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Engage.Enrich.Empower.www.methodist.edu/paprogramMASTER OF MEDICAL SCIENCE INPHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES1

PROGRAM HISTORYIN 1994 THE METHODIST UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VOTED TO DEVELOPA BACHELOR OF SCIENCE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM AT METHODIST UNIVERSITY.The program received its provisional accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation ofAllied Health Education Programs in April 1996 and admitted its first class in May 1996. InOctober 1998 the program received full accreditation and graduated its first Physician Assistantclass in May 1998. In April 2000 the faculty and Board of Trustees voted to approve thetransition of the PA Program from a bachelors level to a masters level program and admittedits first class in August 2001. Methodist University continued to run a dual program at thebachelors and masters level through the fall of 2003. Our first master’s degree studentsgraduated in December 2003. Since the beginning, the program has enjoyed stronginvolvement from the local medical community in didactic as well as in clinical teaching.It is one of the strongest reasons for our success.“The faculty andstaff at MUPAP arephenomenal. The intimateatmosphere allows forclose interaction andlasting relationshipsbetween students andwith the faculty. But thefocus has always beenon the students, withthe ultimate goal beingthe development ofcompetent, confident,and well-rounded PAs.”— Jared Litty,Class of 20112The Methodist University PA Programis fully accredited by the AccreditationReview Commission on Education for thePhysician Assistant, Inc (ARC-PA) andconfers the Master of Medical Science(M.M.S.) degree.

WHAT IS A PA?Physician Assistants (PAs) are healthprofessionals licensed to practice medicinewith physician supervision. PAs performa comprehensive range of medical duties,from primary care to practicing in variousmedical and surgical subspecialties. PAsoften act as first or second assistantsin major surgery and provide pre- andpost-operative care. Our graduates areemployed in diverse specialties suchas cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics,family practice, dermatology,emergency care, and ENT.In some rural areas where physiciansare in short supply, PAs serve as theprimary providers of health care,conferring with their supervisingphysicians and other medicalprofessionals as needed and asrequired by law. PAs can be foundin virtually every medical andsurgical specialty.The PA’s responsibilities dependon the type of practice, his orher experience, the workingrelationship with physicians andother health care providers, andstate laws.PAs perform medical functions that in the past havebeen performed by licensed physicians, includingbut not limited to:u Taking medical historiesu Performing physical examsu Ordering laboratory testsu Diagnosing illnessesu Treating illnessesu Counseling patientsu Promoting wellnessu Assisting in surgeryThe scope of practice varies according to state laws,the medical setting, and the training of the PA. PAsare authorized to prescribe in all 50 states, DC, theCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islandsand in Guam.Physician Assistants have a long-standing traditionof serving in areas of need, providing care to thosewho might otherwise have little or no access toquality health care. PAs work everywhere, fromremote rural settings to major urban centers, indoctors’ offices, hospitals, clinics, HMOs, the armedforces, and other federal government agencies.Adapted from the American Academy of PhysicianAssistants (AAPA)/www.aapa.org4“Our small class sizes,approachable faculty/staff,and excellent teaching bydedicated faculty make theMU PA program exceptional.”— Patricia Aboagye-Kumi,Class of 2012

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATESIn addition to the other prerequisiterequirements, prospective studentswho have completed their degreeoutside of the United States must:u Submit foreign transcripts forevaluation to the World EducationServices (WES) or a similar agency.If the evaluation determines theforeign degree to be equivalent toa bachelors degree or higher in theUnited States, the applicant hascompleted the bachelors degreerequirement for our program.u Complete all prerequisitecoursework in the United Statesregardless if the applicant hasalready completed the samecourses in a foreign country. Thereare no exceptions to this policy.u Submit Test of English as aForeign Language (TOEFL)scores if English is spoken as asecond language.PA PROGRAMREQUIREMENTSAll applicants are required to have the following completed prior to entering thePhysician Assistant Program:u A bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college or university. No specificdegree is required.u Recommended overall college GPA of 3.0 and medical core prerequisiteGPA of 3.2.u Recommended GRE verbal and quantitative combination of 1050. NewGRE scoring recommendations are on our website.u A minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience with direct patient contact.u Three professional letters of recommendation.u Applicants are not eligible to apply if he/she has:• a history of drug abuse or conviction of a felony or;• dismissal from another PA, medical, or nursing school.u The program does not allow auditing of any course, advanced placementbased on experience, or transfer credits. 5

MEDICAL CORE PREREQUISITESThe following coursework is required prior toentering the PA program. Coursework doesnot have to be complete at the time you applyto the program and applicants can still applywith deficiencies. However, applicants mustdemonstrate a plan to successfully completeall coursework before the start date inAugust. Grades below C for any course willnot be accepted.All courses must be taken at a four-yearregionally accredited college or university or ata community college through a college transferprogram within the United States. To benefitthe applicant upon matriculation and to makean application more competitive, it is stronglyrecommended all prerequisite coursework betaken at a four-year institution. Online classesare discouraged.Applicants may not substitute other classes forany of the required medical core prerequisites.Although there are no time limitations onthe following Medical Core Prerequisites, it isrecommended if courses are older than six toten years applicants should consider retakingthe course(s) as a refresher.BIOLOGYAnatomy and Physiology with lab 4 semester hoursMicrobiology with lab4 semester hours8 additional semester hours of human or animallife sciences(No botany, ecology, nutrition or physical educationcourses accepted)CHEMISTRYGeneral Chemistry I with lab 4 semester hoursGeneral Chemistry II with lab 4 semester hoursOrganic Chemistry I with lab 4 semester hoursOrganic Chemistry II with lab 4 semester hoursBiochemistry3 semester hours*Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry must be taken separately.MATHCollege Algebra or higherStatisticsPSYCHOLOGY6 semester hours*Abnormal or Developmental Psychology is recommendedMEDICAL TERMINOLOGY 1 semester(Pass/Fail is not acceptable and applicants must takeMedical Terminology regardless of experience)The foundations of our program are commitment,compassion, and integrity: a commitment toexcellence in all that we do, a compassion andconnection to our students and the integrity todo what is necessary to educate students tobecome excellent Physician Assistants.— Dr. Sekhar Kommu, M.D., Program DirectorGRADUATERECORD EXAM (GRE)6The GRE General Test measures verbal, quantitative,and analytical skills that have been acquired over a longperiod of time and that are not related to any specificfield. The GRE consists of 3 separate sections: VerbalAbility, Quantitative Ability and Analytical Ability.The MUPAP requires only the GRE for admission.No other standardized test will be accepted or usedas a replacement for this requirement. Scores mustbe within 5 years of application to the program. Noapplicant may be exempt from submitting GREscores regardless of the level of previous educationor experience.GRE scores must be sent directly to the MUPAP byour school code of 5426. We currently do not have adepartmental code. Applicants must submitGRE scores to be considered for an interview.The MUPAP recommends a score of 1050 or higher tobe competitive. Applicants may visit www.gre.org forassistance in obtaining online tutorials or workbooks.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCEA minimum of 500 hours of directpatient contact is required prior toentering the program. The purposeof clinical experience is to allowexposure to the PA profession andmedical field. Having direct patientcontact is also critical in helpingapplicants establish a comfort levelwhen working with patients andother members of the medical team.The program looks favorably uponapplicants who have invested timeto seek the understanding of thePA profession and medical fieldprior to applying. We stronglyencourage applicants to have atleast half of their hours completedprior to applying. If the applicanthas no patient contact he or she isstrongly encouraged to wait untilthe next application cycle to apply;thus allowing ample time to obtaindirect patient contact.The program is not responsiblefor assisting applicants in findingplaces of employment, shadowingopportunities, certifications, etc. Itis the responsibility of the applicantto arrange their own opportunitiesto obtain clinical experience.All hours must be completed byJuly 15th of the year planningto enter.ACCEPTABLE WORK:u Emergency Room Technicianu Scribeu Military Medic, ClinicalSpecialist or IndependentCorpsmanu Surgical Technicianu Radiological Technicianu Emergency Medical Technicianu Certified Nursing Assistantu Nursingu Certified Laboratory Technicianu Certified Pharmacy Technicianu Phlebotomistu College or UniversityAthletic Trainersu Shadowing a Physician orPhysician Assistant in theirroutine duties. Shadowingphysical therapists, chiropractors,etc. will not be accepted.u Certified PhysicalTherapist AssistantUNACCEPTABLE WORK:u Administrative or clerical dutiesfor any organizationu Veterinary worku Medical answering serviceu Ward Secretaryu Massage Therapistu Pharmaceutical Salesu In-home care assistant(e.g. personal caregiver for illfamily member)u Shadowing of any professionother than PA, NP or Physician7

“I chose Methodistfor its cadaverprogram; I wanteda Human Anatomyand Physiologyfoundation on parwith medical schools,and that is exactlywhat I found here.”— Jana Hill, PA-CClass of 2010INTERVIEW PROCESSTo be selected into the Methodist University PA Program, applicants mustparticipate in an on-campus interview with the Admissions Selection Committee.Interview selection factors can be view on our website under “PA Selection Factors.”Depending on the number of qualified applicants, interviews typically begin inAugust or September of each year and continue once a month until the class is filled.The most competitive applicants will be chosen for an interview. Interviews are heldin the PA facilities on the campus of Methodist University.LETTERS OFRECOMMENDATIONAll applicants must have three letters of professional recommendation submittedwith their CASPA application. Letters must be submitted from:u A professor or advisor within the science department.u A medical supervisor or coworker. If shadowing a physician or PA, they mustwrite a letter on behalf of the applicant.u Another supervisor from a different job. If not applicable, another medicalcoworker or professor will suffice.9

CURRICULUMThe PA graduate program has one start date a year in August. The program is 27 months in length and consists oftwo phases: Didactic and Clinical.DIDACTIC YEAR-3.5 SEMESTERSThe didactic or classroom phase of the program is held onthe campus of Methodist University in a newly constructed,state-of-the-art Medical Lecture Hall. The 3,800 square footfacility consists of a 168 seat auditorium and two breakoutclassrooms. The following courses are covered over the spanof 3.5 semesters:CLINICAL PHASE-3.5 SEMESTERSThe clinical phase is the final 3.5 semesters of theprogram. Most rotations are completed withinFayetteville or the surrounding areas. Rotationdecisions will be at the discretion of the ClinicalCoordinator. Students will also have a final researchpaper due prior to graduation as their capstone project.“A clinically orientedapproach to grossanatomy is vital to aPA’s full understandingof health, diseaseand death, as wellas most diagnosticand therapeuticinterventions.”— Dr. Bruce Steffes,M.D., Instructor ofAnatomy and PhysiologyAnatomy withCadaver LabGastroenterologyOphthalmologyPhysiologyCardiologyOrthopedicsHistory and PhysicalExam I, II, IIILab Medicine I, IIOtolaryngologyPharmacology I, II, IIIEmergency Med I, II ,IIIPulmonologyMedical Ethics SeminarUrology/NephrologyGeriatricsPA Orientation I, IIOB/GYNFundamentals of SurgeryDermatologyNeurologyHematologyOncologyCritical ThinkingBehavioral MedicinePediatricsHealth Promotion/DiseasePreventionResearch MethodsInfectious DiseasesInternal MedPediatricsOB/GYNElectivesEmergency MedOrthopedicsSurgeryFamily Medicine I, II, III*Behavioral MedicinePreceptorship (Elective)**8 weeks4 weeks4 weeks4 weeks4 weeks4 weeks4 weeks12 weeks4 weeks6 weeks*Include community and rural health**The preceptorship rotation is designed to help students secure a jobprior to graduation. Many students are offered jobs throughout theirclinical rotations and are encouraged to use the preceptorship to decideif the clinic/hospital is a desirable place of employment. The actualrotation is 4 weeks in length, while reserving the remaining two weeksfor national board review and program assessment.CADAVER LABThe human anatomy laboratory at Methodist is a critical component of the first semester PhysicianAssistant curriculum. The Gross Anatomy course is designed to provide a working knowledge ofhuman anatomy, an understanding of physiology, disease processes, diagnostic radiology, surgicaland traumatic conditions, and interventional therapy. PA students have described the course asan “invaluable” and “irreplaceable” experience, and PA faculty members believe this anatomylaboratory builds a strong foundation for the MU Physician Assistant Program and its outstandingsuccess. The program opened the doors to a state-of-the-art cadaver lab in 2010. It is in the top onepercent in technology of all PA programs nationwide and can accommodate up to fifteen stations.11

WHY METHODISTUNIVERSITY?u Cadaver Lab: Human cadaver dissection isa critical part of our program and is gearedtowards only PA students.u No competition with any other medicalprogram on campus. Our students arenever in competition in the classroom orin competition for clinical rotations.u Our goal is to be a nationally recognizedprogram based on high academic standardsand clinically relevant teaching, with acommitment to alleviate the health care needsof our nation, particularly in SE NC.u Most graduates are employed priorto graduation.u A small class size allows our faculty to build aclose, personal relationship with each student.u Performance on the Physician AssistantNational Certifying Exam (PANCE).Each year the MU PA Program studentsconsistently score above the national averagein all categories. In addition, our graduateshave earned a reputation of being successfulhealthcare providers.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTMethodist University5107 College Centre Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28311Physician Assistant Program(910) 630-7495(800) 488-7110, Ext. 7495FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ONPHYSICIAN ASSISTANTSAmerican Academy of Physician Assistantswww.aapa.orgPhysician Assistant Education Associationwww.paeaonline.orgNational Commission on Certification of PAswww.nccpa.netAccreditation Review Commission on Educationfor the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)www.arc-pa.orgNorth Carolina Academy of Physician Assistantswww.ncapa.org12www.methodist.edu/paprogramEngage.Enrich.Empower.