Physician Assistant Studies

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The Physician Assistant (PA) graduate programs are offered through the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the School of Medicine.

Master of Science Physician Assistant (M.S.P.A.) in Physician Assistant Studies

The physician assistant is often the first health care provider to see a patient and perform a variety of tasks, including collecting historical and physical examination data from the patient and ordering appropriate laboratory and diagnostic tests. The physician assistant synthesizes patient information and participates in formulating and executing a treatment plan to meet the patient’s needs. A physician assistant can evaluate psychological aspects of a patient’s health, counsel when appropriate, and teach patients about primary health problems. The physician assistant makes referrals when indicated and can perform procedures, such as EKGs, venipuncture, casting, suturing, and injections. The physician assistant prescribes medications. Graduates of the PA Program are trained as primary care providers and awarded the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.) degree.

The program utilizes a problem-based learning curriculum and clinical rotations to prepare primary care physician assistants to practice medicine with physician supervision.

Admission

To be considered for the enrollment in the Physician Assistant M.S.P.A program prospective students must have a 3.2 GPA or above in overall, science, prerequisite GPAs and complete the program prerequisites and other requirements.

This program requires a nonrefundable $65 application fee (subject to change without notice by the SIU Board of Trustees) that must be submitted with the application for admissions to graduate study in the Physician Assistant Program. We ask that you do not apply to the graduate school unless you are invited to interview.

Accepted applicants will be required to submit a nonrefundable enrollment deposit to reserve a position in the class. The deposit is due within 10 days of the program’s invitation to the applicant. The deposit will be applied to the student’s Bursar account two weeks after matriculation. If an applicant, who has accepted an offer for admission, decides to drop, the enrollment deposit will not be refunded.

M.S.P.A. students will not receive the border state decrease adjustment to their tuition and fees. Therefore, all out-of-state students will pay a higher tuition rate. No advanced placement is awarded towards completion of M.S.P.A. courses, even if the applicant is licensed as a medical doctor.

Degree Requirements

Prospective students must have completed all of the following prerequisite courses before matriculation:

  • Medical Terminology - one semester or proficiency
  • Chemistry with labs - two semesters (select from General, Inorganic, Organic, or Biochemistry)
  • Psychology - one semester
  • Human Physiology - one semester (upper level preferred)
  • Human Anatomy – one semester (upper level with cadaver lab preferred)
  • Microbiology with lab-one semester
  • General Biology for science majors, - one semester (may also select from Genetics or Cell and Molecular Biology)
  • Statistics-one semester -AND-
  • English Composition - one semester

All prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the fall semester (12/31) in an application cycle. We allow two exceptions to this: Students may complete one remaining prerequisite course (with a grade of A or B) and Medical Terminology (Pass or A/B) during the Spring semester prior to matriculation.

Students who have completed or will soon complete a Bachelor’s degree and prerequisite course requirements should contact the program’s admissions advisor or consult the program website for the most current application information.

Enrollment in the M.S.P.A. program is limited and based on a competitive process. Applicants will be evaluated on the overall submitted application package, including overall, science, and prerequisite GPAs that must each be a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, academic potential, motivation, familiarity with the PA role, oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and potential for success in the SIU Carbondale M.S.P.A. Program and the PA profession. Students will be selected by the Admissions Committee for an interview with a maximum of 40 being admitted to the professional sequence. The M.S.P.A. Program is extremely rigorous and outside employment while in the program is discouraged.

Students selected for the professional sequence will begin study in the summer session. Those accepted into the M.S.P.A. program will be notified of acceptance by the spring semester prior to the summer of entry. The curriculum is a 26-month sequence with the first 12 months (Phase I) consisting of problem-based learning activities, basic science and clinical medicine courses, and clinical experiences. The next 14 months consist of clinical rotations with seminars (Phase II) and a summer preceptorship (Phase III). All students complete a Master’s Project before graduation. During the clinical rotation phase, students may be required to relocate to other locations or Hubsites throughout Illinois and one in Southeast Missouri. More information on deadlines or other requirements can be obtained from the M.S.P.A. program's admissions advisor at: paadvisement-L@listserv.siu.edu. All courses are restricted to students in the M.S.P.A. program.

First Year Sequence (Phase I) - 54 credit hours

PA 500, PA 501, PA 502, PA 503, PA 504, PA 505, PA 506, PA 507, PA 511, PA 512, PA 513, PA 514, PA 515, PA 521, PA 522, PA 523, PA 524, PA 525, PA 531, PA 532, PA 533, PA 534, PA 535, PA 536, PA 547, PA 550, PA 599

Second Year (Phase II & Phase III) - 36 credit hours

PA 545, PA 551, PA 580, PA 581, PA 582, PA 583, PA 596, PA 599

Total - 90 credit hours

Curricular Guide

Phase I

  • Semester 1 – Summer (Unit 1) – 10 Credit Hours
    • PA 500: Introduction to the Profession (1 CH)
    • PA 501: PBL, Unit 1 (3 CH)
    • PA 511: Pharmacology I (1 CH)
    • PA 521: Clinical Anatomy and Integrated Sciences I (2 CH)
    • PA 531: Patient Evaluation I (2 CH)
    • PA 547: Research Methods (1 CH)
  • Semester 2 – Fall (Units 2 & 3) – 22 Credit Hours
    • PA 502 -AND- PA 503: PBL, Units 2 and 3 (3 CH each)
    • PA 506: Patient Education/Behavioral Science (1 CH)
    • PA 507: Diversity in Medical Practice (1 CH)
    • PA 512 -AND- PA 513: Pharmacology II, III (1 CH each)
    • PA 522 -AND- PA 523: Clinical Anatomy and Integrated Sciences II, III (2 CH each)
    • PA 532 -AND- PA 533: Patient Evaluation II, III (2 CH each)
    • PA 550: Clinical Mentoring - Phase I (2 CH)
    • PA 599: Master’s Seminar (2 CH)
  • Semester 3 – Spring (Units 4 & 5) – 22 Credit Hours
    • PA 504 -AND- PA 505: PBL, Units 4 and 5 (3 CH each)
    • PA 506: Patient Education/Behavioral Science (1 CH)
    • PA 514 -AND- PA 515: Pharmacology IV, V (1 CH each)
    • PA 524 -AND- PA 525: Clinical Anatomy and Integrated Sciences IV, V (2 CH each)
    • PA 534: Clinical/Procedural Skills (2 CH)
    • PA 535: ACLS/EKG (2 CH)
    • PA 536: Introduction to the Surgical Setting (1 CH)
    • PA 550: Clinical Mentoring – Phase I (2 CH)
    • PA 599: Master’s Seminar (2 CH)

Phase II 

  • Semester 4 – Summer – 6 Credit Hours
    • PA 551: Clinical Mentoring – Phase II (1 CH)
    • PA 580: PBL Tutor Group – Phase II (1 CH)
    • PA 581: Clinical Rotations I (3 CH)
    • PA 599: Master’s Seminar (1 CH)
  • Semester 5 – Fall – 12 Credit Hours
    • PA 551: Clinical Mentoring – Phase II (2 CH)
    • PA 580: PBL Tutor Group – Phase II (2 CH)
    • PA 582: Clinical Rotations II (6 CH)
    • PA 599: Master’s Seminar (2 CH)
  • Semester 6 – Spring – 12 Credit Hours
    • PA 551: Clinical Mentoring – Phase II (2 CH)
    • PA 580: PBL Tutor Group – Phase II (2 CH)
    • PA 583: Clinical Rotations III (6 CH)
    • PA 599: Master’s Seminar (2 CH)

Phase III

  • Semester 7 – Summer – 6 Credit Hours
    • PA 545: Health Care Systems (3 CH)
    • PA 596: Preceptorship (3 CH)

A limited number of electives are also accepted:

PA Elective Courses:

  •     PA 508: Holistic Medicine (1-3 CH)
  •     PA 585: Independent Study (1-6 CH)

PA Continuing Enrollment:

  • PA 601: (1 CH)

Used to complete the M.S.P.A. project if all other program requirements are met.

For more information on the M.S.P.A. degree offered by the Physician Assistant Program, visit our web site at: siumed.edu/paprogram or email the Program’s Admissions Advisor.