Graduate Physician Assistant Studies

Return to: School of Health Professions

Go to Programs and Course Listings

Faculty

Paul Harrelson, Chair, Assistant Professor
Bradley W. Cantley, Assistant Professor; Director of Clinical Education
John B. Hurt, Assistant Professor; Director of Academics and Curriculum
S. Wesley Johnson, Assistant Professor
Robert M. Caulkins, Visiting Instructor

Accreditation

Program Accreditation: Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. Other Accreditation: National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants

Graduate Programs and Requirements

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

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers the master of science in physician assistant studies (M.S.P.A.S.) degree-a full-time, 27-month curriculum, totaling 117 credit hours.

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

The master of science in physician assistant studies degree (M.S.P.A.S.) is a full-time, 27-month curriculum, matriculating each fall semester. Students will undergo an intense curriculum focusing on clinical medicine, evidence-based practice, anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology preparing them to work within diverse medical practices. The program will prepare students to work in both medical and surgical sub-specialties. This includes family practice, surgery, internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and a variety of other medical specialties.

Admission Requirements

Minimum requirements for admission to the Samford physician assistant studies program include:

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited university or college.
2. Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better from a regionally-accredited university or college within the United States.
3. If coursework is completed in an institution outside of the United States, an international credential evaluation is required reporting prior university credits. Samford accepts evaluations from World Education Services (WES), found at www.wes.org or AACRAO International Education Services (IES), found at ies.aacrao.org.
4. Completion of 24 semester credits as a full-time student in a U.S. regionally-accredited institution is required.
5. The program is a lock-step program and no advanced placement is allowed.
6. The following are the minimum required prerequisite courses:
   1. Human anatomy and human physiology with labs, or anatomy and physiology I and II with labs, or comparative anatomy and mammalian physiology with labs. (Must complete a full sequence. Substitutions for a separate course sequence will not be accepted.) (6-8 hours)
   2. Microbiology with lab. (3-4 hours)
   3. General chemistry I and II with labs or higher chemistry (organic I or organic II). (8-9 hours)
   4. Statistics, including statistical tests and analysis. (3 hours)
   5. Medical terminology. (1 hour)
   6. General psychology or abnormal psychology or developmental psychology (two of the three required). (6 hours)
7. A cumulative overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 of a possible 4.00 on all undergraduate and graduate work completed at an accredited university or college.
8. A natural science grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 of a possible 4.00 on all undergraduate and graduate work completed at an accredited university or college within the United States.
9. A cumulative non-science grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 of a possible 4.00 on all undergraduate and graduate work completed at an accredited university or college within the United States.
10. Direct patient care experience in strongly encouraged but not required.
11. GRE or MCAT is required. There is no minimum score and students will be evaluated on a competitive basis. 

Progression Policies

Must earn a “C” or better in all coursework. Must have a 3.00 overall GPA in program coursework to progress to the clinical year. Student will be placed on probation if program cumulative GPA falls below the minimum of 3.00.

Programs

• Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.S.)

Courses

• PAST 501 - Gross Anatomy (4)
• PAST 502 - Fundamentals of Physiology (4)
• PAST 503 - Clinical Laboratory Diagnostic (2)
• PAST 504 - Foundation of the Physician Assistant Profession (1)
• PAST 505 - Biomedical Ethics & Genetics (2)
• PAST 506 - Healthcare Policy, Care Management, & Risk Management (2)
• PAST 507 - Patient Assessment I (3)
• PAST 508 - Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine I (4)
• PAST 509 - Clinical Therapeutics I (3)
• PAST 510 - Evaluating Electrocardiography/Diagnostic Imaging (2)
• PAST 511 - Fundamentals of Surgery I (3)
• PAST 512 - Pathophysiology (3)
• PAST 513 - Patient Assessment II (3)
• PAST 514 - Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine II (4)
• PAST 515 - Clinical Therapeutics II (3)
• PAST 516 - Fundamentals of Clinical Research/Literature Evaluation (3)
• PAST 517 - Fundamentals of Surgery II (3)
• PAST 518 - Advanced Practice Procedures I (2)
• PAST 519 - Patient Assessment III: Clinical Decision Making (2)
• PAST 520 - Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine III (4)
• PAST 521 - Clinical Therapeutics III: Practical Application (2)
• PAST 522 - Advanced Practice Procedures II (2)
• PAST 523 - Behavioral Science (3)
• PAST 524 - Pre-Clinical Seminar (1)
• PAST 525 - Advanced Medical Simulation (2)
• PAST 601 - Clinical Service I (4)
• PAST 602 - Clinical Service II (4)
• PAST 603 - Clinical Service III (4)
• PAST 604 - Clinical Service IV (4)
• PAST 605 - Clinical Service V (4)
• PAST 606 - Clinical Service VI (4)
• PAST 607 - Clinical Service VII (4)
• PAST 608 - Clinical Service VIII (4)
• PAST 609 - Clinical Service IX (4)
• PAST 610 - Clinical Service X (4)
• PAST 611 - Clinical Service XI (4)
• PAST 612 - Clinical Service XII (4)
• PAST 613 - Summative Review (2)

Return to: School of Health Professions