Physician Assistant Program

Program Director: Dana Sayre-Stanhope
Medical Directors: T. Berry, L. Lutz
Director of Admissions: Terry Mize
Academic Coordinators: M. Mayfield, K. Newell
Clinical Coordinators: Lisette Valdes, Catherine Wilson
Advanced Didactic Coordinators: William Bryson, Allan Platt
Coordinators of the Post-Graduate Career Master of Medical Science Program: Tom Himelick, Allan Platt
Coordinator of Community Service-Learning Projects: Tom Himelick
Website: www.emorypa.org
Admission email: emory-pa-admit@learnlink.emory.edu
Admission phone: 404.727.7857

The Physician Assistant Program is part of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. See contents for departmental faculty listing.

The Physician Assistant Profession
Physician Assistants (PAs) are highly skilled members of the health care team who, working interdependently with physicians and under their supervision, provide diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in a variety of medical specialties and practice settings. Typically physician assistants obtain patients’ medical histories, perform complete physical examinations and minor surgical procedures, order and interpret routine diagnostic tests, develop diagnostic and management plans, provide treatment for persons with acute and chronic illnesses, and respond appropriately to life-threatening emergencies. PAs provide education to patients regarding illness, health promotion, and disease prevention. They also facilitate patient referral to the community’s health and social service agencies.

Appropriately trained PAs have demonstrated that they can relieve physicians of essential, but time-consuming patient care duties while maintaining the same quality of care. Many studies have shown that when properly utilized, PAs can increase the availability of primary care services to more people, promote cost savings, and improve practice efficiency and productivity. Acceptance of the PA concept by employing physicians and patient satisfaction in both ambulatory and nonambulatory settings has been well established.

PAs have shown flexibility in their ability to work in a wide variety of health care settings. Primary care PAs appear to have little difficulty in adapting to new roles in specialty or inpatient settings and have expanded these practice settings to include: health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, independent practice associations, solo and group practices, occupational health settings, community and migrant health clinics, hospitals, surgical settings, emergency rooms, correctional institutions, and long-term care facilities. Other opportunities of increasing interest to PAs include teaching, administration, and clinical research. According to the most recent federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2002-2012, the physician assistant profession is projected to be the third fastest growing occupation. According to the CNN News, April 2006, the physician assistant profession ranks as the fifth-best career.

STATE PA LEGISLATION
All states plus the District of Columbia and Guam have now enacted laws or regulations recognizing physician assistant practice. All jurisdictions have enacted statutes and regulations that define PAs, describe their scope of practice, discuss supervision, designate the agency that will administer the law, set license application and renewal criteria, and establish disciplinary measures for specified violations of the law. PA statutes are amplified by rules, issued by the administering agency or board, which define and interpret the language of the law. In addition, all states have enacted laws that authorize PA prescribing. The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) publishes a frequently updated booklet entitled PA State Laws and Regulations that indicates the specifics of each state’s legal requirements for employment and utilization of PAs. (Visit the AAPA website: www.aapa.org)

The Emory PA Program Mission
The Emory Physician Assistant Program seeks to recruit, educate, and mentor a diverse group of students to become physician assistants providing the highest quality health care. The program emphasizes evidence-based primary care and preventive medicine, utilization of information technology, and seeks to interest students in providing for the health needs of medically underserved populations. The program promotes team care, advocacy for patients, the physician assistant profession and for the delivery of primary health care for all patients. Students are prepared to assume leadership roles, support research, and to practice clinically the most current standards of care by conducting continual self-directed learning.

OVERVIEW
The Emory University Physician Assistant Program, implemented in September of 1971, is housed within the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine of the School of Medicine, part of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center. The center is comprised of Emory University School of Medicine, the Rollins School of Public Health, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and Yerkes National Primate Research Center. The Health Sciences Center components dedicated to patient care delivery are incorporated in Emory Healthcare, the largest health care system in metropolitan Atlanta. Emory Healthcare includes The Emory Clinic, Emory’s own hospitals (Emory University Hospital, Crawford Long Hospital of Emory University, and Wesley Woods Center), the jointly owned Emory-Adventist Hospital, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory and Scottish Rite campuses, the largest pediatric, multispecialty group practice in Georgia, and EHCA LLC, a Limited Liability Company created recently with Columbia/HCA Corporation. The PA Program has prepared more than 1,500 graduates for national board certification and state licensure as physician assistants.

Entry-level PA students matriculate at the end of the summer and begin a comprehensive demanding twenty-eight-month course of full-time study leading to the master of medical science degree in physician assistant. This program diligently strives to accomplish the following objectives:

• To develop well-educated and skilled primary care PAs who can provide quality health care to patients in a variety of clinical settings and especially in areas designated as medically underserved;
• To develop PAs who can utilize the latest information technology to access the most current evidence-based medicine guidelines and to critically review the medical literature through an in-depth understanding of medical research methodology, to improve the patient care they deliver; and;
• To provide PAs with greater job opportunities and increased job stability in paths of upward mobility in a variety of health care settings.

Master of Medical Science Program in Physician Assistant (entry–level)
The entry-level master of medical science degree curriculum is composed of both didactic and clinical experiences totaling twenty-eight months in duration. The program is designed to be completed during seven consecutive semesters. Orientation to the didactic phase includes workshops in medical informatics, cultural competency, stress management, and study and test-taking skills.

The first phase of the program, commonly referred to as the didactic core (fall–summer semesters), consists of three consecutive academic semesters of basic health sciences as well as clinical medicine coursework. This portion of the curriculum utilizes classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings to provide a thorough theoretical and practical background in both the basic and clinical health sciences.

The next phase of the curriculum, the clinical core (fall and spring semesters), includes seven required core five-week rotations in primary care and other clinical medicine areas. During this phase of the program, all students participate in supervised patient care, attending teaching rounds and medical-surgical conferences as they rotate on various services in Atlanta and other established clinical facilities around the state and the Southeast. In keeping with the mission of the program, students will be exposed to a wide variety of practice settings and patient populations and all students are required to experience at least two rotations in clinical sites serving medically underserved patient populations. During the clinical core experience, students are able to build the primary care knowledge and skill base that is necessary to function in all fields of clinical practice. They also gain exposure to a variety of clinical settings, which enables them to make a more informed decision regarding the type of clinical practice they may wish to pursue upon completion of the program.

Following the clinical core experience, students enter an eighteen-week clinical selective phase (spring and summer semesters). The student may choose to do the entire eighteen-week period in primary care disciplines. Alternatively, the student may elect to experience one four-week rotation in a medical sub-specialty discipline, and one four-week elective in any discipline, in addition to eight weeks of primary care. During this phase, students wishing to rotate through sites outside of those developed by the program must first obtain approval from the program. Before a student may begin such a rotation, the program must evaluate and approve the quality of the training experience, and an affiliation agreement between the site and Emory University must be entered into and approved by the program director and the Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine.

The advanced didactic phase is scheduled for the final semester (fall) and includes coursework in professional practice issues, biomedical ethics, health promotion, and disease prevention (with an emphasis on patient education), and research-oriented courses with the goal of providing the skills to interpret the medical literature. Students are mentored by faculty through a scholarly research paper project that emphasizes a mastery of critical-thinking skills, fosters a lifelong interest in professional medical writing and contributing to the medical literature. Many students choose topics based on their clinical training experience. The curriculum outlined as follows is subject to change.

DIDACTIC CORE (YEAR 1)
Three semesters, late Summer–Summer

Fall (20 credit hours)
Anatomy with lab
Physiology
Introduction to Clinical Medicine
Foundations of Medical Science I
Behavioral Medicine I

Spring (20 credit hours)
Pharmacotherapeutics
Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine I
Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Methods
Foundations of Medical Science II
Behavioral Medicine II

Summer (15 credit hours)
Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine II
Emergency Medicine
Issues in Health
Behavioral Medicine III

CLINICAL CORE (YEAR 2)
Two semesters, Fall–Spring

Emergency Medicine, 5 weeks
Family Practice, 5 weeks
General Surgery, 5 weeks
Gyn/Ob, 5 weeks
Internal Medicine (Outpatient), 5 weeks
Internal Medicine or Family Practice (Inpatient), 5 weeks
Pediatrics, 5 weeks

CLINICAL SELECTIVE OPPORTUNITIES
One and 1/4 semesters, Spring–Summer

Eighteen weeks of clinical rotations in primary care disciplines, or the student may choose eight weeks in primary care, four weeks in a medical sub-specialty, and four weeks in any discipline. Students are encouraged to elect rotations in psychiatry and geriatrics.

ADVANCED DIDACTIC (YEAR 3)
3/4 semester, Fall.

Analysis in Medical Research
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
Biomedical Ethics
Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Community Health Leadership
PA Professional Issues

The Didactic Core Phase
Fall Semester

BAHS 500. Anatomy
Credit, 4 hours. Gross anatomy and histology of human body systems. Anatomical terms, structures, and relationships emphasizing functional significance in problem-solving situations. Laboratory provides demonstrations on cadavers, models and prosection in small groups. Radiographic studies and anatomical educational software programs are also used to offer clinical application and to delve deeper via a virtual tool of the human body.

BAHS 502. Physiology
Credit, 4 hours. Systems approach to normal function of the human body, including relevant information on anatomy. Weekly problem-solving sessions and clinical application to systemic disorders.

PA 510. Introduction to Clinical Medicine
Credit, 8 hours. First of three didactic clinical medicine courses that focus on developing physical examination skills. Didactice lectures on exam techniquest and interpretation of physical exam findings are given. An introduction to clinical reasoning, medical informatics, and problem-oriented patient evaluation is included. Physical exam skills lab, patient simulations, and patient work-ups as well as small group discussions provide opportunities to develop clinical skills essential to patient evaluation and management.

BAHS 501. Foundations in Medical Science I
Credit, 3 hours. An introduction of the basic principles of biochemistry, clinical nutrition, and pharmacology taught in a modular format. The biochemistry module provides an overview on the fundamental building blocks of life, metabolic pathways essential for living organisms, and genetic reproduction as they relate to health and disease. The nutrition module covers the basic science of human nutrition and relates the biochemical and physiological aspects of nutrition in health and disease. The pharmacology module covers basic principles of drug action, drug disposition, and drug toxicity, providing the foundation for the pharmacotherapeutics course taught spring semester.

PA 512A. Behavioral Medicine I
Credit, 3 hours. The first of three courses in behavioral medicine. This course focuses on developing effective communication skills with patients and other health care providers. An emphasis on historical data collection using patient simulations and clinical experiences is included. Basic principles of human behavior are introduced this semester as well.

Spring Semester

BAHS 503. Foundations of Medical Science II
Credit, 3 hours. Concepts in medical genetics, immunology, and clinical microbiology are presented in three separate modules. The medical genetics module provides a foundation for understanding the role of genes and chromosomes in basic patterns of inheritance, genetic factors in disease, screening and testing for genetic abnormalities, and ethical and legal considerations. The medical microbiology module covers pathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses, and animal parasites in relation to human disease with an emphasis on pathogenesis, mechanisms of virulence, epidemiology, therapy, and prevention. The Immunology module introduces basic principles of human immunity, response of the body to injury, and common immunologic disorders.

BAHS 504. Pharmacotherapeutics
Credit, 3 hours. Drug categories and specific drugs used in the treatment of common diseases are presented using an organ systems approach to therapeutic management. Indications, contraindications, drug-drug interactions, appropriate drug dosing and monitoring are covered. Additionally, pharmacologic management of pregnant/lactating females, pediatric and elderly patients are included.

PA 511. Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine I
Credit, 8 hours. An organ system approach to disease emphasizing the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of common disorders. Primary care medicine is emphasized along with the development of clinical problem-solving skills. Students learn bedside clinical procedures through special labs. Students continue to develop patient interview and physical exam skills by evaluating patients in clinical settings under the supervision of assigned mentors, to include proper documentation in the medical record, and oral presentation of the patient case.

PA 512B. Behavioral Medicine II
Credit, 3 hours. The biologic basis for human behavior, the life cycle and normal psychological development, learning disabilities, human sexuality, cultural issues, violence, and abuse are included in this introductory course. Patient intervention skills including the psychological assessment, patient education, and behavioral modification techniques are also covered.

PA 514. Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Methods
Credit, 3 hours. A three-part course covering radiology, clinical laboratory tests, and electrocardiography. Includes basic principles of radiology (indications for, materials used, and information obtainable), pathology and the correlation between disease process, interpretation of clinical laboratory diagnostic tests, and EKG theory and interpretation.

Summer Semester

PA 511B. Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine II
Credit, 8 hours. Continuation of 511A; Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Geriatric lecture series are included. Further development of clinical procedure skills in emergency and surgical settings are provided.

PA 512C. Behavioral Medicine III
Credit, 1 hour. A continuation of PA 512B. Substance abuse and addictive behaviors are covered. Topics in psychopathology including depression, anxiety, psychosis, obesity and other eating disorders, personality disorders, and psychiatric emergencies with an emphasis on clinical diagnosis and management are also presented.

PA 513. Emergency Medical Problems and Management
Credit, 4 hours. This course provides an introduction to current diagnosis and management of acute trauma including thoracic injuries, fractures, facial injury, hemorrhagic shock, and head and neck injuries. Basic and advanced cardiac life support (BCLS and ACLS) including sudden death, chest pain, acute MI, dysrhythmia, cardiopulmonary pharmacology, and airway management are incorporated. Emergency presentation and evaluation of acute respiratory failure, the acute abdomen, burns, poisoning, altered mental status, near-drowning, anaphylaxis, hypertensive crisis, acute ENT problems, and radiation emergencies.

PA 520A. Issues in Health
Credit, 2 hours. Discussion of topics of interest facing health care practitioners. Emphasis on public health, health policy, and PA professional issues.

The Clinical Core
Fall and Spring Semesters

PA 640 Internal Medicine (Outpatient), 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 641 Family Practice, 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 642 General Surgery, 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 643 Emergency Medicine, 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 644 Gynecology and Obstetrics, 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 645 Pediatric,s 5 weeks, 5 hours
PA 646 Internal Medicine or Family Practice (Inpatient), 5 weeks, 5 hours

The Clinical Phase Elective Opportunities/Elective Opportunities
Spring and Summer Semesters

PA 650. Introduction to Issues in Farmworker Health Elective
Credit, 1 hour. A web-based elective course developed to provide further background on pertinent issues for PA students and family medicine residents participating in the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project. The goals of this course are to increase the student’s knowledge of issues relevant to farmworker health, and to increase the student’s sensitivity and competency in dealing with these issues. This is seen as preparation for students and others participating in the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project, and it is general preparation for those interested in serving medically underserved populations.

PA 661. Primary Care Elective
Credit, 4 hours. Includes family practice, gynecology and obstetrics, general internal medicine, or pediatrics.

PA 662. Primary Care Selective
Credit, 4 hours. Includes family practice, gynecology and obstetrics, general internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, geriatrics, or occupational medicine. Up to two weeks may be utilized to participate in the program’s South Georgia Farmworker Health Project in rural Georgia.

PA 663. Clinical Selective
Credit, 4 hours. Any of the above, or general surgery, orthopedics, or medical subspecialty (cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, ENT, gastroenterology, hematology, infectious disease, nephrology, neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary medicine, oncology, or rheumatology).

PA 664. Clinical Elective
Credit, 4 hours. The student may choose any discipline, or may choose the Academic Medicine elective experience in which he or she would “sample”, under PA faculty mentorship and guidance, the classic roles of a PA educator including teaching, administration, research/scholarly activity, and continued involvement in a part-time primary care clinical rotation.

The Advanced Didactic Phase
Final Fall Semester

PA 520B. PA Professional Issues
Credit, 1 hour. Continuation of discussion and seminars on professional development topics pertinent to employment and practice as a PA such as licensing and credentialing, medical coding and billing, avoiding malpractice, health care financing and delivery systems, and career and leadership opportunities. Students develop a professional portfolio.

PA 621. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Credit, 2 hours. An introduction to the theories of prevention of disease and its complications, as well as health promotion with a special emphasis on the educational and psychological theories of learning and behavior change. Health literacy is introduced and students learn to evaluate current patient education materials for reading level. Students learn how to find and access the current electronic evidence-based medical practice. Students develop culturally and educationally appropriate patient education materials.

PA 622. Introduction to Epidemiology and Statistics
Credit, 4 hours. Basic concepts of descriptive, analytic, and experimental epidemiology. Topics covered will include measures of disease frequency, measures of data quality, probability, samples, populations, estimation, hypothesis testing, tests of significance, p-values and the universal decision rule, confidence intervals, proportions, chi-square tests, linear regression and correlation, overview of study designs, and bias in epidemiology studies, with an emphasis on flaws and fallacies in medical literature.

PA 623. Analysis in Medical Research
Credit, 3 hours. An introduction to the skills needed to critically review the medical literature and write a technically sophisticated journal article. Regular facilitated journal club activities teach the student to be a critical reader of medical and public health journal articles. The student chooses a topic pertinent to primary care medicine, authors, and presents a researched scholarly paper. The paper justifies the value and importance of the topic, provides a comprehensive and critical review of the current medical literature, and provides suggestions for patient care implications and recommendations for future research. The student is required to submit the paper to a peer-reviewed journal.

PA 624. Community Health Leadership
Credit, 1 hour. Through a series of lectures and panel and small-group discussions, this course enables students to obtain the knowledge, comprehension, skills, and behaviors necessary for the student (physician assistant) to become a positive change agent within one’s profession and community of practice. Students will obtain the understanding of a broader context and implications of health care delivery to communities and populations, as opposed to only the individual, thus promoting a commitment of PA provider leadership in public health. This course includes an overview of the population-based public health perspective and the need for cultural competency. Students conduct a community needs assessment in a community serving medically underserved populations, gain an understanding of the importance of professional practice of clinical care in the context of community, and propose a plan for implementation and evaluation and health promotion and disease prevention intervention targeting one of the community’s health problems.

PA 625. Biomedical Ethics
Credit, 2 hours. Examination of ethical rules, principles, and theories as they relate to health care delivery issues using a case presentation format and discussion of the ethical issues.

PA National Certification
Before a PA graduate may be approved for permanent licensure by the state of practice, he or she is required to pass for the National Certifying Examination for Primary Care Physician Assistants. This exam is developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners and administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Such certification of competency by a nationally recognized organization provides the potential physician employer with acceptable evidence of graduate competency. Certification by the NCCPA is a prerequisite for state certification in Georgia and the majority of the other states. Emory’s PA Program conducts an intensive four-day board exam review conference each fall to assist senior PA students and graduates in preparing for the certifying (PANCE) and recertifying (PANRE) board exam.

Credentials Awarded
Upon successful completion of all phases of the entry-level program for those students becoming a PA, students are awarded the master of medical science degree in physician assistant from the Emory University School of Medicine. Upon successful completion of all phases of the post-graduate program for practicing PAs, students are awarded the master of medical science degree in career physician assistant from Emory University School of Medicine.

Resources for Education

Didactic Education Facilities
The “Clifton Corridor,” consisting of approximately 250 acres along Clifton Road, extends through the Emory University campus and is the locale for much of Emory’s medical, public health and nursing schools, and its graduate science programs. The faculty and staff offices for the Physician Assistant Program are located in the Health Science Library building at 1462 Clifton Road. Besides office space, the PA Program facilities include a dedicated classroom equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, a clinical lab, a student mailroom and break area, and a conference room. Additional classroom space for PA students is located on campus.

Medical school administrative offices are located in state-of-the-art Medical Education Building, which also houses a large stadium style classroom, conference rooms, physical examination suites, and other labs. The administrative offices of medical education and student affairs are also located in this building.

The Health Sciences Library, one of eight specialized libraries on the Emory campus, is located one floor below the PA Program Office on Clifton Road. A branch library on the Grady campus is located in the Thomas K. Glenn Memorial Building across the street from Grady Memorial Hospital in downtown Atlanta. The library serves students, faculty, and other eligible users with a collection of more than 190,000 volumes, 3,000 current periodicals, a computer laboratory, and audiovisual materials and facilities. In addition to traditional reference services, the library offers information retrieval seminars and provides online services through MEDLINE and other computer-based systems.

Clinical Education Facilities

Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center
The Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center occupies a relatively new and enlarged facility near the Emory University campus. The general medical and surgical hospital affords inpatient and outpatient care for a large number of veterans. This institution offers a resource for education and experience to students during the didactic and clinical phases of the program.

Grady Memorial Hospital
Grady is among the largest hospitals in the Southeast. Operated by a nonprofit board to care for indigent patients, the Grady Health System includes ten ambulatory community health centers, a regional perinatal center for high-risk mothers and babies, a diabetes center, a teen center, the Georgia Poison Center, the Rape Crisis Center, a regional burn center, a sickle cell center, a comprehensive treatment program for HIV/AIDS, a level-one trauma center, a long-term care facility, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding. Since 1973, a number of satellite outpatient medical facilities have been developed in the metropolitan Atlanta area under the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. These clinics provide ambulatory care for adults and children in areas with high concentrations of health needs. The satellite clinics offer an excellent clinical experience for PA students during their clinical rotations.

Emory University Hospital
A 528-bed adult, tertiary care facility, Emory University Hospital (EUH) is staffed exclusively by eight hundred School of Medicine faculty. It includes a fifteen+-bed psychiatric facility, a fifty-six-bed rehabilitation center, and a nine-bed clinical research center supported by the National Institutes of Health. In 2006–2007 it served more than 23,000 inpatients and 90,000 outpatients and its emergency room handled more than 25,000 visits. Long known for cardiology, cardiac surgery, oncology, neuroscience, orthopaedics, and organ transplantation, EUH was named in six of seventeen specialties ranked by U.S. News & World Report in its 2005 publication of “America’s Best Hospitals.” Members of the Atlanta community have consistently named EUH the Consumer’s Choice Award winner.

Wesley Woods Center
Founded by the United Methodist Church and Emory University, Wesley Woods Center serves more than 34,000 older adults and chronically ill individuals each year and provides personal care management and assessment services for older patients and their families. Wesley Woods Hospital, an integral part of Wesley Woods Center, is a ninety-four-bed geriatric specialty facility, one of the few geriatric hospitals in the country. In addition to the hospital and a twenty-five-bed inpatient hospice service, Wesley Woods is well known for its inpatient, outpatient, and day hospitalization programs in depression, sleep disorders, rehabilitation, and Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases.

Emory Crawford Long Hospital
A 438-bed community-based, tertiary care center in Atlanta’s midtown, Emory Crawford Long Hospital (ECLH) is staffed by eight hundred School of Medicine faculty and six hundred community physicians. Medical services include fifty-six intensive care beds, a level III neonatal intensive care unit, and hyperbaric oxygen units. The hospital’s case-mix index (a measure of the complexity of illnesses treated) is higher than that of most community hospitals. Women’s services include prenatal and postnatal education, bone density testing, mammography, and maternity services with a specialization in high-risk obstetrics. ECLH’s twenty-story medical office and hospital facility opened in 2002, and a building for radiation and medical oncology patients opened in 2003.

Additional Clinical Facilities
Clinical rotation sites affiliated with Emory Hospital as well as many outside the Emory system are utilized to provide a variety of clinical opportunities for the PA student. Increasingly, the PA Program is placing more and more emphasis on student clinical experience in community-based practices serving medically underserved populations. During the clinical core, all students will be required to experience at least two rotations in clinical settings serving medically underserved populations. The program is continually expanding opportunities for clinical rotations in designated health manpower shortage areas in inner-city and rural Georgia and the rural southeast. The program continues to utilize rotation sites in metropolitan Atlanta that are federally designated as medically underserved.

Students wishing to rotate through sites other than those developed by the program and not already a part of the Emory system must first obtain permission from the program. Before a student may begin such a rotation, the program must evaluate and approve the site. Then, an affiliation agreement between the site and Emory University must be entered into and approved by the program director and the Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine.

Accreditation
Emory University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30030, 404.679.4501, to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

ARC-PA
Since its inception the Emory PA Program, has been awarded full accreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA), 1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield, Wisconsin 54449-5788, 715.389.3785 www.arc-pa.org. Current accreditation will be reviewed in 2009.

PAEA
The Emory PA Program is a member of the Physician Assistant Education Association, formerly called the Association of Physician Assistant Programs, the exclusive national organization representing educational programs for physician assistants (www.paeaonline.org).

CSBME
As an ARC-PA accredited institution, the Emory PA Program is recognized by all state licensing jurisdictions including the Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners, the Washington State Board of Medical Examiners, and the California State Board of Medical Examiners.

Financial Information
Tuition, fees, and an estimate of student expenses for attending the Emory Physician Assistant Program change annually. Please refer to the PA Program’s website at www.emorypa.org or from the Emory Office of Financial Aid at www.emory.edu/FINANCIAL_AID/, or you may request one directly from the program office.

Part-Time Employment
Students should be financially prepared before entering the program. A student should not expect to be able to engage in part-time employment except during semester breaks and holidays. Due to the intensity of the training program any employment is highly discouraged and any student interested in employment during the educational program must receive approval from the program director prior to employment. During the first year, classes are held Monday through Friday and along with study time, consume fifty to sixty hours a week. During the second year, while on clinical rotations, hours may vary from fifty to ninety a week depending upon the rotation. In addition, many clinical rotations require schedules including weekends, evenings, and nights.

Financial Aid
The student must assume some responsibility for the cost of the educational program. Every effort is made to assist the student and to avoid financial considerations prohibiting his or her entering or completing the program. The Emory PA Program has a wireless classroom and requires all students to have a laptop computer and printer. The program website (www.emorypa.org) describes the hardware and software specifications for this computer. The program has identified a local distributor, who provides special pricing for PA students.

Prospective students who will need financial assistance should investigate early the types of aid available to them and should complete appropriate applications and/or financial aid forms as soon as possible during the academic year preceding the year in which the aid is needed. Applications are accepted by the Office of Financial Aid at any time. Prospective students should not wait until acceptance by the program before applying for financial aid.

Various types of financial aid are available. Since much of the assistance is in the form of repayable loans, it is to the student’s advantage to pay as much of the tuition costs as possible from his/her own resources, thereby minimizing indebtedness upon graduation. Prospective students from outside the state of Georgia should contact their own local agencies and organizations for financial aid available to students attending school outside their state. They are also encouraged to contact their own local banks, which might be a source of student loans. Types of financial assistance include: Allied Health Tuition Loans, National Direct Student Loans, the Emory University Student/Parent Loan, and Veterans Administration Awards. There are a small number of scholarships through the School of Medicine designated for allied health students, and through the PA Program.

Federal and state aid and allied health loan and scholarship programs are administered by the University Financial Aid Officer. Information and application forms on these programs are available from the University Office of Financial Aid, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322 (www.emory.edu/FINANCIAL_AID/).

The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) has several programs available to PA students offering scholarships, stipends for clinical rotations in medically underserved sites, and loan repayment. Many of these programs require the student to commit to varying periods of employment at USPHS facilities. Further information is available at their website; www.usps.ga.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants accepts applications for scholarships from enrolled students. The application deadline usually is set for the end of January and notification of an award occurs the following May.

The Georgia Association of Physician Assistants offers student scholarships annually. Additional information may be obtained from www.gapa.net.

The PA Program currently offers the Mary Beth Bowns Memorial Scholarship once a year in the spring. Several need-based alumni supported scholarships and grants for assistance with childcare are available.

Additional information on sources of financial aid for PA students may be obtained from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (www.aapa.org), local libraries, and the financial aid offices of local colleges and universities.

Technical Standards
Applicants must possess certain skills in order to master the educational content of the Physician Assistant Program at an acceptable level of performance within the time frames both provided in the curriculum and required for professional competence. These skills are needed to improve or maintain patient health by preventing and/or alleviating deformity and improving independence of function; to achieve treatment goals that engage the greatest possible degree of patient motivation and cooperation within resource constraints; and to provide for periodic revision and appropriate discontinuation. This regimen should be appropriate to the patient’s progress and physical and psychosocial status.

The director of the Physician Assistant Program welcomes questions or inquiries from individuals with disabilities regarding the standards and their application to each individual’s unique situation. In each case, a determination can be made as to whether the individual is qualified for admission to the program and if reasonable accommodations can be made. While the PA Program is prohibited by federal law from making inquiries about specific disabilities prior to admission, applicants who are selected for admission must be prepared to meet the performance standards in order to complete the program.

Skills fundamental to the Physician Assistant Profession and curriculum include:

• Problem solving given verbal, visual, and written information within a limited time frame;
• Clinical reasoning and decision making within a limited time frame;
• Visual-spatial integration;
• Insight and judgment for safety and prognostication;
• Written and verbal communication among group members;
• Time management to coordinate course requirements and clinical responsibilities.

These skills require that applicants have the abilities to meet technical standards, which have been established for this program. They are:

I. Participate in all phases of the educational program within the required time frame, including the various laboratories, teaching conferences, clinics, and rounds; show understanding of classroom lectures, presentations, seminars, etc., through work performance and/or examination in order to:

A. Learn all of the specific skills and be provided with all of the experiences necessary to successfully complete the Physician Assistant Program and become eligible for certification,
B. Apply basic principles of the scientific method in reading and interpreting professional literature, participating in clinical research activities, and critically analyzing new concepts and findings provided by others,
C. Apply basic educational concepts of theories in designing, implementing, and evaluating treatment regimens, and in educating patients, families, and health care personnel involved in the patient’s care.

II. Function appropriately in interpersonal relationships by exhibiting use of good judgment, empathy, reliability, and emotional stability; must possess the abilities to practice appropriately in stressful situations and to work acceptably with others in order to:

A. Interact with patients and families in a manner that provides the desired psychosocial support by:

1. Recognizing his or her own reaction to illness and disability,
2. Recognizing patients’ and families’ reactions to illness and disability,
3. Respecting individual, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences,
4. Utilizing appropriate communicative processes.

B. Demonstrate safe, ethical, and legal practice as stated by the profession,
C. Engage the greatest possible degree of patient motivation and cooperation in treatment,
D. Function effectively with other health care professionals in providing appropriate patient care and in improving the quality of patient care,
E. Be responsive to ideas and techniques that might be more appropriate or safe.

III. Communicate effectively with patients, their families, and health care professionals in order to:

A. Instruct, confer, and integrate appropriate patient treatment with other aspects of patient care,
B. Stimulate motivation and cooperation in treatment, and assist in the alleviation of anxiety,
C. Give instructions on diet, exercise, and other forms of therapy and uses of physical adjuncts to therapy such as prenatal instructions, childcare instructions, etc.
D. Instruct or explain projected test and/or therapy to the patient.

IV. Function appropriately in professional practice in order to:

A. Review and evaluate patient needs; specify which therapy procedures are indicated by obtaining a thorough medical history, performing a complete physical examination, and reviewing previous medical record(s) in order to:

1. Perform a complete health evaluation of growth and development for the patient,
2. Facilitate appropriate diagnostic study for the patient and prompt management of illness or injury,
3. Provide assistance in performing special studies pertaining to: pelvic examination, Papanicolaou smear, proctoscopy, visual testing, etc.,

B. Plan, prepare, implement, and modify as necessary treatment programs which:

1. Include realistic goals in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, physical/psychosocial status, and anticipated lifestyles of the patient,
2. Include effective treatment methods that provide a high probability of achieving treatment goals,
3. Are within resource constraints,
4. Provide for periodic revision according to changes in the patient’s physiological or psychological state,
5. Contain specificity and comprehensiveness appropriate to the level of personnel who will execute the plan,
6. Are adequately documented.

C. Properly perform routine laboratory studies, diagnostic tests, therapeutic duties such as drawing blood samples, performing urinalysis and skin testing, giving injections, and suturing,
D. Provide health care services with the direction and responsible supervision of a physician and attend to the needs of many diverse patients,
E. Provide appropriate life support and acute injury evaluation/care until a physician and/or appropriate health professional can be located.

Policies and Procedures

General University Regulations
An applicant’s registration and class attendance are considered an agreement to comply with the rules and regulations of Emory University and the School of Medicine as published in the catalogs and other official publications, including any amendments and revisions made during the student’s continued enrollment.

School of Medicine Code of Conduct
Students in the Emory University School of Medicine, including the Physician Assistant Program, are under the jurisdiction of the student conduct standards and procedural guidelines of the Emory University code of conduct. Matters regarding misconduct of an academic nature shall fall under the jurisdiction of the School of Medicine’s Honor Code.

Several aspects of student conduct as related to medical and physician assistant students deserve special mention. Such students are carefully selected on the basis of both academic capabilities and personal characteristics, especially relating to matters of integrity and propriety. Based on these factors and considering maturity and experience, they should have as fine an interpretation and high regard for conduct matters as is possible to achieve. Above all, they should function in all matters of conduct with respect for their fellow man, especially their patients, since mutual respect is the basis of all codes of conduct.

Conduct with respect to students enrolled in the School of Medicine can be considered under three general headings: academic, professional, and general. Misconduct would result when a student violates the principles or specifics of these areas of conduct as viewed by other students, faculty, and/or public officials charged with enforcing the laws of their jurisdiction.

Physician Assistant Program Regulations
The judgment of the faculty as to the fitness of an applicant for the degree is not based on the applicant’s scholastic achievement alone, but includes character and general attitude. Students must show evidence of possessing qualities that are highly desirable in professional men and women. The Program reserves the right to require a student who does not display traits deemed necessary in the practice of health care to withdraw at any time.

Exemption of Coursework
Coursework in the Emory Physician Assistant Program’s master’s level curriculum is sufficiently unique that exemption of specific courses is not a realistic option for most students. In order to protect against diminishing academic standards or compromising the level of excellence of the student’s education, the program has adopted a conservative posture regarding coursework exemption. Furthermore, the process for evaluating the appropriateness of exemption is sufficiently rigorous that one’s previous experience must usually be exceptional and sufficiently documented in order to adequately prepare him or her to meet the criteria for exemption. For the individual wishing to assess his or her own background with respect to the criteria for exemption, the following guidelines are offered.

One may petition to exempt coursework in the Physician Assistant Program in two special situations:

1) When the student has previously taken comparable coursework and has demonstrated sufficient mastery in the content area. This should be referred to as exemption by transfer of credit.
2) When the student has not taken previous comparable coursework but has, through life experience (e.g., occupational practice), acquired adequate knowledge of the content area that can be demonstrated upon examination. This should be referred to as exemption by examination.

Any student wishing to petition for exemption of coursework by either transfer of credit or credit by examination must place this request in writing to the PA program director no less than sixty days prior to the date of registration for the semester in which the exemption is desired. This applies to all semesters except for the beginning semester (which ordinarily will be the fall semester), for which at least thirty days advance notice is required. The thirty-day minimum notification requirement will be modified only in those cases in which an applicant’s letter of acceptance is received less than thirty days prior to the date of registration for the beginning semester. Clinical coursework cannot be exempted.

Academic Guidelines and Evaluations
For each course in the didactic phase of the program and for each rotation during the clinical rotations of the program, a final letter grade is recorded as an overall indication of the quality of the student’s performance. The final grades are determined by the requirements of the course director but include evaluation of participation in class, written work, laboratory work, observation, and written examinations.

During the clinical phases of the program, the preceptor is required to submit a formal evaluation of the student’s performance at the conclusion of each clinical rotation. A grade for each clinical rotation is primarily determined by this evaluation and objective measures of clinical knowledge, skills, and professional behavior.

The following system of grading is used except for certain special courses where special permission has been granted to use satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U), as the grading basis:

For Basic Science Coursework: (BAHS courses)

A clearly superior
B good to excellent
C satisfactory
D marginal
F failure

For Clinically Oriented Coursework: (PA courses)

A clearly superior
B satisfactory
C unsatisfactory
D, F failure

In addition to the grades shown above, two tentative notations are used. When a course, seminar, or special project lasts for several continuous semesters, the notation “P” for “in progress” appears on the transcript. The notation remains until the activity is completed when a final grade is awarded. On the other hand, when assigned work is not satisfactorily completed during a prescribed period, the notation “I” for “incomplete” may be given by the instructor. If the work is not subsequently completed within one year, a final grade of “F” is entered on the record.

Academic Standing
Progression through the program is dependent upon successful completion of all courses in sequence. Successful completion of coursework requires attainment of objectives and satisfactory completion of all assignments. The student shall be required to repeat any didactic course or any clinical rotation in which the student has demonstrated unsatisfactory knowledge or lack of competence.

All students will be expected to complete all basic science courses (courses with course numbers beginning with “BAHS”) with grades of “C” or better and all clinical courses (course numbers beginning with “PA”) with grades of “B” or better. Students performing at less than this minimal standard may be placed on academic probation, as well as be required to repeat a course, a clinical rotation, an entire semester, or an entire year. Poor academic performance may also result in dismissal from the program. Academic or behavioral misconduct will result in an automatic grade of “F” for the subject in which the matter occurred and may be cause for professional probation or dismissal from the program, as stated in the Policies and Procedures Manual.

Evaluation of Student Performance
Academic probation, dismissal, and reinstatement are recommended by vote of the program’s Progress and Promotions Committee, which meets following each semester and is comprised of program faculty, course directors, and clinical supervisors. In case of probation, the student, didactic or clinical instructor(s), and program director will meet within ten days of the committee’s deliberation to determine a plan and time frame for the necessary action. The student will then be apprised of the requirements being imposed for continuation in the PA Program. If the student does not meet the requirement(s) within the probationary period, the student may be subject to dismissal pending review by the Progress and Promotions Committee.

Due Process and Right of Appeal
In all cases involving disciplinary decisions either for academic or nonacademic reasons, due process is followed. Likewise, in all cases, whether the problem is academic or conduct related, the student has the right to request a hearing of an appeals committee and/or to appeal to the dean of the School of Medicine.

Code of Ethics of the Physician Assistant Profession
The physician assistant profession has revised its code of ethics several times since the profession began. Although the fundamental principles underlying the ethical care of patients have not changed, the societal framework in which those principles are applied has. Economic pressures of the health care system, social pressures of church and state, technological advances, and changing patient demographics continually transform the landscape in which PAs practice.

Previous codes of the profession were brief lists of tenets for PAs to live by in their professional lives. The AAPA’s “Guidelines for Ethical Conduct of the Physician Assistant Profession” departs from that format by attempting to describe ways in which those tenets apply. Each situation is unique. Individual PAs must use their best judgment in a given situation while considering the preferences of the patient and the supervising physician, clinical information, ethical concepts, and legal obligations.

Four main bioethical principles broadly guided the development of these guidelines: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Autonomy, strictly speaking, means self-rule. Patients have the right to make autonomous decisions and choices, and physician assistants should respect these decisions and choices. Beneficence means that PAs should act in the patient’s best interest. In certain cases, respecting the patient’s autonomy and acting in their best interests may be difficult to balance. Nonmaleficence means to do no harm, to impose no unnecessary or unacceptable burden upon the patient. Justice means that patients in similar circumstances should receive similar care. Justice also applies to norms for the fair distribution of resources, risks, and costs.

Physician assistants are expected to behave both legally and morally. They should know and understand the laws governing their practice. Likewise, they should understand the ethical responsibilities of being a health care professional. Legal requirements and ethical expectations will not always be in agreement. Generally speaking, the law describes minimum standards of acceptable behavior, and ethical principles delineate the highest moral standards of behavior.

When faced with an ethical dilemma, PAs may find the guidance they need in this document. If not, they may wish to seek guidance elsewhere, possibly from a supervising physician, a hospital ethics committee, an ethicist, trusted colleagues, or other AAPA policies. PAs should seek legal counsel when they are concerned about the potential legal consequences of their decisions.

The full document discusses ethical conduct of PAs in their professional interactions with patients, physicians, colleagues, other health professionals, and the public. The “Statement of Values” within this document defines the fundamental values that the PA profession strives to uphold. These values provide the foundation upon which the guidelines rest. The guidelines were written with the understanding that no document can encompass all actual and potential ethical responsibilities, and PAs should not regard them as comprehensive.

Statement of Values of the Physician Assistant Profession

• Physician assistants hold as their primary responsibility the health, safety, welfare, and dignity of all human beings.
• Physician assistants uphold the tenets of patient autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.
• Physician assistants recognize and promote the value of diversity.
• Physician assistants treat equally all persons who seek their care.
• Physician assistants hold in confidence the information shared in the course of practicing medicine.
• Physician assistants assess their personal capabilities and limitations, striving always to improve their medical practice.
• Physician assistants actively seek to expand their knowledge and skills, keeping abreast of advances in medicine.
• Physician assistants work with other members of the health care team to provide compassionate and effective care of patients.
• Physician assistants use their knowledge and experience to contribute to an improved community.
• Physician assistants respect their professional relationship with physicians.
• Physician assistants share and expand knowledge within the profession.

(Adopted May 2000 AAPA House of Delegates. Full document available from the AAPA)

Admissions
A new class of students enrolls each year in the entry-level PA Program at the end of August. The Admissions Committee makes every attempt to select those candidates who show promise of becoming outstanding physician assistants. Decisions are made based on a thorough evaluation of the applicant’s academic record, written narrative statement, personal references, performance on the Graduate Record Exam, previous health care experience, and a personal formal interview to evaluate the applicant’s potential for professionalism, understanding of the role of the PA as a member of the health care team, maturity, and career plans consistent with the Program’s mission. The Emory University PA Program is a member of the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Instructions for applying to the Emory PA Program may be obtained at https://secure.caspaonline.org or follow the link to CASPA on the PA Program’s website: www.emorypa.org. Additional information about admissions may be obtained by calling 404.727.3027.

Admissions Requirements for Master of Medical Science Program in Physician Assistant (Entry-Level Program)
All successful applicants to the program must have completed a baccalaureate degree, granted by an accredited institution, by the time of matriculation into the program. Additional requirements are as follows:

1. All applicants must have maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate work completed. Written appeals of this requirement may be made to the director of admissions and submitted along with the supplemental application. Successful applicants have typically had cumulative grade point averages in the range of 3.0 and higher.
2. All applicants must also have completed an academic core of undergraduate coursework, which consists of at least 35 semester hours (52 quarter hours) distributed as follows:

15 semester hours (22 quarter hours) in natural sciences (such as biology, chemistry, physics) including (1 semester or 2 quarters) in general biology, general chemistry, with labs and an unabridged (i.e., not a survey, introductory, or “principles of”) course in organic chemistry or biochemistry. Recommendations for additional preparatory coursework include: anatomy, physiology, and microbiology.

3. All courses taken to satisfy the requirements set forth in 2. above must:

• be taken at an accredited institution. Graduates of foreign institutions must present transcripts of at least one full academic year (24 semester or 36 quarter hours) as a full-time student, or equivalent (preferably in sciences and English) from an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.
• be completed at a grade level of “C” or better; be completed prior to matriculation (i.e., not necessarily at the time of application);
• be subject to approval by the Admissions Committee; and
• be taken on a graded basis, (CLEP credit, audited, and pass/faill are not acceptable)

4. All applicants are strongly encouraged to be proficient in word processing skills.
5. All applicants are required to submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test. The test must have been taken within the past five years and must be taken early enough so that official scores are received in our office by the application deadline. Testing information may be obtained from: Educational Testing Service, Graduate Record Examination, Rosedale Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6004, 609.921.9000, www.gre.org. When making application to take the GRE, please specify Code No. R-5187, Emory University, Allied Health Programs. Note: Emory University has more than one code.
6. Previous health care experience is an indication to the Admissions Committee of an applicant’s awareness of and commitment to a career in health care and is required. Therefore, at least one year (2,000 hours) of health care experience is expected of all applicants. Preference is given to applicants having experience that requires a period of training and results in direct (hands-on) patient care.
7. A personal interview with the Program Admissions Committee is required. The interview is by invitation only and is conducted on the Emory campus to assess maturity, awareness of the professional role of the physician assistant, and career goals consistent with the program’s mission.
8. Applicants from Georgia who have an interest in practice in a medically underserved area within the state of Georgia are encouraged to contact their regional Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Since the PA Program and AHECs have a similar mission, getting to know the AHEC staff may be beneficial before, during, and after the PA educational experience. Contact information is available on the PA Program website and at the Georgia statewide AHEC website at www.mcg.edu/AHEC.
9. Students who were educated in a country where English is a foreign language must successfully complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Testing (TOEFLBT) with a minimum score of 25 for the Speaking component and a minimum total score of 93. Regardless of nationality, priority is given to students who complete all four years of their undergraduate education in an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution.

The Emory PA Program is designed to prepare the individual for a meaningful career in medicine as a physician assistant and member of the health care team. Before making the decision to pursue a career as a PA, you are encouraged to ask yourself the following questions:

Do I interact well with people?
Do I enjoy, in particular, working with people who are ill?
Am I willing to perform tasks that may, at times, seem routine?
Am I willing to work in a dependent role with the supervision of a physician?
Do I function effectively as a leader and also as a team member?
Will I be willing to work long and frequently erratic schedules?
Can I perform effectively under physically and emotionally stressful circumstances?

Even if your answers to these questions are “Yes,” there remain other factors that need to be considered before applying for admission into the Emory PA Program.

Entrance into the program is based upon the Program Admissions Committee’s evaluation of the applicant’s academic potential, personal motivation, and personal characteristics suited to the PA role. Other areas that are considered are career mindedness, interpersonal skills, and maturity. Completion of the program requires motivation, intelligence, a well-grounded science background, and maturity. You will be committing more than two years of your life to full-time study. During the period of matriculation, one’s social life is, of necessity, neglected. The married student is usually not able to give his/her spouse the accustomed time and attention. Students with children must have adequate childcare support to allow the student to meet specific course requirements. It is necessary to be able to financially support yourself for the full period of your enrollment; even part-time employment is quite difficult and highly discouraged.

If after realistic appraisal of your capabilities and goals, you decide to seek admission into the Emory Physician Assistant Program, we invite you to submit your application.
Additional information about the Georgia AHECs can be obtained from the Georgia Statewide AHEC website at www.mcg.edu/AHEC/centers.htm.

Degree Requirements—MMSC Degree in Physician Assistant (Entry Level)
To qualify for the entry-level MMSc degree in physician assistant, the student must satisfactorily complete the physician assistant program satisfactorily as set forth by the PA Program Progress and Promotion committee. Graduating students are expected to sit for the PA National Certifying exam (PANCE) as soon as they are eligible after successful completion of the PA Program. Such certification of competency by a nationally recognized organization provides the potential physician employer with acceptable evidence of graduate competency. Certification by the NCCPA is a prerequisite for state certification in Georgia and the majority of the other states. Emory’s PA Program conducts an intensive four-day board exam review each fall to assist senior PA students and graduates in preparing for the certifying (PANCE) and recertifying (PANRE) board exam.

Minimum performance standards require students to earn at least a grade of “C” in all basic science courses and at least a grade of “B” in all clinical courses. The faculty’s judgment as to the applicant’s fitness for receiving the degree is based not only on scholastic achievement but also on the applicant’s character, health, general attitude, and suitability for the profession.

Part-Time Employment—MMSC in Physician Assistant (Entry Level)
Students should be financially prepared before entering the program. A student should not expect to engage in any substantial amount of part-time employment. Due to the intensity of the training program any employment is highly discouraged and any student interested in employment during the educational program must receive approval from the program director prior to employment. During the first year, classes are held Monday through Friday and, along with study time, consume fifty to sixty hours per week. During the second year, while on clinical rotations, hours may vary from fifty to ninety per week, depending upon the rotation. In addition, many clinical rotations include weekend, evening, and night work.

Master of Medical Science in Career Physician Assistant Curriculum

The postgraduate program for practicing physician assistants is a web-hybrid curriculum comprised of 32 credit hours of courses over four semesters. The final semester serves primarily as an academic medicine faculty fellowship. This program leads to a master of medical science in career physician assistants and is designed to provide the practicing physician assistant with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to serve in the roles of medical educator and administrator.

THE CURRICULUM

PA 625D. Biomedical Ethics
Credit, 2 hours. A lively case study of ethical rules, principles, and theories relating to health care delivery issues.

PA 621D. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Credit, 2 hours. An introduction to the theories of prevention of disease and its complications, as well as health promotion with a special emphasis on the educational and psychological theories of learning and behavior change. Health literacy is introduced and students learn to evaluate current patient education materials for reading level. Students learn how to find and access the current electronic evidence-based medical practice. Students develop culturally and educationally appropriate patient education materials.

PA 622D. Introduction to Epidemiology and Statistics
Credit, 4 hours. Basic concepts of descriptive, analytic, and experimental epidemiology. Topics covered will include measures of disease frequency, measures of data quality, probability, samples, populations, estimation, hypothesis testing, tests of significance, p-values and the universal decision rule, confidence intervals, proportions, chi-square tests, linear regression and correlation, and overview of study designs, and bias in epidemiology studies, with an emphasis on flaws and fallacies in medical literature.

PA 623D. Analysis in Medical Research
Credit, 3 hours. An introduction to the skills needed to critically review the medical literature and write a technically sophisticated journal article. The students enjoy a facilitated journal club activity, where journal articles are critically reviewed. The student chooses a topic pertinent to primary care medicine, authors, and presents a researched scholarly paper. The paper justifies the value and importance of the topic, provides a comprehensive and critical review of the current medical literature, and provides suggestions for patient care implications and recommendations for future research. The student is required to submit the paper to a peer-reviewed journal.

PA 521D. Medical Informatics
Credit, 1 hour. This course is a survey of the developing field of medical informatics, and reviews databases, electronic resources, presentation tools, and other electronic resources for medical use. It also serves to introduce the CMMSc student to the on-line learning environment.

PA 620D. Directed Study—Introduction to Curriculum Tracks
Credit, 1 hour. A guided introduction to the CMMSc tracks, designed to introduce and assist the student in selection and development of a track project.

PA 626D. Cultural Issues in Health Care
Credit, 3 hours. This course reviews the concepts of cultural diversity and how culture and medicine interact. Students will gain an understanding of common health care beliefs, practices, and incidence of disease in different populations. The course incorporates a mini-course on Issues in Farmworker Health.

PA 627D. Grant Proposal Preparation
Credit, 2 hours. This course will review the terminology and mechanisms of external funding resources and awards, sources of external funding, and the process of proposal review. Students will examine the components of a proposal or prospectus and be provided with guidance for developing a successful proposal. Common errors and weaknesses will be discussed. Each student will develop a project proposal suitable for submittal for external funding.

PA 628D. Topics in Health Care
Credit, 2 hours. A topical seminar, this course will include modules on important health care and medical issues and trends. Topics include health care systems (managed care organizations and concepts), bioterrorism, health care financing complementary and alternative medicine, the business of medicine, risk management, quality assurance, clinical guidelines and evidence based medicine, genetics and genetic therapy, and other topics.

PA 630D. Introduction to Health Policy
Credit, 2 hours. This course discusses the health care system in the United States, examines the structure of the health care system, health care reform, the process of policy making, and options for public health advocacy.

COURSES FOR THE TEACHING TRACK

PA 631D. Education Skills for Health Care Faculty
Credit, 5 hours. This course introduces the student to educational philosophy, program curriculum planning, and evaluation. The course presents instructional methodologies, learning styles, learning theories, and effective presentation skills. Students will develop goals, objectives, evaluations, and presentation materials. Legal issues relevant to classroom teaching and student advising will be discussed.

PA 632D. Planning an Academic Career
Credit, 1 hour. This course introduces the student to the organizational structure of higher education institutions, missions of universities and departments, institutional policies and procedures, classic faculty roles and responsibilities in a variety of educational settings. The student will investigate an academician’s options for enhancing his/her potential for career advancement and be introduced to current issues in health profession education.

PA 685D. Track Project
Credit, 6 hours. The student will plan and implement an education, administration, or community/population-based clinical research project, negotiated and approved by the teaching track coordinator. All projects will require an initial needs assessment, a final project presentation, and submission of a track portfolio. The Teaching Track project will additionally include course development and design with course goals and objectives, teaching methodology, and course learner activities. Course resource and reference materials, in addition to a course evaluation instrument(s) will be required.

COURSES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TRACK

PA 671D. Executive Skills for the Health Professions
Credit, 5 hours. This course introduces theories and principles of health care services management, including effective leadership, organizational change and strategic planning, human resource management including interpersonal group dynamics, team building, conflict resolution, and marketing principles.

PA 672D. Outcomes Measurement
Credit, 1 hour. This course presents concepts and methods for planning and implementing outcome measurements, and for analyzing data that include clinical care, patient satisfaction and provider satisfaction measures. The course will review the process of developing administrative and clinical guidelines for best practice.

PA 685D. Track Project
Credit, 6 hours. The student will plan and implement an education, administration, or community/population-based clinical research project, negotiated and approved by the teaching track coordinator. All projects will require an initial needs assessment, a final project presentation, and submission of a track portfolio. The Administration Track project will include planning and implementing an administrative intervention to address and issue identified in the needs assessment, and evaluating the outcomes.

COURSE FOR THE CLINICAL TRACK

PA 680D. Clinical Planning and Evaluation Skills for Health Professionals
Credit, 2 hours. The course introduces students to the principles of risk management, quality assurance/ quality improvement, and types of clinical practice models including interdisciplinary and interprofessional models of team care. Students will utilize a case-based approach to review cost-effective, efficient, and clinically responsible practice models.

PA 681D. Outcomes Measurement
Credit, 1 hour. This course presents concepts and methods for planning and implementing outcome measurements, and for analyzing data that include clinical care, patient satisfaction, and provider satisfaction measures. The course will review the process of developing administrative and clinical guidelines for best practice.

PA 682D. Clinical Fellowship
Credit, 3 hours. This experience will provide the student with an opportunity to participate in an interprofessional team providing patient care in an area of interest in order to upgrade clinical knowledge and skills. The student will research and investigate the clinical evaluation process in the practice setting from the perspective of the health care providers and the clinical facility administrators.

PA 685D. Track Project
Credit, 6 hours. The student will plan and implement an education, administration, or community/population-based clinical research project, negotiated and approved by the teaching track coordinator. All projects will require an initial needs assessment, a final project presentation, and submission of a track portfolio. The Clinical Track project will include participating in a current population-based clinical research project, or planning and implementing a community/population-based clinical research study. Both will involve outcomes evaluation. The student will participate in a clinical administrative team to review clinical outcomes and will develop clinical guidelines for best practice.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ONLINE MASTER OF MEDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM IN CAREER PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
The admissions requirements for applicants to the MMSc in career physician assistant are, at a minimum, the same as the current requirements for the entry level master’s degree program. All successful applicants to the program must have earned a baccalaureate degree, granted by a PA Program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on the Education of Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) or its predecessor organization, by the time of matriculation into the program. Additional requirements are as follows:

1. All applicants must have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate work completed. Written appeals of this requirement may be made to the Career Master’s Program admissions director and submitted with the application.
2. All applicants must also have successfully completed the requirements for graduation from an accredited PA Program and graduated in both academic and professional good standing.
3. Those students who were educated in a country where English is a foreign language must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) earning a minimum score of 600 on the written exam, or a minimum score of 250 on the computerized version.
4. All applicants are required to submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General test to be received by the application deadline.
5. All applicants are required to be nationally certified as a physician assistant, and have at a minimum two years of patient care experience.
6. A personal interview with the Program Admissions Committee is required of all successful applicants. The interview is by invitation only to assess career goals consistent with the program’s mission and potential for leadership.
7. The application must include three letters of reference, preferably from current and previous employers, clinical supervisors, and workplace professional colleagues. A letter of reference is also required from the director or department chair of the PA Program from which he/she graduated.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS—MMSC FOR CAREER PAS
To qualify for the master of medical science in career physician assistant degree, the student must satisfactorily complete the Career Masters of Medical Science Degree Program as set forth by the Progress and Promotion Committee.

Students are expected to attend all on-campus class sessions. Because of the intensive nature of these sessions, absences are very detrimental and may delay or jeopardize the student’s completion of distance-learning courses. Students are also expected to attend and actively participate in web-based class sessions. Attendance and participation policies vary by course, but in general students should complete all assignments on time, participate regularly in online class discussions and meetings, and listen to, read, or complete lecture materials, presentations, and course exercises on a weekly basis.

Minimum performance standards require students to earn at least a grade of “C” in all courses and maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 2.7/4.0. As noted elsewhere, current certification as a PA by the NCCPA is required for admission, and is expected to be maintained while a student in the program.

The faculty’s judgment as to the applicant’s fitness for receiving the degree is based not only on a scholastic achievement, but also on the applicant’s character, health, general attitude, and future plans for utilizing their advanced training.

EMPLOYMENT DURING THE MMSC PROGRAM IN CAREER PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
The Career Master’s Program was designed for physician assistants who are currently practicing clinically, and as such, is a part-time degree completion program. Nonetheless, students will need to carefully manage their time to successfully meet the requirements of their work, their family, and this program.

HOW TO APPLY
The Career Master’s Physician Assistant Program is part of an online application process and additional information can be found at www.emorypa.org/admissions.htm.

Emory University Physician Assistant Program
1462 Clifton Road, Suite 280
Atlanta, GA 30322
Phone: 404.727.7825
Fax: 404.727.7836
Admissions: 404.727.7857
Email: emory-pa-admit@learnlink.emory.edu
Website: www. emorypa.org

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