Program Graduate Competencies

Program Graduate Competencies (i.e., Learning Outcomes)

Program learning outcomes represent the knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities that we believe are necessary for clinical practice. To ensure the outcomes have been achieved, students will undergo several evaluation methods throughout the curriculum and prior to graduation to confirm that they are competent in the areas listed below. Evaluation methods include written examinations, oral examinations, practical examinations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), professionalism assessments, and faculty and clinical preceptor evaluations.

In developing our learning outcomes, we incorporated information from a variety of sources including the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and the nationally recognized Competencies for the PA Profession that was originally developed and adopted 2005 and revised and readopted in 2012 by the American Association of PAs (AAPA), ARC-PA, National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA), and the PA Education Association (PAEA). Additional sources included our faculty’s knowledge and input from our medical director, clinical preceptors and advisory board members. Although our learning outcomes carry the same headings as the national competencies for practicing PAs, these have been honed and adapted to represent skills acquired during the educational process, geared towards entry level practice, and made specific to the Program. Additionally, the program has developed benchmarks for each learning outcome to assess the program’s effectiveness in meeting graduate competencies. Benchmarks and outcome data are posted on the MS-PA program website.

The MS-PA program has the following learning outcomes:

1. Medical Knowledge
   1. Synthesize and apply fundamental knowledge in clinical sciences to patient presentations when developing a differential diagnosis, patient management plan, health maintenance and disease prevention.
   2. Obtain, investigate and critically analyze appropriate patient history, physical, and diagnostic findings in order to derive a definite diagnosis.
   3. Understand and apply evidence-based guidelines to the care of the patient when recommending patient management plans and screening methods.
   4. Demonstrate familiarity with signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management of common conditions seen in the patient, understanding associated etiologies, risk factors, underlying pathologic process, epidemiology, diagnostic criteria and treatment modalities.
   5. Determine appropriate management strategies for patients with chronic conditions, and those needing short and long-term rehabilitation, psychiatric intervention, safety measures against abuse and violence or end of life care.
2. Interpersonal & Communication Skills
   1. Maintain ethical and respectful communication skills including verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic documentation when eliciting and providing information to the patient, patient family, physicians, and health care staff.
   2. Maintain ethical, respectful, and appropriate relationships with patients, patient family, physicians, and other health care staff.
   3. Demonstrate the ability to maintain accurate patient records and documentation as well as provide accurate, clear, logical, and efficient oral case presentations.
   4. Maintain composure and emotional stability and demonstrate adaptability and flexibility when working effectively as a member of a health care team to provide care to the patient.
3. Patient Care
   1. Perform pertinent and accurate history, physical, assessment, and plan demonstrating patientcentered care and use of age-appropriate evidence-based guidelines and recommendations.
   2. Develop and implement patient care plans identifying recommended age-appropriate screenings across the lifespan to promote disease prevention and health maintenance.
   3. Perform medical and surgical skills and procedures commonly utilized in the patient population.
   4. Display empathetic behavior with a diverse patient population while providing sound patient education and recommendations.
4. Professionalism
   1. Demonstrate adherence with legal regulations identifying personal limitations and commitment to continuing medical education and professional growth.
   2. Form respectful professional relationships with patients, patient family, physician supervisors, andother health care staff demonstrating sensitivity to culture, age, gender, and sexual identity.
   3. Demonstrate initiative and commitment by providing evidence of professional.
5. Practice-based Learning & Improvement
   1. Apply critical analysis of study designs and statistical methods to the appraisal of clinical studies and medical literature to accurately integrate evidence related to diagnostic criteria and therapeutic effectiveness for the care of the patient.
   2. Demonstrate appropriate response to feedback and criticism, providing evidence of self- motivation by rectifying gaps in medical knowledge.
   3. Utilize common resources, technology, electronic medical records, databases, and evidence- based guidelines to establish current and best patient care practices.
6. Systems-based Practice
   1. Demonstrate an awareness of financial limitations and rising healthcare costs to provide patient centered care that is cost effective but doesn’t compromise quality.
   2. Advocate for systems-based factors that serve as a barrier to patient care by identifying resources and support to improve patient compliance and outcomes.
   3. Develop awareness to concepts of health population and support the socioeconomic status, geographic location, culture, race, age, sexual identity, and disability status of the patient.
   4. Identify and respond to the situations, circumstances, and actions that contribute to medical errors to improve patient care.