Goals
Education Experience
To provide a comprehensive, patient- and family-centered educational experience with emphasis on evidence-based medicine, clinical application of medical knowledge, effective communication skills, and life-long learning.
The success of achieving the goal:
- Provide a curriculum in which courses are comprehensive and correlate together to foster learning.
- Provide patient- and family-centered educational experiences across the curriculum, including 10 core clinical rotations and two elective rotations in the clinical phase.
- Provide two courses and a capstone project that emphasizes evidence-based medicine.
- Provide early patient experience in the didactic curriculum and the case-based clinical reasoning courses to emphasize the clinical application of medical knowledge.
- Provide two courses that emphasize patient communication skills.
Educational Culture
To promote an educational culture that values professionalism, diversity, inclusivity, and compassion.
The success of achieving the goal:
- Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, ethical behavior, cultural awareness, and compassion by students who are continuously evaluated for professionalism during the didactic and clinical phases of the program.
- Faculty and staff serve as role models for students and exhibit professionalism, integrity, ethical behavior, cultural awareness and compassion.
- Provide two didactic courses that emphasize cultural competency.
- Provide clinical experiences in underserved areas.
- Provide service-learning experiences across the lifespan and work with diverse groups.
- Strive for diversity of faculty, staff and students.
Professional Preparation
To produce physician assistants who are prepared to practice in any discipline of medicine and in any health care environment.
The success of achieving the goal:
- Achieve a five-year average graduation rate of 96%
- Achieve a first-time Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination pass rate of 89%
Collaboration and Engagement
To foster an atmosphere of interprofessional collaboration and engagement within the university, and communities across the state of Arkansas.
The success of achieving the goal:
- Provide interprofessional education experiences in the didactic and clinical phases of the program.
- Provide service-learning experiences in the didactic phase of the program.
- Participate with the student-led, interprofessional 12th Street Health and Wellness Center.
Improve Access to Health Care
To produce practicing physician assistants who will improve access to healthcare for the residents of Arkansas.
The success of achieving the goal:
- Five-year average: 96% graduation rate
Competencies
The UAMS Physician Assistant Program Competencies define the knowledge, skills and professional behaviors that graduates are expected to demonstrate upon completion of the program. These competencies are aligned with ARC-PA Standards (5th Edition), the 2021 Competencies for the PA Profession, and the 2019 Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates. They guide curriculum design, student assessment and continuous program improvement.
Medical Knowledge
Graduates will demonstrate core knowledge about established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care.
- Apply knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, microbiology, and clinical medicine to patient assessment and management.
- Integrate clinical guidelines, scientific evidence, and best practices into diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making.
- Recognize the influence of genetic, environmental, developmental, and social factors on health and disease.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Graduates will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange and collaboration with patients, families, and healthcare teams.
- Communicate effectively, respectfully, and empathetically with patients and families from different backgrounds.
- Collaborate with interprofessional team members to provide coordinated care.
- Document and present clinical information clearly, accurately, and professionally.
Patient-Centered Clinical Care
Graduates will provide safe, effective, and equitable patient care across the lifespan in different clinical settings.
- Elicit accurate patient histories and perform appropriate physical examinations.
- Perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures appropriate to the clinical setting and level of training.
- Formulate differential diagnoses and develop evidence-based management plans.
- Provide preventive care and health education tailored to individual needs and health literacy levels.
- Demonstrate patient engagement and shared decision-making.
Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Graduates will demonstrate a commitment to ethical principles, integrity, compassion, and professional accountability.
- Adhere to legal and ethical standards of practice.
- Apply ethical principles by respecting patient autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality during all aspects of patient care.
- Demonstrate cultural humility and sensitivity in all professional interactions.
Systems-based and Reflective Practice
Graduates will apply clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to develop and implement evidence-based care. They will engage in reflective practice, use health information technology, and participate in quality improvement within healthcare systems to optimize patient outcomes.
- Apply clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to analyze clinical data and prioritize patient care decisions.
- Utilize evidence-based resources to guide clinical decision-making.
- Reflect on personal performance to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
- Participate in quality improvement, patient safety, and system-level initiatives.
Citation Legend
NG: Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates (2019)
PAP: Competencies for the PA Profession (2021)