Curriculum Overview
Students undergo 7 quarters of education whose objectives are based on competencies expected of physician assistants*, as well as fulfilling the PCA program mission. The training addresses 5 broad areas:
- didactic coursework (fundamental medical knowledge)
- professionalism
- multicultural medicine
- clinical skills (including communications, interview & exam techniques, critical thinking, technical procedures)
- Community-based clinical preceptorships
Over the course of 7 quarters students participate in approximately 34 weeks of didactic and skills training, and 46 weeks of preceptorship experience. A large portion of the didactic training takes place in quarters 1-3, with most of the clinical preceptorship experience occurring during quarters 4-7. All lectures and skills training take place at Stanford/Foothill campus. For their clinical preceptorship experience students are placed with a physician in their home community. Students return to Stanford each quarter for integrated instruction and testing.
*The PA Competencies Online Center, "Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession," National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Accessed May 20, 2009.
