Curriculum

Physician Assistant Seminar is a one-semester course designed to prepare students for the role of a physician assistant (PA) in the U.S. healthcare system. The course explores the history, development, and organization of medicine and the PA profession, as well as professionalism, legal and ethical aspects of healthcare, and the cultural and familial components of health care delivery. Additional topics include health promotion, disease prevention, stress management, diversity, and patient education. Students will delve into critical healthcare issues, such as disparities in healthcare access, resilience, and self-care, along with other challenges unique to PA practice. Through discussions and investigations, students will examine current issues in healthcare and society, focusing on strategies to mitigate their impact on patient outcomes and community health. The course also emphasizes the history and evolving role of PAs in healthcare. Students will explore key aspects of PA practice, including professional responsibilities to patients and the public, regulatory frameworks, interprofessional collaboration, team-based care, and emerging trends in the profession. Additionally, the course encourages students to critically evaluate professional practice issues, particularly in relation to the quality, delivery, and cost-effectiveness of the U.S. healthcare system. By examining these components, students gain a comprehensive understanding of the PA's role within the broader healthcare landscape, equipping them to make meaningful contributions to their patients and communities. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

Medical Interviewing Medical Interviewing is a one-semester course that introduces the physician assistant (PA) student to the essential skill set required for effective medical interviewing. Instruction and practice sessions will focus on techniques that foster strong patient-provider relationships and facilitate accurate, comprehensive data collection. The PA student will learn how to conduct patient interviews that are not only thorough but also empathetic and culturally sensitive. Emphasizing a patient-centered approach, the course covers strategies for active listening, creating an open and supportive environment, and addressing both medical and psychosocial aspects of patient care. Through practical exercises, roleplaying, and faculty feedback, the PA student will gain confidence in managing diverse patient populations, handling complex or sensitive issues, and communicating clearly in both routine and challenging clinical encounters. Upon completion, the PA student will be equipped with the tools necessary to effectively engage patients, promote trust, and optimize clinical outcomes through thoughtful, patient-centered interviews. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

The course in anatomy is a central focus of basic science education in the Physician Assistant Program. During this course the student is introduced to gross anatomy presented by the regional approach. The student becomes familiar with the chest, upper extremity, abdomen, pelvis, lower extremity, neck, head, and the central nervous system. Whenever appropriate, clinical correlations are made both from a diagnostic and operative point of view. Instruction is primarily in lecture and lab format; however, atlases and other visual aides are available. Material will be studied in three main topic areas: 1. Back, Pectoral, Upper extremity, and Thorax. 2. Abdomen, Pelvis, Perineum and Lower extremity. 3. Head and neck. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 8

This course provides the physician assistant (PA) student with a basic overview of the biochemical principles essential for understanding human health and disease. The course topics will focus on the metabolism of key macromolecules, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and their roles in maintaining homeostasis. The course will include the biochemical foundations of hormonal regulation, muscle function, and enzyme activity, with an emphasis on their clinical relevance in disease processes. Hematologic/coagulation and acid/base biochemistry will be detailed as well, providing a brief introduction into a variety of common clinical disorders. Additionally, the PA student will be introduced to the genetic basis of biochemistry, including how genetic variations contribute to inherited diseases. Through lectures, clinical case examples with discussions, and practical applications, the PA student will develop the ability to apply biochemical concepts to clinical scenarios, which may serve to enhance their diagnostic and therapeutic skills. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 1.5

Surgical Aspects in Primary Care will introduce the PA student to the basic concepts and procedures commonly encountered while working in surgery and primary care. Basic concepts covered include Introduction to the OR environment, roles of clinicians, and its collaborative culture, principles of surgical bleeding and management, review of surgical infection and management, wound types, wound care methods, and clinician management principles, surgical dressings and drains, identification, and management principles, burns identification and management expectations. In addition, there will lectures introducing the PA student to pre-operative medical clearance concepts, and patient safety principles, adult and pediatric surgical pain concepts and management principles, common surgical instruments, patient preparation, and draping considerations, and an introduction to surgical scrubbing, gowning & gloving (review of pre-lab technique videos). Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

Fundamentals of Primary Care & Clinical Medicine I serves as the first course in a comprehensive three-part sequence designed to establish a strong foundation in the principles and practice of medicine. This course covers key modules, including immunology, the autonomic nervous system, dermatology, and nutrition, and provides intensive exploration of the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and management of various diseases. A contextual approach integrates and emphasizes the interconnection between medical disciplines, fostering a holistic understanding of patient care. The course builds upon and incorporates prior and concurrent studies in basic sciences, anatomy and physiology, medical interviewing, physical diagnosis, and medical terminology, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience. The LEAP Program is a (Longitudinal Educational Experience Advancing Patient Partnerships) is a required curricular component of the Physician Assistant Program that is part of Fundamentals I. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

Physical Diagnosis I is the first of a two-semester sequence of courses designed to provide the Physician Assistant (PA) student with instruction in performing physical examination skills and elucidating preliminary diagnoses based on exam findings, while continuing to reinforce crucial interviewing techniques presented and practiced in the PASP6010 Medical Interviewing course. These skills and techniques form the foundation of patient evaluation and diagnosis in a variety of clinical care settings. The student will learn and observe various examination techniques for eliciting objective data from a variety of patients. The course will progress in a systems approach and material presented will be studied in detail in preparation for on-campus, small-group, faculty-guided, practice sessions (referred to as CEE: Practice Groups), where students will demonstrate examination techniques on manikins and/or standardized patients (SPs). In addition, students will have an opportunity to continue to practice and demonstrate history-taking and interviewing techniques through periodic patient encounters throughout the semester. Students will be required to submit documentation of such interviews (“write-ups”) for faculty feedback. 3 The PD units to be studied during this course include General Assessment and Examination of the Skin, Vital Signs (I & II), Examination of the Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat, Neck, and Thyroid, Examination of the Chest (thorax, lungs, and heart), and Examination of the Abdomen. Faculty will facilitate workshops in the proper documentation of Assessment and Plan, creation of SOAP notes, and patient presentations. Clinical Experience and Exposure: CEE Physical Diagnosis skills are a required curricular component of Physical Diagnosis I. Examination will be supplemented by practical skills sheets which serve to guide students in the steps necessary for practice/skills testing of each unit above. Patient encounters are a required curricular component of Physical Diagnosis I. Students will have an opportunity to complete a real patient encounter in the NY Presbyterian/Weill Cornell emergency department. The material covered in the Physical Diagnosis I and II course sequence is intended to prepare preclinical PA students for future patient encounters, OSCEs, clinical rotations and their future PA practice. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6010 Medical Interviewing | Credit Hours: 2

Physiology provides a comprehensive overview of human physiology, organized around key body systems. The PA student will explore the physiological processes that govern cellular function and the operation of the nervous, gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine systems. The course emphasizes the integration of these systems in maintaining homeostasis and adapting to various physiological demands. Clinical examples are incorporated throughout to demonstrate the relevance of physiological principles in understanding health, disease, and treatment. By examining both normal function and the disruptions that lead to disease, the PA student will develop a deeper understanding of how physiological concepts are applied in clinical practice. The course combines lectures with interactive discussions to encourage critical thinking and foster a solid foundation in medical physiology. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6040 Anatomy | Credit Hours: 4

This course introduces the physician assistant (PA) student to the fundamental principles of pharmacology and their clinical applications in patient care. Beginning with core concepts in drug action, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, the PA student will explore the role of pharmacologic agents in managing a variety of medical conditions. Topics covered include the use of antibiotics in infectious diseases, medications for gastrointestinal disorders, pain management strategies, and drugs used in cardiovascular care. Additionally, the course will examine autonomic pharmacology, treatments for neurological disorders and seizures, and other common therapeutic areas. Emphasis will be placed on understanding drug indications, contraindications, potential adverse effects, and considerations for special patient populations. The PA students will learn how to select, prescribe, and monitor drugs safely and effectively, considering individual patient needs and clinical circumstances. Utilizing a flipped/hybrid delivery model, incorporating case-based learning, the PA student will develop the skills necessary to make informed decisions about pharmacologic treatments in diverse clinical settings. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 4

General Surgery is a one-semester course that addresses the basic concepts, conditions, and medical and surgical approaches to investigating commonly encountered diagnoses in general surgery (primarily focusing on gastrointestinal and abdominal organ surgical disorders). There is a review of the basic concepts of surgical patient care, including but not limited to fluids & electrolytes management, radiology principles, surgical principles, and patient care pearls related to commonly encountered general surgery conditions. A brief introduction to anesthesia is offered as the nature of general surgery promotes the greater use of general anesthesia and a potential need for intensive post-surgical patient management. This course builds on the student’s knowledge of primary care surgical principles first introduced in PASP6110 Surgical Aspects of Primary Care and is the second course in a three-course sequence that broadens the foundation of surgical knowledge leading into PASP-6130 Surgical Specialties in semester 3. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6110 Surgical Aspects of Primary Care | Credit Hours: 3

Fundamentals of Primary Care & Clinical Medicine II (“Fundamentals II”) continues to build a foundation of knowledge of medical care in the following disciplines/units: Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Cardiology, Electrocardiography, and Evidenced Based Medicine. The course will include instruction in the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, risk factors, patient evaluation, diagnosis, management, and patient education of various diseases and disorders in these specialty areas. The course will incorporate prior and ongoing learning in basic sciences, anatomy and physiology, medical interviewing, physical diagnosis, and medical terminology. The LEAP Program is a (Longitudinal Educational Experience Advancing Patient Partnerships) is a required curricular component of the Physician Assistant Program that is part of Fundamentals II. CEE clinical skills are a required curricular component of Fundamentals II. It will include the following units: Venipuncture, Intravenous (IV) Placement, Percutaneous injections, and Arterial Blood Gas sampling. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6210 Fundamentals of Primary Care & Clinical Medicine I | Credit Hours: 3

The Obstetrics & Gynecology course will introduce the PA student to the care of the female patient. This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of perinatal care including antepartum care, fetal assessment, and labor & delivery. Common obstetrical and gynecologic problems and other issues related to women's health that are encountered in clinical practice will be discussed, including family planning, and office gynecology. Health promotion throughout the lifespan will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on this field as a primary care specialty. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

This course introduces physician assistant (PA) students to the principles of pathology as a foundation for clinical medicine. Building on prior coursework in anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology, it emphasizes the mechanisms of disease and the structural and functional alterations underlying major human illnesses. Students will study general 5 pathology topics such as cellular adaptation, injury, inflammation, repair, immune-mediated injury, and neoplasia, then progress to system-based pathology of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, breast, and genitourinary systems. Both non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions are examined, integrating molecular mechanisms, histopathology, epidemiology, and clinical correlations. Pathologist contributions to diagnosis, tumor grading/staging, and molecular testing are highlighted. The course bridges basic science and clinical medicine, preparing students to apply pathologic principles in patient evaluation and management during clinical rotations. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6040 Anatomy, PASP 6060 Biochemistry, and PASP 6050 Physiology | Credit Hours: 3

Psychiatry is a one-semester course that introduces the student to the fundamentals of common behavioral abnormalities and their treatment as encountered in clinical practice. Topics include the professional-patient relationship, reactions to history taking and physical examination, stress and coping mechanisms, detection and treatment of psychiatric complications. This course will also provide the student with a fundamental understanding of psychopathology, pharmacological options, and other treatment modalities. Emphasis is on the clinical examination, diagnoses, and practical approaches to treatment. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 1.5

Fundamentals of Primary Care & Clinical Medicine III (“Fundamentals III”) builds upon the foundation of medical knowledge established in prior coursework. This course addresses the disciplines of renal medicine, endocrinology, hematology, oncology, rheumatology, infectious disease, neurology, geriatric medicine, and billing and coding. Instruction emphasizes the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, risk factors, patient evaluation, diagnosis, management, and patient education related to diseases and disorders within these areas. Content is integrated with prior and concurrent learning in basic sciences, anatomy and physiology, medical interviewing, physical diagnosis, and medical terminology. Additionally, the LEAP Program (Longitudinal Educational Experience Advancing Patient Partnerships), a required component of the Physician Assistant curriculum, is incorporated into Fundamentals III. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6220 Fundamentals of Primary Care & Clinical Medicine II | Credit Hours: 2

Physical Diagnosis II continues to provide the PA student with the additional History Taking and Physical Examination skills required for evaluating patients and making diagnoses in clinical practice. Building on the skills developed during the preceding semester, students will be expected to continue to incorporate and integrate new skills into a cohesive process. This semester continues to offer experiences designed to improve the student’s history taking skills while complementing it with the formal instruction of physical examination techniques and differential diagnostic skills based on examination findings. Students will continue to practice documentation using the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment & Plan) note method. Each unit of the course corresponds to a portion of the physical examination with material presented in a lecture format followed by practice groups in which the students can practice the skills learned. The material covered is intended to prepare the PA student for patient encounters, clinical rotations, and their future PA practice. This course is divided into units: Unit 1: Peripheral Vascular Examination Unit 2: Neurological Examination Unit 3: Musculoskeletal Examination Unit 4: Female Pelvic Examination Unit 5: Breast/Axillae Examination Unit 6: Male Genitourinary and Anorectal Examination Unit 7: Interviewing and Examining Autistic Patients Prerequisite(s): PASP 6020 Physical Diagnosis I | Credit Hours: 2

Pediatrics is a one-semester course which introduces the PA student to a broad base of pediatrics including growth and development, well child care, commonly encountered childhood diseases and their treatments. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

The sequence of three surgery courses concludes with this introduction to specialized surgical practice. The disciplines include, but are not limited to, bariatrics, oncologic breast, plastics, orthopedics, trauma, vascular, transplant, cardiothoracic, and urology. Students will be expected to synthesize information incorporating the entire surgery course sequence representing an introduction of comprehensive pre-, intra- and post-operative diagnostic recognition and treatment planning of the surgical patient. Prerequisite(s): PASP-6120 General Surgery and PASP 6110 Surgical Aspects in Primary Care | Credit Hours: 2

Emergency Medicine further explores concepts introduced in medicine and surgery lectures, with an emphasis on emergent care and life-threatening illness and injury. Common presenting complaints seen in emergency medicine settings, and their diagnosis and treatment are addressed. It explores emergency medicine both as a field of study and as a medical specialty. Telemedicine training, Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support are curricular components of this course. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6110 Surgical Aspects in Primary Care | Credit Hours: 1.5

Biostatistics Statistical concepts are employed on a daily basis in the care of medical and surgical patients. This course provides an introduction to statistical methods as applied to health care research. Topics will include population sampling, types of 6 data and distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, interval estimation (confidence intervals), graphical presentation of data, population sampling, sample size and its relationship to statistical power, common parametric and non-parametric tests, correlation, regression, and survival analysis. Prerequisite(s): None| Credit Hours: 2

This course applies the scientific method to the study of disease in populations. The epidemiological method for studying a problem involves description of the frequency and determinants of a disease in a defined population, evaluation of factors that may cause a disease, and experimental studies of the effects of modifying risk factors on the subsequent frequency of a disease. The focus of this course is to introduce the Physician Assistant student to the fundamental concepts of epidemiology. After completion of the course, the student should be able to apply those fundamentals in evaluating medical research, including the assessment of the validity of data and a methodological critique of current research as it relates to the practice of medicine. This course will better prepare students for the Research Methods and Application course. Prerequisite(s): None | Credit Hours: 2

The Research Methodology and Application course will explore the basic concepts of research in the health sciences. Problem finding, formulation of a research question, methodology, design, data collection, and interpretation will be addressed. Ethical considerations in research will be examined. Published research articles will be analyzed critically. Working with an assigned PA faculty advisor, at the midway point of this course students will submit a scholarly literature review that is a suitable foundation for original empirical research. During the second half of the course, under the guidance of their program faculty advisor and later an assigned content-expert faculty mentor, students will complete a Masters Thesis work that includes a literature review and a proposal for an original primary study. During the last weeks of the course, the students will present and defend their final work before an ad hoc Masters Thesis Committee. Prerequisite(s): PASP 6700 Biostatistics and PASP 6800 Epidemiology | Credit Hours: 4

The purpose of this clinical course is to provide the physician assistant student with practical experience in the triage, evaluation and care of patients in an emergency room setting. It is designed to augment, strengthen, and refine the student’s knowledge and skills learned in the didactic phase. | Credit Hours: 3

This is the 1st of three clinical courses intended to provide the physician assistant student with an opportunity to gain practical experience and learn, understand, and practice the care of the adult and elderly population in the setting of internal medicine. | Credit Hours: 3

This is the 2nd of three clinical courses intended to provide the physician assistant student with an opportunity to gain practical experience and learn, understand and practice the care of the adult and elderly population in the setting of internal medicine. Students must complete IM I before IM II. | Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this clinical rotation is to provide the physician assistant student with practical exposure to a third internal medicine content experience. This additional internal medicine placement allows clinical students to augment, strengthen, and refine their medicine content knowledge and clinical skills. Students actively participate in the care of adult and elderly patients with acute, urgent and/or chronic internal medicine conditions. | Credit Hours: 3

This clinical course is designed to provide physician assistant students with hands-on experience in inpatient and surgical settings. Students will develop the skills necessary to deliver non-urgent, urgent, emergency, and surgical care related to women’s health, encompassing prenatal and gynecologic conditions across the lifespan. | Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this clinical course is to provide the physician assistant student with practical experience in caring for pediatric patients in outpatient and/or inpatient settings. The student will actively function as an integral member of the healthcare team while under the direct supervision of the clinical preceptor. | Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this clinical course is to provide the physician assistant student with practical experience in an outpatient setting providing continuity of care including preventive medicine and treating acute and chronic illness to all members of the family across the age spectrum including child, adolescent, and adult. | Credit Hours: 3

The clinical course is to provides the physician assistant student with practical experience in care for patients with mental and/or behavioral health disorders in ambulatory or hospital settings. | Credit Hours: 3

This is the 1st of two clinical courses intended to provide the physician assistant student with an opportunity to gain practical experience and learn, understand, and practice the care of patients with surgical disorders unresolved by conservative care. Students will gain experience as a member of the interprofessional team in the operating room as well as pre-and post-operative assessment and management. | Credit Hours: 3

This is the 2nd of two clinical courses intended to provide the physician assistant student with an opportunity to gain practical experience and learn, understand, and practice the care of patients with surgical disorders unresolved by conservative care. Students will gain experience as a member of the interprofessional team in the operating room as well as pre- and postoperative assessment and management. Students must complete Surgery I before Surgery II. | Credit Hours: 3

Elective I-V Various Five (5) Electives: Elective rotations are designed to give physician assistant students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills by spending additional time on required rotations or specialized areas of medicine or surgery. Students may choose from available clinical sites and opportunities or work with the Clinical Education Team to facilitate an external or international elective. All requests for external rotations, whether domestic or international, require prior approval from the Clinical Education Team (refer to the sections on CANVAS for guidance). | Credit Hours: 3 each