During your time here, you'll get practical experience through simulations, clinical
experience and cadaver-based anatomy instruction. Through it all, you'll get personalized
attention thanks to our small student-to-faculty ratio.
Degree
Students in the Physician Assistant program at the School of Medicine Columbia will
earn a Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies upon completion of the 27-month
program that includes both didactic and clinical education.
Didactic Curriculum
Your first year will be your didactic year where you will spend time in the classroom
learning the skills you need to successfully complete your clinical training.
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
PHPH 701
Physiology for Health Sciences
6
BMSC 740
Human Anatomy for Health Sciences
6
BMSC 745
Medical Interviewing
2
BMSC 753
PA Professional Practice
1
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
BMSC 766
PA Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics I
7
BMSC 746
Physical Diagnosis
6
BMSC 755
Medical Genetics and Laboratory Diagnostics
2
BMSC 752
Medical Law and Ethics
2
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
BMSC 767
PA Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics II
6
BMSC 768
PA Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics III
6
BMSC 751
Behavioral Health
2
BMSC 756
Advancing Medical Practice through Research
3
BMSC 747
Diagnostic Testing
2
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
BMSC 769
PA Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics IV
7
BMSC 770
Clinical Skills Lab
3
BMSC 748
Surgery and Emergency Medicine
2
BMSC 743
Clinical Immersion for PAs
2
BMSC 744
Interprofessional Seminar
1
BMSC 749
Clinical Medicine Across the Lifespan
2
Clinical Curriculum
Your second year will be spent gaining the clinical skills you need to begin practicing
as a physician assistant. This year will include various practicum that will take
you through different clinical specialties.
Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.
Year three will consist of your capstone research (1 credit).
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
BMSC 781
Family Medicine (Practicum)
4
BMSC 782
Urgent Care/Primary Care 2
4
BMSC 759
Women’s Health (Practicum)
4
BMSC 758
Internal Medicine (Practicum)
4
BMSC 760
Pediatrics (Practicum)
4
BMSC 761
Behavioral Medicine (Practicum)
4
BMSC 762
General Surgery (Practicum)
4
BMSC 763
Emergency Medicine (Practicum)
4
BMSC 764
Orthopedics (Practicum)
4
BMSC 765
PA Practicum Elective–two rotations totaling 8 weeks
4
Course Number
Course Name
Credit Hours
BMSC 783
PA Capstone Portfolio
1
BMSC 742
Seminar (Summative Experience)
1
Summary
Year
Credit Hours
Didactic Curriculum
68
Clinical Curriculum
46
Total
114
Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.
