This introductory course in the Pathophysiology of Disease course sequence will present the physician assistant student with normal and abnormal function of cells in general, illustrating how these cellular abnormalities affect function of specific organ systems. The respiratory, renal, and cardiovascular organ systems will be highlighted and mechanisms of neoplasia will be introduced. The endocrine, and gastrointestinal organ systems will be highlighted.

This second course is the second in a two-part sequence that introduces the physician assistant student to the normal and abnormal cellular and physiologic processes that underlie many human diseases. Hematologic, pulmonary, immune, and neurologic systems will be covered during this semester. Understanding of how these abnormalities affect clinical laboratory data will also be acquired.

This is a course designed as a laboratory-intensive overview of normal structure in prosected (dissections performed ahead of time by staff) examples of cadaver anatomy. Special emphases will be placed on the anatomical correlates associated with upper/lower extremity, neck, and back muscle groups/joints/bones, peripheral nerve plexuses (including spinal and cranial nerves), major arterial/venous pathways, and body viscera in areas of the head/neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. Where appropriate, evidence of pathologies will be discussed at the cadaver side. Additionally, students will participate in clinical case presentations that correspond to the particular dissection subject at-hand throughout the term.

This course introduces the PA student to the most clinically relevant diagnostic imaging modalities, emphasizing the risks and benefits of different modalities, as well as the appropriate indications for obtaining a variety of radiographic studies. The student will be exposed to the most common plain radiographic diagnoses likely to be encountered in clinical practice as well as important life threatening diagnoses. At the conclusion of this course, the student will have foundational skills and competency to interpret plain radiographs demonstrating these important diagnoses.

This is the first of a two-course sequence which will provide the physician assistant student with opportunities to prepare a formal graduate capstone project/paper. Projects may be in the form of: clinical practice essay, PA curriculum development, medically-related community service project, in-depth medical case review, meta-analysis of specific disease / syndrome, or original medical research. This capstone project/paper will build on clinical training and enable students to build skills for life-long learning as problem solvers and critical evaluators of medical and scientific literature.

This course will provide the physician assistant student with continued preparation of a formal graduate project for the PA Program. Projects may be in the form of: clinical practice essay, PA curriculum development, medically-related community service project, in-depth medical case review, meta-analysis of specific disease/syndrome, or original medical research. This course will culminate with the completion of the capstone project/paper which is founded in clinical experience and enables students to build skills for life-long learning as problem solvers and critical evaluators of medical and scientific literature.