Curriculum

There are two segments to the program: (1) the first 15 months (Year 1) which are dedicated to didactic education and (2) the last 12 months (Year 2) during which students attend supervised clinical rotations. The clinical rotations are between four and five weeks in length. The required supervised clinical experiences are family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and emergency medicine. Rotation sites may vary in schedule, expectations, and assignments.

To progress through the Master in Physician Assistant Studies Program, a student must do the following:

  1. Pass each required course/rotation with a grade of 75% or higher and maintain overall 3.0GPA.
  2. Pass summative examinations (written, practical, oral, simulation, and OSCEs)
  3. Submission and faculty endorsement of signature paper/Capstone project.
  4. Complete the Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Test (PACKRAT) for self-assessment.
  5. Comply with program standards of conduct and guidelines for ethical conduct
  6. Complete the Program’s Physician Assistant Board Review Course

Note: Students who enter the program and complete the required curricular components at the typical pace will complete the program in 27-months from initial matriculation. In the event of a granted leave of absence or academic deceleration, students must complete the program no later than 4-years from initial matriculation.

Policies

Recruitment and Maintenance of Clinical Sites and Preceptors (A1.10a, A3.03, B3.01)

The MPAS program is responsible for recruiting clinical sites and preceptors, maintaining standards of excellence, and supervising student placement. The Clinical Director and the clinical team are responsible for identifying and evaluating clinical sites and preceptors that adhere to academic, professional, and safety standards of the program. Students may suggest or provide information regarding potential clinical sites or preceptors to the Clinical Director, but students are not to solicit clinical sites or preceptors. All students must accept the clerkship clinical rotation schedule assigned to them. The schedule may be subject to change.

Didactic (Preclinical) Year Courses 2022-2023
AUG SEPTOCT NOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPTOCTNOVDEC
Fall TermSpring TermSummer TermFall Term
Gross AnatomyClinical Skills I Clinical Medicine IIClinical Medicine III
PhysiologyPhysiology IIPharmacology in Disease Pathology IIClinical Skills II
Clinical Assessment IClinical Medicine IIntegration into Clinical Concepts IIThe Role of the PA in American Health Care
 Medical Microbiology and Infectious DiseasePharmacology in Disease Pathology I   Human Behavior
  Clinical Application of Evidenced-Based Practice IIntegration into Clinical Concepts III
 Clinical Assessment II Clinical Application of Evidence-Based Practice II
 Integration into Clinical Concepts I 

Clinical Year Courses **

Spring semester
Jan.Feb.Mar.Apr.
    
Family MedicineClerkship   
  Internal Medicine Clerkship  
   Surgery Clerkship 
Summer semester
MayJuneJuly
OB/GYN Clerkship  
 Pediatric Clerkship 
  Emergency Medicine Clerkship
Fall semester
Aug.Sept.Oct.Nov.Dec.
Psychiatry Clerkship    
  Elective Clerkship I   
    Elective Clerkship II  
     Summative Evaluation Period Graduation 

**Students will rotate through the first seven (core) clerkships in varying sequences. Beginning with rotations eight and nine, students will be in their chosen electives.

Academic Schedule

The MPAS schedule does not follow the FIU calendar. Dates may be subject to change. 

Spring Semester 2023

Didactic Classes CO 2024: 1/9/23-4/28/23
Clinical Rotations CO 2023: 1/9/23-4/14/23

Summer Semester 2023

Didactic Classes CO 2024: 5/8/23-7/28/23
Clinical Rotations CO 2023: 4/24/23-7/28/23

Fall Semester 2023

Orientation CO 2025: 7/24/23 – 7/28/23
Didactic Class CO 2025: 7/31/23 – 8/4/23
Didactic Classes CO 2024: 8/7/23 – 12/1/23
Clinical Rotations CO 2023: 8/7/23 - 11/9/23

 

Curriculum Classes

Each faculty advisor reviews their students' records to ensure satisfactory performance prior to progression from the didactic phase to the clinical phase of the program, and prior to recommending students for graduation. Graduation is required for students to be eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).

Course IDFall Semester

PAS 6022

Gross Anatomy

PAS 6014

Physiology I

PAS 6040

Clinical Assessment I

PAS 6184

Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease

 

Course IDSpring Semester

PAS 6031

Clinical Skills I

PAS 6015

Physiology II

PAS 6011

Clinical Medicine I

PAS 6023

Pharmacology in Disease Pathology I

PAS 6090

Clinical Application of Evidence-Based Practice I

PAS 6041

Clinical Assessment II

PAS 6016

Integration into Clinical Concepts I

 

Course IDSummer Semester

PAS 6012

Clinical Medicine II

PAS 6026

Pharmacology in Disease Pathology II

PAS 6017

Integration into Clinical Concepts II

 

Course IDFall Semester

PAS 6033

Clinical Medicine III

PAS 6032

Clinical Skills II

PAS 6050

The Role of the PA in American Health Care

PAS 6005

Human Behavior

PAS 6018

Integration into Clinical Concepts III

PAS 6091

Clinical Application of Evidence-Based Practice II

 

Course IDClinical Clerkships

PAS 6103

Internal Medicine

PAS 6400

Family Medicine

PAS 6200

Surgery

PAS 6500

Obstetrics/Gynecology

PAS 6300

Pediatric

PAS 6600

Emergency Medicine

PAS 6125

Psychiatry

PAS 6940

Elective (x2)