PA-ving the Way with RVU’s New Class of Physician Assistant Students
As the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement age, the nation is in need of healthcare providers to both replace retiring physicians and provide long-term care for an aging population. One of the answers to this dilemma is the physician assistant. A rapidly growing profession, physician assistants can diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and serve as a patient’s healthcare provider. With that in mind, RVU has developed an innovative and hands-on program for students to train to become physician assistants.
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree is a twenty-seven-month long program that is organized into two sections: The Didactic Phase and the Clinical Phase. During this time, they will learn foundational concepts before moving on to supervised clinical practice experience and clinical seminars. The program is also the first PA curriculum in the nation to be based on competency using entrustable professional activities (EPAs).
For their first week on campus, the PA Class of 2021 took part in a wide-range of activities during for their Orientation. The ice breaker challenge, Missing Chair, provided a fun and comfortable atmosphere for students to get to know their new classmates, faculty and staff. Other activities included an introduction to the curriculum, an institutional scavenger hunt, campus tours, and a Family Picnic and BBQ. The week ended with a ceremony in which students took an oath to “show compassion towards each patient as well as all members of the community by choosing responsible care and delivery.”
Welcome, PA Class of 2021!
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