GVSU MASTER'S OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT

To prepare highly competent physician assistants who embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion; lead and advance the profession; and provide quality patient-centered healthcare in all communities and settings.

GVSU PAS Program Goals

1. MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE IN PATIENT CARE: To provide physician assistant students with the knowledge and clinical skills to deliver effective and equitable healthcare.
2. PROFESSIONALISM: To inspire students to model the professional values and ethical behaviors expected of physician assistants.
3. COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE: To develop the interpersonal skills necessary for physician assistant students to communicate with patients and work effectively in interprofessional health care teams.
4. LIFELONG LEARNING: To develop the skills necessary for physician assistant students to appraise and assimilate medical literature applicable for clinical practice and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life long learning.

GVSU PAS Program Competencies

Competency Theme: Medical Knowledge

Competency: Demonstrates Medical Knowledge, Clinical Reasoning, and Problem-Solving Ability of Sufficient Breadth and Depth to Practice medicine as an entry-level Physician Assistant.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Recall core knowledge about established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and application of this knowledge to patient care in their area of practice
2. Describe foundational knowledge in pathophysiology, etiology, epidemiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic work-up, patient management, surgical principles, health promotion, and disease prevention for a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions across the lifespan
3. Apply foundational knowledge in pathophysiology, etiology, epidemiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic work-up, patient management, surgical principles, health promotion, and disease prevention for a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions across the lifespan

Competency Theme: Patient Care

Competency: Provide person-centered care that includes patient- and setting-specific assessment, evaluation, management, and health promotion.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Elicit a detailed and accurate patient history
2. Perform appropriate physical examination
3. Order and interpret diagnostic tests on patients
4. Organize information from the interview, diagnostic testing, and physical examination to formulate differential diagnoses, assessments, and treatment plan
5. Demonstrate basic technical skills

Competency Theme: Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Competency: Demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication skills needed to have respectful, compassionate, and effective conversations with patients, patients' families, and health professionals to exchange information and make medical decisions.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Listen empathetically and effectively
2. Document information clearly and accurately at an appropriate level for patients, colleagues, and teachers.
3. Communicate information clearly to patients, families, colleagues, and teams as appropriate across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
4. Facilitate difficult health care conversations
5. Utilize shared decision-making to promote patient-centered communication by eliciting and incorporating patient preferences

Competency Theme: Professionalism

Competency: Commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and adhering to ethical principles and practice.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for others
2. Demonstrate responsiveness to patient needs that supersede self-interest
3. Show accountability to patients, society, and the profession
4. Demonstrate leadership and advocacy for the PA profession

Competency Theme: Practice-Based Learning and Proficiency Improvement

Competency: Demonstrate the ability to acquire, appraise and apply evidence-based medicine to classroom activities and patient care, as well as accurately assess and improve classroom and clinical performance based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Seek, implement, and accept feedback.
2. Reflect on performance to identify strengths and deficiencies in one’s knowledge and expertise and develop a plan for self-improvement.
3. Locate, appraise, and integrate evidence-based studies related to patient care and life-long learning.

Competency Theme: Systems-Based Practice

Competency: Demonstrate the ability to engage with various other healthcare professionals in a manner that optimizes patient care within the context of the larger healthcare system.

Program Learning Outcomes (ARC-PA)/Student Learning Outcomes (GVSU): At the completion of the GVSU PAS program, students should be able to:

1. Promote a safe environment for patient care
2. Demonstrate knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and metrics
3. Recognize the unique roles of PAs and those of other healthcare professions in patient care
4. Work effectively with other health professionals to provide collaborative, patient-centered care.
5. Work effectively in various healthcare delivery settings within the larger healthcare system.
6. Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and funding sources into patient care
7. Describe basic health payment systems and practice models  

Prepare entry-level practitioners with the skills necessary to effectively perform in an evolving healthcare environment

Medical Knowledge

Objectives

• Recognize signs and symptoms that define a disease process
• Discuss the laboratory and radiographic testing that support a working diagnosis based upon the presenting signs and symptoms of a disease process
• Identify treatment options for a disease entity
• Define the potential complications of treatment (both medical and surgical)
• Understand the natural history of a disease process that goes untreated
• Explain pathophysiological processes leading to common acute and chronic diseases

Patient Care

Objectives

• Perform medical and surgical procedural and technical skills essential to Physician Assistant practice
• Perform appropriate history and physical examinations
• Develop and implement patient management plans
• Effectively communicate medical findings, treatment plans, procedures, and patient education with colleagues and patients in both verbal and written formats
• Formulate a differential diagnosis based on a clinical situation
• Understand the role of preventive medicine in healthcare including screening recommendations

Outcomes:

GVSU PAS graduates excel at medical knowledge and patient care, based on evidence of clinical competency and performance on the PA National Certification Exam (PANCE).

Average Patient care scores during the clinical phase of the program for the last three graduating classes (Class of 2015-2017):

• Medical History taking: 96.2%
• Physical Exam: 96%
• Assimilation of Clinical data: 95.8%
• Assessment/Diagnosis: 94.9%
• Diagnostic Studies: 95.6%
• Treatment Plan: 94.2%
• Procedural Skills: 96.2%

The Five Year First Time Taker Average Pass Rate for Program is 100%. (Class of 2013-2017)

Instill within the PAS learners the professional values and ethical behaviors expected of physician assistants

Professionalism

Objectives

• Exhibit honesty and integrity in all interactions
• Demonstrate respect, caring, and compassion
• Understand how cultural differences and impact patient care

Outcomes:

Graduates of the GVSU PAS program have successfully demonstrated professionalism and integrity. Based on clinical preceptor feedback, students in the PAS program demonstrate professionalism above a 98.5% effectiveness in patient rapport, work habits, professional relationships, and attitude.

Students are provided with cultural awareness training during all phases of the program through lectures and clinical case presentations. (Class of 2017)

Active Community Service Engagement

Objectives

• Prior to completion of the program, the student will participate in at least one community service activity during the didactic phase and the clinical phase of the program

Outcomes:

In the last 3 years, 100% of graduates will have provided at least one hour of community service learning. Additionally, 100% of the faculty have also participated in community service activities including free health clinics.  (Class of 2015-2017)

Prepare graduates to work effectively in interprofessional health care teams

Objectives

• Recognize the unique roles and abilities of each member of the healthcare team to improve team effectiveness for the optimization of patient care. 
• Work effectively with members of the health care system utilizing team based concepts and/or leadership skills

Outcomes:

At the time of graduation, 100% of PA students in the Grand Valley State University PAS program had at least three Interprofessional educational experiences (IPE) with a minimum of three different health professional students. These experiences ranged from team-based management of a virtual patient or paper based case to working in an interprofessional team on a simulated case.

The PAS program has implemented Interprofessional experiences through the PAS 572-574 Hospital Community Experience courses. In this series of courses, PAS students are provided the opportunity to go to clinical sites and observe various professions in their role of patient care, including Physical Therapist, Pharmacists, surgeons, respiratory therapists, nurses, medical lab scientists, as well as medical assistants. Students gain an insight on roles and responsibilities as well as the knowledge these individuals have in the care of patients.  (Class of 2015-2017)

Instill the importance of medical research as it relates to clinical practice

Objectives

• Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning, purpose, and nature of scientific inquiry by relating its significance to evidence based medicine through evaluation of the medical literature
• Apply the principles of beneficence, justice and respect as it relates to the conduct of research involving human subjects and clinical practice
• Utilize evidence based practice and experience to engage in life long learning

Outcomes:

Students of the GVSU PAS Program undergo rigorous training using the most recent evidence based learning (EBL). Students receive and demonstrate understanding of evidence based medical learning through 3 research courses and one statistics course. At the time of this updated report, 100% of students have successfully passed all four evidence based medicine courses.  (Class of 2015-2017)