The Physician Assistant program MMS can be completed in about 26 months in two major phases: didactic curriculum (14 months) and the clinical curriculum (12 months). You can also learn more about the program’s curriculum.
The Physician Assistant program MMS can be completed in about 26 months in two major phases: didactic curriculum (14 months) and the clinical curriculum (12 months). You can also learn more about the program’s curriculum.
Each June, incoming physician assistant students begin learning the fundamentals of clinical science. You’ll be introduced to various medical disciplines and the principles of physical diagnosis, diagnostic evaluation and medical therapeutics. This 14-month didactic session closely ties basic science concepts to clinical medicine, professionalism and medical ethics.
Core courses are taught in “block” fashion that includes intense instruction and training in an organ system approach. Students are taught epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment management and planning for one system at a time.
The William Maul Measey Institute for Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety allows students to learn basic clinical skills and teamwork in a safe learning environment throughout the curriculum under the teaching and guidance of physician assistant program faculty.
During the second, clinical year, students will experience seven required and two elective five-week clerkships. As a result, graduates are exceptionally well-prepared to successfully complete the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification examination and to practice clinically.