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