The Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program at GVSU started in
August of 1996. The program is 28 months in length and consists of 2
phases, didactic and clinical. The didactic phase is 16 months in
duration and consists of classroom, laboratory and small group
classes. Following the 4 semesters of didactic education, PAS students
then enter the clinical phase of the program where they spend 12
months (3 semesters) in clinical rotations. There are 7 core clinical
rotations that consists of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Women's
Health, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and a rotation in a
clinic focusing on the underserved. Students have the opportunity for
a minimum of 2 elective rotations which can be in any specialty, or a
repeat of a core rotation. The program also offers international rotations.
The PAS program started a distant campus in August of 2015. This
distant campus is located in Traverse City, Michigan, at the GVSU
Traverse City Regional Center at Northwestern Michigan College. The
distant site accepts 12 students in a cohort annually, while 36
students are accepted into the main campus cohort in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. The GVSU PAS program is the only PA program in the state of
Michigan that offers a distant education.
The PAS program at GVSU has had 593 graduates since the start of
the program. The PA program is accredited by the Accreditation Review
Commission on the Education of Physician Assistants. The PAS program
has a five year first time pass rate of 100% on the Physician
Assistant National Certification Examination.
The GVSU PAS department met as a faculty in January, 2016 to discuss the
approach to strategic planning. At that time, it was decided that an ad
hoc committee would be developed and the final product brought forth to
the entire department. A committee was formed which included the
Department chair, the director of clinical education, the director of
pre-clinical education, and a faculty member from the Traverse City
campus. This group met 4 times throughout the Winter 2016 semester to
develop the plan. The entire plan will be presented to the entire
faculty at the end of the semester once final edits are complete.
Mission
The mission of the program is to educate individuals to become competent
Physician Assistants, who possess the skills necessary for
interprofessional medical practice.
Vision
The PAS department does not have a vision statement specific to the
department.
Value Statement
The values of the Physician Assistant Studies Department include:
Professionalism
Medical Knowledge and Competence in Patient Care
Interprofessional Education
Evidence Based Learning
Strategic Priorities, outcomes, and key objectives
Strategic Priority Area 1: Actively engage learners at all levels.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.
Outcome E: Grand Valley strategically allocates its fiscal, human, and other institutional resources.
Strategic Priority Area 2: Further develop exceptional personnel.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.
Strategic Priority Area 3: Ensure the alignment of institutional structures and functions.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Strategic Priority Area 4: Enhance the institution's image and reputation.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.