Academic Overview

The Weber State University (WSU) Physician Assistant Program is a two-year, full-time, intensive graduate-level program that trains individuals with clinical experience and a strong academic background to become physician assistants and leaders in the field of medicine.

The curriculum is integrated and experiential, providing an innovative structure that helps students move from learning, understanding and applying the science of medicine to analyzing and integrating medical information in the context of complex patients with multiple comorbidities. Students who complete 92 credit hours, as well as a Master’s Project and Summative Competency Assessments, are eligible for graduation.

Upon graduation, students become eligible for board certification by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and can sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE). Once certified, Physician Assistants can apply for a medical license in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Curriculum

Didactic courses are taught using a systems-based approach that helps students achieve clinical acumen by creating meaningful applications between biomedical science, clinical science, pharmacotherapy and professional practice.

The content integrates various teaching methods, including lectures, labs, problem-based, team-based, and inquiry-based learning, simulation, interprofessional activities, evidence-based practice, and community engagement.

After successfully completing didactic training, students begin Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs) in their second year. This involves various clinical settings in multiple medical disciplines under the supervision of a clinical preceptor. In direct patient care environments, students expand and apply basic medical knowledge, practice clinical and technical skills, and participate in the team-based practice of medicine.

Only students admitted to the WSU PA Program can take courses within the department. The curriculum is sequential, meaning students must complete the program by passing each exam and course before progressing to subsequent classes and semesters.

Before you apply, understand what our program looks like over the 24-month duration:

Catalog: Full Program Curriculum

Year One

Year Two

Program Competencies

The WSU Physician Assistant Program has adopted the following Program Competencies, which align with competencies outlined by the NCCPA, the ARC-PA, and the AAMC *. Students are evaluated on these competencies throughout the program and are expected to demonstrate proficiency prior to graduation.

Competencies required to achieve EPAs:

1. Medical Knowledge (MK):
Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.

2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS):
Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.

3. Clinical and Technical Skills (CTS):
Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.

4. Professionalism and Professional Development (PPD):
Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles

5. Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving Ability (CRPS):
Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles

6. Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC):
Demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement in patient care by engaging in ongoing critical analysis, investigating and evaluating patient care, assimilating scientific evidence, and leveraging external resources within the larger healthcare system to optimize health outcomes.

7. Practice-based Learning and Quality Improvement (PBLQI):
Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate patient care, appraise scientific evidence, and continuously improve care through self-evaluation and lifelong learning, while also displaying awareness of and responsiveness to the larger healthcare context, effectively utilizing available resources for optimal patient care.

* NCCPA – National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
ARC-PA – Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant
AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges

Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)

Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are the observable and measurable professional activities a PA must be competent to perform upon entry into professional clinical practice. Upon completion of the program, WSU physician assistant students can be entrusted to:

EPA 1
Interview a patient/family to obtain a medical history.

EPA 2
Perform technically proficient physical and mental status exams.

EPA 3
Prioritize a differential diagnosis following the collection of medical history and exam data.

EPA 4
Recommend, order, and interpret diagnostic and screening tests.

EPA 5
Perform clinical and technical procedures when indicated during the course of patient care.

EPA 6
Identify patients requiring a higher level of care and initiate appropriate evaluation and management.

EPA 7
Develop and implement treatment plans that include clinical and/or pharmacologic interventions, referrals to members of the healthcare team and patient counseling/education.

EPA 8
Document and present a clinical encounter.

EPA 9
Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.

EPA 10
Contribute to a culture of safety and quality.