Program Objectives
Upon completion of the program, a student will have developed the skills to provide competent and compassionate care, as well as skills that promote lifelong learning. These include, but are not limited to:
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The development of a strong, broad biomedical and psychosocial knowledge base.
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The utilization of the bio-psycho-social paradigm in patient care.
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The utilization of self-directed lifelong learning skills.
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The development of self-assessment skills and personal reflection to further advance the therapeutic relationship with patients.
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The utilization and critical review of professional literature and other resources necessary to expand knowledge and clinical evaluative skills.
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The on-going enhancement of applied professional skills.
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The demonstration of professional communication, comportment, leadership, duty and altruism in the service of others.
Program Policies and Procedures
Curriculum
Didactic Year
The didactic curriculum consists of several learning formats; however the overarching philosophy of the entire program, is the bio-psycho-social approach to patient care.
One aspect of our active learning, is referred to as “problem-based”. This specific component emphasizes student-centered, rather than teacher-centered education. Case review and analysis sharpens clinical skills in a safe learning environment.
Lectures, seminars, and discussion groups are blended with laboratory exercises and “hands-on” physical examination skills, to round out the first year experience.
Le Moyne is one of only a handful of PA Programs that also presents Medical Humanities Courses as an integral part of training. In conjunction with Evidence-Based Medicine skill acquisition, self-directed learning and resource utilization, the Le Moyne graduate learns to care for the whole person.
Community Service Learning moves the student from the classroom to the neighborhoods, to facilitate an even greater, deeper understanding of the human condition in the “real world”.
In the second year, emphasis is placed on developing a solid, pragmatic foundation for day-to-day practice by providing patient care under the close supervision of a Board-Certified (or Eligible) physician and licensed health care providers.
Schedule of Courses Year 1
Year 1
|
| Fall |
Cr |
Spring |
Cr |
Summer |
Cr |
| PAS 501 Clinical Medicine I |
7 |
PAS 502 Clinical Medicine II |
7 |
PAS 503 Clinical Medicine III |
7 |
| PAS 511 Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 |
PAS 512 Anatomy & Physiology II |
4 |
PAS 515 Counseling & Public Health |
3 |
| PAS 513 Pharmacology I |
3 |
PAS 514 Pharmacology II |
3 |
PAS 641 Master’s Seminar I |
3 |
| PAS 531 Evidence-based Medicine and Medical Literature I |
1 |
PAS 532 Evidence-based Medicine and Medical Literature II |
1 |
|
|
| PAS 521 Medical Humanities Seminar I |
3 |
PAS 522 Medical Humanities Seminar II |
3 |
|
|
| PAS 600 Orientation to the PA Profession |
1 |
|
|
|
|
| Total |
19 |
|
18 |
|
13 |
Clinical Year
Multiple sites are utilized and multiple specialties are represented. Each rotation examines the concepts of “health and wellness” in various settings, and in ways uniquely sensitive to the prevailing cultural climate.
The clinical curriculum is comprised of eight rotations: internal medicine and adult primary care; pediatrics; geriatrics; women’s health; surgery; emergency medicine; behavioral health; and the surgical/medical subspecialty electives.
Our program prepares students to become life-long learners, and helps promote a more just society.
The 12-month clinical curriculum is comprised of eight rotations that include experiences in:
Clinical Rotations 2008 - 2009
Rotation
|
Dates
|
Call-back Day
|
|
Clinical Rotation I
|
Aug. 17 – Sept. 23, 2009
|
Sept. 24 & 25, 2009
|
|
Clinical Rotation II
|
Sept. 28 – Nov. 4, 2009
|
Nov. 5 & 6, 2009
|
|
Clinical Rotation III
|
Nov. 9 – Dec. 16, 2009
|
Dec. 17 & 18, 2009
|
|
Holiday Break
|
|
Clinical Rotation IV
|
Jan. 4 – Feb. 10, 2010
|
Feb. 11 & 12, 2010
|
|
Clinical Rotation V
|
Feb. 15 – March 24, 2010
|
March 25 & 26, 2010
|
|
Clinical Rotation VI
|
Mar. 29 – May 5, 2010
|
May 6 & 7, 2010
|
|
Spring Break Week May 10 - May 14
|
|
Clinical Rotation VII
|
May 17 – June 23, 2009
|
June 24 & 25, 2010
|
|
Competency Weeks June 28 - July 2
|
|
Clinical Rotation VIII
|
July 5 – Aug. 11, 2009
|
Aug. 12 & 13, 2010
|
Schedule of Courses Year 2
Year 2
|
|
Fall
|
Cr
|
Spring
|
Cr
|
Summer
|
Cr
|
|
PAS 671-3 Clinical Rotations I, II, III
|
9
|
PAS 674-6 Clinical Rotations IV, V, VI
|
9
|
PAS 677-8 Clinical Rotations VII, VIII
|
6
|
|
PAS 651 Professional Skills I
|
3
|
PAS 652 Professional Skills II
|
3
|
PAS 653 Professional Skills III
|
2
|
|
PAS 642 Master’s Seminar II
|
2
|
PAS 643 Master’s Seminar III
|
2
|
PAS 644 Master’s Seminar IV
|
3
|
|
Total
|
14
|
|
14
|
|
11
|
Evaluation Forms
Preceptors
Instructor of the Year 2009
Anne Calkins, M.D.
Preceptor of the Year 2009
James Longo, M.D., F.A.C.C
|
We thank all of our preceptors who commit themselves to the education of the next generation of health care providers. Without your generous contributions of expertise and time, our students would not have the experiences they need to prepare them to practice as physician assistants. If you are not a preceptor for Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program and would like more information regarding precepting, please contact us.
We have revised our clinical rotations to provide students and preceptors with more actual learning time (by reducing the number of rotations, each student spends less time orienting to the rotation) and more flexibility for scheduling. Please share any comments, questions, or concerns with us.
Contact cappelem@lemoyne.edu for additional information.
Cultural Competence Initiative
The Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program was awarded a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services to develop and implement the Le Moyne College Cultural Competence Initiative. This grant provides support for three years to develop a comprehensive program aimed at assuring culturally competent primary care by physician assistant graduates and at enhancing the level of cultural competence in primary health care among our partner agencies.
The initiative brings together university and community groups with long-standing concerns for the promotion of culturally competent healthcare and the elimination of health disparities. The overall purpose of the project is to meet the Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing health disparities by ensuring that the graduates of the PA program have the skills to care for multicultural, multi-ethnic, multilinguistic populations, and that they provide care for populations in underserved communities. This initiative focuses on the health disparities and special need for culturally competent care in obesity, diabetes, asthma, tobacco, low birth weight, lead poisoning, HIV/AIDS/STDs, hypertension, and kidney disease.
Graduation and Degree Granted
Students will receive a Master of Science (MS) degree upon successfully completing the Physician Assistant program.
Students entering the program without a baccalaureate degree should work with advisors in the Office of Admission, PA Program, and the student's major department to ensure that baccalaureate requirements are met by the end of the first year of the PA Program. Students will receive a BS or BA and upon successful completion of Clinical Medicine I, Pharmacology I and II, and Medical Humanities I and II. They will then receive the MS degree upon completion of all other PA courses.