Course of Study Teaching Goals

The overall goals of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program are to:

• Educate physician assistants who are equipped through academic and clinical training to provide patient care services with the appropriate supervision of a licensed physician
• Provide a course of professional study that provides graduates with appropriate knowledge of physical and mental disease and the skills to accurately and reliably perform the range of health care procedures and duties customarily ascribed to the PA profession
• Foster development of the intellectual, ethical, and professional attitudes and behaviors that generate trust and respect from the patient population served by the physician assistant
• Prepare physician assistants with the knowledge, technical capabilities, and judgment necessary to perform in a professional capacity
• Prepare physician assistants to serve in expanded roles, which meet developing needs in society’s health care environment
• Prepare physician assistants through curriculum, clinical experiences, and role models to provide medical services to underserved patient populations where the supervising physician may be physically located at the practice site or at a site remote from the physician assistant
• Provide instruction that stresses the role of the physician assistant in health maintenance and preventive medicine while also taking into consideration the social, economic, and ethical aspects of health care delivery
• Provide didactic and clinical experiences that prepare the physician assistant for dealing with cultural diversity in the patient population
• Provide educational experiences that promote understanding of the interdependence of health professionals and foster an interdisciplinary team approach to the delivery of health care
• Prepare the physician assistant with the knowledge and skills needed to perform clinical research activities and projects
• Prepare physician assistants with the knowledge and skills needed to be life-long learners and design educational activities appropriate for patients, clinical students, and colleagues
• Provide educational experiences that stimulate active learning in the science and art of medicine and that foster a desire for continued learning as a practicing professional.