Year 1, Q1: Autumn

1. Foundations of Clinical Medicine      
2. Cells to Tissues
3. Embryology
4. Clinical Anatomy
5. Practice of Medicine I
6. PAs in Health Care I: Introduction to the profession

PAS 201: Foundations of Clinical Medicine

This course explores fundamental concepts of biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and immunology as applied to clinical medicine in a mostly “flipped classroom” format.  This course will help to establish a foundation for understanding the pathophysiology of disease and the targets for therapeutic interventions.

Discipline-specific topics include:

* Biochemistry: thermodynamics, enzyme kinetics, vitamins and cofactors, metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleotides, and the integration of metabolic pathways.

* Genetics: basic principles of inheritance and risk assessment, illustrated with the use of clinical examples from many areas of medicine including prenatal, pediatric, adult, and cancer genetics.

* Microbiology: Basic bacteriology, virology, mycology, and parasitology, including pathogenesis and clinical scenarios associated with infectious diseases.

* Immunology: concepts and applications of adaptive and innate immunity and the role of the immune system in human disease.

INDE 216: Cells to Tissues

Focuses on the cell biology and structural organization of human tissues as self-renewing systems. Topics include identification and differentiation of stem cells, regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis in normal and cancerous cells, cell adhesion and polarity in epithelial tissues, intracellular transport, and cell migration. Histology laboratory sessions examine normal and abnormal samples of blood, epithelia, connective tissue, muscle, bone and cartilage. Patient presentations and small group discussions of current medical literature illustrate how cell biology influences medical practice.

SURG 201: Embryology

The course focuses on the structural development of the human body from embryo to fetus to early post-natal life. Topics include formation of the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and renal systems, as well as common clinical conditions which arise from abnormalities of development.

SURG 203: Clinical Anatomy

Introduction to human structure and function presented from a clinical perspective. Includes clinical scenarios, frequently used medical imaging techniques, and interventional procedures to illustrate the underlying anatomy. Students are required to attend lectures and engage in dissection of the human body in the anatomy laboratory.

INDE 201: Practice of Medicine I

Practice of Medicine is a five-quarter series extending throughout the first two years of the MD program, interweaving core skills training in medical interviewing and the physical examination with other major threads addressing the context of medical practice: information literacy, nutrition principles, clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, evidence-based practice, psychiatry, biomedical ethics, health policy, population health. Core clinical skills are acquired through hands-on practice, and evaluated through an extensive program of simulated medical encounters, in which students interview, examine, and manage patients in a mock clinic. The information literacy thread introduces students to informatics and knowledge management, biomedical informatics, and evidence-based medicine searching. Nutrition principles are acquired through interactive, web-based instruction, and reinforced through problem-based learning cases, which run in parallel to the basic science components over the first year. In epidemiology students learn the taxonomy of epidemiological studies, how to critically read a journal article, and how to recognize and understand the concepts behind different clinical study designs. Topics include bias, confounding, diagnostic testing and screening, and "how statistics can lie." Psychiatry introduces students to the unique role of medical students in talking with patients, the difference between process and content in patient communication, how to respond to breaks in the patient-physician relationship, and the relationship between the quality of the patient-physician interaction and health outcomes. Health care policy covers such topics as health insurance, physician payment, health care costs, access, measurement and improvement of quality, regulation and health care reform. Biomedical ethics includes important ethical issues in medical practice, such as confidentiality, privacy, and ethical issues relating to medical students. The population health curriculum exposes students to concepts of public health, community action, and advocacy, and includes a year-long, community-based project. At the end of this quarter students participate in a performance-based assessment of the medical interview skills.

PAS 291: PAs in Health Care I – Introduction to the Profession

This course provides an overview of the PA profession. The first portion of the course covers the history of the PA profession, the role of the PA within the health care team, and an overview of the laws, regulations and committees that provide oversight to the profession. The second portion of the course focuses on health disparities, social determinants of health and underserved communities, and the role of the PA in the care of these populations.  It includes development of the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed in order to practice culturally competent and sensitive health care.

Year 1, Q2: Winter

1. Clinical Therapeutics I
2. Practice of Medicine II
3. Principles of Clinical Medicine I

PAS 222: Clinical Therapeutics I

This course will provide a foundation for learning pharmaceutical therapies related to subjects covered in the Principles of Clinical Medicine I course. In addition to general pharmacokinetic principles, the first segment of the course will cover the use of drugs applied to the skin and topical and systemically administered drugs for dermatologic diseases. Pharmacology of the autonomic nervous system, both sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, will be overviewed in addition to gaining an understanding of how drug manipulation on cholinergic and adrenergic receptors modulate nerve activity. The course will conclude with an examination of drugs acting on the allergenic and pathogenic pathways as they pertain to ENT conditions.

INDE 202: Practice of Medicine II

Medical interview and physical examination skills, information literacy, nutrition principles, evidence-based practice, health policy, and population health are covered. At the end of this quarter, students participate in a performance-based assessment of their medical interview and physical examination skills. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.

MSPA 212: Principles of Clinical Medicine I

This is the first in a four-course sequence presenting organ-system based physiology, pathology, and pathophysiology.  Each organ-specific block includes a review of the anatomy and related histology, normal function of that organ system, how the organ system is affected by and responds to disease, and how diseases of that organ system are treated.  In MSPA 212, the focus is on the structure, function, disease, and corresponding therapeutics of several “primary care” topics, particularly the musculoskeletal and dermatologic systems.  In addition, basic neurology, otorhinolaryngology, and ophthalmology will be covered.

Year 1, Q3: Spring

1. Clinical Therapeutics II
2. Practice of Medicine III
3. Principles of Clinical Medicine II

MSPA 223: Clinical Therapeutics II

This course will provide students a detailed comprehension of drug mechanisms and clinical drug therapies for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases as covered in the Principles of Clinical Medicine II course. The course will examine anti-hypertensive agents, drugs used for cardiac arrhythmias, vasodilators and vasoconstrictors, treatment of angina pectoris, and other clinical cardiovascular therapies. Clinical treatment for common pulmonary diseases including emphysema and asthma, in addition to the pharmacology of medications including bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs, will be discussed.

INDE 203: Practice of Medicine III

Medical interview and physical examination skills, biomedical literature retrieval and appraisal, nutrition principles, evidence-based practice, biomedical ethics, and population health are covered. Students begin clinical problem-solving sessions to learn the approach to common and important clinical problems. Cases integrate other course themes of population health, evidence-based practice, clinical ethics, nutrition, health policy, and behavioral medicine. Students begin transition from comprehensive to problem-focused patient encounters. Students also gain exposure to geriatrics, pediatrics, and interprofessional healthcare teams, and practice mental health interview skills. At the end of this quarter, students participate in a performance-based assessment of their medical interview and physical examination skills. See INDE 201 for a complete description of the Practice of Medicine course series.

MSPA 213: Principles of Clinical Medicine II

This is the second in a four-course sequence presenting organ-system based physiology, pathology, and pathophysiology.  Each organ-specific block includes a review of the anatomy and related histology, normal function of that organ system, how the organ system is affected by and responds to disease, and how diseases of that organ system are treated.  In MSPA 213, the focus is on the structure, function, disease, and corresponding therapeutics of the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems.

Year 2, Q4: Autumn

1. Clinical Therapeutics III
2. Practice of Medicine IV
3. Principles of Clinical Medicine III

PAS 224: Clinical Therapeutics III

This course overviews pharmacological treatments applied to renal, GI, endocrine and reproductive systems as covered in the Principles of Clinical Medicine III course. The course details clinical treatments used to treat common renal, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary conditions, as well as special considerations for patients with chronic and end-stage renal and hepatic disorders. Hormone therapies for pituitary, thyroid, gonadal and pancreatic deficiencies and diseases including antidiabetic drugs and their pharmacology are discussed as well as hormonal replacement therapies and fertility drugs. Students will gain translational knowledge concerning the interconnectedness of the aforementioned systems and the subsequent challenges facing clinical pharmacological treatments.

INDE 204: Practice of Medicine IV

The second year of the Practice of Medicine series (INDE 204 and 205) emphasizes clinical reasoning, clinical practicum, and clinical procedures. Students continue clinical problem-solving sessions to learn the approach to common and important clinical problems. Cases integrate other course themes of population health, evidence-based practice, clinical ethics, nutrition, health policy, and behavioral medicine. Students spend one-half day per week in a clinical setting, practicing medical interview, physical examination skills, oral presentations, and clinical note-writing under the mentorship of a clinical tutor. In the practicum, students also gain experience with other practical aspects of patient care. The Clinical Procedures segment introduces common and important procedures in clinical practice, including phlebotomy, intravenous line insertion, and electrocardiography.

PAS 214: Principles of Clinical Medicine III

This is the third in a four-course sequence presenting organ-system based physiology, pathology, and pathophysiology.  Each organ-specific block includes a review of the anatomy and related histology, normal function of that organ system, how the organ system is affected by and responds to disease, and how diseases of that organ system are treated.  In MSPA 214, the focus is on the structure, function, disease, and corresponding therapeutics of the renal/genitourinary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and both male and female reproductive systems, with additional attention paid to women’s health.

Year 2, Q5: Winter

1. Clinical Therapeutics IV
2. Practice of Medicine V
3. Principles of Clinical Medicine IV
4. PAs in Health Care II: Clinical Transitions
5. Advanced Cardiac Life Support

PAS 225: Clinical Therapeutics IV

This course overviews pharmacological treatments applied to neurologic, psychiatric, hematologic, oncologic, and autoimmune conditions as covered in the Principles of Clinical Medicine IV course.  An analysis of drugs acting on the central nervous system are reviewed, including sedative-hypnotics, seizure medications, general anesthetics, antipsychotics and antidepressant agents. This is followed by an investigation of pharmacologic management of autoimmune and other systemic diseases. Discussed during this course are hematological treatments for anemias and hematopoietic growth factors, pharmacology of the anticoagulant, fibrinolytic drugs and antiplatelet agents. A general overview of cancer drugs such as chemotherapies, antimetabolites, antitumor antibiotics, and other anticancer drugs are also considered.

INDE 205: Practice of Medicine V

Continued emphasis on clinical reasoning, clinical practicum, and clinical procedures. Students continue clinical problem-solving sessions to learn the approach to common and important clinical problems Cases integrate other course themes of population health, evidence-based practice, clinical ethics, nutrition, health policy, and behavioral medicine. Students spend one-half day per week in a clinical setting, practicing medical interview, physical examination skills, oral presentations, and clinical note-writing under the mentorship of a clinical tutor. In the practicum, students also gain experience with other practical aspects of patient care. For the Clinical Procedures segment, students will have an opportunity in the Emergency Department to practice performing procedures learned in the previous quarter. At the end of this quarter, students participate in a comprehensive four-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance-based assessment of their medical interview, physical examination, and clinical problem-solving skills.

PAS 215: Principles of Clinical Medicine IV

This is the fourth in a four-course sequence presenting organ-system based physiology, pathology, and pathophysiology.  Each organ-specific block includes a review of the anatomy and related histology, normal function of that organ system, how the organ system is affected by and responds to disease, and how diseases of that organ system are treated.  In MSPA 215, the focus is on the structure, function, disease, and corresponding therapeutics of the neurologic and hematologic systems, as well as autoimmune/rheumatologic and other multi-organ system processes.

PAS 292: PAs in Health Care II – Clinical Transitions

This course provides the skills necessary for a smooth transition from didactic learning to clerkship experiences and begins to explore skills required for leadership.  The first portion will focus on clerkship expectations, the PA student role as a member of the health care team, utilizing the electronic health record, working with interpreters, telemedicine, avoiding medical errors, and improving quality.  The second portion of the course will introduce leadership skills such as giving and receiving constructive feedback, adjusting to change, and conflict resolution.

PAS TBA: Advanced Cardiac Life Support

This course builds on the foundation of Basic Life Support (BLS) and includes online learning as well as hands-on instruction and simulated cases designed to help in the recognize and treat cardiopulmonary arrest following acute arrhythmia, stroke, and acute coronary syndromes.