Physician Assistant (AHPA)

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5000 Level Courses

5101. Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession (1:1:0). This lecture series explores the role and socialization of the physician assistant as a healthcare professional. The course discusses the history of the profession, the evolution of the physician–PA team, maintenance of professional credentials, professional organizations, program accreditation, professional liability, practice issues and future trends.

5201. Medical Ethics and Jurisprudence (2:2:0). This lecture series examines prominent ethical issues in healthcare delivery. Students are engaged in discussion of ethical dilemmas relevant to clinical practice and the unique relationship of the physician and physician assistant. The course also examines quality assurance and risk management, legal issues, practice statutes and rules regulating physician assistant practice in Texas.

5301. Clinical Laboratory (3:3:0). This lecture series describes the significance, ordering and interpretation of laboratory studies routinely ordered in the clinical setting. Concepts of microbiology, including immunology and infectious disease will be examined. Case studies are incorporated into the teaching process.

5306. Pharmacology I (3:3:0). This lecture series introduces the actions of basic pharmacologic agents in the human. The mechanism of action, principal actions and adverse reactions of conventional classes of drugs is examined. A review of fundamental pharmacology calculations, measurements and symbols are performed. This course is taught in part by interactive teleconferencing from the TTUHSC campus in Lubbock and partly at the PA program main facility in Midland.

5307. Pharmacology II (3:3:0). This lecture series builds on Pharmacology I. The action and interaction of pharmacological agents is discussed. Therapeutic applications, adverse reactions and contraindications to familiar drugs are considered. Instruction in proper writing of prescriptions is presented. This is a distance-learning course taught by interactive teleconferencing from the TTUHSC campus in Lubbock.

5308. Neuroscience (3:3:0). This lecture series details the human nervous system, with emphasis on the recognition of neuroanatomical arrangement. The course explores neurophysiology and concepts of neurochemistry. This is a distance-learning course taught by interactive teleconferencing from the TTUHSC campus in Lubbock.

5309. Pediatrics (3:3:0). This lecture series surveys the acute and chronic disease states frequently encountered in the primary care setting as well as normal child growth and development. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem-oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The family medicine relevance to neonatology, pediatrics, speech/language and genetic disease is explored. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

5310. Medical Interviewing (3:2:2). This course focuses on the “how to” aspects of patient interviewing, communication skills, and counseling skills. It stresses attributes of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients and a commitment to the patient’s welfare. Class sessions include lectures, interviewing labs and role-playing exercises. Small groups meet on a regularly scheduled basis each week to discuss and “actively” practice interviewing skills. This practice may include interviewing other students, simulated patients, or real patients in the hospital.

5311. Cardiology (3:3:0). This lecture examines the complex disease states frequently encountered in the adult internal medicine setting. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing a problem oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The approach to problems in cardiology and EKG interpretation is explored.

5312. Clinical Medicine III (3:3:0). This lecture series examines the complex disease states frequently encountered in the primary care medicine setting. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. The approach to problems in orthopedic and musculoskeletal disease processes including acute, chronic, continuing, rehabilitative care is explored. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

5313. Clinical Medicine IV (3:3:0). This lecture surveys the acute and chronic disease states frequently encountered in the primary care setting. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The family medicine relevance to genitourinary, reproductive (including family planning) and endocrinology processes including acute, chronic, continuing, rehabilitative care are explored. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

5403. Clinical Medicine I (4:4:0). This lecture series examines the complex disease states frequently encountered in the adult internal medicine setting. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The approach to problems in pulmonology and gastroenterology are explored including the important aspects acute, chronic, continuing and rehabilitative care. The role of proper nutrition for health and disease prevention is discussed. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

5404. Clinical Medicine II (4:4:0). This lecture series surveys the acute and chronic disease states frequently encountered in the primary care setting. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The family medicine relevance to EENT, infectious disease, dermatology, hematology/oncology and alternative/complementary medicine and the important aspects of acute, chronic, continuing and rehabilitative care are explored. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

5406. Physiology (4:4:0). This lecture series investigates human physiology through a detailed explanation of the functions and activities of bodily processes as related to healthcare. It discusses the fundamental principles of cellular physiology, considers the important concepts necessary for understanding the integrated cellular function of the human body and develops the explanation of human physiology as relevant to the health professional. The lectures assimilate an approach to major organs systems and develop important concepts and principles necessary for understanding the integrated function of major organ systems of the human body.

5407. Pathology (4:4:0). This lecture series integrates normal human physiology with the pathological basis of disease. It illustrates abnormal cellular physiologic function in disease conditions, introduces major concepts of cellular pathophysiology and demonstrates abnormal physiologic function in disease conditions. The principles of cellular pathophysiology are applied to organ system pathology and the study of representative and important diseases. The lectures examine the function of major organ systems in addressing the pathological basis for disease and the role of the human immune system.

5501. Human Anatomy (5:4:2). This lecture/laboratory encompasses a regional study of the gross morphological features of the human body emphasizing functional anatomy. A portion of the laboratory experience involves computer-assisted learning. Students participate in human cadaver prosection laboratory sessions held at TTUHSC in Lubbock on four days during the semester. The lecture portion is a combination of distance-learning and onsite activity taught in part by interactive teleconferencing from the TTUHSC campus in Lubbock and partly at the PA program main facility in Midland.

5502. Physical Examination (5:3:2). This is a lecture/laboratory series in which the pediatric, adult, geriatric and trauma patient physical examination is demonstrated and practiced. Students learn and apply the techniques of a comprehensive physical examination with the proper use of diagnostic instruments. Integration of the medical history (AHPA 5310, Medical Interviewing) with the physical examination is reviewed and rehearsed. The laboratory experience utilizes students acting as patients, other simulated patients and real patients in a long-term care facility.

6000 Level Courses

6301. Clinical Medicine VI (3:3:0). This lecture series explores issues in preventive medicine, including health maintenance and risk factor reduction in the community. The course considers occupational health as well as acute, chronic and communicable diseases. Students are challenged to correlate the subjective signs and symptoms with physical examination findings and clinical pathophysiology in developing critical thinking and a problem-oriented approach to diagnosis and treatment. The family medicine relevance to geriatrics, neurology, urology, nephrology, and speech/language disorders is explored. Responses to death and dying, advance directives and end-of-life decisions are discussed. Referral of patients to other healthcare providers or agencies is discussed. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

6302. Medical Spanish (3:3:0). This lecture is designed to introduce the non-Spanish-speaking healthcare provider to basic and essential medical Spanish terminology in order to elicit information necessary to obtain a comprehensive medical history and perform a physical examination. Laboratory/Radiographic results and treatment plans are also included.

6304. Healthcare Management (4:4:0). This lecture series informs and prepares the graduate for basic clinical office or hospital practice management. Discussion emphasizes reimbursement issues, coding/billing procedures, licensing and authorization of privileges that are exclusive to physician assistant practice. The impact of socioeconomic issues and healthcare delivery systems are also explored.

6306. Medical Psychology (3:3:0). This lecture series analyzes acute and chronic psychiatric diseases frequently encountered in primary care clinical practice. It also explores personality development, child development, normative responses to stress, psychosomatic manifestations of illness and injury, sexuality, responses to death and dying and basic counseling techniques. Adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients and a commitment to the patient’s welfare is stressed. The course will apply interviewing techniques developed in AHPA 5310, Medical Interviewing, to the approach to the patient with a psychiatric illness.

6404. Master Project Track (4:4:0). This course is taught during the grand rounds held at the completion of each clerkship and includes a research and writing project. The basics of biomedical research are explored prior to the writing phase. Students are instructed on the techniques necessary to search and interpret the medical literature and its application to patient care. Students prepare and submit a manuscript for evaluation. The document must be informative, established from published evidence based research and stress current and operational knowledge of new medical findings. Throughout the clinical year during grand rounds at the end of each clinical rotation, the students are instructed and monitored in developing a text suitable for publication.

6501. Clinical Medicine V (5:4:2). This lecture series explores specialized and tertiary healthcare. Students learn the importance of the relationship between primary care practice and specialty practices. Areas of study include medical specialties, surgical specialties, and emergency medicine. Technical healthcare in sophisticated, research and teaching hospitals is evaluated. This course prepares the student for clinical clerkships. Discussions address appropriate protocol, behavior and dress within the clinical setting. Weekly workshops enable students to learn and perform procedures that are essential to clinical practice. Students perform histories and physical examinations and develop further case presentation skills. A summative evaluation of clinical skills will be administered near the end of the clinical curriculum. PACKRAT (Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool) will be administered as a summative evaluation at the end of the didactic phase, and then administered again at the end of the clinical phase to document the student’s progress in developing a medical data base. Case studies and patient education are incorporated into the teaching process.

6601. Family Medicine Clerkship (6:0:40). This clerkship provides experience with common diseases and chronic illnesses in the family practice setting and is composed of one six-week rotation. The learning experience includes the family medicine approach to direct care, initial care, comprehensive care and continuity of care. The student participates in the promotion and application of preventive medicine and wellness maintenance techniques as an important aspect of family practice.

6602. Internal Medicine Clerkship (6:0:40). This clerkship provides clinical experience with acute and chronic illnesses seen in the general internal medicine practice and is composed of one six-week rotation. The student experiences the traditional approach to the comprehensive care of adult patients to include continuity of care. Provides clinical experience in preventive medicine, health and wellness maintenance techniques, especially in secondary and tertiary settings.

6603. Prenatal Care and Gynecology Clerkship (6:0:40). This clerkship provides a six-week clinical experience in the care of prenatal and gynecologic patients. Training will emphasize the examination of the female patient with focus on the most common gynecologic problems and their diagnostic assessment, the formulation of appropriate treatment plans, the utilization of preventive medicine modalities and the evaluation and education of the prenatal patient.

6604. Pediatrics Clerkship (6:0:40). This clerkship is designed to provide PA students with experience in the specialty of pediatric medicine and is composed of one six week rotation. This clerkship provides the opportunity for students to gain general pediatric knowledge and to apply that clinical knowledge to the development of the necessary proficiency for a PA to function in a primary care pediatric setting.

6605. Emergency Medicine Clerkship (6:0:40). The Emergency Medicine clerkship will provide the PA student with experience in the emergency department with urgent and emergent medical problems and with trauma and surgical cases and is composed of one six-week rotation. It includes the emergency approach to direct initial and comprehensive care for patients in the acute care setting.

6606. Geriatrics Clerkship (6:0:40). The geriatric clerkship provides a clinical experience with one of the most rapidly growing patient populations in the United States. The six-week rotation provides the student with an opportunity to create a knowledge base and to gain clinical experience in the unique medical, psychosocial, environmental and cultural aspects of aging.

6607. Psychiatry Clerkship (6:0:40). The six-week psychiatry clerkship provides experience with common acute and chronic psychiatric diseases and illnesses in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. The student learns about and interacts with public and private treatment facilities for substance abusers and their affiliated support groups, local public counseling agencies, and state psychiatric facilities.

6608. General Surgery Clerkship (6:0:40). The six-week clerkship in surgery provides experience in the presentation and treatment of surgical disease and illness. This rotation allows the PA student to experience the approach to and the management of the surgical patient in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phase of care.

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