Physician Associate Studies
| Degree Offered: | M.S.P.A.S. |
| Program Director: | M. Tosi Gilford, MD, PA-C |
| Phone: | (205) 936-9921 |
| E-mail: | AskCDS@uab.edu |
| Website: | www.uab.edu/pa |
General Information
Physician Associates (PAs) are valuable members of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. The profession was established in 1965 to help physicians provide healthcare services to under-served and rural populations. While the profession remains committed to its historical mission, PAs are now employed in almost all medical and surgical specialties.
PAs are healthcare professionals licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. Individual state practice laws and hospital bylaws define the scope of practice and prescribing authority of physician associates. To be eligible for licensure, PAs must graduate from an accredited physician assistant program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE). To maintain licensure, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education credits every two years and pass the Physician Assistant National Recertification Examination (PANRE) every ten years. PAs may obtain additional training through postgraduate residency programs in various subspecialty areas; however, these programs are not required for licensure or practice in subspecialty areas.
Admission Prerequisite Coursework
All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed in the United States.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BY 115 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BY 116 | Introductory Human Physiology | 4 |
| or BY 409 | Principles of Human Physiology | |
| BY 123 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
| BY 124 | Introductory Biology II | 4 |
| BY 261 | Introduction to Microbiology | 4 |
| or BY 271 | Biology of Microorganisms | |
| CH 115 & CH 116 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CH 117 & CH 118 | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| CH 105 & CH 106 and CH 107 & CH 108 are accepted | ||
| PY 216 & 216L | Elementary Statistical Methods and Elementary Statistical Methods Laboratory | 3-4 |
| or MA 180 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| or HCM 360 | Statistics for Managers | |
| PY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| or PY 201 | Honors Introduction to Psychology | |
| PY 212 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| or PY 218 | Psychopathology | |
| HCM 350 | Medical Terminology for Health Professionals | 3 |
Admission Application Information
| Deadline for all application materials to be received by the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA): | Completed applications must be received by the CASPA no later than August 1 the year prior to the expected term of enrollment |
| Number of Evaluations/Letters of Recommendation Required: | 3 |
| Entrance Test: | GRE |
| International Applicants: | https://www.uab.edu/gradadmissions/apply/international-applicants |
Accreditation
The Physician Associate Studies Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).
Credential Conferred
The Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies (MSPAS) degree is awarded by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Professional Certification
Graduates of the UAB PA program are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) sponsored by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) to become a certified PA.
Essential Requirements
Fundamental tasks, behaviors, and abilities necessary to successfully complete the academic and clinical requirements of the program and to satisfy licensure/certification requirements have been outlined and are available upon request from the academic program office. Students requesting disability accommodations should contact UAB Disability Support Services (DSS) at 205-934-4205.
Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies-Master of Public Health Coordinated Degree Option
The Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies and Master of Public Health (MSPAS-MPH) coordinated degree program will prepare physician associate students for leadership roles that address community healthcare needs. The program aims to increase the number of high-quality primary care clinicians with public health expertise and thus improve access, quality, and cost of care. This plan of study provides students with a thorough understanding of the social and environmental determinants of health, population disease prevention and health promotion strategies, health disparities, epidemiological research analysis, and healthcare quality improvement capabilities.
Admissions Requirements
Students must meet the admissions requirements for both the MSPAS degree program as well as the MPH degree program. Click here for MSPAS admissions requirements. Click here for School of Public Health admissions requirements.
In addition to meeting the stated requirements for each degree separately, applicants for the coordinated degree must also have completed a bachelor's degree and all prerequisites before December 30 in order to start the program in January of the following spring term.
Application Procedure
To be considered for admission to the UAB MSPAS/MPH dual degree program, candidates will need to complete and submit the following materials by the stated deadlines:
August 1: Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Application
August 7: UAB PA Supplemental Application
August 7: UAB Graduate School MPH/MSPAS Application
For more information about the MSPAS-MPH coordinated degree option, visit the Physician Associate Studies website.
Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| PAS 601 | Human Gross Anatomy | 4 |
| PAS 602 | Physiology | 4 |
| PAS 603 | Pharmacotherapeutics I | 3 |
| PAS 604 | Pharmacotherapeutics II | 3 |
| PAS 605 | Clinical Pathology | 4 |
| PAS 606 | Clinical Medicine I | 6 |
| PAS 607 | Clinical Medicine II | 6 |
| PAS 608 | Surgical Disease I | 3 |
| PAS 609 | Surgical Disease II | 3 |
| PAS 610 | Clinical Lab Medicine | 3 |
| PAS 611 | History and Physical Examination | 3 |
| PAS 613 | Surgical Techniques | 3 |
| PAS 614 | Applied Clinical and Technical Skills | 2 |
| PAS 615 | Introduction to the Profession | 1 |
| PAS 616 | Electrocardiography | 1 |
| PAS 617 | Applied Behavioral Medicine | 3 |
| PAS 618 | Risk Management | 1 |
| PAS 619 | Fundamentals of Clinical Research | 2 |
| PAS 620 | Analysis of Professional Literature | 2 |
| PAS 633 | Navigating Healthcare Delivery and Reimbursement Systems for Physician Associates | 2 |
| PAS 634 | Simulated Clinical Concepts | 2 |
| PAS 635 | Population-Based Approaches to Patient Care | 2 |
| CDS 505 | Professional Skills Development | 1 |
| GC 535 | Medical Genetics Across the Lifespan | 1 |
| NTR 645 | Advanced Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals | 1 |
| Clinical Service | ||
| PAS 621 | Clinical Service I | 4 |
| PAS 622 | Clinical Service II | 4 |
| PAS 623 | Clinical Service III | 4 |
| PAS 624 | Clinical Service IV | 4 |
| PAS 625 | Clinical Service V | 4 |
| PAS 626 | Clinical Service VI | 4 |
| PAS 627 | Clinical Service VII | 4 |
| PAS 628 | Clinical Service VIII | 4 |
| PAS 629 | Clinical Service IX | 4 |
| PAS 630 | Clinical Service X | 4 |
| PAS 631 | Clinical Service XI | 4 |
| PAS 643 | Senior Seminar I | 1 |
| PAS 644 | Senior Seminar II | 1 |
| PAS 645 | Senior Seminar III | 2 |
| PAS 698 | Presentation of Research Project | 1 |
| Total Hours | 115 | |
Courses
PAS 550. Introduction to Medical History and Physical Examination. 3 Hours.
Introduction to the proper way to elicit a comprehensive medical history, perform a physical examination, and report the findings in a systematic and concise format.
PAS 601. Human Gross Anatomy. 4 Hours.
Course provides a comprehensive survey of the gross anatomy of the human body utilizing cadaver dissection, including functional and applied anatomy as it relates to common clinical findings.
PAS 602. Physiology. 4 Hours.
Course provides a comprehensive overview of normal physiologic processes within the human body.
PAS 603. Pharmacotherapeutics I. 3 Hours.
Course introduces students to the general principles of pharmacotherapeutics and applies principles to patient- centered care.
PAS 604. Pharmacotherapeutics II. 3 Hours.
Course introduces students to the general principles of pharmacotherapeutics and applies principles to patient- centered care.
PAS 605. Clinical Pathology. 4 Hours.
Course provides a foundation for clinical medicine by introducing students to the pathologic processes involved in common disorders and diseases, critical thinking, and clinical problem solving.
PAS 606. Clinical Medicine I. 6 Hours.
Course utilizes clinical reasoning and problem- solving to provide students with the medical knowledge needed to identify clinical manifestations, diagnoses, and treatment plans for common medical disorders and diseases.
PAS 607. Clinical Medicine II. 6 Hours.
Course utilizes clinical reasoning and problem- solving to provide students with the medical knowledge needed to identify clinical manifestations, diagnoses, and treatment plans for common medical disorders and diseases.
PAS 608. Surgical Disease I. 3 Hours.
Course introduces students to pre-operative evaluation and diagnosis, intra-operative skills, and post-operative management of common surgical disorders.
PAS 609. Surgical Disease II. 3 Hours.
Course introduces students to pre-operative evaluation and diagnosis, intra-operative skills, and post-operative management of common surgical disorders.
PAS 610. Clinical Lab Medicine. 3 Hours.
Course introduces students to laboratory diagnostics with an emphasis on pathology, microbiology, hematology, and clinical chemistry.
PAS 611. History and Physical Examination. 3 Hours.
Course provides students with the skills necessary to elicit a medical history, perform an appropriate physical examination, and systematically report findings.
PAS 611L. History and Phys Exam Lab. 0 Hours.
Laboratory required for PAS 611 History and Physical Examination.
PAS 613. Surgical Techniques. 3 Hours.
Course provides students with instruction to effectively apply surgical and technical skills to the operating room as a first-assistant.
PAS 614. Applied Clinical and Technical Skills. 2 Hours.
Course provides students with the skills needed to perform common medical procedures performed in clinical practice.
PAS 615. Introduction to the Profession. 1 Hour.
Course provides an introduction to the PA profession to prepare students to enter into professional practice as a member of a physician-APP- lead team.
PAS 616. Electrocardiography. 1 Hour.
Course provides a foundation for students to develop interpretive skills through analysis of rhythm strips and 12-lead electrocardiograms.
PAS 617. Applied Behavioral Medicine. 3 Hours.
Course provides students with the medical knowledge needed to identify clinical manifestations, diagnoses, and treatment plans for common psychiatric disorders and diseases.
PAS 618. Risk Management. 1 Hour.
Course introduces students to the legal, political, and professional issues affecting PA practice.
PAS 619. Fundamentals of Clinical Research. 2 Hours.
Course provides a foundation for epidemiologic measures, reasons for patterns of disease occurrence, principles of medical surveillance, methods for investigating disease outbreaks, and principles of diagnostic tests; as well as a review of study designs, roles of variability and bias in the interpretation of scientific literature, and principles of clinical decision- making based on medical literature.
PAS 620. Analysis of Prof Lit. 2 Hours.
Course is designed to prepare students to critically evaluate medical literature and use as a basis for making medical decisions.
PAS 621. Clinical Service I. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 622. Clinical Service II. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 623. Clinical Service III. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 624. Clinical Service IV. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 625. Clinical Service V. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 626. Clinical Service VI. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 627. Clinical Service VII. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 628. Clinical Service VIII. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 629. Clinical Service IX. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 630. Clinical Service X. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 631. Clinical Service XI. 4 Hours.
Supervised clinical practice experience in an assigned healthcare organization.
PAS 633. Navigating Healthcare Delivery and Reimbursement Systems for Physician Associates. 2 Hours.
Course introduces students to the current structure and financing of the U.S. healthcare system, to include current policy issues affecting PA practice and reimbursement for services provided by the PA.
PAS 634. Simulated Clinical Concepts. 2 Hours.
Laboratory simulated clinical experience to provide supervised practice in clinical skills, practical procedures, teamwork, patient management, and decision making in preparation for the students' clinical year.
PAS 635. Population-Based Approaches to Patient Care. 2 Hours.
Exploration of the medical needs, challenges, and health disparities of specific patient groups including geriatrics, LGBTQ, ethnic minorities, and others.
PAS 637. Special Topics in Physician Associate Studies. 1-4 Hour.
Selected advanced topics of current scientific, clinical and professional importance; specific topics designed to meet student need and interest.
PAS 643. Senior Seminar I. 1 Hour.
Didactic instruction to prepare students for the PA National Certification Exam and reinforce the student's clinical rotation experiences.
PAS 644. Senior Seminar II. 1 Hour.
Didactic instruction to prepare students for the PA National Certification Exam and reinforce the student's clinical rotation experiences.
PAS 645. Senior Seminar III. 2 Hours.
Didactic instruction to prepare students for the PA National Certification Exam and reinforce the student's clinical rotation experiences.
PAS 698. Presentation of Research Project. 1 Hour.
Oral and visual presentations and structured discussion of research papers developed in PAS 620.