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School of PA Studies
Physician Assistant Studies Curriculum

The master of science in physician assistant studies is a 131-credit course of study that includes a didactic (classroom) phase, followed by clinical rotations and 鶹Ӱ projects. The program is designed to be completed with full-time study for 27 months. Students are strongly encouraged not to work while enrolled in the school. Any student who chooses to work is required to attend all program related activities and will not be granted an excused absence for work obligations.

Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (also known as the PANCE board examination. Succesfully passing the PANCE is recognized as “certification” of the physician assistant in all 50 U.S. states.

Below is an outline of the typical student course schedule. Complete degree requirements and course descriptions are listed in the .

Rural & Underserved Service Track

鶹Ӱ 鶹Ӱs are more than twice as likely to work in rural areas or medically underserved communities than their counterparts nationally. In support of its students and in the spirit of its mission to provide primary healthcare to underserved and global communities, the 鶹Ӱ School of PA Studies has developed the The Rural and Underserved Service Track (TRUST).

During their first year, PA students will be invited to apply to be a member of TRUST. This program is designed to better prepare students who plan to work in rural and/or underserved and global communities, in Oregon, Hawai‘i and internationally. TRUST students will be selected through a separate admission process which will include an application to evaluate the applicant's commitment to practicing in an underserved community.

TRUST students' interest in underserved medicine will be nurtured through several structured opportunities during their PA education. During the didactic phase of the curriculum, the TRUST cohort will participate in additional small group sessions to better prepare them to work with a broad variety of medically underserved communities. In the clinical phase, TRUST students will complete a minimum of one to two 6-week rotations in a medically underserved community. Additionally, students with a focus on global health will have the option to complete an international rotation and priority access to our International rotation options. On these rotations, students live in and are encouraged to be actively involved in the community. TRUST students will also complete a 鶹Ӱ project which focuses on underserved communities. If you are interested in practicing in rural and medically underserved communities, we hope you will apply to be part of this exciting program at 鶹Ӱ.

Phase I — Didactic (14 months - 67 semester hours)

The didactic curriculum is organized into blocks to allow for a comprehensive and integrated approach to learning medicine across the lifespan by organ system. Each clinical medicine module contains anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, clinical skills, laboratory studies, study of disease states, pharmacology, behavioral medicine, preventive medicine, and evidence based healthcare (EBHC). The morning classes are traditional lectures and as possible, the afternoon classes focus on active learning through cases, skills, simulation, role playing, and problem solving. Letter grades have been eliminated and all students must earn an 80 percent or higher to pass each module and longitudinal course (Anatomy, EBHC). There is a comprehensive assessment at the end of each module. Students take an individual assessment exam and then retake the same assessment in their small groups, facilitating the opportunity to further learn the material through group discussion of clinical concepts. If a student does not pass the assessment, there are two opportunities to further learn the medical information and reassess or remediate through extended learning. Every student graduating from the program will have met the minimum competency of 80 percent in every area of the curriculum.

Summer Semester (11 weeks - 18 semester hours)

  • PA 554 | Fundamentals of Anatomy I (1 semester hour)
  • PA 556 | Genetics (1 semester hour)
  • PA 553 | Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine (6 semester hours) (Physiology, Nutrition, Pharmacology)
  • PA 530 | Clinical History (3 semester hours)
  • PA 581 | CM Infection and Immunology (3 semester hours)
  • PA 510 | Current Topics in the PA Profession (2 semester hours)
  • PA 595 | Introduction to Evidence Based Healthcare (2 semester hours)

Fall Semester (16 weeks - 24 semester hours)

  • PA 558 | Fundamentals of Anatomy II (1 semester hour)
  • PA 582 | CM Dermatology, Eye, ENT (3 semester hours)
  • PA 571 | CM Nephrology (3 semester hours)
  • PA 576 | CM Hematology and Oncology (3 semester hours)
  • PA 583 | CM Pulmonary Medicine (3 semester hours)
  • PA 585 | CM Cardiology and ECG (4 semester hours)
  • PA 586 | CM Gastroenterology (3 semester hours)
  • PA 577 | CM Endocrinology (3 semester hours)

Spring Semester (18 weeks - 25 semester hours)

  • PA 559 | Fundamentals of Anatomy III (1 semester hour)
  • PA 591 | CM Musculoskeletal (4 semester hours)
  • PA 590 | CM Neurology (4 semester hours)
  • PA 520 | CM Behavioral Medicine (3 semester hours)
  • PA 593 | CM Pediatric Medicine (3 semester hours)
  • PA 557 | CM Geriatrics (1 semester hour)
  • PA 589 | CM Genitourinary/Sexual Health (5 semester hours)
  • PA 596 | CM Emergency Medicine (4 semester hours)
  • CHP 550 | Foundations for Interprofessional Practice, Equity, and Inclusion (1 semester hour)

Phase II — Clinical Rotations/Graduate Project (13 months - 64 semester hours)

Summer Semester (11 weeks - 12 semester hours)

  • PA 597 | CM Surgery, Hospital Care (3 semester hours)
  • PA 599 | Whole Patient (3 semester hours)
  • PA 696 | Graduate Project (6 semester hours)

Fall Semester (19 weeks - 19 semester hours)

  • Rotation 1 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • Rotation 2 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • Rotation 3 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • PA 665 | Professional Practice Seminar I (1 semester hours)

Spring Semester (19 weeks - 20 semester hours)

  • Rotation 4 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • Rotation 5 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • Rotation 6 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • PA 666 | Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare (1 semester hour)
  • PA 667 | Professional Practice Seminar II (1 semester hour)

Summer Semester (13 weeks - 13 semester hours)

  • Rotation 7 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • Rotation 8 | 6-week Rotation (6 semester hours)
  • PA 668 | Professional Practice Seminar III (1 semester hour)

Clinical Courses/Rotations

  • PA 630 | Family Practice (12 semester hours)
  • PA 631 | Internal Medicine (6 semester hours)
  • PA 633 | Inpatient Medicine (6 semester hours)
  • PA 634 | Surgery (6 semester hours)
  • PA 636 | Emergency Medicine (6 semester hours)
  • PA 637 | Primary Care I:  primary care, specialties, community medicine, public health, or international/global health (6 semester hours)
  • PA 639 | Primary Care II:  primary care, specialties, community medicine, public health, or international/global health (6 semester hours)