All Clinical Clerkships will be arranged by the PA Program for all students.

Neither enrolled nor prospective students are required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.

Students are not to substitute for clinical or administrative staff during Clinical Clerkships.

Clinical Phase:

The clinical phase of the program is 12 months long and consists of clinical clerkships under the supervision of a clinical preceptor. During this phase, students’ knowledge and practical skills attained during the didactic phase is utilized through interaction with clinical faculty and staff. In addition, it provides students opportunities to refine and develop new knowledge and skills.  This phase consists of nine clerkships lasting 5 weeks, for a total of 45 semester units and a year-long course covering professional issues. The clinical year courses are listed below.

PA-549: PA Professional Issues-II (1.0 Semester Credit)

This is the second course in a two-part series of professional issues. The student will be

introduced to principles and practices that enhance patient safety. Employment considerations and professional liability are included in this section. In addition, the student will acquire knowledge that will enhance knowledge and skills in resume writing, job search, interviewing strategies, contract negotiation, state licensure, networking, state practice requirements, credentialing, privileging, DEA certification, and collaborative agreement. Program summative evaluation will occur as part of this course in the final four months of enrollment.

PA-570: Family Medicine (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship reinforces primary care knowledge and concepts taught during the didactic phase of the program through practical application in the family medicine setting. Working as part of a health care team, students are expected to assimilate and correlate patient history, physical findings, and diagnostic studies to make diagnoses and formulate treatment plans. Students will be exposed to a broad range of medical conditions seen in the pediatric to geriatric population. Activities include patient examination, pharmacotherapeutics, treatment modalities, follow-up evaluation, case presentations and documentation. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA-571: Internal Medicine (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship allows students to demonstrate knowledge, clinical examination techniques, and other learned competencies in the internal medicine setting.  Students correlate pathophysiology, clinical signs and symptoms, and diagnostic studies to make assessments and formulate treatment plans. Students also participate in follow-up evaluations. The rotation covers patients along the continuum of life from young adult to geriatrics, including long term care. Activities included patient examination, pharmacotherapeutics, treatment modalities, follow-up evaluations, case presentations and documentation. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA-572: Emergency Medicine (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship allows students to demonstrate knowledge, clinical examination techniques, and other learned competencies in the emergency medicine setting. Students correlate pathophysiology, clinical signs and symptoms, and diagnostic studies to make assessments and formulate treatment plans. The rotation covers patients throughout the continuum of life. Activities include patient examination, pharmacotherapeutics, other treatment modalities, follow-up evaluation, case presentation and documentation. Conditions include cardiac, respiratory, trauma, and other life-threatening conditions. Procedures include reduction techniques, suturing, aspirations, IV placements, splinting, and minor surgical procedures. The student works closely with a preceptor and interacts with members of the surgical and medical teams. The student learns when and how to make proper referrals, interpret laboratory and radiological studies, formulate treatment plans, discharge, refer, and admit patients. Students work under a licensed clinical preceptor’s supervision and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA- 573: Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship exposes students to patients in the pediatric and adolescent age groups in the pediatric medicine setting. The student uses knowledge, examination techniques, diagnostic studies, and current treatment modalities to diagnose and treat medical conditions commonly found in this patient population. Students also learn how to perform common pediatric treatment procedures. Students will learn to recognize developmental milestones and life-threatening conditions. Students are also expected to perform drug dosage calculations, provide immunizations, and perform well-child and school physicals. Students will also provide health promotion and disease prevention education. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA- 574: Women’s Health (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week rotation provides students with the opportunity to apply the principles of pathophysiology, physical diagnosis, clinical lab diagnostics, and therapeutics in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN).  Students will be exposed to medical care of women across the continuum of adolescent to elderly patients. Students are expected to become proficient in performing pelvic examinations, specimen collection, and some minor surgical procedures. Students will evaluate, diagnose, and treat women with conditions such as menstrual irregularities, sexually transmitted diseases, breast conditions, genitourinary symptoms, and neoplasia/cancer of the reproductive tract. In addition, students will be involved in providing prenatal care, preventive education and health promotion related to issues in women’s health. Instruction in family planning will also be provided. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA-575: General Surgery (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week rotation provides students with the opportunity to learn about general and specific principles of treating patients in the surgery setting. Students will learn how to evaluate, diagnose, manage, and refer patients presenting with surgical conditions. Students will perform pre-operative workups and post-operative care for patients. In addition, students will assist in the operating room as part of a surgical team. Mastery of aseptic techniques, gowning, gloving, instrumentation, suturing, and first and /or second assisting will be expected. The rotation will cover surgical conditions across the spectrum of body systems. Late evenings and weekend calls may be scheduled. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation.  Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA-576: Behavioral Medicine/Psychiatry (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship exposes students to patients with emotional and psychiatric conditions in the field of behavioral medicine. The student will reinforce concepts of psychopathology, psychotherapeutics, and patient interviewing techniques to obtain patient histories, make diagnoses, and formulate treatment plans. Students are expected to develop skills to manage patients’ response to psychiatric illness. The experience includes interaction along the lifespan.  Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation. Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

PA-577: Elective-I (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship is an opportunity for students to gain additional or new clinical experience. During this rotation, students may choose to repeat a core rotation topic or pursue studies in another area of clinical interest. Working as part of a health care team, students are expected to assimilate and correlate patient history, physical findings, and diagnostic studies to make diagnoses and formulate treatment plans. Students will be exposed to medical conditions within the chosen area of medicine. Activities include patient examination, pharmacotherapeutics, treatment modalities, follow-up evaluation, case presentations and documentation. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation.
Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts. 

PA-578: Elective-II (5 weeks) 5.0 Semester Credits

This five-week clerkship is an opportunity for students to gain additional or new clinical experience. During this rotation, students may choose to repeat a core rotation topic or pursue studies in another area of clinical interest. Working as part of a health care team, students are expected to assimilate and correlate patient history, physical findings, and diagnostic studies to make diagnoses and formulate treatment plans. Students will be exposed to medical conditions within the chosen area of medicine. Activities include patient examination, pharmacotherapeutics, treatment modalities, follow-up evaluation, case presentations and documentation. Students work under the supervision of a licensed clinical preceptor and undergo an end of rotation evaluation.
Hours: Students are expected to keep hours no less than that of their preceptor, up to 80 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.