Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, B.S., Specialization in Pre-Physician Assistant

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Physician Assistant (PA) practitioners serve a critical role in the delivery of healthcare in the public and private sectors. PAs perform many of the patient care tasks traditionally performed by physicians in diverse practices from family medicine to surgery and orthopedics. They perform complete medical exams, prescribe medications, and counsel patients on health and wellness.

The Pre-Physician Assistant (Pre-PA) specialization in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences (CDS) allows students to complete the prerequisite classes for entry into most PA programs. Students may enter the Pre-PA program in their freshman year, or transfer into the program from other majors or institutions. There is no application to enter the program. Students must complete four one-credit courses in the Pre-PA curriculum designed to prepare the student for the PA application and field of study. More than one course may be taken concurrently for students transferring into the specialization.

Academic Advising

All students are required to meet with their professional academic advisor in the School of Health Sciences at least once a year to review progress toward their degree.

Pre-Physician Assistant specialization professional course requirements

Students pursuing the pre-physician assistant specialization must complete the degree requirements for the major in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, B.S. and take the following courses for the specialization (a minimum of 120 credits required):

BIO 1201 - Biology Laboratory (1)
CHM 1440 - General Chemistry I (4) *
CHM 1450 - General Chemistry II (4)
CHM 1470 - General Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
CHM 1480 - General Chemistry Laboratory II (1)
CHM 2340 - Organic Chemistry I (4)
CDS 2020 - Pre-Physician Assistant Foundations (1)
CDS 2021 - Practical Applications for the Pre-Physician Assistant (1)
CDS 2022 - The Pre-Physician Assistant Professional (1)
CDS 2023 - Pre-Physician Assistant Professionalism Seminar (1)
CDS 3300 - Microbiology of Infectious Diseases (3) and CDS 3310 - Microbiology of Infectious Diseases Laboratory (1)
CDS 4000 - Medical Genetics (4)
CDS 4010 - Human Pathology (4)
CDS 4050 - Pharmacology (3)
CDS 4230 - Medical Immunology (3)
CDS 4250 - Medical Biochemistry (4)
HS 2000 - Introduction to Health and Health Behaviors (3)
NTR 2500 - Human Nutrition and Health (3)
PHY 1010 - General Physics I (4) * and PHY 1100 - General Physics Lab I (1)
PSY 1000 - Introduction to Psychology (4) *
PSY 2250 - Introduction to Life-Span Developmental Psychology (4) *
WHP 3700 - Culture, Ethnicity and Well-being (3)
WRT 1060 - Composition II (4)
and eleven (11) credits of CDS electives (approved non-CDS elective HS 1000)

Recommended CDS Electives (Senior year):

CDS 4020 - Molecular Diagnostics (3)
CDS 4140 - Hematology/Hemostasis I (3)
CDS 4150 - Hematology/Hemostasis Laboratory I (1)
CDS 4270 - Clinical Chemistry (4)
CDS 4280 - Clinical Chemistry Laboratory (1)
CDS 4600 - Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogenesis (3)
CDS 4995 - Directed Research (1 TO 4)
CDS 4996 - Independent Study (1 TO 3)
PH 3000 - Introduction to Public Health (3)
PH 4650 - Social Determinants of Health (4)

Note

Note that several required courses satisfy general education requirements. See courses marked with “*”