PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION
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Physician Assistant Practice, as a medical profession for the 21st century must be responsive to social needs and demands, as well as keeping pace with changing technology. In response to this challenge the faculty of the USF MPAS emphasizes ongoing review and adaptation of educational techniques and innovation to meet the health care needs of society for today and tomorrow. The curriculum of the program is designed to instill the caring and competent attitude of a health care professional. Principles stressed to achieve this goal include development of a strong foundation in the basic sciences relevant to the practice of clinical medicine, early exposure to patients in a clinical setting, an emphasis on active student centered learning, and the use of technology in both classroom and clinical settings. Through these principles students learn to take on progressive responsibility for patient care commensurate with their level of training. Using a competency based curriculum, student progress is tracked and assessed to ensure that graduates are ready for clinical practice. Student progress toward these competencies is carefully monitored to determine that the fundamental knowledge of the basic sciences in relation to career goals in medicine is achieved. Although during the first year the educational process, emphasis is on the sciences basic to medicine, clinical medicine is an integral part of training beginning in the first year. The second year emphasizes clinical training with repeated reinforcement of theme throughout the educational process. Active learning is practiced through small group discussions, laboratory exercises, clinical performance examinations, self-directed web based instruction, and extensive interaction with patients. Both physician assistants and physician mentors in both inpatient and outpatient settings provide valuable guideance. Through this training program, students will attain established competencies related to the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of the physician assistant
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OBJECTIVES OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM
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To achieve national prominence for excellence in developing innovative educational strategies in order to produce high-achieving graduates, who serve their communities as professional medical and research clinicians |
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To provide a scholarly environment in which students from diverse backgrounds receive the requisite knowledge and skills to equip them to deliver high-quality, culturally-sensitive, and compassionate healthcare, in collarobation with physicians in an interdisciplinary healthcare team |
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PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL OATH
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Not sure we are keeping this.... I pledge to perform the following duties with honesty and dedication:
These duties are pledged with sincerity and upon my honor. |
Learning Outcomes and Expectations
The USF MCOM MPAS Program defined learning outcomes and expectations are based on the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession as developed jointly by the National Commission on Accreditation of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission for Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).
Student success in achieving the program defined learning outcomes and expectations will be monitored throughout the didactic and clinical phases of the program. The Program faculty and clinical preceptors will evaluate students through a variety of assessment tools, including but not limited to: multiple choice examinations, collaborative group projects, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), reflection papers, and clinical performance evaluations.
Our graduates will demonstrate entry-level proficiency as Physicians Assistants in the following program defined learning outcomes:
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Medical knowledge includes the synthesis of pathophysiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, patient management, surgical principles, health promotion, and disease prevention. Physician assistants must demonstrate
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Interpersonal
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| Professionalism is the expression of positive values and ideals as care is delivered. Foremost, it involves prioritizing the interests of those being served above one’s own. Physician assistants must acknowledge their professional and personal limitations. Professionalism also requires that PAs practice without impairment from substance abuse, cognitive deficiency or mental illness. Physician assistants must demonstrate ||||
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Practice-based learning and improvement includes the processes through which physician assistants engage in critical analysis of their own practice experience, the medical literature, and other information resources for the purposes of self- and practice-improvement. Physician assistants must be able to assess, evaluate, and improve their patient care practices. Physician assistants are expected to:
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Systems-based practice encompasses the societal, organizational, and economic environments in which health care is delivered. Physician assistants must demonstrate
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REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES AND VALUES
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General Competency | Educational Objectives |
Understanding needs and uniqueness of patients. Utilization of empathy, honesty, and integrity in providing care. | Works with patients, families and colleagues demonstrating empathy, cultural competency and scrupulous personal ethical standards.
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Scientific approach to medical management and decision-making. | Demonstrates a sound fund of knowledge and the ability to apply within a biopsychosocial model.
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Formulation of effective diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive care plans. | Demonstrates ability to assess acuity of illness and formulate comprehensive plans of care based on best evidence.
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Collaboration with others on the health care team and an understanding of system based practice. | Demonstrates the ability to work effectively in teams, respectful of other team members in the health delivery system, and demonstrate recognition of issues of cost, practice and delivery systems, access to care, and the larger health care system.
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Attitudes and values: exemplifying professionalism and patient advocacy. | Demonstrates understanding of the impact of illness on the patient, family and community; advocating for the patient, and a commitment to professionalism.
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Reflection and renewal: commitment to self-analysis, lifelong learning and the teaching of others. | Demonstrates the ability to self-evaluate, educate self and others.
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Ethics: utilization of principles governing ethical medical practice. | Demonstrates knowledge of principles of medical ethics and consistently applies these principles in the care of patients.
| Skills: competent performance of skills and tasks. |
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The USF MCOM MPAS Program is committed to comply with Section 504 of the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act and PL 101-336, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and also ascertains that certain minimum technical standards must be present in the prospective candidates. The MPAS Program has determined technical standards that are essential for successful progression and completion of all aspects of the curriculum, as well as entry into the profession. These Technical Standards are required for admission and must be maintained throughout the student’s enrollment in the MPAS Program. In the event a student is unable to fulfill these Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, the student will be subject to dismissal. Candidates for and students of the USF MCOM MPAS Program must have somatic sensation and the functional use of the senses of vision and hearing. Candidates’ and students’ diagnostic skills will also be lessened without the functional use of the senses of equilibrium, smell, and taste. Additionally, they must have sufficient exteroceptive sense (touch, pain and temperature), sufficient proprioceptive sense (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibratory) and sufficient motor function to permit them to carry out the activities described in the section above. They must be able to consistently, quickly, and accurately integrate all information received by whatever sense(s) employed, and they must have the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. Technological compensation can be made for some disabilities in these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform them in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary would mean that a student’s judgment must be mediated by someone else’s power of selection and observation. Therefore, third parties cannot be used to assist students in accomplishing curricular requirements in the five skill areas specified below. Reasonable accommodations can be made for documented disabilities.
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