Master of Science: Medicine
Physician Assistant
This Catalog Section and Program Calendar
Applies to the Graduate Physician Assistant Program
The Graduate Physician Assistant Program exists to prepare professionally competent physician assistants who will use their skills to serve their communities in compassionate ministry.
To fulfill the mission statement the physician assistant program commits itself to:
The chief aim of the Physician Assistant Program is to create an environment in which an individual can develop the professional skills of a physician assistant and demonstrate competency by successful completion of the national certifying examination for physician assistants. Specific operational objectives include:
Graduates will be able to:
(The entrance requirements and application procedure of the Graduate Physician Assistant Program supersedes the General Admission Requirements for Master's Degree Programs. Please follow the Graduate Physician Assistant Program Application Procedure specifically.)
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from any regionally accredited institution at the time of matriculation into the graduate program. While any undergraduate major is acceptable, biology or chemistry majors will be the best prepared. Applicants from the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) are encouraged to apply.
Applicants must successfully complete all of the following program prerequisites, regardless of the undergraduate degree or major. No online courses for the chemistry or biology disciplines will meet the program's prerequisite requirements.
Human Anatomy and Physiology |
8 semester hours |
General Chemistry |
8 semester hours |
Microbiology with Lab |
4 semester hours |
General Psychology |
3 semester hours |
Developmental Psychology |
3 semester hours |
Applicants are expected to have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 and a science GPA of 3.25 on all undergraduate coursework. Applicants are required to complete the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and achieve a minimum score of 300 (combined verbal and quantitative). These scores are believed to indicate sufficient academic ability for successful completion of the program; however, under special circumstances GPAs of less than 3.25 and/or GREs of less than 300 may be considered. With large numbers of applicants, not all students meeting the minimum requirements will receive an interview. Because entering students in the last three years have significantly exceeded the minimum requirements, candidates should endeavor to get the highest GPA and GRE scores possible and, with grades lower than a B, retake courses that would reflect a grasp of the material and a capability of rigorous course work.
Applicants must submit three (3) letters of recommendation. Three (3) different sources are acceptable and ranked in descending order of preference as listed below:
While evidence of clinical experience is not required for admission, it is highly recommended because such experience is believed to be an accurate indicator of an individual's desire and commitment to engage in health care service. In the opinion of the program faculty, past medical experience also provides a framework upon which students can build and can facilitate the expansion of fund of medical knowledge.
Observation (shadowing) of physician assistants in preference to other health care professionals, to the extent of gaining sufficient insight as to the role and duties of practicing physician assistants, is also believed to be an accurate indicator of an individual's desire and commitment to the profession.
Admission of International Students
Trevecca welcomes students from other countries. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take an examination of their English language ability before official acceptance will be granted. The test required is the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and a minimum score of 500 is required on the paper based test and a 173 on the computer based test.
All regular admission requirements must be completed. 15 semesters hours must be completed in a United States accredited institution. Nine (9) of the 15 hours must be prerequisite courses. Trevecca's Certification of Financial Support must be on file at the time an I-20 is issued. International students will have the same financial policy applied to them as any other student does. Only international students with a valid immigration student status of F-1 will be permitted to register.
Physician Assistant education is a broad-based process requiring the acquisition of general knowledge in all fields of medicine and basic skills requisite for the practice of medicine regardless of specialty. The education of a PA also requires the development of judgment through patient care experiences that prepare individuals for appropriate decision-making in clinical practice.
It is the intent and practice of the Trevecca Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program to select applicants who have the ability to become highly competent PAs. As an accredited PA program, by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA), Trevecca adheres to the "Standards" promulgated by the ARC-PA. Within these guidelines, Trevecca's PA Program has the freedom and ultimate responsibility for the selection of students, the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum, evaluation of students, and determination of who should be awarded a degree. Admission and retention decisions are based not only on satisfactory academic achievement but also on non-academic factors, which serve to ensure that the candidate can complete the essential functions of the academic program required for graduation.
The PA Program has the responsibility to the public to assure that its graduates are fully competent PAs capable of fulfilling the Hippocratic duty "to benefit and do no harm." Thus, it is important that persons admitted to the PA Program possess the intelligence, integrity, compassion, humanitarian concern, and physical and emotional capacity necessary to practice medicine.
As a private Christian university affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, Trevecca is open to any qualified student without regard of race, color, sex, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, or physical disability. Trevecca Nazarene University complies with all statutory and regulatory nondiscrimination requirements applicable to this institution in the administration of its educational policies and programs, scholarships and loan programs, equal opportunity employment practices, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Technical standards as distinguished from academic standards refers to those physical, cognitive, and behavioral abilities required for satisfactory completion of all aspects of the PA curriculum and the development of professional attributes required of all students at graduation. The essential abilities required by the curriculum are in the following areas: motor, sensory, communication, intellectual (conceptual, integrative, and qualitative abilities for problem solving and diagnosis), and the behavioral and social aspects of the performance of a PA.
The student will be required to master relevant content in basic science and clinical courses at a level deemed appropriate by the faculty. These skills may be described as the ability to comprehend, memorize, analyze, and synthesize material. The student will be required to discern and comprehend dimensional and spatial relationships of structures and demonstrate reasoning and decision-making skills appropriate to the practice of medicine.
The student will be required to take medical histories, perform physical exams, and assess the health status of organ systems (for example, liver and spleen). The student will also be required to accurately assess laboratory and diagnostic studies (EKGs, x-rays, ultrasounds, etc.).
The student will be required to communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians and other members of the health care team. Students will need to assess all information, including verbal and non-verbal responses and to allow for appropriate, well-focused follow-up inquiry. This includes responding with empathetic listening to establish rapport with patients in a way that promotes openness on issues of concern and sensitivity to potential cultural differences.
The student will be required to accurately process and communicate information on the patient's status in a timely manner to the physician and other members of the health care team. The student will be required to present this information in a succinct yet comprehensive manner, and in settings in which time available is limited. Written or dictated patient assessments, prescriptions, etc., must be complete and accurate. Appropriate communication may also rely on the student's making a correct judgment in seeking consultation in a timely manner.
The student will be required to understand the basis and content of medical ethics. The student will be required to possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, responsibility, and tolerance. The student will be required to have emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to an environment that may change rapidly without warning and/or in unpredictable ways.
These technical standards of medical education identify the Trevecca University PA Program requirements for admission and retention of applicants and students, respectively.
The Trevecca Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program utilizes the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Students who wish to apply to the Graduate Physician Assistant Program must submit the application and documentation to CASPA. The CASPA application must be completed online at www.caspaonline.org and must include the following documentation.
CASPA accepts applications beginning April 1st of each year. Applications must be received by CASPA no later than November 1st.
Applicants may communicate with the program secretary by any of the following methods:
Applicants who meet all of the admissions requirements are invited for a personal interview with the PA Admissions Committee. Interviews are conducted in November, December, and January. All interviewees will receive written notification of their interview status no later than February. The Admissions Committee will not pursue applications of individuals who do not meet admission requirements. The committee is composed of the PA graduate faculty and may include representatives from the Department of Science and Mathematics and a member from the community who is a practicing physician or physician assistant. Applicants are evaluated for their potential for high-level performance. Specific areas of interest to the committee include the applicant's knowledge of the PA role, shadowing experience, moral and ethical integrity, motivation for pursuing PA education, adequacy of career and financial planning, and coping strategies.
Interviewed applicants invited for personal interview will be notified of the Admission Committee's final decision by late February. Applicants selected for admission to the PA Program must verify their acceptance in writing to the PA program and submit a $500.00 (non-refundable) deposit to the PA Program Office within fourteen (14) days of being notified of admission in order to hold their seat in class. This deposit will be applied towards the first semester's tuition.
Background Checks – All matriculants must submit to a background check by an outside agency.
Students successfully completing the PA curriculum receive the Master of Science-Medicine degree from Trevecca Nazarene University. Graduates subsequently qualify to make application and sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) national certifying examination.
Trevecca Nazarene University PA Students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior at all times while in the didactic and clinical phases of the program. Unprofessional behavior may result in the following actions: A written letter of reprimand; the changing of a final rotation grade either by reduction in points, or the failure of a rotation; professional and/or academic probation; dismissal from the Program. These actions will be decided on a case by case basis by the Promotions Committee after careful study and review of any and all documentation provided to the Program.
The following affective objectives are provided as a guide for student professional behavior:
The affective objectives listed below are guidelines for student behavior in academic and clinical settings. Success in meeting these objectives will be assessed on a regular basis as the student proceeds through the curriculum.
The Physician Assistant student:
PA students are advised by the Educational Coordinator for the didactic phase of training. Then the Clinical Education Coordinator takes over during the rotation year.
Scholastic performance in the didactic and clinical phases will be reported by using the letters A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, D- and F.
A = Consistently Outstanding
The student has demonstrated mastery of the course objectives. The student is well qualified for subsequent courses in the subject area and may be expected to perform well in such courses.
B = Exceeds Expectations for Satisfactory Performance—Occasionally Outstanding
The student has demonstrated a clear understanding of the course objectives. The student is prepared to take subsequent courses in this subject area and may be expected to perform adequately in such courses.
C = Satisfactory
The student has demonstrated a basic comprehension of the course objectives. The student is qualified to take subsequent courses in the subject area but may be expected to perform only at a minimally adequate level in such courses.
D = Marginal
The student has demonstrated only an elementary familiarity with the course objectives. The student is not technically qualified to take the next course in the subject area and is not expected to perform well in such a course.
F = Failure
The student has not demonstrated knowledge or understanding of any meaningful portion of the course objectives. The student is not qualified to take subsequent courses in this subject area.
Scholastic performance in the didactic and clinical phase is evaluated on the following scale:
95-100 |
= A |
92-94 |
= A- |
89-91 |
= B+ |
86-88 |
= B |
83-85 |
= B- |
80-82 |
= C+ |
75-79 |
= C |
74 |
= C- |
70-73 |
= D |
<70 |
= F |
A grade below 75 will require a corrective action plan for course make-up.
The rotation grade is a composite of the preceptor score which accounts for 45% of the grade. The additional 55% of the grade is formulated from the grades received for the DxR case, Med Challenger score, and rotation exam.
Professional conduct is monitored throughout the rotation. Students are required to maintain a professional demeanor at their rotation site. They are also required to complete all assignments, required forms and recording of patient encounters in a timely manner. There may be a 1-10% deduction in the final grade for the rotation for failure to maintain the standards of professionalism as outlined in the catalog.
Student success or failure in each course/rotation is determined by successful completion of the course/rotation objectives and/or subjective evaluations as determined by the program faculty.
The Promotions Committee consists of the following members: program director (chair), medical director, coordinator of didactic education, coordinator of clinical education, PA department faculty members, and any individual(s) deemed appropriate by the program director.
The Promotions Committee is charged with ensuring that each individual graduating from the Physician Assistant Program at Trevecca Nazarene University has the skills, knowledge, and judgment to assume the responsibilities of a physician assistant. It is the prerogative of the Promotions Committee to prohibit any student from continuing or from further enrollment in the PA Program if, in the collective judgment of the Promotions Committee, the student has not demonstrated adequate academic performance, clinical competence, or expected professional and behavioral standards.
Students who are experiencing academic difficulty should discuss any problems with their instructor or PA Program faculty.
The Promotions Committee reserves the right to use its professional judgments to assess a student's overall suitability to practice as a physician assistant. Areas the committee is interested in include the following:
Compliance with University/PA Program policy and procedure; Professional behavior (adherence to the AAPA "Code of Ethics for Physician Assistants"); Informal conversation; Site visits; Phone visits; Attitude; Personal integrity; Academic honesty, and Support of University and PA Program mission and goals. To perform its duties, the Promotions Committee will depend on the cooperation, advice, and judgment of the faculty, students, and administration.
All required courses or clinical rotations must be completed with a final course grade of "C" or better.
Any student earning a final course or clinical rotation grade of "C minus" or less will have his/her academic progress reviewed by the Promotions Committee.
The Promotions Committee may place any student earning a final course or clinical rotation grade of "C minus" or less on academic probation.
The Promotions Committee in consultation with the course instructor will develop a corrective action plan.
Any student earning a final course or clinical rotation grade of "C minus" or less in any subsequent course or clinical rotation while on academic probation is subject to dismissal from the PA Program.
Any student who does not satisfactorily complete their corrective action plan is subject to dismissal from the PA Program.
Students will be limited to two corrective action plans over the entire course of the program. Any student exceeding these restrictions is subject to dismissal from the PA Program.
A grade of (S)atisfactory or (U)nsatisfactory will be earned for the corrective action work. In the event of an (S) grade, the grade for that corrective action will raise the course grade to a "C."
Students will be eligible for Candidacy status upon completion of 67 of the 116 hours (completion of the didactic phase of the program). The student must be in good academic standing (not on academic probation) and demonstrate appropriate professional behavior to be recommended by the promotions committee for candidacy status.
To earn the Master of Science: Medicine degree from Trevecca Nazarene University, PA students must accomplish all of the following:
Students who are unable to complete the degree requirements in the regular 27 months of the program will have twelve (12) months after the program's regular graduation date to complete the requirements. Any exceptions to this will be reviewed on an individual basis by the program director and the associate provost and dean of academic affairs.
The Program Office will coordinate academic registration of PA students. Completing academic and financial registration is the student's responsibility. Students are expected to make all necessary arrangements with the Financial Aid office. Students assigned to an out-of-town rotation must make all arrangements before they leave. Students should always check with the Financial Aid Office in advance, however, to avoid any delays in assignment of financial aid, etc.
Each student will provide evidence of the following immunizations and titers (required by our affiliated institutions) and a physical exam upon matriculation to the program. A second physical exam will be required before the clinical year. Records of the following will be maintained by an outside medical office. A summary sheet of immunizations, physical exam, and titers will be provided to the Clinical Coordinator for second-year students.
Students and faculty are strongly encouraged to maintain health insurance. Many clinical sites will not accept students for clinical rotations if they do not have coverage. The medical environment is hazardous. Please protect yourself.
The Physician Assistant Program has assumed the cost of providing students with blanket medical liability insurance coverage through the Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company and the Hanover Insurance Company. Through these policies, PA students are covered for liability related to their normal curriculum studies and assignments. This policy coverage is effective only during the scheduled time period for each assigned clinical rotation. Limits of professional liability are $1,000,000/$3,000,000. Overseas rotations necessitate that students procure their own personal medical liability insurance coverage if required by the preceptor and/or hospital. Final approval of an overseas rotation is contingent upon receipt of documentation by the program office verifying medical liability insurance coverage or release of liability by the preceptor and/or hospital.
Students are discouraged from employment while in the program. Working often interferes with learning opportunities. Asking for time off or for adjustments to the program schedule demonstrates a lack of motivation and interest to everyone and may jeopardize the quality of the student's educational experience.
The program director or his/her designee must approve any adjustment of student schedules and hours.
Student mailboxes have been installed in the PA classrooms to facilitate communication between the Program Office and students. Communication from the Program Office will be deposited in each student's box. The Program Office must be kept informed of a student's current mailing and e-mail addresses. Students are also expected to check their e-mail daily for communication from the Program Office.
During each academic semester correspondence from other departments on campus (Academic Affairs, Business, Financial Aid, and Academic Records) is sent directly to students. It will not come through the Program Office. It is critical that students keep these offices notified of their current mailing address.
The clinical phase can present special problems. Students must have a mailing address where they can receive mail during the clinical phase. It is recommended that students have a permanent address that they can use regardless of where they are on rotations. It is the student's responsibility to keep the Program Office, the clinical education coordinator, and all other offices on campus notified of their current mailing address and any changes. Students must also have a phone number where they can be reached at all times. This requirement is especially critical during the clinical phase.
The student is responsible for contacting the program in the event of illness. Any illness which results in more than three days of class absence should be evaluated by a medical practitioner (MD, DO, PA, NP) with a note sent to the program stating that the student is excused from classes due to illness and that the student is undergoing/completed treatment or being further evaluated at this time.
The Curriculum Committee consists of the core program faculty as appointed by the program director. It is the responsibility of this committee to develop and review all course outcomes and learning objectives. This committee will work with course instructors in syllabi development. The Curriculum Committee will evaluate course content to assure that it meets the stated learning outcomes and objectives.
The curriculum is 27 months in duration, is completed in seven semesters and requires full-time student participation. The curriculum is divided into two phases: Didactic and Clinical.
Didactic Phase: Consists of 15 months of basic medical science and clinical medicine courses.
Clinical Phase: Consist of 12 months of required and elective rotations, each six week's duration, and completed in private physician offices, hospitals, and clinics. It is expected that students accepting admission to the PA Program will accept rotation assignments where and when they are available. Reliable transportation is required. All expenses related to travel; meals, and lodging during rotations are the responsibility of the student. Financial planning in this area is important.
Didactic Phase |
|
||||||
Summer Semester I |
|
||||||
PAS |
Medical Ethics |
(2) |
|||||
PAS |
Research Methods and Designs in Medicine |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to the Profession |
(2) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Human Physiology |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Applied Anatomy |
(4) |
|||||
Total |
|
16 |
|||||
Fall Semester |
|
||||||
PAS |
Clinical Medicine I |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to Psychiatry |
(3) |
|||||
PAS |
Medical Communications |
(2) |
|||||
PAS |
Laboratory Medicine |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Physical Assessment |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to EKG |
(1) |
|||||
Total |
18 |
||||||
Spring Semester |
|
||||||
PAS |
Clinical Procedures |
(2) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Radiology |
(1) |
|||||
PAS |
Medical Spanish |
(1) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Medicine II |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics I |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to Surgery |
(3) |
|||||
Total |
15 |
||||||
Summer Semester II |
|
||||||
PAS |
Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics II |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to Pediatrics |
(3) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to Obstetrics and Gynecology |
(3) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Medicine III |
(4) |
|||||
PAS |
Introduction to Emergency Medicine |
(3) |
|||||
PAS |
Clinical Practicum II |
(1) |
|||||
Total |
18 |
||||||
Clinical Phase |
|
||||||
All clinical rotations are six weeks in duration with a forty-hour per week minimum. |
|||||||
PAS |
Seminar: Research Methods and Design |
(1) |
|||||
PAS |
6000 |
Clinical Rotations (block registration) |
(x) |
||||
PAS |
Primary Care I |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Primary Care II |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Emergency Medicine |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Internal Medicine |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Pediatrics |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Surgery |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
Psychiatry |
(6) |
|||||
PAS |
6xxx |
Elective |
(6) |
||||
Total |
49 |
||||||
Elective rotations are six weeks in duration and are available in a variety of medical and surgical disciplines.
Students who do not earn a passing grade on a course exam are eligible to remediate that exam. Remediation is limited to 50% of the total number of exams for the course. Exclusions from remediation are the final exam, quizzes, cases, projects reports, lab tests, etc. Only one attempt at remediation is allowed for any given exam. The remediation exercise is intended to provide the student an opportunity to re-evaluate their approach and thought processes related to a given question and/or material. A grade of (S)atisfactory or (U)nsatisfactory will be earned for the remediation work. In the event of an (S) grade, the grade for that exam will be raised to the "C" cutoff. In the event that a (U) grade is earned, the original exam grade will stand.
The key to success during the clinical phase is to maintain a professional demeanor with patients, preceptors, and faculty. Any breach in ethical conduct by students will be reviewed by the program faculty and may result in a student receiving a failing grade for the rotation. Any student that fails a rotation will be allowed to repeat the rotation as a corrective action unless they have exceeded the number of allowed corrective actions. During the clinical year preceptor evaluations are reviewed by the coordinator of clinical education. These evaluations may indicate an area of weakness. The coordinator of clinical education may require additional assignments during the clinical year to demonstrate that a student has achieved proficiency in this area. In the past, students have been asked to prepare an additional case presentation(s) or to compose a typed physical exam note which includes a complete differential diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient(s).
Students who are experiencing academic difficulty should discuss any problems with their instructor or PA Program faculty.
Every graduate student at Trevecca Nazarene University has the right to:
Designed to prepare the student entering a health care field to utilize personal, social, moral and spiritual values in the conduct of his/her future professional life.
Introduces physician assistant students to the basic principles of experimental design in medicine. Development of a research design is required.
Introduces physician assistant students to the historical perspectives of the profession as well as the PA role in health care delivery, political and legal factors affecting PA practice, and inter-professional issues.
An advanced course in human physiology designed for physician assistants. It details the principles that are necessary for understanding the overall, integrated physiologic functions of the human. Each organ system organization under normal conditions will be addressed using the cellular knowledge of function and control mechanisms. This requires a prior course in human physiology. Courses in animal physiology are considered on an individual basis.
Develops skills in performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that a physician assistant will use in clinical practice. Emphasis is placed on the indications, contra-indications, and risks/side-effects as well as technical proficiency.
An advanced course in human anatomy designed to relate anatomical structures to function and clinical application. Lab sessions with prospected cadavers are included.
Designed to acquaint the student with the diagnostic process, these courses present the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical findings, laboratory findings, diagnostic criteria and current treatment of the more common diseases affecting the human organism.
Designed to provide students a basic understanding of human growth and development as it relates to psychosocial aspects of the life span. Emphasis is given to common psychiatric disorders, their diagnosis, treatment, and influence on the care of clients during other medical disorders.
Introduces physician assistant students to the techniques of medical interviewing and recording and presentation of clinical information. Aspects of patient education and counseling are covered.
Prepares physician assistant students to obtain specimens for and interpret results of selected clinical chemistry and microbiology studies. Emphasis is placed on learning normal values as well as understanding the implications of abnormal results.
Designed to introduce PA students to concepts related to Pharmacology, i.e., the properties, mechanisms of action and effects of drugs. Content areas include the mechanisms of basic chemical reactions in the body, external chemical regulation of physiologic pathways and clinical interventions with biological systems at the cellular level.
Designed to acquaint physician assistant students with the knowledge and skills required to manage surgical diseases. Emphasis is placed on differentiating between surgical and non-surgical conditions.
Designed to develop physical examination skills. Techniques are presented for performing physical assessment of all organ systems. Physical exams are performed on a variety of patients under faculty supervision.
Prepares the physician assistant student to recognize and manage common clinical problems associated with the pediatric patient.
Prepares the physician assistant student to assess normal and abnormal clinical situations involving the female genital tract, including pregnancy and delivery.
Prepares the physician assistant student to diagnose and manage medical and surgical emergencies due to illness or trauma. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training and certification are included.
Designed to integrate knowledge and newly acquired skills related to interviewing and physical assessment with practical application and documentation.
Introduces physician assistant students to medical Spanish and to other cultures commonly found in middle Tennessee. By providing instruction in taking a health history, conducting a physical exam, and educating the Spanish speaking patients in their language and their cultural context, the student also learns how this improves their access to health care.
Introduces physician assistant students to the fundamentals of electrocardiography preparing them to discriminate between normal, variations of normal, and abnormal radiographic EKG studies.
Introduces physician assistant students to the fundamentals of clinical radiology preparing them to discriminate between normal, variations of normal, and abnormal radiographic studies.
Designed for physician assistant students to develop their ability to formulate relevant clinical questions and to use the medical literature to elucidate an answer to those questions. The student will prepare a written review of the medical literature that will emphasize how clinical research has influenced new directives in patient care. The project will culminate in an oral presentation to the students and faculty of the physician assistant program.
Clinical practica designed for physician assistant students to develop the ability to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine, improve data collection, refine interpretive and communication skills, and gain confidence in the performance of essential examination techniques within the clinical setting.
Clinical practicum based in a hospital emergency room that provides physician assistant students the opportunity to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine and develop the skills necessary to recognize and manage patients presenting with trauma and or other life threatening/emergent problems.
Clinical practicum that provides physician assistant students an opportunity to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine and develop the skills necessary to evaluate and manage patients with internal medicine problems.
Clinical practicum based in a pediatric office or clinic setting that provides the physician assistant student an opportunity to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine and develop the skills necessary to evaluate and manage clinical problems associated with pediatric patients.
Clinical practicum that provides the physician assistant student an opportunity to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine and develop skills necessary to differentiate surgical from non-surgical problems and appropriately manage or refer patients presenting with surgical problems.
Clinical practicum that provides the physician assistant student an opportunity to link basic medical science knowledge to clinical medicine and develop the skills necessary to recognize and manage common mental health disorders.
PAS |
6120 |
Pain Management |
PAS |
6200 |
Primary Care |
PAS |
6210 |
Emergency Medicine |
PAS |
6220 |
Internal Medicine |
PAS |
6230 |
Cardiology |
PAS |
6240 |
Dermatology |
PAS |
6250 |
Cardiovascular Surgery |
PAS |
6260 |
Surgery |
PAS |
6270 |
Pediatrics |
PAS |
6280 |
Orthopedics |
PAS |
6290 |
Sports Medicine |
PAS |
6300 |
Obstetrics & Gynecology |
PAS |
6320 |
Radiology |
PAS |
6330 |
Otorhinolaryngology |
PAS |
6340 |
Geriatrics |
PAS |
6350 |
Medical Education |
PAS |
6390 |
Neurology |
PAS |
6460 |
Psychiatry |
PAS |
6470 |
Neurosurgery |
PAS |
6480 |
Urology |
PAS |
6500 |
Oncology |
Full-time Faculty
G. MICHAEL MOREDOCK, Director, Physician Assistant Program, Professor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Indiana University, 1970; M.D., Indiana University, 1974.
LARRY E. GERDOM, Coordinator of Clinical Education, Professor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Bob Jones University, 1976; M.S., Miami University, 1979; Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1983; M.H.S.(P.A.S), University of South Alabama, 1998.
ROBIN M. JEWETT, Coordinator of Didactic Education, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Indiana Wesleyan U. 1995; M.S.M., Trevecca Nazarene University, 2005.
STANLEY DON RAGSDALE, Clinical Coordinator, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S. University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1991; M.P.A.S., University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1998.
KAREN E. FRYE, Associate Professor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.A., Point Loma Nazarene University, 1972; M.D., The University of Arizona, Tucson, 1978.
TASHA ADAMS, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Valdosta State University, 2001; M.S., Middle Tennessee State University, 2003; M.S.M., Trevecca Nazarene University, 2005.
KATRINA GILL, Clinical Coordinator, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., University of Tennessee, 1995; M.S.M, Trevecca Nazarene University, 2001.
Part-time Faculty
WAYNE WELLS, Medical Director, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., University of Florida, 1972; M.D., Autonomous University of Guadalajara, 1977; Board Certified in Family Medicine, 2004-2011.
MEGA PURINO, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Houghton College, 1995; B.S., Physician Assistant, Trevecca Nazarene University, 1998; M.P.A.S, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2005.
LOIS E. WOLFGANG, Associate Professor Emeritus, Physician Assistant Program,—
B.S.N., Roberts Wesleyan College, 1963; M.H.S., Governor's State University, 1978.
Part-time Faculty
JOSEPH GIGANTE, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.A., Brooklyn College, 1984; M.D. State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1988.
DONNA LYNCH, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
PA-C/B.S., Trevecca Nazarene University, 1997; M.P.A.S., University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2003.
AARON MOREDOCK, Instructor, Physician Assistant Program—
B.S., Indiana Wesleyan University, 1997; M.S.M. Trevecca Nazarene University, 2000