If you are in North Carolina and you desire to undertake the Physician Assistant program, you will be spoilt for choice. Currently, there are multiple schools in North Carolina offering this program. The information list below can help you get into the PA program you want.
Duke University Physician Assistant Program
The mission of the PA program at Duke University is to educate primary care physician assistants that are dedicated to serving their communities and devoted to positive change in the healthcare system. The curriculum of the PA program is highly structured and intense. The curriculum equips students with knowledge of basic medical sciences and clinical medicine.
In addition, students acquire skills in administration and research. Students have to undergo preclinical year coursework that is designed to prepare them for clinical experiences in the second year. The learning methods include small group demonstrations, laboratory sessions, and lecture presentations.
In addition, students undergo simulation experiences, group projects, small group discussions, and individual assignments. Students also learn through online modules, interactions with hospitalized patients, and standardized patients. They then undergo the clinical year curriculum, which enhances the continued growth of skills and attitudes.
During the clinical year, students are supervised, and they complete didactic coursework, which allows them to transition into a professional PA role upon graduation.
Wake Forest University Physician Assistant Program
The Wake Forest University PA Program educates students in an Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) environment. The program teaches students effective interpersonal skills, independent learning, and knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences. Through the IBL learning process, students work in small groups.
They work through a patient case using information they already have. They then identify what else they need to learn to better understand the patient’s condition and how to resolve it. IBL focuses on producing learners that engage with enthusiasm in the challenges they face in life and in their careers.
Learners also learn problem-solving skills and how to employ self-directed learning skills. In addition, students are taught how to continuously monitor and evaluate the adequacy of their knowledge. Furthermore, students who complete the program know how to collaborate effectively with members of healthcare teams.
The PA program from Wake Forest University aims at having diverse students who come from different cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. This ensures that they are ready to take care of patients from different backgrounds.
East Carolina University Physician Assistant Program
The curriculum for the PA program at East Carolina University consists of two phases. The initial phase is the didactic phase which takes 15 months and consists of 59 semester credit hours. The second phase is the clinical phase which takes 12 months. The didactic phase mainly focuses on primary care infused with courses related to unique problems and issues of healthcare delivery in remote locations.
The clinical phase consists of more than 2000 patient contact hours. Students in the program have to undergo clinical rotations in Eastern North Carolina. During clinical rotations, students spend at least six weeks in areas like women’s health, family medicine, pediatrics, and surgery. Other areas include emergency medicine, psychiatry, and geriatrics.
They are monitored by licensed healthcare professionals, which allows them to develop proficiency in critical thinking, interpreting lab studies, and more. The program provides the skills and professional behaviors graduates need to offer evidence-based, patient-centered, and interdisciplinary primary care to those in medically underserved communities in North Carolina and beyond.
Furthermore, students can develop management plans that are needed to graduate and enter clinical practice when undertaking the PA program.
Campbell University Physician Assistant Program
Campbell University’s PA program takes 24 months to complete. The program consists of 12 months of didactic education and 12 months of supervised clinical work. The curriculum is outlined in a manner that allows students to with foundational courses in basic sciences and then build upon this content throughout the program.
During the didactic coursework, students are taught clinical medicine, surgical concepts, and pharmacotherapeutic approaches. The clinical work teaches hands-on experience, which allows students to utilize critical thinking and clinical and technical skills through meeting patients and using trainers.
Student performance in the didactic year is based upon unit exams, written assignments, oral presentations, and faculty evaluations. Clinical rotations take four weeks, and students are supervised to ensure they are learning the appropriate skills. Students must also undergo two clinical electives.
Methodist University Physician Assistant Program
The PA program at Methodist University is full-time, and it takes 27 months to complete. The program consists of two phases, including didactic and clinical. The instructive phase consists of classroom instruction, while the clinical phase consists of supervised, off-campus clinical instruction.
Clinical rotations are normally arranged in local medical centers and private doctor’s offices. During the PA program, students are taught how to trace the history of medicine and the development of various medical professionals. The student is introduced to the development of medical education and becomes familiar with issues challenging the PA profession.
Students are also introduced to various roles in which PAs practice to include rural health, pediatrics, and more. Students are also taught how to access medical literature and resources when taking care of patients. Students are able to complete physical examinations under the supervision of the clinical staff.
Elon University Physician Assistant Program
The PA program at Elon University is completed in 24 months. During the program, students go through an innovative systems curriculum that utilizes large and small group discussions, patient scenario discussions, and hands-on clinical skills. In addition, learners employ simulated patient experiences.
As the course continues, patient scenarios and simulated patient experiences become more complex. This allows students to reapply knowledge and build towards meeting the competencies of the program. The PA program provides a supportive and collaborative learning environment that engages students in a learner-centered environment.
In addition, learners are challenged to demonstrate clinical competence and support the professional development of students and faculty. The program promotes dialogue on personal and cultural attributes to allow a culture of accepting values, beliefs, and perspectives. The program aims at developing engaged minds, inspired leaders, and global citizens by investing its skills and talents towards bettering communities locally and around the world.