. Introduction to anesthesia, fluid management; and post-operative complications will be included.

PHAS 6000. Family Medicine Clinical Rotation I. (4 Credits)

This Family Medicine clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of patients with diseases and conditions that occur in the practice of family medicine, to include acute and chronic medical disorders, and preventive medicine and patient education in health promotion and disease prevention. Medical care may be provided to patients of all ages, but will be focused on adult and elderly patients in an outpatient setting.

PHAS 6005. Family Medicine Clinical Rotation II. (4 Credits)

This Family Medicine clinical rotation will provide a continuation of Family Medicine I with application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of patients with diseases and conditions that occur in the practice of family medicine, to include acute and chronic medical disorders, and preventive medicine and patient education in health promotion and disease prevention. Medical care may be provided to patients of all ages, but will be focused on adult and elderly patients in an outpatient setting.

PHAS 6010. Internal Medicine Clinical Rotation I. (4 Credits)

This Internal Medicine clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of patients with acute and chronic conditions that occur in the practice of inpatient internal medicine, including recognition of potential complications and developing ongoing monitoring and treatment plans. Medical care will be provided to adult and elderly patients in an inpatient setting.

PHAS 6015. Internal Medicine Clinical Rotation II. (4 Credits)

This Internal Medicine clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to the evaluation and management of patients with diseases and conditions that occur in the practice of outpatient internal medicine, to include acute, and chronic medical conditions, and preventive medicine and patient education in health promotion and disease prevention. Medical care will be provided to adult and elderly patients in an outpatient setting.

PHAS 6020. Women's Health Clinical Rotation. (4 Credits)

This Women’s Health clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of adult patients in acute, chronic, and preventive health encounters in a women’s health setting. This rotation will include exposure to both prenatal and gynecologic care.

PHAS 6025. Pediatric Clinical Rotation. (4 Credits)

This Pediatric clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to the evaluation and management of pediatric patients with diseases and conditions that occur in the practice of pediatrics, to include acute and preventive medicine encounters with patient education in health promotion and disease prevention. Medical care will be provided to pediatric patients, including infants, children, and adolescents.

PHAS 6030. Behavioral Medicine Clinical Rotation. (4 Credits)

This Behavioral Medicine clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of patients with behavioral and mental health conditions to include acute, and chronic disorders in adult patient population. This rotation may be inpatient, outpatient, or a combination of both.

PHAS 6035. Surgical Medicine Clinical Rotation. (4 Credits)

This Surgical Medicine clinical rotation is designed to allow the student exposure to a wide variety of surgical conditions. This rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of surgical patients with acute and chronic conditions. Students will participate in pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care of adult patients in an outpatient, surgical, and/or inpatient setting.

PHAS 6040. Emergency Medicine Clinical Rotation. (4 Credits)

This Emergency Medicine clinical rotation will provide application of knowledge and skills from the didactic year to evaluation and management of patients with diseases and conditions who present to hospital-based emergency departments. Care will focus on evaluation and procedural and medical management of adult patients with acute and emergent conditions.

PHAS 6045. Elective Clinical Rotation I. (4 Credits)

This elective rotation is designed to provide students hands-on clinical exposure and experiences to build upon basic medical knowledge and competencies. Students may be assigned a specialty or a general area of medical practice to gain reinforcement of clinical acumen. Students will refine skills in obtaining medical histories, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and developing treatment plans in the elective setting.

PHAS 6050. Elective Clinical Rotation II. (4 Credits)

This elective rotation is designed to provide students hands-on clinical exposure and experiences to build upon basic medical knowledge and competencies. Students may be assigned a specialty or a general area of medical practice to gain reinforcement of clinical acumen. Students will refine skills in obtaining medical histories, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and developing treatment plans in the elective setting.

PHAS 6100. Summative Assessment. (2 Credits)

The Summative Assessment is a culmination of all student assessments designed for the students to demonstrate entry-level competency as a Physician Assistant in all aspects of primary medical care. Assessment will include demonstration of competency in each of the PA Competencies (PACs) required for successful completion of the PA program. These assessments will occur during the last semester of the program.