Chair and Professor: Stein
Medical Director: Martin
Instructor: Phelps
Physician Assistants (PAs) are highly skilled health practitioners who work under physician supervision to provide patient care services. PAs are highly sought after by physician and institutional employers in virtually all medical and surgical settings. PAs take complete medical histories; perform physical examinations; order and interpret diagnostic studies, such as laboratory tests and x-rays; and diagnose and treat patients under physician supervision. Physician Assistants improve the accessibility of health care of underserved communities in both urban and rural settings.
The Physician Assistant Program at Idaho State University is the first PA program in the State of Idaho. It is a 24 month, full time, professional program which awards the Bachelor of Science degree and PA Certificate. The Physician Assistant Program received a Letter of Review from the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in 1993 and will undergo an accreditation site visit in late 1996 or early 1997.
Admissions Statement
Formal application for admission to the Physician Assistant Program must be submitted before January 15 of the year in which the student wishes to enter. Applicants must either have completed all prerequisites for consideration or state in their application that prerequisites will be completed by the end of the spring semester of the year in which application is made. Applications for the Physician Assistant Program and information regarding current admission criteria and procedures may be obtained directly from the department. Admission to Idaho State University is a separate procedure and must be completed simultaneously with application to the Physician Assistant Program.
Academic Prerequisites
The pre-professional phase involves preparatory science courses and general education requirements for a minimum of 64 credits. Prior health care experience is preferred, but not required, for entrance into the program. Completion of the science prerequisites with a GPA of 3.0 is required.
Academic Prerequisite Courses
*BIOS 101 General Zoology 3 cr
*BIOS 221 Introductory Microbiology 4 cr
*BIOS 223 Introductory Microbiology
Laboratory 1 cr
*BIOS 301 Anatomy and Physiology 4 cr
*BIOS 302 Anatomy and Physiology 5 cr
*CHEM 121 General Chemistry I 5 cr
AND
*CHEM 122 General Chemistry II 4 cr
OR
*CHEM 107 Essentials of Chemistry 5 cr
AND
*CHEM 108 Essentials of Organic and
Biochemistry 5 cr
*Prerequisite courses taken 10 or more years ago must be repeated.
Suggested courses that may be taken include the following:
PSYC 301 Abnormal PsychologyI 3 cr PSYCH 302 Abnormal Psychology II 3 cr MATH 252 Introduction to Statistics 3 cr
(Highly recommended)
Graduation Requirements
The general education requirements for graduation are published in the Application for Admission to Idaho State University. It is the responsibility of applicants to review these requirements. Applicants must have completed all general education requirements prior to entry into the program.
Academic Standards
To enroll in upper division courses with the PAS (Physician Assistant Studies) prefix, students must be accepted for admission to the Physician Assistant Program. Each student is responsible for completing the required course work in proper sequential order. To be eligible for graduation and progression in the Physician Assistant Program, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.25. Course work for which the student receives a grade of below "C" will not be accepted as fulfilling requirements for the Physician Assistant Program. Deviations from these standards must be approved by the department chairperson.
All students in the program are subject of the academic standards and guidelines of the program which are provided in the Academic Guidelines and Policies handbook on the first day of classes.
Physician Assistant Program Curriculum
The program consists of two phases: the academic, or first year classroom experience which is three semesters in length, and the clinical, or senior year, which consists of three semesters.
Academic Phase
Fall Semester
BIOS 332 Biochemistry 3 cr
BIOS 403 Anatomy, Regional
with Histology 4 cr
BIOS 464 Lectures in Human
Physiology 3 cr
BIOS 463 Human Pathophysiology 4 cr
PAS 301 Clinical Assessment I 2 cr
PAS 302 Physician Assistant
Role and Ethics 1 cr
PAS 309 Health Promotion and
Disease Prevention 2 cr
TOTAL: 19 cr
Spring Semester
BIOS 472 Clinical Physiology 2 cr
PAS 304 Psychosocial Aspects
of Medicine 2 cr
PAS 311 Clinical Assessment II 2 cr
PAS 319 Clinical Therapeutics
for Physician Assistants 2 cr
PAS 402 Clinical Medicine I 6 cr
PAS 410 Topics in Surgery and
Emergency Medicine 3 cr
TOTAL: 17 cr
Summer Semester
PAS 305 Clinical Nutrition 1 cr
PAS 306 Clinical Laboratory Science 2 cr
PAS 307 Interpretation of
Electrocardiograms 1 cr
PAS 308 Clinical Skills Laboratory 2 cr
PAS 412 Clinical Medicine II 6 cr
PAS 415 Topics in Pediatrics 2 cr
TOTAL: 14 cr
Fall Semester
PAS 420 Internal Medicine Rotation 4 cr
PAS 422 Outpatient Medicine
Rotation 4 cr
PAS 424 Surgery Rotation 4 cr
PAS 426 Obstetrics and Gynecology
Rotation 4 cr
TOTAL: 16 cr
Spring Semester
PAS 428 Pediatrics Rotation 4 cr
PAS 430 Emergency Medicine
Rotation 4 cr
PAS 432 Psychiatry Rotation 4 cr
PAS 434 Selected Clinical Rotation 4 cr
TOTAL 16 cr
Summer Semester
PAS 438 Primary Care
Preceptorship 12 cr
Physician Assistant Courses
PAS 301 Clinical Assessment I 2 credits. Techniques for performing and recording a complete general physical examination and complete medical history. PREREQ: ADMISSION TO PA PROGRAM. F
PAS 302 Physician Assistant Role and Ethics 1 credit. Role socialization course presenting practice roles for physician assistants, history of the profession, and legal and ethical issues regarding PA practice. PREREQ: ADMISSION TO THE PA PROGRAM . F
PAS 304 Psychosocial Aspects of Medicine 2 credits. Theory and practice ofobtaining psychiatric history; recognition and treatment of majorpsychological disorders. PREREQ: PAS 301. S
PAS 305 Clinical Nutrition 1 credit. Nutritional counseling for commonly encountered diseases in primary care and general patient care. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. Su
PAS 306 Clinical Laboratory Science 2 credits. Performance and interpretation of laboratory procedures commonly performed in primary care such as complete blood count, urinalysis and throat cultures. PREREQ: PAS 402. Su
PAS 307 Interpretation of Electrocardiograms 1 credit. Identifying normal and abnormal electrocardiographic findings. Describing abnormal findings and correlating to clinical presentation and disease. PREREQ: ADMISSION TO P.A. PROGRAM. Su
PAS 308 Clinical Skills Laboratory 2 credits. Instruction and practice in clinical skills such as how to cast fractures, suture wounds, give injections and perform other procedures required. PREREQ: PAS 402. Su
PAS 309 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 2 credits. Epidemiological concepts in relation to disease prevention and health promotion. Statistical approach to interpretation of the biomedical literature. PREREQ: ADMISSION TO PA PROGRAM. F
PAS 311 Clinical Assessment II 2 credits. Techniques for performing and recording a complete physical examination and medical history. PREREQ: PAS 301. S
PAS 319 Clinical Therapeutics for Physician Assistants 2 credits. Basis in pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics for physician assistant clinical practice. PREREQ: PAS 301. S
FMED 402 Clinical Medicine I 6 credits. Manifestations, diagnosis, and management of problems in ophthalmology, dermatology, ENT, and immunology. PREREQ: PAS 301. S
PAS 410 Topics in Surgery and Emergency Medicine 3 credits. Surgical theory; diagnosis and intervention of surgical emergencies; emergency medicine topics; including prehospital care, trauma, and common ambulatory medicine emergencies. PREREQ: PAS 301. S
Health ProfessionsPhysician Assistant Studies/Radiographic Science
PAS 412 Clinical Medicine II 6 credits. Manifestations of
disease, diagnosis and management of endocrine, renal, neurologica,
hematology/oncology, rheumatologic and geriatric problems. PREREQ: PAS
402. Su
PAS 415 Topics in Pediatrics 2 credits. Overview of clinical pediatrics in primary care, including immunizations, growth and development, congenital, infectious, neoplastic, emergent and surgical problems. PREREQ: PAS 402. Su
PAS 420 Internal Medicine Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of the health care team in an internal medicine setting. PREREQ: PAS 412. F
PAS422 Outpatient Medicine Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of a health care team in an ambulatory setting. PREREQ: PAS 412. F
PAS 424 Surgery Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of thehealth care team in outpatient/inpatient surgical settings. PREREQ: PAS 412. F
PAS 426 Obstetrics and Gynecology Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of the health care team in outpatient and inpatient OB/GYN settings. PREREQ: PAS 412. F
PAS 428 Pediatric Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of the health care team in outpatient and inpatient pediatric settings. PREREQ: PAS 412. S
PAS 430 Emergency Medicine Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of the health care team in an ambulatory, emergency setting. PREREQ: PAS 412. S
PAS 432 Psychiatry Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation as a member of the health care team with a psychiatric patient population. PREREQ: PAS 412. S
PAS 434 Selected Clinical Rotation 4 credits. A five week clinical rotation in a selected clinical topic, chosen by the student, with PA faculty approval required. PREREQ: PAS 412. S
PAS 438 Primary Care Preceptorship 12 credits. A seven week capstone course in which the student performs much as a graduate PA. PREREQ: PAS 420, PAS 422, PAS 424, PAS PAS 491 Independent Problems in PA Studies 4 credits. Students will select an area of special interest to pursue through independent study. May be repeated up to 8 credits. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF PROGRAM DIRECTOR. D
Idaho State University Academic Information
Revised: April 17, 1996
URL http://www.isu.edu/academic-info/prev-isu-cat/ugrad96/health/dpas.html