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UF Health University of Florida
School of Physician Assistant Studies UF College of Medicine
Academics Overview

Academic Year

The first year of the PA curriculum is spent primarily in the classroom and the laboratory, with limited patient encounters toward the end of the first year.

UF Giving Day - PA Stethoscope Fund

Courses

All UF School of PA Studies Academic Year classes are delivered and attended in-person

Semester 1 – Summer B

  • PAS5022C Gross & Radiographic Anatomy — 4 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: This course is synchronously taught in two sections focused on gross and radiographic anatomy. The first section is an intensive study of human anatomy; systemic and regional approaches; human dissection; and the establishment of sound anatomical principles, which underlie clinical sciences. The second section is a systematic approach to radiographic interpretation exploring the integration of various imaging modalities (X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound) in the evaluation of human anatomy, as well as the fundamentals of radiation physics and safety.
  • PAS5055C Foundations of Patient Care and Professionalism — 2 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: Facilitative communication of physical exam and medical history will be demonstrated in written and oral forms. Communication strategies that demonstrate professionalism and recognition of population-based care principles will be emphasized. Learning activities will include team-based learning, small group discussions, standardized patient encounters, oral presentations, and written medical documentation.

Semester 2 – Fall

  • PAS5005 Behavioral & Community Medicine I — 1 cr.hr.
    • Course Description: Behavioral and Community Medicine I for Physician Assistants is a course that increases the student’s awareness of individual and community lifestyle behaviors as well as aspects of our social environment that impact health and medical care. It is expected that all students will attend lectures, actively engage in class discussions/activities, interprofessional and service-learning activities and complete all assignments.
  • PAS5025 Human Physiology — 4 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: The course follows a flipped-class format. Approximately two-thirds of the sessions are in-class sessions with the class time devoted to individual and group activities, including case studies, guided inquiry, problem-based learning, data analysis, simulations, and discussions. The remaining one-third of the sessions are self-paced and consist of pre-recorded videos. The self-paced sessions are scheduled in the course calendar, but all videos will be posted at least a week in advance so students can finish reviewing them prior to the scheduled sessions, if they choose to.
  • PAS5010 Introduction to Medicine I — 6 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: Introduction to Medicine is an exploration of the different specialties that make up human body system areas. The lectures are given by College of Medicine faculty, PA Program faculty, and PAs and NPs who work in the community. The goals and course rationale include that sections will add pathophysiology of body-system based disease onto previous knowledge gained in anatomy, physiology, and physical diagnosis. Body-system areas will be covered in approximately two weeks. This semester-long course includes 7 sections and 7 exams. Learning outcomes will further explain course goals.
  • PAS5026 Pharmacotherapeutics I — 3 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: This team-taught course presents an overview of the fundamental principles of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and the calculation of dosing regimens. It also introduces the mechanism of action for specific prototype drugs to treat disease, their contraindications, interactions and side effects. The course is lecture based, with several clinical correlation sessions included to help teach how specific drugs classes are utilized in a patient setting. Only generic drug names will be taught, and each individual lecture will contain a list of prototype drugs to learn.
  • PAS5000C Physical Diagnosis — 2 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: This class has two major components, the lecture and the lab.  The lectures emphasize the technique and interpretation of physical examination findings.  The physical diagnosis labs are held in the Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center (ALAC).  The labs serve as an opportunity to practice physical exam skills.  The labs are overseen by faculty and physical examination teaching associates (PETAs) who are trained and employed by the College of Medicine.   Reading the textbook and watching the videos prior to lecture are vital to being successful in this course. You must come to lab prepared to practice. Physical Exam is a kinesthetic skill, so it is important to see the skills performed and to practice them as much as possible.

Semester 3 – Spring

  • PAS5009 Behavioral & Community Medicine II — 1 cr.hr.
    • Course Description: Behavioral and Community Medicine II for Physician Assistants is a course which further studies the biopsychosocial model of health care. The course introduces the importance of Public Health, interprofessional learning, patient education and advocacy, wellness and professionalism, and provides an understanding of the impact a physician assistant has within various patient populations and the health care system.
  • PAS5004 Clinical Problem Solving/Differential Diagnosis — 1 cr.hr.
    • Course Description: Welcome to Clinical Problem Solving & Differential Diagnosis; a 1-semester hour course introducing PA students to medical problem solving and critical thinking. Students will learn the development of a differential diagnosis through integration of data obtained from medical history, physical examination and diagnostic testing. Lists of possible diagnoses can be made based on patient presentations. Then these lists can be prioritized and refined based on subsequent rounds of medical investigation. Several common and clinically important symptoms and syndromes will be explored. Pitfalls and errors in the approach to medical problems will also be investigated.
  • PAS5007C Clinical Procedures — 1 cr.hr.
    • Course Description: This course enables the first year Physician Assistant student to develop a cognitive understanding and the psychomotor skills needed to perform common clinical procedures encountered in clinical practice. The skills and knowledge acquired in this course will act as a foundation that will help prepare learners to enter the clinical year and clinical practice with more confidence and a better understanding of procedure-based medicine. Clinical Procedures is a pass/fail course and is delivered in a combined lecture and lab format. The lectures are delivered using pre-recorded videos to be viewed before the corresponding lab. Labs have an atmosphere to promote a comfortable, cooperative learning environment. There are sometimes more than one way to perform the procedures taught, but all students should learn the skills as the faculty teaches them
  • PAS5027C EKG Interpretation/ACLS — 1 cr.hr.
    • Course Description: This course will teach students the basics of EKG interpretation and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) skills. Students should expect to practice on their own, outside of lecture, to be successful in this course. The section will consist of 9-10 lectures, Canvas assignments / quizzes, and a comprehensive final exam. Please be prepared to take notes during lectures, if a power point is provided, it will be made available online. ACLS will consist of a training course in Basic Life Support (BLS) and ACLS which will culminate with certification. Students are expected to complete a pre-test, a post test and hands on simulation activities for certification of ACLS training. Certification is required to pass the course.
  • PAS5076 Pharmacotherapeutics II — 1 cr.hr
    • Course Description: This team-taught course presents an overview of the fundamental principles of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and the calculation of dosing regimens. It also introduces the mechanism of action for specific prototype drugs to treat disease, their contraindications, interactions and side effects. The course is lecture based, with several clinical correlation sessions included to help teach how specific drugs classes are utilized in a patient setting. Only generic drug names will be taught, and each individual lecture will contain a list of prototype drugs to learn.
  • PAS5020 Introduction to Medicine II — 6 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: Introduction to Medicine is an exploration of the different specialties that make up human body system areas. The lectures are given by College of Medicine faculty, PA Program faculty, and PAs and NPs who work in the community. The goals and course rationale include that sections will add pathophysiology of body-system based disease onto previous knowledge gained in anatomy, physiology, and physical diagnosis. Body-system areas will be covered in approximately two weeks. This semester-long course includes 8 sections and 8 exams. Learning outcomes will further explain course goals.
  • PAS5001C Patient Evaluation & Hospital Practicum — 2 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: At the conclusion of this course, the student will appropriately interview and examine standardized, Aquifer, and hospitalized patients. The student will formulate and present case presentations and create appropriate documentation for case-based, hospitalized, clinic, and standardized patients and procedures. Additionally, the student will suggest appropriate care plans for a patient based on clinical scenarios and document them. Both adult and geriatric populations will be evaluated. During this course, the student will perform full physical exams and learn male and female genitourinary exams and breast exams on standardized live human patients. This course’s lecture component emphasizes documentation, legal, ethical issues, patient education, and interdisciplinary care. Modules are included to ensure competency in skills necessary to Physician Assistants as well as simulated clinical examinations.

Semester 4 – Summer A

  • PAS5008C Advanced Clinical Practicum — 3 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: Advanced Clinical Practicum (ACP) is a three-credit-hour course designed to prepare the student for the clinical year. It consists of modules whose overarching goal is to introduce the student to advancing topics in PA practice prior to beginning clinical rotations. Students are expected to utilize and combine skills learned in previous coursework to refine a diagnosis and treatment plan for simulated patient encounters.
  • PAS5013 Evidence-Based Medicine — 2 cr.hrs.
    • Course Description: This course will introduce students to the evaluation of research studies to make appropriate clinical decisions related to disease processes that impact populations. Assignments are designed to provide hands-on experience in research design, interpretation of outcomes, and evaluation of published literature. Students are expected to show progress toward increasingly independent critical thinking of clinical research. This course is pass/fail with lecture and interactive small group format to promote a comfortable and cooperative learning environment.

TOTAL ACADEMIC YEAR SEMESTER HOURS = 40