Courses & Curriculum

Coursework for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies will be completed in twenty-seven months over seven semesters. Students will have a predetermined schedule with a range from 10-23 credit hours each semester, for a total of 116 credit hours.

Course Descriptions

Full course descriptions can be found in the MUSC Bulletin. All course descriptions for the program begin with the prefix "PA*."

 

Year  Semester  Course Credit Hours
1 Summer PA*606  Human Anatomy 6
    PA*607 Intro to the PA Profession 1
    PA*630
Bioethics   1
    PA*632 Principles of Pharmacology 2
    PA*643 Human Physiology & Basic Patho 3
      Total Semester Hours 13
         
1 Fall PA*614 Fundamentals of Clin Med I 6
    PA*617 Clinical Problem Solving I 2
    PA*624  Pharmacotherapeutics I  3
    PA*634 History & Physical Exam Skills 2
    PA*654 Diagnostic Medicine I 2
    PA*662 Pathophysiology I 3
    PA*665
Cultural Competency
2
    PA*695
Research Methods for Hlth Prof   
3
      Total Semester Hours 23
         
1 Spring PA*615 Fundamentals of Clin Med II 6
    PA*618 Clinical Problem Solving II 2
    PA*625 Pharmacotherapeutics II 3
    PA*636 Clinical Skills & Procedures 2
    PA*655 Diagnostic Medicine II 2
    PA*656  Public Health   1
    PA*663  Pathophysiology II  3
    PA*690  Graduate Project I  1
    IP*711 IP Foundations & TeamSTEPPS 1
    IP*XXX IP Concentration Course of Choice
1
      Total Semester Hours 22
         
2 Summer PA*616 Fundamentals of Clin Med III 3
    PA*619 Clinical Problem Solving III 1
    PA*626 Pharmacotherapeutics III 2
    PA*642 Pertinent Topics in Peds 1
    PA*651 Geriatrics 1
    PA*652 Principles of Emergency Medic 2
    PA*653 Principles of Surgical Care 2
    PA*691 Graduate Project II 1
    Total Semester Hours 13
       
    Total Didactic Credit Hours 71
       
2 Fall PA*670 Clinical Rotation I *
5
    PA*672 Clinical Rotation II *
5
    PA*674 Clinical Rotation III *
5
      Total Semester Hours 15
         
2 Spring PA*676 Clinical Rotation IV *
5
    PA*678 Clinical Rotation V *
5
    PA*679 Clinical Rotation VI *
5
    PA*680  Clinical Rotation VII * 
      Total Semester Hours 20
         
3 Summer PA*682
Clinical Rotation VIII *
5
    PA*685 Clinical Rotation Elective *
5
      Total Semester Hours 10
         
      Total Clinical Credit Hours 45
       
    Total Credit Hours:    116
   
 

* Students are scheduled in the following disciplines for clinical rotations 1-8; Emergency medicine, Family medicine, Internal medicine, Mental health, Pediatrics, Surgery, Women’s Health, and Adjunct Clinical Experience (ACE). In addition the students are required to complete an elective in a specialty of their choice.

A Summative Evaluation is required by the Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistant Education (ARC-PA) within the last 4 months of the program. Each student must successfully pass all components of the Summative Evaluation to be eligible for completion of the program and graduation. The components of the Summative Evaluation include the following:

1) PAEA End of Curriculum Exam
2) Summative Professionalism Evaluation
3) Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)