Curriculum

The PA Medicine Program at University of Lynchburg is a professional degree program intended to prepare students academically and professionally for responsibilities and services as a PA. This entry level master’s degree program consists of 101 credit hours divided into three phases that span 27 consecutive months.

The Didactic Phase represents the preclinical year that spans 12 months. Students will attend classes Monday through Friday. A typical class day will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Some Saturday instruction may also be required. The Didactic Phase will emphasize critical thinking skills and problem-based learning to build a foundation of medical knowledge. Opportunities for education outside the classroom will include student involvement in local community clinics to improve patient communication skills and facilitate expansion of differential diagnoses. Students will prepare for the Clinical Phase through hands-on experience in the program’s Simulation Lab as well as the Central Virginia Center for Simulation and Learning.

The Clinical Phase represents the clinical year and consists of 14 months of supervised clinical education and coursework. This phase will include instruction for Advanced Clinical Procedures during the first month followed by Clinical Rotations. Clinical Rotations are designed to provide medical experience and patient exposure and are referred to as Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE). These experiences form the basis of the clinical and socialization processes for adaptation to the roles and functions of a PA. Students will also engage master’s research in this phase. The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program has signed affiliation agreements with regional health care facilities including Centra. These agreements will enable our students to gain clinical experience through hospitals, clinics and other practices throughout the region. The program is also intently engaged in developing opportunities for international rotations through existing relationships with University of Lynchburg.

The Summative Phase is 1 month in duration and represents the final stage of the program. Students will complete the master’s research in this phase. The Summative Phase will include a cumulative medical knowledge exam and a cumulative practical skills exam. Students will also engage in preparation for the PANCE exam. This phase includes instruction for creating a Curriculum Vitae and preparation for job interviews.

Students will enroll as a cohort and complete each semester sequentially. Due to the sequential nature of the curriculum, students must successfully pass all courses for a given semester before becoming eligible to take courses in the subsequent semester. Advanced placement will not be granted under any circumstances. All students who are granted admission to the program must fulfill all program requirements.

Year 1

Summer

PA 600 (1) Introduction to the Profession
PA 601 (5) Medical Practice I
PA 604 (2) Critical Thinking in Medicine I
PA 608 (4) Human Anatomy I
PA 612 (3) Pathophysiology I
PA 614 (2) Physical Diagnosis I
PA 627 (3) Pharmacotherapeutics I

Fall

PA 602 (5) Medical Practice II
PA 605 (2) Critical Thinking in Medicine II
PA 609 (4) Human Anatomy II
PA 613 (3) Pathophysiology II
PA 615 (2) Physical Diagnosis II
PA 628 (3) Pharmacotherapeutics II
PA 617 (1) Community Clinic I

Spring

PA 603 (5) Medical Practice III
PA 606 (2) Critical Thinking in Medicine III
PA 610 (3) Social and Cultural Aspects of Healthcare
PA 611 (1) Health Ethics
PA 616 (2) Physical Diagnosis III
PA 618 (1) Community Clinic II
PA 629 (3) Medical Microbiology
PA 634 (3) Medical Informatics

Year 2 and 3

PA 640 (5) Advanced Clinical Procedures
PA 645 (3) Primary Care Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 650 (3) Emergency Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 655 (3) Inpatient Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 660 (3) General Surgery Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 665 (3) Women’s Health Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 670 (3) Pediatric Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 675 (3) Behavioral Health Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 680 (1.5) Elective Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 683 (1.5) Elective Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 685 (1.5) Elective Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 688 (1.5) Elective Supervised Clinical Practice
PA 690 (3) Research Clerkship

Year 3

Spring

PA 695 (3) Masters Research
PA 699 (3) Summative Course

Total: 101 credits

Course Descriptions

PA 600 Introduction to the Profession (1)

This course is designed to aid the student in the transition into the medical profession and serves as an introduction to professional issues. Areas of discussion include the history of the PA profession, the PA-Physician team, professional organizations, licensing and credentialing, malpractice, professionalism, health care delivery, reimbursement issues including Medicaid and Medicare, biomedical ethics, health literacy, diversity issues, domestic violence, and end of life issues.

PA 601 Medical Practice I (5)

This is the first in a series of courses designed to provide an intensive study of human diseases and disorders using a lifespan approach in the areas of clinical medicine including epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, progression, therapeutic management, prevention, laboratory medicine, imaging, and prognosis. Emphasis will be on disease processes common to primary care practices and the development of a differential diagnosis and plans based upon the patient’s clinical presentation.

PA 602 Medical Practice II (5)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 601. This is the second in a series of courses designed to provide an intensive study of human diseases and disorders using a lifespan approach in the areas of clinical medicine including epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, progression, therapeutic management, prevention, laboratory medicine, imaging and prognosis. Emphasis will be on disease processes common to primary care practices and the development of a differential diagnosis and plans based upon the patient’s clinical presentation.

PA 603 Medical Practice III (5)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 601, PA 602. This is the third in a series of courses designed to provide an intensive study of human diseases and disorders using a lifespan approach in the areas of clinical medicine including epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, progression, therapeutic management, prevention, laboratory medicine, imaging, and prognosis. Emphasis will be on disease processes common to primary care practices, emergency medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, surgery and the development of a differential diagnosis and plans based upon the patient’s clinical presentation.

PA 604 Critical Thinking in Medicine I (2)

This course is the first in a series of three courses designed to provide problem-based learning and patient simulation activities. The course is designed to create an interdisciplinary environment which will allow the students to develop and apply critical thinking skills in pursuing lines of inquiry, drawing upon existing knowledge and experience to develop professional competencies and characteristics of effective and competent PA students and future clinicians. Students will identify and pursue new learning issues and objectives, and pursue evidence to support their ideas. Each student assumes responsibility for appropriate analysis and delivery of findings to a small group of peers and a faculty facilitator. Each student is engaged as a partner in the learning environment which is critical to the process of discovery and clinical reasoning. Within the simulation experience, students will strengthen their synthesis in critical thinking, communication skills and team approach, to apply evidence-based medical care to simulated patients. The course will also place an emphasis on Low Frequency High Acuity (LFHA) events.

PA 605 Critical Thinking in Medicine II (2)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 604. This course is the second in a series of three courses designed to provide problem-based learning and patient simulation activities. The course is designed to create an interdisciplinary environment which will allow the students to develop and apply critical thinking skills in pursuing lines of inquiry, drawing upon existing knowledge and experience to develop professional competencies and characteristics of effective and competent PA students and future clinicians. Students will identify and pursue new learning issues and objectives, and pursue evidence to support their ideas. Each student assumes responsibility for appropriate analysis and delivery of findings to a small group of peers and a faculty facilitator. Each student is engaged as a partner in the learning environment which is critical to the process of discovery and clinical reasoning. Within the simulation experience, students will strengthen their synthesis in critical thinking, communication skills and team approach, to apply evidence-based medical care to simulated patients. The course will also place an emphasis on Low Frequency High Acuity (LFHA) events.

PA 606 Critical Thinking in Medicine III (2)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 604, PA 605. This course is the third in a series of three courses designed to provide problem-based learning and patient simulation activities. The course is designed to create an interdisciplinary environment which will allow the students to develop and apply critical thinking skills in pursuing lines of inquiry, drawing upon existing knowledge and experience to develop professional competencies and characteristics of effective and competent PA students and future clinicians. Students will identify and pursue new learning issues and objectives, and pursue evidence to support their ideas. Each student assumes responsibility for appropriate analysis and delivery of findings to a small group of peers and a faculty facilitator. Each student is engaged as a partner in the learning environment which is critical to the process of discovery and clinical reasoning. Within the simulation experience, students will strengthen their synthesis in critical thinking, communication skills and team approach, to apply evidence-based medical care to simulated patients. The course will also place an emphasis on Low Frequency High Acuity (LFHA) events.

PA 608 Human Anatomy I (4)

This course introduces students to a thorough, clinically relevant knowledge base in human gross anatomy. This course utilizes lectures, interactive computer programs and texts are chosen to assist in active laboratory learning. Through critical thinking and active dissection students will learn a foundation of anatomy which will allow them to build upon their clinical procedural/ surgical skills in clinical practice.

PA 609 Human Anatomy II (4)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 608. This is the second in a series of courses to introduce students to a thorough, clinically relevant knowledge base in human gross anatomy. This course utilizes lectures, interactive computer programs and texts are chosen to assist in active laboratory learning. Through critical thinking and active dissection students will learn a foundation of anatomy which will allow them to build upon their clinical procedural/ surgical skills in clinical practice.

PA 610 Social and Cultural Aspects of Healthcare (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course is designed with an emphasis on social, cultural, emotional and psychological factors affecting patient care and human relationships. Students will be introduced to the principles of basic communication skills in organizing an interview and developing a working relationship with patients who are stressed. The team approach to comprehensive health care is also discussed.

PA 611 Health Ethics (1)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course is designed to give students an appreciation of the basic knowledge and skills in ethical theory and reasoning, professional ethics, and inter-professional approaches to healthcare decision making.

PA 612 Pathophysiology I (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course reviews the basic concepts and principles that are essential to comprehending the fundamental mechanisms of human physiology at the cellular, tissue and organ levels; and, the requirements for the maintenance of homeostatic control and identification of pathology. This course lays the foundation for understanding the underlying principles of the etiology, management and prevention of human disease processes.

PA 613 Pathophysiology II (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This is the second in a series of courses which reviews the basic concepts and principles that are essential to comprehending the fundamental mechanisms of human physiology at the cellular, tissue and organ levels; and, the requirements for the maintenance of homeostatic control and identification of pathology. This course lays the foundation for understanding the underlying principles of the etiology, management and prevention of human disease processes.

PA 614 Physical Diagnosis I (2)

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the history taking, physical examination and patient counseling and education techniques in addition to the documentation of collected information. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the skills, knowledge and sensitivity needed to effectively communicate and interact with a diverse population of patients. Further emphasis is placed on the written and oral presentation of information to other clinicians.

PA 615 Physical Diagnosis II (2)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 614. Physical Diagnosis II is the second in a series of three courses designed to facilitate effective and culturally sensitive patient interviewing and history taking and physical examination techniques, patient counseling and education, documentation of patient encounters, and presentation of clinical information along with the practical application of these clinical skills. As with PA 614, emphasis is placed on acquiring the skills, knowledge and sensitivity needed to communicate and intervene effectively in a wide variety of patient encounters. Further emphasis is placed on the written and oral presentation of information to other clinicians.

PA 616 Physical Diagnosis III (2)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 614 PA 615. Physical Diagnosis III is the third in a series of courses designed to facilitate effective and culturally sensitive patient interviewing and history taking and physical examination techniques, patient counseling and education, documentation of patient encounters, and presentation of clinical information along with the practical application of these clinical skills. As with PA 614 and PA 615, emphasis is placed on acquiring the skills, knowledge and sensitivity needed to communicate and intervene effectively in a wide variety of patient encounters. Further emphasis is placed on the written and oral presentation of information to other clinicians.

PA 617 Community Clinic I (1)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course is designed to introduce first year students to patient communication and interaction while serving local free clinics in the Lynchburg and surrounding areas. Students will be utilizing a team approach to patient care within a clinic setting.

PA 618 Community Clinic II (1)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 617. This is the second in a serious of courses to introduce first year students to patient communication and interaction while serving local free clinics in the Lynchburg and surrounding areas. Students will be utilizing a team approach to patient care within a clinic setting.

PA 627 Pharmacotherapeutics I (3)

PA 627 is designed provide a foundation in pharmacology and pharmacotherapy enabling students to develop skills related to the principles of science underlining and clinical application of pharmacology as pertaining to therapeutic agents, prescription, and non-prescription medications. Discussion will include the principal mechanisms of action of the major classes of therapeutic agents, understanding of pharmacodynamics, and medication uses, side effects and toxicities.

PA 628 Pharmacotherapeutics II (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission, PA 627. PA 628 is designed further provide a foundation in pharmacology and pharmacotherapy enabling students to develop skills related to the principles of science underlining and clinical application of pharmacology as pertaining to therapeutic agents, prescription, and non-prescription medications. Discussion will include the principal mechanisms of action of the major classes of therapeutic agents, understanding of pharmacodynamics, and medication uses, side effects and toxicities.

PA 629 Medical Microbiology (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. PA 629 is specifically designed to cover the fundamental properties of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites and the diseases these organisms cause. The course emphasizes understanding of the pathogenesis of infectious disease processes and the pharmaceutical treatment of infectious diseases.

PA 634 Medical Informatics and Research (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course is designed to cover the importance of evidence-based medicine and review basic statistics, research methods, and ethical standards in research. Emphasis will be on developing the skills to critically appraise the validity of medical literature and the application of various types of clinical articles in answering clinical questions. Basic medical writing will be included to provide added guidance for upcoming projects.

PA 640 Advanced Clinical Procedures (5)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week course will prepare the student for the upcoming clinical year. The focus will be on procedures, such as bedside and surgical procedures including aseptic technique, air and blood-borne pathogen transmission prevention, phlebotomy, IV placement, Foley catheter insertion, lumbar puncture, injections, surgical techniques, suturing, and casting.

PA 645 Primary Care Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. PA 645 is one of nine 4-week clinical rotations designed to provide students with sufficient patient exposure to allow each student to gain experience and develop competency in interacting with, evaluating, treating and managing patients seeking medical care for a wide variety of conditions, over a wide variety of situations (e.g., preventative care and health maintenance, acute and chronic illness, pre- and post-hospital care), and within a wide variety of environments. PA 645 is specifically designed as a family medicine clinical rotation training experience to provide students with exposure to and training with male and female pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients in a primarily outpatient family practice setting; the rotation is designed to focus on the epidemiology, pathology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, interviewing and physical evaluation, laboratory, imaging and procedural evaluation/testing), and the interdisciplinary treatment and management of patients, including, but not limited to, specialty referral. Additionally, the rotation focuses on the medical education and counseling, including but not limited to treatment adherence issues and motivation, for the individual patient and their family.

PA 650 Emergency Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week clinical course will be within a hospital Emergency Department. PA students will gain knowledge and learn skills relevant to the triage, stabilization, diagnosis, and management of acute, life-threatening injuries and illnesses as well as the care of less threatening conditions.

PA 655 Inpatient Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week clinical course will be within an Inpatient Medicine practice. It will include a substantial inpatient experience for the PA student to gain knowledge of the evaluation and treatment of the multiple diseases and conditions of the adult population requiring hospitalization. The focus of this rotation is providing care for patients in the hospital setting with an emphasis on internal medicine.

PA 660 General Surgery Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week clinical course will be within a surgical practice. PA students will participate in Operating Room (OR) cases and hospital consultations as well as clinic based cases and visits in caring for conditions that require surgical management. This will include pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care.

PA 665 Women’s Health Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week clinical course provides the PA student with experience in managing common gynecologic disorders. The obstetric experience will include routine prenatal and postpartum care. It will include labor & delivery.

PA 670 Pediatric Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This four-week clinical course will provide the PA student with experience in outpatient and/or in-patient management of pediatric patients. The student will have the opportunity to perform well child exams, problem oriented exams, evaluate common pediatric illnesses, and the care of the newborn and children.

PA 675 Behavioral Health Supervised Clinical Practice (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This five-week clinical course will provide the PA student with a behavioral medicine experience in caring for ambulatory and/or hospitalized patients with psychiatric disorders. The student will perform basic psychiatric evaluations, monitor medications, and support the clinical management plan for patients after psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

PA 680 Elective Supervised Clinical Practice (1.5)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This 2 to 8 week clinical course will provide the PA student the opportunity to practice in any available medical setting of the student’s choice. This may be used to augment a previous clinical experience or explore an area of interest or potential future employment.

PA 683 Elective Supervised Clinical Practice (1.5)

PA 685 Elective Supervised Clinical Practice (1.5)

PA 688 Elective Supervised Clinical Practice (1.5)

PA 690 Research Clerkship (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This five-week course allows the PA student to participate in research in any medical area of interest in preparation for the student’s Master’s Project. The student may engage the multiple academic departments of University of Lynchburg outside of the Department of PA Medicine for this research. Topics for research must be approved by the Department Chair and must be approved by the appropriate College review board. As an alternative, the student may perform a service learning project during this time as part of the Master’s Project.

PA 695 Master’s Research (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course is a follow up to Medical Informatics and the Research Clerkship. It is designed to allow the PA student to complete a master’s degree project under the guidance of faculty or a community advisor. Students may identify an area of medicine, disease process or condition, conduct research, and produce a paper worthy of publication. The student may also perform a learning service project resulting in a publishable paper or product for use in the community. The student will prepare and present an oral presentation on their topic at the conclusion of the year.

PA 699 Summative Course (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of prior semester of PA course work or program permission. This course, presented near the end of the clinical year, will include intensive board review in preparation for the PANCE, review for clinical skills testing, CV preparation, and interviewing skills. It also includes a final clinical skills exam as well as a cumulative written test, both of which must be successfully passed to graduate from the program.

Accreditation Statement

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Lynchburg Physician Assistant Program sponsored by University of Lynchburg. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2029. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at: http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-university-of-lynchburg/