Program Requirements
Accredited, community-oriented curriculum
Professional description
Physician assistants are health professionals prepared to practice medicine with physician supervision. Physician assistants are qualified by graduation from an accredited physician assistant educational program and/or by certification by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. Within the physician/PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services.
The clinical role of physician assistants includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice settings in rural and urban areas. Physician assistant practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research and administrative roles.
Program description
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies is a graduate, entry-level, professional study designed to prepare highly competent practitioners to practice primary care medicine in the context of team-delivered care in a rapidly evolving health care arena. The program is 24 months (six semesters) duration and is divided into didactic (12 months) and clinical phases (12 months). Enrollment is on a continuous, full-time basis only. The curriculum is based on the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education and incorporates the principles of scientific inquiry, self-directed study, critical analysis, and problem solving. Due to the rigorous nature of the curriculum, students should not expect to be employed during their enrollment.
Program accreditation
The Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation is a process of external peer review to assure standards of excellence and quality are met and maintained. Graduation from an accredited PA program is a requirement to practice as a PA in the United States and to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certifying examination.
Degree Requirements
All students must complete the required 87 semester hours of the curriculum (42 didactic and 45 clinical) in the prescribed sequence for each admitted class (cohort). Any exceptions to the cohort progression must stem from unavoidable and extreme personal circumstances, and must be approved by the program director.
- Academic Advisor - Upon matriculation, each student will be assigned to a departmental academic advisor, who along with the program's didactic and clinical coordinators, will supervise a student's progression through the program.
- Didactic year courses:
Clinical Year Courses
The clinical year consists of 8 six-week clinical preceptorship courses (PAS 790) for 5 credit hours each. The clinical preceptorship courses consist of the following required clinical rotations:
- Family medicine I*
- Family medicine II*
- General surgery
- Internal Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynecology/Women's Health
- Pediatrics
- Directed/Electives*
* With one of the Family Medicine or Directed/Elective clinical rotations, the student will experience a 3 week emphasis in behavioral and mental health.
Notes:
- Students should expect to complete at least one primary care preceptorship (family practice, internal medicine, or pediatrics) in a rural setting.
- All students should anticipate that up to three of eight assigned clinical rotations will occur outside of the Springfield area, which will require living in "off-campus" housing. The sequence of this will not occur consecutively so students should not forfeit Springfield housing when assigned to areas outside of Springfield. Students will be responsible for securing housing in such areas and all costs associated with this housing, including travel-related expenses and meals. In some instances, housing resources (i.e., list of available housing options) will be provided by the program.
- Students will register in the clinical year for PAS 797 - Clinical Practice Issues Seminar (1 credit hour) each semester for a total of 3 credit hours and for PAS 798 - Research Project (2 hours) during the final semester of their clinical year. This project will consist of an in-depth study of a clinical problem of interest, which culminates in a scholarly paper and formal presentation.